Eesti saadab Mali missioonile kaks staabiohvitseri

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

2013-01-01

Välisminister Urmas Paet ütles eile, et valitsus andis oma toetuse missioonile Malis, kus on viimastel nädalatel ägenenud islamistlike mässuliste rünnakud. Missioon pole sõjaline, vaid selle eesmärgiks on treening ja õpetus Mali enda sõjaväele. Eesti saadab missioonile ilmselt ühe või kaks staabiohvitseri

A molecular map of CQR in Mali

Science.gov (United States)

Djimde, Abdoulaye A.; Barger, Breanna; Kone, Aminatou; Beavogui, Abdoul H.; Tekete, Mamadou; Fofana, Bakary; Dara, Antoine; Maiga, Hamma; Dembele, Demba; Toure, Sekou; Dama, Souleymane; Ouologuem, Dinkorma; Sangare, Cheick Papa Oumar; Dolo, Amagana; Sogoba, Nofomo; Nimaga, Karamoko; Kone, Yacouba; Doumbo, Ogobara K.

2009-01-01

Plasmodium falciparum CQR transporter point mutation (PfCRT76T) is known to be the key determinant of CQR. Molecular detection of PfCRT76T in field samples may be used for the surveillance of CQR in the malaria endemic countries. The genotype-resistance index (GRI) which is obtained as the ratio of the prevalence of PfCRT 76T to the incidence of CQR in a clinical trial was proposed as a simple andpractical molecular-based addition to the tools currently available for monitoring CQR in the field. In order to validate the GRI model across populations, time, and resistance patterns, we compiled data from the literature and generated new data from a dozen of sites across Mali. We found a mean PfCRT76T mutation prevalence of 84.5% (range 60.9%–95.1%) across all sites. CQR rates predicted from the GRI model was extrapolated onto a map of Mali to show the patterns of resistance throughout the participating regions. We present a comprehensive map of CQR in Mali, which strongly supports recent changes in drug policy away from chloroquine. PMID:20041947

Characterizing the insecticide resistance of Anopheles gambiae in Mali.

Science.gov (United States)

Cisse, Moussa B M; Keita, Chitan; Dicko, Abdourhamane; Dengela, Dereje; Coleman, Jane; Lucas, Bradford; Mihigo, Jules; Sadou, Aboubacar; Belemvire, Allison; George, Kristen; Fornadel, Christen; Beach, Raymond

2015-08-22

The impact of indoor residual spraying (IRS) and long-lasting insecticide nets (LLINs), key components of the national malaria control strategy of Mali, is threatened by vector insecticide resistance. The objective of this study was to assess the level of insecticide resistance in Anopheles gambiae sensu lato populations from Mali against four classes of insecticide recommended for IRS: organochlorines (OCs), pyrethroids (PYs), carbamates (CAs) and organophosphates (OPs). Characterization of resistance was done in 13 sites across southern Mali and assessed presence and distribution of physiological mechanisms that included target-site modifications: knockdown resistance (kdr) and altered acetycholinesterase (AChE), and/or metabolic mechanisms: elevated esterases, glutathione S-transferases (GSTs), and monooxygenases. The World Health Organization (WHO) tube test was used to determine phenotypic resistance of An. gambiae s.l. to: dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) (OC), deltamethrin (PY), lambda-cyhalothrin (PY), bendiocarb (CA), and fenitrothion (OP). Identification of sibling species and presence of the ace-1 (R) and Leu-Phe kdr, resistance-associated mutations, were determined using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology. Biochemical assays were conducted to detect increased activity of GSTs, oxidases and esterases. Populations tested showed high levels of resistance to DDT in all 13 sites, as well as increased resistance to deltamethrin and lambda-cyhalothrin in 12 out of 13 sites. Resistance to fenitrothion and bendiocarb was detected in 1 and 4 out of 13 sites, respectively. Anopheles coluzzii, An. gambiae sensu stricto and Anopheles arabiensis were identified with high allelic frequencies of kdr in all sites where each of the species were found (13, 12 and 10 sites, respectively). Relatively low allelic frequencies of ace-1 (R) were detected in four sites where this assessment was conducted. Evidence of elevated insecticide metabolism, based on oxidase

Estimation of wind and solar resources in Mali

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Badger, J.; Kamissoko, F.; Olander Rasmussen, M.; Larsen, Soeren; Guidon, N.; Boye Hansen, L.; Dewilde, L.; Alhousseini, M.; Noergaard, P.; Nygaard, I.

2012-11-15

The wind resource has been estimated for all of Mali at 7.5 km resolution using the KAMM/WAsP numerical wind atlas methodology. Three domains were used to cover entire country and three sets of wind classes used to capture change in large scale forcing over country. The final output includes generalized climate statistics for any location in Mali, giving wind direction and wind speed distribution. The modelled generalized climate statistics can be used directly in the WAsP software. The preliminary results show a wind resource, which is relatively low, but which under certain conditions may be economically feasible, i.e. at favourably exposed sites, giving enhanced winds, and where practical utilization is possible, given consideration to grid connection or replacement or augmentation of diesel-based electricity systems. The solar energy resource for Mali was assessed for the period between July 2008 and June 2011 using a remote sensing based estimate of the down-welling surface shortwave flux. The remote sensing estimates were adjusted on a month-by-month basis to account for seasonal differences between the remote sensing estimates and in situ data. Calibration was found to improve the coefficient of determination as well as decreasing the mean error both for the calibration and validation data. Compared to the results presented in the ''Renewable energy resources in Mali - preliminary mapping''-report that showed a tendency for underestimation compared to data from the NASA PPOWER/SSE database, the presented results show a very good agreement with the in situ data (after calibration) with no significant bias. Unfortunately, the NASA-database only contains data up until 2005, so a similar comparison could not be done for the time period analyzed in this study, although the agreement with the historic NASA data is still useful as reference. (LN)

A Cross-Sectional Study to Assess HPV Knowledge and HPV Vaccine Acceptability in Mali

Science.gov (United States)

Poole, Danielle N.; Tracy, J. Kathleen; Levitz, Lauren; Rochas, Mali; Sangare, Kotou; Yekta, Shahla; Tounkara, Karamoko; Aboubacar, Ben; Koita, Ousmane; Lurie, Mark; De Groot, Anne S.

2013-01-01

Despite a high prevalence of oncogenic human papilloma virus (HPV) infection and cervical cancer mortality, HPV vaccination is not currently available in Mali. Knowledge of HPV and cervical cancer in Mali, and thereby vaccine readiness, may be limited. Research staff visited homes in a radial pattern from a central location to recruit adolescent females and males aged 12–17 years and men and women aged ≥18 years (N = 51) in a peri-urban village of Bamako, Mali. Participants took part in structured interviews assessing knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to HPV, cervical cancer, and HPV vaccination. We found low levels of HPV and cervical cancer knowledge. While only 2.0% of respondents knew that HPV is a sexually transmitted infection (STI), 100% said they would be willing to receive HPV vaccination and would like the HPV vaccine to be available in Mali. Moreover, 74.5% said they would vaccinate their child(ren) against HPV. Men were found to have significantly greater autonomy in the decision to vaccinate themselves than women and adolescents (p = 0.005), a potential barrier to be addressed by immunization campaigns. HPV vaccination would be highly acceptable if the vaccine became widely available in Bamako, Mali. This study demonstrates the need for a significant investment in health education if truly informed consent is to be obtained for HPV vaccination. Potential HPV vaccination campaigns should provide more information about HPV and the vaccine. Barriers to vaccination, including the significantly lower ability of the majority of the target population to autonomously decide to get vaccinated, must also be addressed in future HPV vaccine campaigns. PMID:23431375

A cross-sectional study to assess HPV knowledge and HPV vaccine acceptability in Mali.

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Danielle N Poole

Full Text Available Despite a high prevalence of oncogenic human papilloma virus (HPV infection and cervical cancer mortality, HPV vaccination is not currently available in Mali. Knowledge of HPV and cervical cancer in Mali, and thereby vaccine readiness, may be limited. Research staff visited homes in a radial pattern from a central location to recruit adolescent females and males aged 12-17 years and men and women aged ≥ 18 years (N = 51 in a peri-urban village of Bamako, Mali. Participants took part in structured interviews assessing knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to HPV, cervical cancer, and HPV vaccination. We found low levels of HPV and cervical cancer knowledge. While only 2.0% of respondents knew that HPV is a sexually transmitted infection (STI, 100% said they would be willing to receive HPV vaccination and would like the HPV vaccine to be available in Mali. Moreover, 74.5% said they would vaccinate their child(ren against HPV. Men were found to have significantly greater autonomy in the decision to vaccinate themselves than women and adolescents (p = 0.005, a potential barrier to be addressed by immunization campaigns. HPV vaccination would be highly acceptable if the vaccine became widely available in Bamako, Mali. This study demonstrates the need for a significant investment in health education if truly informed consent is to be obtained for HPV vaccination. Potential HPV vaccination campaigns should provide more information about HPV and the vaccine. Barriers to vaccination, including the significantly lower ability of the majority of the target population to autonomously decide to get vaccinated, must also be addressed in future HPV vaccine campaigns.

Educational Research Network for West and Central Africa ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

This grant will assist the Educational Research Network for West and Central Africa (ERNWACA) by providing funding for succession planning, recruiting a regional coordinator (to be based in Mali) and strengthening the Network's capacity to mobilize resources with a view to long-term sustainability.

Friction on the Frontline - African Soldiers in Mali

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haugegaard, Rikke

This conference abstract is a presentation of some of the findings from fieldwork conducted in Mali in june 2016, together with Signe Cold-Ravnkilde and Peter Albrecht from DIIS. The abstract highlights some of the frictions in the UN mission MINUSMA in Mali, especially perceptions, leadership...

The European Union Training Mission in Mali: A case study

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Dicke Rachel

2014-10-01

Full Text Available For several years, the European Union (EU has been increasing its international presence and moving into the role of a global security actor. To support the goal of greater crisis management capabilities, European security integration (ESI has been deepening. This article therefore examines an Ell operation - the European Union Training Mission in Mali (EUTM Mali - with the aim of gauging the success of the EU's efforts at ESI. To determine the success of EUTM Mali and thus of ESI, three propositions are examined: if EUTM Mali is a security operation showing successful security integration, there will be evidence of (i broad participation, (ii financial burden-sharing and (iii the successful incorporation of troops and equipment. The first and third propositions are supported whereas the second does not receive as much support. Overall, EUTM Mali shows considerable success and bodes well for further ESI.

[Doctoral thesis: Demographic growth and economic and social development in Mali].

Science.gov (United States)

Dabo, K

1999-12-01

A doctoral thesis is described analyzing the relationships between demographic growth and economic and social development in Mali. The hypothesis is stated that demographic growth impedes economic development and any improvement in populations¿ standards of living. The hypothesis was verified using data for the period from 1960 to the present. Over that period, Mali conducted two general population censuses in 1976 and 1987, as well as several demographic research studies. The thesis is comprised of 4 parts, of which the first generally describes Mali. The second part analyzes the relationship between population growth and economic and social development in Mali. Study results are presented, followed by an analysis of the effects of economic and social development upon population growth in Mali through factors such as urbanization, education level, literacy, income, employment, occupation, gross domestic or gross national product by inhabitant, infant mortality rate, life expectancy at birth, contraceptive practice, fertility opinions and desires, women¿s status, and migration in Mali. Analysis indicates that Mali has not completely begun its demographic transition, but that traditional pronatalist behaviors are changing. Population policies and programs are explored in the third part of the thesis, followed by the fourth part which focuses upon methodological questions.

Solar electricity for Mali

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Naehr, Catrin [SMA Corporate Communication, Niestetal (Germany)

2013-10-01

Eight off-grid PV power plants that supply households, schools and smaller businesses in southern Mali villages with electricity not only boost the rural electrification but also the local economy in the crisis-ridden country. (orig.)

Cotton Production in Mali: Subsidies or Sustainable Development?

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Lindsey

2007-01-01

Current trade rules concerning cotton subsidies are intricately linked with poverty and hunger in Mali. Over half of Mali's economy and over 30 million people depend directly on cotton. It is the main cash crop and the most important source of export revenue. Cotton also plays a key role in development policies and in the fight against poverty by…

IDRC in Mali

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Timbuktu. This telecentre allowed residents, particularly women and youth, to connect with the broader world. This project demonstrated the important role digital technology can play in rural development and served as a model for a series of multimedia centres that. UNESCO set up throughout Mali. C. U. R. T. C. A. R. N.

Cytology of infection of apple leaves by Diplocarpon mali

Science.gov (United States)

Diplocarpon mali, the causal agent of Marssonina leaf blotch of apple, causes severe defoliation during the growing season. Little information is available on the mode of infection and infection process. In this study, the infection strategies of D. mali in apple leaves were investigated using fluor...

Epilepsie et permis de conduire au Mali : connaissances, attitudes et ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

English Title: Epilepsy and driving licence in Mali : knowledge, attitudes and ... study in collaboration with ANASER (National Agency for Road Safety in Mali) with ... this study emphasizes the importance of misconceptions about epilepsy, and ...

DNA sequence analysis of herbarium specimens facilitates the revival of Botrytis mali, a postharvest pathogen of apple.

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O'Gorman, Daniel T; Sholberg, Peter L; Stokes, Sarah C; Ginns, J

2008-01-01

The fungus Botrytis cinerea has been widely accepted as the species responsible for causing gray mold decay of apple, although a second species causing apple decay, B. mali, was reported in 1931. Botrytis mali was validly published in 1931, nevertheless it has always been considered a doubtful species. To study the relationship of Botrytis isolates causing gray mold on apple, DNA sequence analysis was employed. Twenty-eight Botrytis isolates consisting of 10 species were sampled, including two B. mali herbarium specimens from apple originally deposited in 1932. The DNA sequence analysis of the beta-tubulin and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (G3PDH) genes placed the isolates into groupings with defined species boundaries that generally reflected the morphologically based model for Botrytis classification. The B. cinerea isolates from apple and other host plants were placed in a single clade. The B. mali herbarium specimens however always fell well outside that clade. The DNA sequence analysis reported in this study support the initial work by Ruehle (1931) describing the apple pathogen B. mali as a unique species.

Prevalence of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Districts of High and Low Endemicity in Mali.

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Bourama Traoré

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Historically the western sahelian dry regions of Mali are known to be highly endemic for cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL caused by Leishmania major, while cases are rarely reported from the Southern savanna forest of the country. Here, we report baseline prevalence of CL infection in 3 ecologically distinct districts of Mali (dry sahelian, north savanna and southern savanna forest areas. We screened 195 to 250 subjects from 50 to 60 randomly selected households in each of the 6 villages (four from the western sahelian district of Diema in Kayes region, one from the central district of Kolokani and one from the southern savanna district of Kolodieba, region of Sikasso. The screening consisted of: 1] A Leishmanin Skin Test (LST for detection of exposure to Leishmania parasites; 2] clinical examination of suspected lesions, followed by validation with PCR and 3] finger prick blood sample to determine antibody levels to sand fly saliva. LST positivity was higher in the western district of Diema (49.9% than in Kolokani (24.9% and was much lower in Kolondieba (2.6%. LST positivity increased with age rising from 13.8% to 88% in Diema for age groups 2-5 years and 41-65 years, respectively. All eight PCR-confirmed L. major CL cases were diagnosed in subjects below 18 years of age and all were residents of the district of Diema. Exposure to sand fly bites, measured by anti-saliva antibody titers, was comparable in individuals living in all three districts. However, antibody titers were significantly higher in LST positive individuals (P<0.0001. In conclusion, CL transmission remains active in the western region of Mali where lesions were mainly prevalent among children under 18 years old. LST positivity correlated to higher levels of antibodies to sand fly salivary proteins, suggesting their potential as a risk marker for CL acquisition in Mali.

Mali adolescents: early parenthood does not equal more choice.

Science.gov (United States)

1999-11-01

This paper highlights the impact of laws and policies on reproductive rights in adolescents and young girls in Mali. The Center for Reproductive Law and the Association of Women Lawyers in the country uncovered several areas of concern on the adolescents in Mali. It was noted that 94% of the women in reproductive age have undergone female genital mutilation, also known as female circumcision. According to the report, 34% of the female adolescents have experienced pregnancy despite their knowledge that early pregnancies are critical risk factors in maternal and infant mortality. The adolescent pregnancy is attributed to their law, which permits girls to marry at an early age. Moreover, the low level of knowledge on contraceptives contributed to the increasing incidence of HIV/AIDS infection in the country. Also documented was the outlawing of abortion in Mali and is permitted only when the life of the woman is at risk. Because of this, adolescents flood to illegal abortions, putting themselves at risk of infection and complications. In response to this report, the UN recommended that Mali government should establish strategies against maternal mortality.

Influence de la gestion et du statut socio-économique de l'agro-pasteur sur la productivité des ovins et des caprins au Mali central

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Killanga, S.

1999-01-01

Full Text Available The Influence of the Management and the Socio-Economie Status of the Agropastor on the Productivity of Sheep and Goats in Central Mali. A study of causes responsible of productivity differences between sheep and goats flocks in a central Malian village belonging to an agropastoral subsystem associated to a rainfed millet culture was carried out from July 1987 to March 1988. Management factors, socio-economic characteristics of agropastors and sheep and goats productivity parameters were simultaneously followed up and analysed. The results have shown that both sheep and goats were not managed in the same manner and that the observed causes of productivity differences between flocks are related to the agropastor's personnal production means, to his methods of management of animals, to his apprentice ship of the stock breeder profession and to the detention of other animal species.

Structuring of Milk Production Basins: Comparison between Brazilian Amazonia and Mali

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R. Poccard Chapuis

2007-01-01

Full Text Available In Brazilian Amazonia, structuring of dairy basins is progressing fast. In Mali, these processes are not engaged, although the activity of cattle keeping is ancient and currently thriving. This difference covers essential stakes: fight against poverty, food production in the face of the demographic challenge, current debates on the theories of the development. The comparative analysis is based on a diachronic model of the successive phases of structuring of the Amazonian dairy basins. This model is then applied to dairy dynamics in Mali to identify blockages in the structuring of basins. Six phases are highlighted in the Amazonian model, from subsistence consumption of raw milk to basin specialization and establishment of an industrial monopoly. The application in Mali shows that the initial situations are similar (territory constraints. But two essential mechanisms are not working: transportation of finished products to distant markets, and fresh milk collection extended beyond the boundaries of the direct sale to urban consumers. These two aspects, essential to ensure the flow upstream and downstream of the products, address the question of dairy unit location as well as the distribution organization in Bamako. In spite of the limits of the comparative analysis, the model shows that the keys to a positive evolution in Mali are more to be found at the industry and distribution levels than at the production level. Public actions (State and collectivities could focus on these two points, notably through training activities and credit policies.

African Peacekeepers in Mali

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haugegaard, Rikke

Dette fælles DIIS-FAK forskningsprojekt undersøger de interne dynamikker i FN’s stabiliseringsmission i Mali (MINUSMA). Studiet af interoperabilitet i missionen vægtes med fokus på afrikanske styrkers opfattelser og motivation for deltagelse i MINUSMA. De afrikanske styrkers bidrag til FN er et u...

Can the UN Stabilize Mali? Towards a UN Stabilization Doctrine?

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Arthur Boutellis

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Almost two years after the deployment of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA in July 2013, the increasing number of asymmetric terrorist attacks targeting UN peacekeepers – in the context of a drawn-out peace process – has raised a number of questions in Mali, the sub-region, and in New York, over the relevance and adequacies of MINUSMA’s mandate and capabilities. It also raises a broader issue, of whether the consent-based UN peacekeeping tool is appropriate and can be effective in carrying out stabilization mandates in such a context and what doctrine such operations should be based on. The UN is indeed under increasing pressure from host countries and some African troop-contributing countries to go on the offensive. Member States have also increasingly recognized terrorism and organized crime as a strategic threat, and while opposed to the UN directly engaging in counterterrorism (CT operations, some may wish to see the UN playing a greater stabilization role following the January 2013 French military intervention in Mali. However, little guidance and means have been given so far to UN missions for dealing with such threats and implementing effective stabilization mandates. The High-Level Panel on Peace Operations, which recently released its report, noted that the usage of the term “stabilization” by the UN requires clarification. This article analyses the complex and evolving nature of threats in northern Mali and implications for MINUSMA and describes the military and political tools – including mediation – so far available within and outside the UN. The article concludes that the UN is bound to move towards stabilization when and if deployed in contexts such as Mali’s if it wants to remain relevant. However, such a move should be based on an overarching UN stabilization doctrine and context-specific UN-wide stabilization strategies which are first and foremost political

Photovoltaic energy in Mali. Technical and organisational challenges of solar solutions deployment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lacroix, Olivier; Lesaffre, Dominique

2011-01-01

In 2008, electricity access rate in rural Mali was below 11%. In view of the challenges of electrification and development of rural areas in Mali, solar energy is seen as a strategic technology. The SIDI has asked ENEA to work on the technical and organisational terms ensuring sustainable access and spreading of photovoltaic systems in rural Mali. As such, in this report, ENEA improves the knowledge of the sector's private actors, suggests support architectures tackling the problematic, and highlights critical points by market segments

P. falciparum malaria prevalence among blood donors in Bamako, Mali.

Science.gov (United States)

Kouriba, B; Diarra, A B; Douyon, I; Diabaté, D T; Kamissoko, F; Guitteye, H; Baby, M; Guindo, M A; Doumbo, O K

2017-06-01

Malaria parasite is usually transmitted to humans by Anopheles mosquitoes but it can also be transmitted through blood transfusion. Usually malaria transmission is low in African urban settings. In West Africa where the P. falciparum is the most predominant malaria species, there are limited measures to reduce the risk of blood transfusion malaria. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of P. falciparum malaria carriage among blood donors in the National Blood Center of Bamako, capital city of Mali. The study was conducted using a random sample of 946 blood donors in Bamako, Mali, from January to December 2011. Screening for malaria was performed by thick smear and rapid diagnostic test (RDT). Blood group was typed by Beth-Vincent and Simonin techniques. The frequency of malaria infection was 1.4% by thick smear and 0.8% by the RDT. The pick prevalence of P. falciparum malaria was in rainy season, indicating a probable high seasonal risk of malaria by blood transfusion, in Mali. The prevalence of P. falciparum infection was 2% among donors of group O the majority being in this group. There is a seasonal prevalence of malaria among blood donors in Bamako. A prevention strategy of transfusion malaria based on the combination of selection of blood donors through the medical interview, promoting a voluntary low-risk blood donation and screening all blood bags intended to be transfused to children under 5, pregnant women and immune-compromised patients during transmission season using thick smear will reduce the risk of transfusion malaria in Mali. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Sorghum and rice: Mali

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-01-01

Agriculture is the mainstay of the Malian economy and yet cereal imports absorb 6.5% of GDP. Food self-sufficiency is therefore a national priority. The Joint FAO/IAEA Division is supporting a programme to improve local varieties of sorghum and rice by using nuclear techniques to develop new cultivars that will produce higher yields under Mali's semi-arid climatic conditions. (IAEA)

A Commune-Level Groundwater Potential Map for the Republic of Mali

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Silvia Díaz-Alcaide

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Groundwater represents an essential resource in sub-Saharan Africa, where several hundred million people rely on aquifers for domestic supply. This paper presents a method to map groundwater potential in the Republic of Mali based on a spatially-distributed database of 26,040 boreholes. The database includes exhaustive information on key parameters such as borehole location, success rate of borehole production, depth, yield, static groundwater level or water quality. Representative variables were classified and interpreted jointly to develop a groundwater potential index for each of the 703 communes in Mali. This provides a methodological novelty because groundwater potential studies typically rely on indirect indicators such as lineaments, slope, soil moisture and landforms. Also, such large borehole databases have seldom been used to estimate groundwater potential. The highest indexes were obtained for the areas in and around the River Niger’s Inner Delta, including southern Tombouctou and the central parts of the Ségou and Mopti Regions. The lower Precambrian formations, which include the country’s thoroughly populated southern plateau, had moderate scores. The lowest groundwater potential was found in the northern part of the Kayes and Koulikoro Regions, as well as in the entire region of Kidal. By providing results at the commune scale, these outcomes show that groundwater potential across the country’s geological and hydrogeological units can be highly variable, and that local and regional-scale information may be useful for groundwater management purposes. These results are policy-relevant in a context of rapid change and population growth, where groundwater resources can be expected to be increasingly relied upon in the coming years.

Le CRDI au Mali

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

de ces technologies et tentent de déterminer si un régime de microcrédit pourrait encourager leur adoption. On cherche par cela à accroître la sécurité alimentaire de même que le rendement des cultures de dolique, de sorgho et de mil. □ Menaces pesant sur les moyens de subsistance. Financement octroyé pour le Mali :.

Croissance de Auchenoglanis occidentalis (Pisces, Claroteidae dans le Delta Central du Niger (Mali, Afrique de l'ouest

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Niaré, T.

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Growth of Auchenoglanis occidentalis (Pisces, Claroteidae in the Central Delta of Niger River Flood Plain (Mali, West Africa. Growth biology of Auchenoglanis occidentalis (Valenciennes, 1840 is studied from individuals monthly sampled on two different annual cycles (1991 and 1997 in the fishing port of Mopti. Individual age of fishes was determined by squelettochronology. Chronological follow-up of relative margin diameter (dr of spine ray section was used for validation of the periodicity of annulus formation. Only one annulus is formed annually. Period of growth recovery shows an individual variability with an early starting up from the lowwater level, in May. The seasonal cycle of growth of this benthic fish, A. occidentalis, depends more on the availability of the trophic resources than of abiotic factors. However, the optimal period of growth always remains the high-water one in this river with flood plain. Fishes condition factor's varies between 1.97±0.27 à 2.57±0.41. Year x season interaction affects this parameter. Growth realized during the first year (189.17±4.57 and 261.25±12.19 mm as well as the later growths depend on hydrological conditions and are influenced by fishing pressure. Presence of 3+ age class fishes shows that demographic structure is not qualitatively modified despite changes arisen in the Delta.

Toxins Produced by Valsa mali var. mali and Their Relationship with Pathogenicity

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Caixia Wang

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Valsa mali var. mali (Vmm, the causal agent of apple tree canker disease, produces various toxic compounds, including protocatechuic acid, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, p-hydroxyacetophenone, 3-(p-hydroxyphenylpropanoic acid and phloroglucinol. Here, we examined the relationship between toxin production and the pathogenicity of Vmm strains and determined their bioactivities in several assays, for further elucidating the pathogenesis mechanisms of Vmm and for developing new procedures to control this disease. The toxins were quantified with the high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC method, and the results showed that the strain with attenuated virulence produced low levels of toxins with only three to four kinds of compounds being detectable. In contrast, higher amounts of toxins were produced by the more aggressive strain, and all five compounds were detected. This indicated a significant correlation between the pathogenicity of Vmm strains and their ability to produce toxins. However, this correlation only existed in planta, but not in vitro. During the infection of Vmm, protocatechuic acid was first detected at three days post inoculation (dpi, and the others at seven or 11 dpi. In addition, all compounds produced noticeable symptoms on host plants at concentrations of 2.5 to 40 mmol/L, with protocatechuic acid being the most effective compound, whereas 3-(p-hydroxyphenylpropanoic acid or p-hydroxybenzoic acid were the most active compounds on non-host plants.

Influence of culture media and environmental factors on mycelial growth and conidial production of Diplocarpon mali.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, H; Huang, L; Xiao, C L; Liu, J; Wei, J; Gao, X

2010-06-01

To identify media and environmental conditions suitable for rapid mycelial growth and sporulation of Diplocarpon mali. Liquid shake cultures were used to evaluate effects of media and environmental conditions on mycelial growth and conidial production of D. mali. Carrot sucrose broth (CSB), potato and carrot dextrose broth (PCDB) and potato and carrot sucrose broth (PCSB) were most favourable for rapid mycelial growth. PCDB, PCSB, PCB (potato and carrot broth) and carrot dextrose broth (CDB) were favourable for conidial production. All carbon sources tested and peptone favoured for mycelial growth. Carbon and nitrogen sources tested did not significantly stimulate conidial production. The optimum temperature for mycelial growth and conidial production was 25 degrees C. No mycelial growth occurred at 5 or 30 degrees C, but D. mali survived at these temperatures. Active mycelial growth occurred at pH 5-7, and pH 5-8 was favourable for sporulation. PCDB and PCSB incubated at 25 degrees C for 14 day are recommended for mycelial growth and conidial production of D. mali. The information generated in this study will facilitate mycological and pathological research on D. mali and Marssonina leaf blotch of apple caused by D. mali.

The match between motivation and performance management of health sector workers in Mali

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Touré Hamadassalia

2006-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Human resources for health (HRH play a central role in improving accessibility to services and quality of care. Their motivation influences this. In Mali, operational research was conducted to identify the match between motivation and the range and use of performance management activities. Objectives To describe the factors motivating and demotivating health workers in Mali and match the motivators with the implementation of performance management. Methods First an exploratory qualitative study was conducted: 28 interviews and eight group discussions were held. This was followed by a cross-sectional survey, during which 370 health workers were interviewed. The study population consisted of health workers of eight professional groups. The following issues were investigated: • motivating and demotivating factors; • experiences with performance management, including: job descriptions, continuous education, supervision, performance appraisal and career development. Findings The study showed that the main motivators of health workers were related to responsibility, training and recognition, next to salary. These can be influenced by performance management (job descriptions, supervisions, continuous education and performance appraisal. Performance management is not optimally implemented in Mali, as job descriptions were not present or were inappropriate; only 13% of interviewees received 4× per year supervision, and training needs were not analysed. Some 48% of the interviewees knew their performance had been appraised in the last two years; the appraisals were perceived as subjective. No other methods were in place to show recognition. The results enabled the research team to propose adaptations or improvements upon existing performance management. Conclusion The results showed the importance of adapting or improving upon performance management strategies to influence staff motivation. This can be done by matching performance management

Wind power in Mali 1979-1988

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mamadou Adama Diallo.

1990-08-01

The purpose of this paper is to offer to the users maps of available wind power, the percentage of calm wind, the average speed of the wind and tables of wind frequencies in Mali, in order to provide possible solutions for the energy problems of the country. 11 tabs, 3 maps

The planning of Selingue in Mali

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bangneres, Jacques

2015-10-01

After a brief recall of some geographic, demographic and economic characteristics of Mali, the author recalls the reasons for the construction of the Selingue dam on the Niger River. The objectives were mainly electric power supply, economic and local development, a more steady and usable waterway for trade and transport. He recalls the origin of the project, the different actors who intervened for its design, construction and financing. He comments some characteristics of the dam, of the reservoir, and of the hydroelectric plant. Based on data, he discusses the effect of Selingue on electricity production from 1982 (commissioning) to 2012. He evokes the problematic issue of maintenance, comments the effects on populations (displacement, deforestation, fishing and agriculture)

The linear chromosome of the plant-pathogenic mycoplasma 'Candidatus Phytoplasma mali'

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Migdoll Alexander M

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Phytoplasmas are insect-transmitted, uncultivable bacterial plant pathogens that cause diseases in hundreds of economically important plants. They represent a monophyletic group within the class Mollicutes (trivial name mycoplasmas and are characterized by a small genome with a low GC content, and the lack of a firm cell wall. All mycoplasmas, including strains of 'Candidatus (Ca. Phytoplasma asteris' and 'Ca. P. australiense', examined so far have circular chromosomes, as is the case for almost all walled bacteria. Results Our work has shown that 'Ca. Phytoplasma mali', the causative agent of apple proliferation disease, has a linear chromosome. Linear chromosomes were also identified in the closely related provisional species 'Ca. P. pyri' and 'Ca. P. prunorum'. The chromosome of 'Ca. P. mali' strain AT is 601,943 bp in size and has a GC content of 21.4%. The chromosome is further characterized by large terminal inverted repeats and covalently closed hairpin ends. Analysis of the protein-coding genes revealed that glycolysis, the major energy-yielding pathway supposed for 'Ca. P. asteris', is incomplete in 'Ca. P. mali'. Due to the apparent lack of other metabolic pathways present in mycoplasmas, it is proposed that maltose and malate are utilized as carbon and energy sources. However, complete ATP-yielding pathways were not identified. 'Ca. P. mali' also differs from 'Ca. P. asteris' by a smaller genome, a lower GC content, a lower number of paralogous genes, fewer insertions of potential mobile DNA elements, and a strongly reduced number of ABC transporters for amino acids. In contrast, 'Ca. P. mali' has an extended set of genes for homologous recombination, excision repair and SOS response than 'Ca. P. asteris'. Conclusion The small linear chromosome with large terminal inverted repeats and covalently closed hairpin ends, the extremely low GC content and the limited metabolic capabilities reflect unique features of 'Ca

Friction and Inequality among Peacekeepers in Mali

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cold-Ravnkilde, Signe Marie; Albrecht, Peter; Haugegaard, Rikke

2017-01-01

The United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) was established in 2013 to support Mali’s peace process. It represents an emerging practice of deploying UN peacekeeping missions in asymmetrical conflict environments where there is no peace to keep. While MIN...

Farm Equipment Manufacturing and Maintenance Services by Blacksmiths in Mali

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O. Djiré

2004-03-01

Full Text Available The Office of Niger has largely contributed to the spread of animal traction technology. Draft animals being largely available, the major constraint has been the high price of imported equipment relative to the purchasing power of the farmers. From the 1980s, considerable quantities of animal traction implements have been introduced particularly by the Arpon project. These implements were assembled at a central workshop and distributed to farmers through a medium term credit facility, including purchase of oxen. Meanwhile support was given to the upgrading of the first blacksmiths’ workshops, providing them with basic equipment, on credit. In the Southern Mali cotton production zone as well as in the Segou River plains rice producing area, associations of blacksmiths have also been created. These networks have greatly contributed to the improvement of skills and turn over of their members. Blacksmiths have become the main producers of animal traction equipment in Mali. Also, farmers greatly appreciate after-sales services. Nevertheless, the sector is still handicapped by major constraints, which are the high price of imported steel, the poor distribution network for electricity and its high cost, as well as the actual absence of credit facilities for blacksmiths. Therefore, in 1997, the blacksmiths’ association of the Office of Niger zone, together with those of the two other zones have created the CMDT/ON/ORS Blacksmiths’ Federation. Its main purposes are the provision and distribution of raw materials (steel products, facilitation of workshop upgrading, organization of training and exchange sessions, and promotion of product marketing.

Family planning uses traditional theater in Mali.

Science.gov (United States)

Schubert, J

1988-01-01

Mali's branch of the International Planned Parenthood Federation has found a vehicle that effectively conveys the idea of family planning through the use of contraception, a method that blends the country's cultural heritage and modern technology. Despite becoming the first sub-Saharan francophone country to promote family planning, Mali only counted 1% of its population using a modern method of contraception. So with the aid of The Johns Hopkins University/Population COmmunication Services (JHU/PCS), the Association Malienne pour la Protection et la Promotion de la Famille (AMPPF) developed several programs to promote contraception, but none were more successful than the Koteba Project, which used Mali's traditional theater form to communicate the message. While comical, the Koteba generally deals with social issues -- it informs and entertains. This particular Koteba told the story of two government employees, one with two wives and many children, the other with one wife and few children. The first one sees nothing but family problems: fighting wives and delinquent children. The second one, who had used family planning, enjoys a peaceful home. Upon hearing of his friend's successes with family planning, the tormented government employee becomes convinced of its needs, and persuades his wives to accompany him to a family planning clinic. Developed at a cost of approximately US $3000 and televised nationwide, the Koteba proved effective. A survey of 500 people attending an AMPPF clinic revealed that 1/4 of them remembered the program. With the success of the Koteba, JHU/PCS and AMPPF are now exploring other traditional channels of communication.

Cost analysis of a school-based comprehensive malaria program in primary schools in Sikasso region, Mali.

Science.gov (United States)

Maccario, Roberta; Rouhani, Saba; Drake, Tom; Nagy, Annie; Bamadio, Modibo; Diarra, Seybou; Djanken, Souleymane; Roschnik, Natalie; Clarke, Siân E; Sacko, Moussa; Brooker, Simon; Thuilliez, Josselin

2017-06-12

The expansion of malaria prevention and control to school-aged children is receiving increasing attention, but there are still limited data on the costs of intervention. This paper analyses the costs of a comprehensive school-based intervention strategy, delivered by teachers, that included participatory malaria educational activities, distribution of long lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLIN), and Intermittent Parasite Clearance in schools (IPCs) in southern Mali. Costs were collected alongside a randomised controlled trial conducted in 80 primary schools in Sikasso Region in Mali in 2010-2012. Cost data were compiled between November 2011 and March 2012 for the 40 intervention schools (6413 children). A provider perspective was adopted. Using an ingredients approach, costs were classified by cost category and by activity. Total costs and cost per child were estimated for the actual intervention, as well as for a simpler version of the programme more suited for scale-up by the government. Univariate sensitivity analysis was performed. The economic cost of the comprehensive intervention was estimated to $10.38 per child (financial cost $8.41) with malaria education, LLIN distribution and IPCs costing $2.13 (20.5%), $5.53 (53.3%) and $2.72 (26.2%) per child respectively. Human resources were found to be the key cost driver, and training costs were the greatest contributor to overall programme costs. Sensitivity analysis showed that an adapted intervention delivering one LLIN instead of two would lower the economic cost to $8.66 per child; and that excluding LLIN distribution in schools altogether, for example in settings where malaria control already includes universal distribution of LLINs at community-level, would reduce costs to $4.89 per child. A comprehensive school-based control strategy may be a feasible and affordable way to address the burden of malaria among schoolchildren in the Sahel.

Cost analysis of a school-based comprehensive malaria program in primary schools in Sikasso region, Mali

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roberta Maccario

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The expansion of malaria prevention and control to school-aged children is receiving increasing attention, but there are still limited data on the costs of intervention. This paper analyses the costs of a comprehensive school-based intervention strategy, delivered by teachers, that included participatory malaria educational activities, distribution of long lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLIN, and Intermittent Parasite Clearance in schools (IPCs in southern Mali. Methods Costs were collected alongside a randomised controlled trial conducted in 80 primary schools in Sikasso Region in Mali in 2010-2012. Cost data were compiled between November 2011 and March 2012 for the 40 intervention schools (6413 children. A provider perspective was adopted. Using an ingredients approach, costs were classified by cost category and by activity. Total costs and cost per child were estimated for the actual intervention, as well as for a simpler version of the programme more suited for scale-up by the government. Univariate sensitivity analysis was performed. Results The economic cost of the comprehensive intervention was estimated to $10.38 per child (financial cost $8.41 with malaria education, LLIN distribution and IPCs costing $2.13 (20.5%, $5.53 (53.3% and $2.72 (26.2% per child respectively. Human resources were found to be the key cost driver, and training costs were the greatest contributor to overall programme costs. Sensitivity analysis showed that an adapted intervention delivering one LLIN instead of two would lower the economic cost to $8.66 per child; and that excluding LLIN distribution in schools altogether, for example in settings where malaria control already includes universal distribution of LLINs at community-level, would reduce costs to $4.89 per child. Conclusions A comprehensive school-based control strategy may be a feasible and affordable way to address the burden of malaria among schoolchildren in the Sahel.

The effect of cassava-based bioethanol production on above-ground carbon stocks: A case study from Southern Mali

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vang Rasmussen, Laura; Rasmussen, Kjeld; Birch-Thomsen, Torben; Kristensen, Søren B.P.; Traoré, Oumar

2012-01-01

Increasing energy use and the need to mitigate climate change make production of liquid biofuels a high priority. Farmers respond worldwide to this increasing demand by converting forests and grassland into biofuel crops, but whether biofuels offer carbon savings depends on the carbon emissions that occur when land use is changed to biofuel crops. This paper reports the results of a study on cassava-based bioethanol production undertaken in the Sikasso region in Southern Mali. The paper outlines the estimated impacts on above-ground carbon stocks when land use is changed to increase cassava production. The results show that expansion of cassava production for bioethanol will most likely lead to the conversion of fallow areas to cassava. A land use change from fallow to cassava creates a reduction in the above-ground carbon stocks in the order of 4–13 Mg C ha −1 , depending on (a) the age of the fallow, (b) the allometric equation used and (c) whether all trees are removed or the larger, useful trees are preserved. This ‘carbon debt’ associated with the above-ground biomass loss would take 8–25 years to repay if fossil fuels are replaced with cassava-based bioethanol. - Highlights: ► Demands for biofuels make production of cassava-based bioethanol a priority. ► Farmers in Southern Mali are likely to convert fallow areas to cassava production. ► Converting fallow to cassava creates reductions in above-ground carbon stocks. ► Estimates of carbon stock reductions include that farmers preserve useful trees. ► The carbon debt associated with above-ground biomass loss takes 8–25 years to repay.

[Hyperthyroidism in children. Experience in internal medicine in Mali].

Science.gov (United States)

Sidibé, A T; Dembélé, M; Diarra, A S; Bocoum, A I; Mousseni, E; Ag Aboubacrine, S; Traoré, H A; Ag Rhaly, A

2007-06-01

Thyroid pathology is frequent in Mali, which is an endemic zone for goiter. But this pathology rarely occurs in children. The purpose of our study was to characterize this illness among children in Mali. We report on patients aged less than 15-year old who presented with clinical signs and symptoms with hyperthyroidism at the medicine service at Hospital de Point G from January 1999 and December 2005 to determine the characteristics of hyperthyroidism. The frequency was 9.6 per thousand (38/3972), with an average age of 12.5+/-3.34-year. The sex ratio was 3 girls/1 boys. The most common symptoms were tachycardia (n=30, 78.9%), palpitations (n=15, 34.4%). 31 patients (81.5%) presented with exophthalmoses, 93.5% being bilateral. Weight loss was present in 31.5% (n=12). Goiter was present in 37 patients (97.4%). The goiter was diffuse in 27 patients (73%) and nodular in 10 (27.%). The presence of goiter caused signs of compression in the neck in half of the cases: dyspnea and dysphonia were the most common consequences. TSH less than 0.05 microUI/1 was used to confirm the diagnosis. Graves's disease was the most common cause (n=32, 84.2%), followed by toxic adenoma (n=4, 10.5%). Other causes included toxic multinodular goiter and thyroiditis. Etiologies were independent of sex and age: (p=0.95). All patients were started on medical therapy upon diagnosis. 7 patients (18.4%) were lost to follow-up during the 6 months of treatment. Remission was obtained in 26 patients (83.9%), and relapse occurred in 5 patients (16.1%). The frequency of hyperthyroidism in children in Mali is a problem in a goiter endemic zone like Mali. Poor general health in children and signs and symptoms of neck compression are markers of progressive disease.

Optimal profit of the parasitation by Aphelinus mali in an IPM complementary strategy for the control of Eriosoma lanigerum.

Science.gov (United States)

Goossens, D; Bangels, E; Belien, T; Schoevaerts, C; De Maeyer, L

2011-01-01

During summer the parasitoid Aphelinus mali may certainly reduce the infestation of woolly apple aphid (Eriosoma lanigerum), but studies on the single interaction rarely indicate sufficient biological control in the period May-June. In this period chemical control by spirotetramat or pirimicarb remains indispensable in order to anticipate on dense migration waves and subsequent colonization of extension shoots by E. lanigerum. The limited parasitation by A. mali around flowering is linked with a delayed emergence from diapause and with a slower reproduction rate than its host. In 2010 and 2011 the first adult flights monitored on yellow sticky traps corresponded perfectly with the currently used prediction models for A. mali. Further accurate monitoring all along the season enabled also to determine a well defined endo-parasitic phase of A. mali occurring after the small peak observed around flowering. During this endo-parasitic phase A. mali larvae reside inside their mummified host. Compounds with higher acute toxicity on A. mali adults, like chloronicotinyl insecticides (CNI's), are preferably positioned here. Selectivity in the time can then be claimed. Respecting this principle, the further parasitation potential of A. mali in summer is not hampered. Preservation of the first peak of flights of A. mali in the pre-flowering period is essential for an exponential flight increase. This is essential for the parasitation of E. lanigerum in summer, which constitutes a valuable complement in the integrated control strategy.

[Mali: the offer of education disturbed by demographic variables].

Science.gov (United States)

Tounkara, B

1990-12-01

Although educational reforms in 1962 have played a positive role in the socioeconomic and cultural development of Mali, the most recent analyses of the educational system have shown it to be in crisis for reasons both endogenous and exogenous. Huge class sizes, lack of teaching materials, and insufficient training of teachers have affected the quality of education. 80% of Mali's population is illiterate but the rate of school attendance is under 30%. Financial resources devoted to education have not grown as fast as population. The situation is made worse by structural adjustment programs of the past few years that have encouraged the government share of educational expenses to decline and the role of parents and the private sector to increase. The 1987 Demographic and Health Survey showed that Mali's rate of population growth is 2.7%/year. 45% of the population is under 15, amounting to some 3.5 million children. Great efforts are needed just to provide schools and teachers and to maintain the rate of school attendance at its current level of 27%, 1 of the lowest in the world. To attain the goal of 50% school attendance by the year 2000, the number of students beginning primary school should increase by 11.3% per year. But currently the number of students aged 6-11 is actually shrinking by almost 1% per year. At the level of the family, the expenses of school attendance are an important factor in nonattendance. The high annual costs constitute an insurmountable barrier for parents of large families. The loss of children's labor in rural areas is an added cost of schooling. School attendance in Mali is becoming a source and means of social inequality. The seasonal or permanent migration of a large part of the population has also been an obstacle to school attendance. the unavailability of mothers who teach during their 3 months of maternity leave and 2 hours daily break for breast feeding, in addition to absenteeism when their children are sick, is another effect

Phyllactinia mali and Podosphaera tridactyla var. tridactyla – new hosts of Ampelomyces quisqualis

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Beata Czerniawska

2014-08-01

Full Text Available In 2002, the occurrence of fungi of the order Erysiphales on plants of the Słowiański Park located in Goorzów Wielkopolski was investigated. Plant samples were collected once a month, from August to November. The samples examined were above ground plant parts colonized by powdery mildew fungi. A total of 78 samples were collected. Apart from 14 species of the order Erysiphales, Ampelomyces quisqualis parasitizing on Erysiphe cichoracearum var. cichoracearum, Phyllactinia mali and Podosphaera tridactyl var. tridactyla was found. Ampelomyces quisqualis affected hyphae, oidia, and young cleistothecia of P. mali. In contrast, in E. cichoracearum var. cichoracearum, Po. tridactyle var. tridactyla, this hyperparasite colonized only hyphae and oidia. This paper for the first trime informs of A. quisqualis parasitizing on P. mali and Po. tridactyla var. tridactyla.

Bruk av urtemedisiner blant gravide i Mali : Intervju av 72 healere i Bamako, Siby og Dioila

OpenAIRE

Al-Zayadi, Waled

2012-01-01

WHO’s rapport fra 2001 viser til at hele 75 % av Mali sin populasjon bruker tradisjonell medisin. Det er beregnet til å være 1 medisinmann pr 500 innbyggere. Hovedmålet med denne oppgaven var å undersøke tradisjonelle medisinmenns behandling av sykdom og plager i svangerskapet i Mali. Det er lite som vites om bruk av urtemedisiner blant gravide i Mali. Det er heller ingen studier gjort fra healerens side. Studien var med på å kartlegge hvilke urter som brukes til den enkelte plagen. I ette...

Securing the dangerous UN convoys in Mali

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haugegaard, Rikke; Albrecht, Peter; Ravnkilde, Signe Cold

2017-01-01

It has proven particularly challenging for the UN stabilization mission in Mali (MINUSMA) to transport fuel, food and water to military camps in Sector North on the frontline of the mission. Convoy escorts drain the UN mission of resources and is one of its most dangerous tasks, mainly carried ou...

Urinary schistosomiasis among preschool-aged children in Sahelian rural communities in Mali

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Doumbo Ogobara K

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Mass chemotherapy with praziquantel is the main control strategy for schistosomiasis in Mali. However, in the national control programme for schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis, infants and preschool-aged children are overlooked in preventive chemotherapy campaigns. We therefore determined the prevalence and intensity of urinary schistosomiasis in children between the ages 1-4 years in three villages across Diema health district, a rural community with endemic schistosomiasis in Mali. For Schistosoma haematobium diagnosis, a single urine sample of 10 ml obtained from each child was subjected to the standard urine filtration method. Results Of the 338 children examined 173 (51.2% were infected. Both prevalence and intensity of infection varied significantly between communities (p Conclusion Our study showed that preschool children living closely to lakes across in Mali are at high risk to be infected by schistosomiasis and contributed largely to the transmission; therefore schistosomiasis control interventions should also target infants in addition to school children and adults in endemic areas.

Assessing Community Readiness to Reduce Childhood Diarrheal Disease and Improve Food Security in Dioro, Mali

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Erica C. Borresen

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Diarrhea and malnutrition represent leading causes of death for children in Mali. Understanding a community’s needs and ideas are critical to ensure the success of prevention and treatment interventions for diarrheal disease, as well as to improve food security to help reduce malnutrition. The objective of this study was to incorporate the Community Readiness Model (CRM for the issues of childhood diarrheal disease and food security in Mali to measure baseline community readiness prior to any program implementation. Thirteen key respondents residing in Dioro, Mali were selected based on varied social roles and demographics and completed two questionnaires on these public health issues. The overall readiness score to reduce childhood diarrheal disease was 5.75 ± 1.0 standard deviation (preparation stage. The overall readiness score to improve food security was 5.5 ± 0.5 standard deviation (preparation stage. The preparation stage indicates that at least some of the community have basic knowledge regarding these issues, and want to act locally to reduce childhood diarrhea and improve food security and nutrition. Proposed activities to increase community readiness on these issues are provided and are broad enough to allow opportunities to implement community- and culturally-specific activities by the Dioro community.

Surveillance Training for Ebola Preparedness in Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, and Mali.

Science.gov (United States)

Cáceres, Victor M; Sidibe, Sekou; Andre, McKenzie; Traicoff, Denise; Lambert, Stephanie; King, Melanie; Kazambu, Ditu; Lopez, Augusto; Pedalino, Biagio; Guibert, Dionisio J Herrera; Wassawa, Peter; Cardoso, Placido; Assi, Bernard; Ly, Alioune; Traore, Bouyagui; Angulo, Frederick J; Quick, Linda

2017-12-01

The 2014-2015 epidemic of Ebola virus disease in West Africa primarily affected Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. Several countries, including Mali, Nigeria, and Senegal, experienced Ebola importations. Realizing the importance of a trained field epidemiology workforce in neighboring countries to respond to Ebola importations, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Field Epidemiology Training Program unit implemented the Surveillance Training for Ebola Preparedness (STEP) initiative. STEP was a mentored, competency-based initiative to rapidly build up surveillance capacity along the borders of the at-risk neighboring countries Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, Senegal, and Guinea-Bissau. The target audience was district surveillance officers. STEP was delivered to 185 participants from 72 health units (districts or regions). Timeliness of reporting and the quality of surveillance analyses improved 3 months after training. STEP demonstrated that mentored, competency-based training, where learners attain competencies while delivering essential public health services, can be successfully implemented in an emergency response setting.

Infant-Mother Attachment among the Dogon of Mali.

Science.gov (United States)

True, Mary McMahan; Pisani, Lelia; Oumar, Fadimata

2001-01-01

Examined infant-mother attachment in Mali's Dogon ethnic group. Found that distribution of Strange Situation classifications was 67 percent secure, 0 percent avoidant, 8 percent resistant, and 25 percent disorganized. Infant attachment security related to quality of mother-infant communication. Mothers of disorganized infants had significantly…

Can budget support to the cotton sector be used more efficiently? An assessment of the policy support measures in Mali and Burkina Faso

OpenAIRE

Gourichon, Helene; Kone, Bourema; Lanos, Barthelemy; Aparisi, Alban Mas

2014-01-01

In Burkina Faso and in Mali, cotton is the main cash crop, export of cotton lint accounting for 60 percent and 15 percent of the value of national exports, respectively, in 2014. To maintain the level of cotton production, the Governments of Burkina Faso and Mali support the sector by ensuring stable and remunerative prices for producers. Indeed, analyses based on the Monitoring and Analysing Food and Agricultural Policies (MAFAP) methodology show that the policy environment supported produce...

Using the Lives Saved Tool to aid country planning in meeting mortality targets: a case study from Mali.

Science.gov (United States)

Keita, Youssouf; Sangho, Hamadoun; Roberton, Timothy; Vignola, Emilia; Traoré, Mariam; Munos, Melinda

2017-11-07

Mali is one of four countries implementing a National Evaluation Platform (NEP) to build local capacity to answer evaluation questions for maternal, newborn, child health and nutrition (MNCH&N). In 2014-15, NEP-Mali addressed questions about the potential impact of Mali's MNCH&N plans and strategies, and identified priority interventions to achieve targeted mortality reductions. The NEP-Mali team modeled the potential impact of three intervention packages in the Lives Saved Tool (LiST) from 2014 to 2023. One projection included the interventions and targets from Mali's ten-year health strategy (PDDSS) for 2014-2023, and two others modeled intervention packages that included scale up of antenatal, intrapartum, and curative interventions, as well as reductions in stunting and wasting. We modeled the change in maternal, newborn and under-five mortality rates under these three projections, as well as the number of lives saved, overall and by intervention. If Mali were to achieve the MNCH&N coverage targets from its health strategy, under-5 mortality would be reduced from 121 per 1000 live births to 93 per 1000, far from the target of 69 deaths per 1000. Projections 1 and 2 produced estimated mortality reductions from 121 deaths per 1000 to 70 and 68 deaths per 1000, respectively. With respect to neonatal mortality, the mortality rate would be reduced from 39 to 32 deaths per 1000 live births under the current health strategy, and to 25 per 1000 under projections 1 and 2. This study revealed that achieving the coverage targets for the MNCH&N interventions in the 2014-23 PDDSS would likely not allow Mali to achieve its mortality targets. The NEP-Mali team was able to identify two packages of MNCH&N interventions (and targets) that achieved under-5 and neonatal mortality rates at, or very near, the PDDSS targets. The Malian Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene is using these results to revise its plans and strategies.

Increasing Access to Family Planning Choices Through Public-Sector Social Franchising: The Experience of Marie Stopes International in Mali

OpenAIRE

Gold, Judy; Burke, Eva; Ciss?, Boubacar; Mackay, Anna; Eva, Gillian; Hayes, Brendan

2017-01-01

Background: Mali has one of the world's lowest contraceptive use rates and a high rate of unmet need for family planning. In order to increase access to and choice of quality family planning services, Marie Stopes International (MSI) Mali introduced social franchising in public-sector community health centers (referred to as CSCOMs in Mali) in 3 regions under the MSI brand BlueStar. Program Description: Potential franchisees are generally identified from CSCOMs who have worked with MSI outrea...

Dusukasi-The Heart That Cries: An Idiom of Mental Distress Among Perinatal Women in Rural Mali.

Science.gov (United States)

Lasater, Molly E; Beebe, Madeleine; Warren, Nicole E; Souko, Fatoumata; Keita, Mariam; Murray, Sarah E; Bass, Judith K; Surkan, Pamela J; Winch, Peter J

2018-04-25

Perinatal mental health problems such as depression and anxiety are prevalent in low and middle-income countries. In Mali, the lack of mental health care is compounded by few studies on mental health needs, including in the perinatal period. This paper examines the ways in which perinatal women experience and express mental distress in rural Mali. We describe a process, relying on several different qualitative research methods, to identify understandings of mental distress specific to the Malian context. Participants included perinatal women, maternal health providers, and community health workers in rural southwest Mali. Participants articulated several idioms of distress, including gèlèya (difficulties), tôôrô (pain, suffering), hamin (worries, concerns), and dusukasi (crying heart), that occur within a context of poverty, interpersonal conflict, and gender inequality. These idioms of distress were described as sharing many key features and operating on a continuum of severity that could progress over time, both within and across idioms. Our findings highlight the context dependent nature of experiences and expressions of distress among perinatal women in Mali.

Clinical manifestations of Waardenburg syndrome in a male adolescent in Mali, West Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Imperato, Pascal James; Imperato, Gavin H

2015-02-01

Waardenburg syndrome (WS) is a genetic disorder of which there are four distinct types. These four types are differentiated by the physical defects which they produce. Presented here is the case of a 13-year-old boy with WS Type I who was observed and physically assessed in Mali, West Africa in 1969. His physical findings included a bright blue coloring to the irises of the eyes, profound sensorineural deafness, mutism, dystopia canthorum (lateral displacement of the inner canthi of the eyes), broad nasal root, bushy eyebrows, and scaphoid deformities of the supraorbital portions of the frontal bone. Because family members were not available for interviews or physical examinations, it was not possible to determine if this patient was suffering from a congenital form of the disorder or from a spontaneous mutation. Given the patient's then location in a remote rural area of Mali where electricity was absent, it was not possible to perform additional diagnostic tests. The patient described here is the first with WS in Mali, West Africa to have been medically observed and evaluated and later documented in the medical literature. A second case of the syndrome in Mali was described in the medical literature in 2011 in an 18-month-old infant who did not have sensorineural hearing loss, but who did have a bilateral cleft lip. An historical overview of WS is presented along with details concerning the characteristics of the four types of the disorder.

Renewable energy resources in Mali : potential and options for a sustainable development

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Diarra, D.C. [Queen' s Univ., Kingston, ON (Canada). Dept. of Mechanical and Materials Engineering Solar Calorimetry Lab; Dembele, P. [Mali-Folkecenter, Faladie SEMA, Bamako (Mali)

2006-07-01

With a population of approximately 12 million, the per capita energy consumption of Mali is 228 Kilo tons of oil equivalent per inhabitant per year. Household energy consumption accounts for nearly 86 per cent of the total energy consumed with almost 99 per cent coming from wood energy. Energy consumption in the transportation, industrial and agricultural sectors is 10, 3, and 1 per cent respectively. The energy sector in Mali is characterized by the over-exploitation of forestry resources, dependence on imported oil and an under-exploitation of potential renewable energy resources such as solar, wind and biomass. The supply of solar energy is inexhaustible as the country receives almost 12 hours of sunshine with an average daily insolation of 5-7 KWh/m{sup 2}/day. Applications of photovoltaic (PV) technology in Mali concerns the basic needs of the population such as water pumping, lighting, battery charging and refrigeration. In 1994, the Mali government gave preferential fiscal policy on all solar equipment in order to encourage the wide spread use of solar energy, but technical constraints such as low efficiency, appropriate technology transfer methods, and sustainable financing mechanisms remain to be addressed. This paper described several programs that have been initiated to promote the use of renewable energy, protect the fragile environment threatened by the Sahara Desert and to provide access to drinking water. These achievements however, have not yet guaranteed energy sustainability, particularly in rural areas. It was recommended that efforts should be made to strengthen the renewable energy sector, correct inadequacies, introduce a sustainable renewable energy technology transfer process, and consolidate knowledge and experiences to focus on low cost renewable energy technologies. It was suggested that a natural resource map of the country should be made available in order allow for comparative cost and technology sustainability analysis before deciding

Optimization of a fermented pumpkin-based beverage to improve Lactobacillus mali survival and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity: A response surface methodology approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

W.Y. Koh

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The aim of this research was to develop an optimum fermentation and composition model for a new fermented pumpkin-based beverage with high probiotic survival and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. Relationship between fermentation temperature, inoculum and ingredient concentration with response variables (fermentation time at the fermentation endpoint pH 4.5, survival rate of Lactobacillus mali K8 in pumpkin-based beverage treated with simulated gastrointestinal tract enzyme fluids, α-glucosidase inhibitory activity and sensory overall acceptability after 4 weeks of refrigerated storage was investigated using response surface methodology. Optimal formulation was obtained at an approximation of 40% pumpkin puree concentration, 8 Log CFU/mL inoculum and at 35 °C. The product derived from this optimum formula reached the fermentation endpoint after 28.34 ± 0.10 h and the quality change during 4 weeks storage was studied. The product achieved 88.56 ± 0.67% of L. mali survival after treatment with simulated gastric and intestinal juices; demonstrated 95.89 ± 0.30% α-glucosidase inhibitory activity, as well as scored 6.99 ± 0.40 on sensory overall acceptability after 4 weeks of storage. These findings illustrated that the model is effective in improving probiotic survival and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity with excellent sensory acceptability, thus may offer a dietary means for the management of hyperglycaemia. Keywords: Probiotics, Response surface methodology, Box-Behnken, Hyperglycaemia, Functional food

Neoliberal policy, rural livelihoods, and urban food security in West Africa: a comparative study of The Gambia, Cote d'Ivoire, and Mali.

Science.gov (United States)

Moseley, William G; Carney, Judith; Becker, Laurence

2010-03-30

This study examines the impact of two decades of neoliberal policy reform on food production and household livelihood security in three West African countries. The rice sectors in The Gambia, Côte d'Ivoire, and Mali are scrutinized as well as cotton and its relationship to sorghum production in Mali. Although market reforms were intended to improve food production, the net result was an increasing reliance on imported rice. The vulnerability of the urban populations in The Gambia and Côte d'Ivoire became especially clear during the 2007-2008 global food crisis when world prices for rice spiked. Urban Mali was spared the worst of this crisis because the country produces more of its own rice and the poorest consumers shifted from rice to sorghum, a grain whose production increased steeply as cotton production collapsed. The findings are based on household and market surveys as well as on an analysis of national level production data.

Risk factors for trachoma in Mali.

Science.gov (United States)

Schémann, J-F; Sacko, D; Malvy, D; Momo, G; Traore, L; Bore, O; Coulibaly, S; Banou, A

2002-02-01

Prior to commencing a campaign to eliminate blinding trachoma in Mali, a national disease prevalence survey was conducted from March 1996 to June 1997. The prevalence of trachoma was estimated and potential risk factors were studied. In each of Mali's seven regions (excluding the capital Bamako), a sample of 30 clusters was taken from the general population, in accordance with the principle of probability proportional to the size of the community. All children under 10 years of age were examined. The simplified clinical coding system proposed by the World Health Organization was used. The position of each village was established and subsequently related to the nearest meteorological station. Socioeconomic and environmental information was collected at both village and household level. The mother or caretaker of each child was questioned about availability and use of water for washing the child. At the time of examination, facial cleanliness and the presence of flies on the face were noted. A total of 15,187 children under 10 years of age were examined. The prevalence of active trachoma (follicular [TF] or intense trachoma [TI]) was 34.9% (95% CI : 32.3-37.6) and the prevalence of TI was 4.2% (95% CI : 3.5-5.0). Aridity/environmental dryness appears to be a risk factor influencing the current geographical distribution of trachoma. Small villages had considerably higher trachoma prevalence than their larger neighbours. The proximity of a medical centre and the existence of social organizations such as a women's association were associated with lower levels of trachoma. Crowded living conditions increased the risk. Using a monetary marker of wealth, we observed a linear inverse relation between wealth and trachoma prevalence. The presence of a dirty face was strongly associated with trachoma (odds ratio [OR] = 3.67) as was the presence of flies on the child's face (OR = 3.62). Trachoma prevalence increased with distance to a water source. Disease prevalence decreased

Activities Report 2007 PATTEC-Mali

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2007-01-01

This annual report is a summary of main activities undertaken in 2007 under the Pan African Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis project. It results from the initiative of African governments in 2000 to eradicate tsetse flies and trypanosomiasis from infested areas in the African continent in order to mitigate poverty and improve food security in six countries (Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Mali, Burkina, Ghana). . areas An integrated approach of combating tsetse is used, from simples techniques such as trapping nets impregnate with insecticides and skin treatment of animals for suppression, and sterile insect technique for eradicating of the residual population of glossina.Methods and basic socio-epidemiological conducted in the field are presented

Integrating agroforestry and sheep feed in Mali | IDRC - International ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

The challenge. Sheep herding plays a significant role in the livelihoods of rural households in Mali and other semi-arid countries of West Africa. Although sheep herding could improve the incomes of rural women, its potential is not being realized because a lack of feed reduces the meat production of sheep. Agroforestry ...

[Plasma selenium and peripartum cardiomyopathy in Bamako, Mali].

Science.gov (United States)

Cénac, A; Touré, K; Diarra, M B; Sergeant, C; Jobic, Y; Sanogo, K; Dembele, M; Fayol, V; Simonoff, M

2004-01-01

Peripartum heart failure due to unexplained dilated cardiomyopathy is a common disorder as Savannak-Sahelian Africa. One of the many suspected risk factors identified is selenium deficiency. The purpose of this study was to measure plasma selenium levels in patients with peripartum heart failure due to cardiomyopathy in Bamako, Republic of Mali and compare data with healthy Sahalian women with the same obstetrical status. Plasma selenium was measured in a patient group consisting of 28 Malian women presenting peripartum heart failure and in a control group of 28 healthy breast-feeding Nigerien women of comparable age. The criteria for matching the two groups was parity (similar number of deliveries) since multiparity is a risk factor for peripartum cardiomyopathy. The Wilcoxon test (nonparametric) was used to compare the 2 groups considering up value < 0.05 as significant. Plasma selenium was significantly lower in patients from Mali than in controls from Niger (65 +/- 17 ng/ml vs. 78 +/- 17 ng/ml, p = 0.01). The results of this study showing lower plasma selenium in Bamako patients with peripartum cardiomyopathy than in a matching healthy control population confirms the previous data from the Niamey study.

First report of Echinococcus granulosus (genotype G6) in a dog in Bamako, Mali.

Science.gov (United States)

Mauti, S; Traoré, A; Crump, L; Zinsstag, J; Grimm, F

2016-02-15

Cystic echinococcosis is one of the most widespread and important helminthic zoonoses, caused by the larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato. However, to date there is little information about the disease in West Africa. Faecal and fur samples from 193 dogs, the main final hosts, were collected in 2010 and 2011 in Bamako, Mali. Taeniid eggs were found microscopically in 28/118 (24%) and 80/223 (36%) faecal and fur samples, respectively. One faecal and one fur sample from the same dog were positive for E. granulosus s. l. DNA. In the remaining 27 faecal (96%) and 77 fur samples (96%) only Taenia DNA was detected. Three microscopically positive fur samples were negative by PCR. Sequence analysis of part of the NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1 gene identified the parasite as E. granulosus (genotype G6; Echinococcus canadensis). This is the first study to focus on the final host of E. granulosus s. l. in Mali and the first report of E. canadensis in Mali. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[A cutting obstacle to the harmonious development of the country. The migratory phenomenon in Mali].

Science.gov (United States)

Diarra, S

1991-04-01

Mali has long been affected by migration because of its location between North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa. Around 80% of the population depends on agriculture or herding for its livelihood. During the rainy season, from June-October, most of the population is busy in agricultural work, but during the dry season from November to May seasonal migration in search of wage employment is common. Seasonal migration is also part of the long tradition of commerce with neighboring countries. Economic difficulties of the last several years have encourage migration to urban centers and foreign countries. The drought that has afflicted Mali for over a decade is a further impetus to migration. 2 types of migration can be distinguished in Mali, shortterm movements of nomads and seasonal migration lasting less than 6 months, and definitive movements lasting longer including rural-urban and international migration. 4 further categories of migration include rural-rural movements especially in the south and in areas of industrial development, rural-urban migrations which are 1 of the most important factors in rapid urban growth especially around Bamako,, urban-urban migration essentially reflecting step migration from rural areas to secondary urban centers and finally to large cities, and urban-rural migration which occurs much less frequently. Over 80% of temporary movements take place within Mali. About 80% of those residing temporarily outside Mali are men. Temporary migrants inside Mali are oriented from the north to the region of Sikasso and the District of Bamako in the south and primarily are young men aged 15-29. There has been a progressive decline in the proportion of nomads in the general population from 7% in 1976 to 4% in 1987. There has been an increase in definitive migration from areas less favored ecologically to more desirable areas. A 1985 demographic survey found that 21% of the population aged 15 or over were migrants. 51.4% of migrants were male. 86% cited

Agroforesterie et alimentation des moutons au Mali | CRDI - Centre ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Review of pasture and fodder production and productivity for small ruminants in the Sahel. 53216. Rapports. Accroître la sécurité alimentaire en associant étroitement élevage, arbres et cultures par la pratique de l'agroforesterie au Mali : rapport technique final (1er mars 2011 - 1er septembre 2014). Téléchargez le PDF.

Development of the Falea Polymetallic Uranium Project, Mali

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ring, Bob; Freeman, Paul

2014-01-01

Falea project basics: • Project now owned by Denison Mines; • ANSTO Minerals working with owner and their consultant, DRA; • Located in south western Mali, West Africa, near the intersection of the Senegal and Guinea borders; • Established mining region (mainly gold); • Location on plateau favourable for underground operation; • Significant uranium, silver and copper mineralisation - different to other U deposits; • Excellent metallurical outcomes to date

Q fever in small ruminants in Mali. Results of a serological survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. S. Sidibé

2013-01-01

Full Text Available In Mali, the loss of reproduction is a major constraint to improving the productivity of small ruminants. The causes of these losses are still poorly known and include infertility, abortions, orchitis and stunting. The purpose of this study was to assess the seroprevalence of Q fever in small ruminant farms where cases of loss of reproduction had been observed, as well as financial losses linked to the recorded abortions. The survey was carried out during the period 2006–2009 in the agropastoral areas of Bougouni (Sikasso Region, Nioro (Kayes Region, Keniebougouwere (Segou Region and Koro (Mopti Region. Out of 718 sera analyzed by indirect ELISA, 155 (21.5 ± 3% tested positive for Coxiella burnetii. The prevalence rate varied according to the site and the birth rank. The highest prevalence rate was observed in Keniebougouwere (35 ± 6%, followed by Nioro (28.5 ± 7.5% and Bougouni (10.8 ± 4.6%, and the lowest in Koro (5.8 ± 3.7%. This study revealed the presence of Q fever in small ruminants in Mali. Complementary investigations that include molecular diagnosis (PCR technique might help understand the etiology of the disease involved in cases of loss of reproduction in small ruminants in Mali. The technical and economical analysis helped to assess the financial value of losses.

A grammar of Tadaksahak a northern Songhay language of Mali

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Christiansen-Bolli, Regula

2010-01-01

This dissertation is a descriptive grammar of the language Tadaksahak spoken by about 30,000 people living in the most eastern part of Mali. The four chapters of the book give 1. Information about the background of the group. 2. The phonological features of the language with the inventory of the

Using the Lives Saved Tool to aid country planning in meeting mortality targets: a case study from Mali

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Youssouf Keita

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Mali is one of four countries implementing a National Evaluation Platform (NEP to build local capacity to answer evaluation questions for maternal, newborn, child health and nutrition (MNCH&N. In 2014-15, NEP-Mali addressed questions about the potential impact of Mali’s MNCH&N plans and strategies, and identified priority interventions to achieve targeted mortality reductions. Methods The NEP-Mali team modeled the potential impact of three intervention packages in the Lives Saved Tool (LiST from 2014 to 2023. One projection included the interventions and targets from Mali’s ten-year health strategy (PDDSS for 2014-2023, and two others modeled intervention packages that included scale up of antenatal, intrapartum, and curative interventions, as well as reductions in stunting and wasting. We modeled the change in maternal, newborn and under-five mortality rates under these three projections, as well as the number of lives saved, overall and by intervention. Results If Mali were to achieve the MNCH&N coverage targets from its health strategy, under-5 mortality would be reduced from 121 per 1000 live births to 93 per 1000, far from the target of 69 deaths per 1000. Projections 1 and 2 produced estimated mortality reductions from 121 deaths per 1000 to 70 and 68 deaths per 1000, respectively. With respect to neonatal mortality, the mortality rate would be reduced from 39 to 32 deaths per 1000 live births under the current health strategy, and to 25 per 1000 under projections 1 and 2. Conclusions This study revealed that achieving the coverage targets for the MNCH&N interventions in the 2014-23 PDDSS would likely not allow Mali to achieve its mortality targets. The NEP-Mali team was able to identify two packages of MNCH&N interventions (and targets that achieved under-5 and neonatal mortality rates at, or very near, the PDDSS targets. The Malian Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene is using these results to revise its plans

'Love of the heart': romantic love among young mothers in Mali.

Science.gov (United States)

Sølbeck, Ditte Enemark

2010-05-01

This paper calls attention to an ideal of romantic love among young unmarried mothers in Mali. It demonstrates that romantic love constitutes a motivating force for the agency of young Malian mothers who invest themselves in hopes of romantic outcomes from their relationships. Like the majority of people in Mali, the young mothers in this study dedicated a considerable time each weekday to watching a Venezuelan soap opera, which could be regarded as offering a modern version of Romeo and Juliet. Yet, romance is not the only thing that matters in young mothers' ideals of love. Materiality plays an important role as well. Thus, young mothers have multiple motives for engaging in relationships with men: they seek both romance and material stability, which is why an either love or exchange perspective is insufficient when examining the topic of romantic love in a Malian context.

La migration féminine au Mali

OpenAIRE

KEITA, Modibo

2011-01-01

Euro-Mediterranean Consortium for Applied Research on International Migration (CARIM) Les données et les recherches au sujet de la migration féminine au Mali sont rares. Cet article, qui privilégie une approche qualitative, suggère d’approfondir la question de la relation entre migration féminine et promotion de la femme, autrement dit la connaissance des conséquences de la migration féminine aux plans individuel, social, économique et culturel. Cette question renvoie, plus largement, à la...

Using modeling, satellite images and existing global datasets for rapid preliminary assessments of renewable energy resources: The case of Mali

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nygaard, Ivan; Badger, Jake; Larsen, Soeren; Rasmussen, Kjeld; Nielsen, Thomas Theis; Hansen, Lars Boye; Stisen, Simon; Mariko, Adama; Togola, Ibrahim

2010-01-01

This paper presents a novel approach to the preliminary, low-cost, national-scale mapping of wind energy, solar energy and certain categories of bio-energy resources in developing countries, using Mali as an example. The methods applied make extensive use of satellite remote sensing and meteorological mesoscale modeling. The paper presents first results from applying the methodology in Mali and discusses the appropriateness of the results obtained. It is shown that northern Mali has considerable wind energy potential, while average wind speeds in the southern part are too low to make wind power a competitive option. Solar energy resources are shown to be abundant in all of Mali, though the highest values are found in the south. The temporal variation is relatively limited. Bio-energy resources are also concentrated in the south, but there are small pockets of high vegetation productivity in the irrigated areas of the Niger inland delta that might be interesting from a renewable energy resource perspective. Finally, the paper discusses the role that renewable energy resources might play in the energy systems of Mali, given the spatio-temporal distribution of renewable energy resources. It is argued that at the current price of about 70 US$/barrel for fossil fuels, renewable energy resources are becoming economically as well as environmentally attractive options. (author)

The phenology of malaria mosquitos in irrigated rice fields in Mali

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Klinkenberg, E.; Takken, W.; Huibers, F.P.; Touré, Y.T.

2003-01-01

A field study was carried out in the large-scale rice irrigation scheme of the Office du Niger in Mali to investigate the relation between anopheline mosquito larval development and small-scale differences in irrigation practices, such as water level, irrigation application and irrigation frequency.

Alluvial diamond resource potential and production capacity assessment of Mali

Science.gov (United States)

Chirico, Peter G.; Barthelemy, Francis; Kone, Fatiaga

2010-01-01

In May of 2000, a meeting was convened in Kimberley, South Africa, and attended by representatives of the diamond industry and leaders of African governments to develop a certification process intended to assure that rough, exported diamonds were free of conflictual concerns. This meeting was supported later in 2000 by the United Nations in a resolution adopted by the General Assembly. By 2002, the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) was ratified and signed by diamond-producing and diamond-importing countries. Over 70 countries were included as members of the KPCS at the end of 2007. To prevent trade in "conflict diamonds" while protecting legitimate trade, the KPCS requires that each country set up an internal system of controls to prevent conflict diamonds from entering any imported or exported shipments of rough diamonds. Every diamond or diamond shipment must be accompanied by a Kimberley Process (KP) certificate and be contained in tamper-proof packaging. The objective of this study was (1) to assess the naturally occurring endowment of diamonds in Mali (potential resources) based on geological evidence, previous studies, and recent field data and (2) to assess the diamond-production capacity and measure the intensity of mining activity. Several possible methods can be used to estimate the potential diamond resource. However, because there is generally a lack of sufficient and consistent data recording all diamond mining in Mali and because time to conduct fieldwork and accessibility to the diamond mining areas are limited, four different methodologies were used: the cylindrical calculation of the primary kimberlitic deposits, the surface area methodology, the volume and grade approach, and the content per kilometer approach. Approximately 700,000 carats are estimated to be in the alluvial deposits of the Kenieba region, with 540,000 carats calculated to lie within the concentration grade deposits. Additionally, 580,000 carats are estimated to have

Mass médias et figures du religieux islamique au Mali: entre ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Mass médias et figures du religieux islamique au Mali: entre négociation et appropriation de l'espace public. ... (development of means of transportation and communications technologies) and the extension of democratic rights and freedoms.

Disputed desert : decolonisation, competing nationalisms and Tuareg rebellions in Northern Mali

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lecocq, B.

2010-01-01

This book deals with political changes and internal debates about political changes within Tamasheq (Tuareg) society in Mali from the late 1940s to the present. These debates focus on political structures introduced to Tamasheq society from outside and their impact on and incorporation into local

Implementing preventive chemotherapy through an integrated National Neglected Tropical Disease Control Program in Mali.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Massitan Dembélé

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Mali is endemic for all five targeted major neglected tropical diseases (NTDs. As one of the five 'fast-track' countries supported with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID funds, Mali started to integrate the activities of existing disease-specific national control programs on these diseases in 2007. The ultimate objectives are to eliminate lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis and trachoma as public health problems and to reduce morbidity caused by schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis through regular treatment to eligible populations, and the specific objectives were to achieve 80% program coverage and 100% geographical coverage yearly. The paper reports on the implementation of the integrated mass drug administration and the lessons learned. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The integrated control program was led by the Ministry of Health and coordinated by the national NTD Control Program. The drug packages were designed according to the disease endemicity in each district and delivered through various platforms to eligible populations involving the primary health care system. Treatment data were recorded and reported by the community drug distributors. After a pilot implementation of integrated drug delivery in three regions in 2007, the treatment for all five targeted NTDs was steadily scaled up to 100% geographical coverage by 2009, and program coverage has since been maintained at a high level: over 85% for lymphatic filariasis, over 90% for onchocerciasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis, around 90% in school-age children for schistosomiasis, and 76-97% for trachoma. Around 10 million people have received one or more drug packages each year since 2009. No severe cases of adverse effects were reported. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Mali has scaled up the drug treatment to national coverage through integrated drug delivery involving the primary health care system. The successes and lessons

[Contraception and protection against STDs. CERPOD measures use of the Protector condom in Mali].

Science.gov (United States)

Konate, M K

1993-08-01

In April 1993, a technical assistance contract to measure general condom use, particularly use of the brand name Protector, which has been marketed in Mali since March 1992, was made between the Center of Studies and Research on Population for Development (CERPOD) and the Popular Pharmacy of Mali. In June-July 1991, the SOMARC project and the Malian Institute for Applied Research in Development conducted a baseline survey to determine the condom use rate in Mali before Protector was introduced on the Malian market, so the social marketing project for contraception could be evaluated. It examined knowledge, use, and achievable target level and determined the characteristics of users of the Protector condom. It revealed that more than 90% of both men and women believed birth spacing was a good idea. Men approved of birth spacing for cost-saving reasons, while women approved birth spacing because it allowed mothers time to recuperate between births. Another earlier study in 1987 in Bamako found that 78% of the women already favored birth spacing. 90% of the men in the main cities in Mali knew about condoms. 63% of these men had used them in the past, mainly to prevent sexually transmitted diseases. 30% used them consistently. One hoped that this number was going to grow, since 80% of the men said that they would use condoms in the future. The evaluation of the 1991 social marketing campaign will end in August 1993 and will measure whether it was successful or not. In November 1992, CERPOD followed the framework of a recent baseline survey for an IEC (information, education, and communication) family planning program, operated jointly by the Malian Association for the Protection and Promotion of the Family and Population Communication Services, to measure the effect of the brand name Protector. CERPOD's survey results will be compared with those of the 1993 survey.

Increasing Access to Family Planning Choices Through Public-Sector Social Franchising: The Experience of Marie Stopes International in Mali

Science.gov (United States)

Gold, Judy; Burke, Eva; Cissé, Boubacar; Mackay, Anna; Eva, Gillian; Hayes, Brendan

2017-01-01

Background: Mali has one of the world's lowest contraceptive use rates and a high rate of unmet need for family planning. In order to increase access to and choice of quality family planning services, Marie Stopes International (MSI) Mali introduced social franchising in public-sector community health centers (referred to as CSCOMs in Mali) in 3 regions under the MSI brand BlueStar. Program Description: Potential franchisees are generally identified from CSCOMs who have worked with MSI outreach teams; once accredited as franchisees, CSCOMs receive training, supervision, family planning consumables and commodities, and support for awareness raising and demand creation. To ensure availability and affordability of services, franchisees are committed to providing a wide range of contraceptive methods at low fixed prices. Methods and Results: The performance of the BlueStar network from inception in March 2012 until December 2015 was examined using information from routine monitoring data, clinical quality audits, and client exit interviews. During this period, the network grew from 70 to 135 franchisees; an estimated 123,428 clients received voluntary family planning services, most commonly long-acting reversible methods of contraception. Franchisee efficiency and clinical quality of services increased over time, and client satisfaction with services remained high. One-quarter of clients in 2015 were under 20 years old, and three-quarters were adopters of family planning (that is, they had not been using a modern method during the 3 months prior to their visit). Conclusion: Applying a social franchising support package, originally developed for for-profit private-sector providers, to public-sector facilities in Mali has increased access, choice, and use of family planning in 3 regions of Mali. The experience of BlueStar Mali suggests that interventions that support quality supply of services, while simultaneously addressing demand-side barriers such as service pricing

Increasing Access to Family Planning Choices Through Public-Sector Social Franchising: The Experience of Marie Stopes International in Mali.

Science.gov (United States)

Gold, Judy; Burke, Eva; Cissé, Boubacar; Mackay, Anna; Eva, Gillian; Hayes, Brendan

2017-06-27

Mali has one of the world's lowest contraceptive use rates and a high rate of unmet need for family planning. In order to increase access to and choice of quality family planning services, Marie Stopes International (MSI) Mali introduced social franchising in public-sector community health centers (referred to as CSCOMs in Mali) in 3 regions under the MSI brand BlueStar. Potential franchisees are generally identified from CSCOMs who have worked with MSI outreach teams; once accredited as franchisees, CSCOMs receive training, supervision, family planning consumables and commodities, and support for awareness raising and demand creation. To ensure availability and affordability of services, franchisees are committed to providing a wide range of contraceptive methods at low fixed prices. The performance of the BlueStar network from inception in March 2012 until December 2015 was examined using information from routine monitoring data, clinical quality audits, and client exit interviews. During this period, the network grew from 70 to 135 franchisees; an estimated 123,428 clients received voluntary family planning services, most commonly long-acting reversible methods of contraception. Franchisee efficiency and clinical quality of services increased over time, and client satisfaction with services remained high. One-quarter of clients in 2015 were under 20 years old, and three-quarters were adopters of family planning (that is, they had not been using a modern method during the 3 months prior to their visit). Applying a social franchising support package, originally developed for for-profit private-sector providers, to public-sector facilities in Mali has increased access, choice, and use of family planning in 3 regions of Mali. The experience of BlueStar Mali suggests that interventions that support quality supply of services, while simultaneously addressing demand-side barriers such as service pricing, can successfully create demand for a broad range of family

Mali tõotab sõjalist tööpõldu aastateks / Evelyn Kaldoja

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Kaldoja, Evelyn, 1980-

2015-01-01

Malis on praegu käimas kolm rahvusvahelist sõjalist missiooni, mis kestavad tõenäoliselt veel aastaid. Terroriorganisatsioonid, mis tegutsesid enamasti riigi põhjaosas, külvavad hirmu ka lõunas

The influence of intrafamilial power on maternal health care in Mali: perspectives of women, men and mothers-in-law.

Science.gov (United States)

White, Darcy; Dynes, Michelle; Rubardt, Marcie; Sissoko, Koman; Stephenson, Rob

2013-06-01

Evidence from diverse settings suggests that women often have limited control over their own reproductive health decisions. To increase uptake of preventive services and behaviors, it is important to understand how intrafamilial power dynamics and the attitudes of women, their husband and their mother-in-law are associated with maternal health practices. In 317 households in two rural districts of central Mali, women who had given birth in the previous year, their husband and their mother-in-law each completed a survey gauging their attitudes toward constructs of gender, power and health. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify associations with four maternal health outcomes: antenatal care frequency, antenatal care timing, institutional delivery and postnatal care. In multivariable analyses, the preferences and opinions of mothers-in-law were associated with the maternal health behaviors of their daughters-in-law. Women's own perceptions of their self-efficacy, the value of women in society and the quality of services at the local health facility were also independently associated with their preventive and health-seeking practices. Husbands' preferences and opinions were not associated with any outcome. Interventions focusing on women or couples may be insufficient to advance women's reproductive health in patriarchal societies such as Mali. Future research and programmatic efforts need to address gender norms and consider the influence of other family members, such as mothers-in-law.

Furfural from Pine Needle Extract Inhibits the Growth of a Plant Pathogenic Fungus, Alternaria mali

Science.gov (United States)

Yoo, Sun Kyun; Moon, Sung-Kwon; Lee, Ung-Soo

2007-01-01

The antifungal effect of pine needle extract prepared by a distinguishable extraction method and the dry distillation method, was examined. The effect of this extract itself was insignificant. The chemical components of pine needle extract were then investigated by gas chromatographic analysis, and four chemical components, acetol, furfural, 5-methyl furfural, and terpine-4-ol, were identified. The antifungal effects of those four chemical components against Alternaria mali (A. mali), an agent of Alternaria blotch of apple, were then examined. It was observed that the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were 6.25, 0.78, 0.78, and 12.5 (mg/ml) of acetol, furfural, 5-methyl furfural, and terpine-4-ol, respectively. MICs of furfural and 5-methyl furfural had the same order of magnitude as that of an antifungal agrochemical, chlorothalonil. Although furfural itself can not be completely substituted for an antifungal agrochemical, a partial mixture of furfural and antifungal agrochemical may be used as a substitute. The use of agrochemicals for the prevention of plant disease caused by pathogenic fungus such as A. mali could be partially reduced by the application of this mixture. PMID:24015067

Comparative morphological analysis of apple blister mite, Eriophyes mali Nal., a new pest in Serbia

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Biljana Vidović

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The apple blister mite, Eriophyes mali Nalepa, 1926 (Acari: Prostigmata: Eriophyoidea, has been recently found in Serbia as a new pest of apple. The history of its research, the results of a morphological analysis and degree of infestation are presented. A comparison of the main morphological features of mites from different populations of remote geographical origin has shown that the apple blister mite from Serbia is most similar to another European population (Bulgarian [or Austrian?] while it differs from E. mali originating from the USA and New Zealand. The percentage of infestation varied from 1.6% to 87.6%, with an average of 22.4%.

Zvláštnosti podnikatelského prostředí, obchodní a kulturní specifika Mali

OpenAIRE

Hudečková, Anna

2010-01-01

The bachelor thesis is devided into four chapters. The first chapter contains basic country profile of Mali including geographical information, historical facts, specifics of ethnics living in Mali and Malian culture. The second chapter, called Entrepreneurial environment, is concerned with economical development of the country, political system, main problems of Malian economy, the business environment and conditions for starting a new business. The third chapter contains common business pra...

Factors influencing adoption of soil and water conservation measures in southern Mali

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bodnar, F.; Graaff, de J.

2003-01-01

A soil and water conservation (SWC) extension programme, promoting erosion control measures and soil fertility measures, has been going on in southern Mali since 1986. Five factors that influence farmer adoption of SWC measures were analysed: land pressure, cotton-growing area, possession of

Spatial distribution of the chromosomal forms of anopheles gambiae in Mali

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Traoré Sékou F

2008-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Maps of the distribution of malaria vectors are useful tools for stratification of malaria risk and for selective vector control strategies. Although the distribution of members of the Anopheles gambiae complex is well documented in Africa, a continuous map of the spatial distribution of the chromosomal forms of An. gambiae s.s. is not yet available at country level to support control efforts. Methods Bayesian geostatistical methods were used to produce continuous maps of the spatial distribution of the chromosomal forms of An. gambiae s.s. (Mopti, Bamako, Savanna and their hybrids/recombinants based on their relative frequencies in relation to climatic and environmental factors in Mali. Results The maps clearly show that each chromosomal form favours a particular defined eco-climatic zone. The Mopti form prefers the dryer northern Savanna and Sahel and the flooded/irrigated areas of the inner delta of the Niger River. The Savanna form favours the Sudan savanna areas, particularly the South and South-Eastern parts of the country (Kayes and Sikasso regions. The Bamako form has a strong preference for specific environmental conditions and it is confined to the Sudan savanna areas around urban Bamako and the Western part of Sikasso region. The hybrids/recombinants favour the Western part of the country (Kayes region bordering the Republic of Guinea Conakry. Conclusion The maps provide valuable information for selective vector control in Mali (insecticide resistance management and may serve as a decision support tool for the basis for future malaria control strategies including genetically manipulated mosquitoes.

Inequality in MINUSMA: African Soldiers are in the Firing Line in Mali

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Albrecht, Peter; Cold-Ravnkilde, Signe Marie; Haugegaard, Rikke

2016-01-01

African and European soldiers in the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Mali (MINUSMA) work under very different conditions regarding levels of training, equipment, general support from their governments and the fact that African troops are deployed in the most dangerous areas. The UN should ...

Repeated Artemisinin-Based Combination Therapies in a Malaria Hyperendemic Area of Mali: Efficacy, Safety, and Public Health Impact

Science.gov (United States)

Sagara, Issaka; Fofana, Bakary; Gaudart, Jean; Sidibe, Bakary; Togo, Amadou; Toure, Sekou; Sanogo, Kassim; Dembele, Demba; Dicko, Alassane; Giorgi, Roch; Doumbo, Ogobara K.; Djimde, Abdoulaye A.

2012-01-01

Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) are the first-line treatment of uncomplicated malaria. The public health benefit and safety of repeated administration of a given ACT are poorly studied. We conducted a randomized trial comparing artemether-lumefantrine, artesunate plus amodiaquine (AS+AQ) and artesunate plus sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (AS+SP) in patients 6 months of age and older with uncomplicated malaria in Mali from July 2005 to July 2007. The patient received the same initial treatment of each subsequent uncomplicated malaria episode except for treatment failures where quinine was used. Overall, 780 patients were included. Patients in the AS+AQ and AS+SP arms had significantly less risk of having malaria episodes; risk ratio (RR) = 0.84 (P = 0.002) and RR = 0.80 (P = 0.001), respectively. The treatment efficacy was similar and above 95% in all arms. Although all drugs were highly efficacious and well tolerated, AS+AQ and AS+SP were associated with less episodes of malaria. PMID:22764291

Food Groups Associated with a Composite Measure of Probability of Adequate Intake of 11 Micronutrients in the Diets of Women in Urban Mali

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kennedy, G.L.; Fanou-Fogny, N.M.L.; Seghieri, C.; Arimond, M.; Koreissi, Y.; Dossa, R.A.M.; Kok, F.J.; Brouwer, I.D.

2010-01-01

The prevalence of micronutrient deficiency is high among women of reproductive age living in urban Mali. Despite this, there are little data on the dietary intake of micronutrients among women of reproductive age in Mali. This research tested the relationship between the quantity of intake of 21

The pre- and protohistoric togué of the Niger alluvial plain, Mali

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schmidt, Annette Margaretha

2009-01-01

The Inland Niger Delta in Mali is scattered with thousands of tell-like dwelling mounds that testify to the rich archaeological heritage of this attractive occupation area. Little is known about the structure and evolution of this considerable settlement system. The general aim of the present

Socio-political Turmoil in Mali: The Public Debate Following the Coup d’État on 22 March 2012 Sozio-politische Turbulenzen in Mali: Die öffentliche Debatte nach dem Staatsstreich vom 22. März 2012

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Sten Hagberg

2012-01-01

Full Text Available During the night between 21 and 22 March 2012, a group of young military officers overthrew Mali’s president, Amadou Toumani Touré. The group justified the coup by citing the inability of the regime to both deal with the crisis in the North and provide the army with the appropriate material and manpower to defend the national territory. The coup plunged Mali into violence, and caused a de facto partition of the country. The socio-political turmoil pitting different political and armed factions against each other has continued unabated and has been accompanied by intense mass media debates. In this report we focus on the Malian public debate. By looking at the political class, the international community, and the partition of the country, we analyse representations and stereotypes prevailing in this debate.In der Nacht vom 21. zum 22. März 2012 wurde der Präsident Malis, Amadou Toumani Touré, durch eine Gruppe junger Offiziere gestürzt. Die Gruppe rechtfertigte den Putsch, indem sie auf die Unfähigkeit des Regimes verwies, die Krise im Norden zu bewältigen und die Armee personell und materiell angemessen auszustatten, um die Grenzen das Landes verteidigen zu können. Der Staatsstreich stürzte Mali in eine gewaltsame Auseinandersetzung und führte zu einer faktischen Teilung des Landes. Die sozio-politischen Turbulenzen, in denen verschiedene politische und bewaffnete Gruppierungen gegeneinander antraten, haben seither unvermindert angehalten und wurden von intensiven Debatten in den Massenmedien begleitet. Der vorliegende Bericht konzentriert sich auf die öffentliche Debatte in Mali. Vor dem Hintergrund der politischen Entwicklung des Landes, der Positionen der internationalen Gemeinschaft und der Ursachen für die Teilung des Landes stellen die Autoren die Darstellungsweisen und Stereotypen dar, die in dieser Debatte Verwendung finden.

Can ICTs contribute to the efficiency and provide equitable access to the health care system in Sub-Saharan Africa? The Mali experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Bagayoko, C O; Anne, A; Fieschi, M; Geissbuhler, A

2011-01-01

The aim of this study is to demonstrate from actual projects that ICT can contribute to the balance of health systems in developing countries and to equitable access to human resources and quality health care service. Our study is focused on two essential elements which are: i) Capacity building and support of health professionals, especially those in isolated areas using telemedicine tools; ii) Strengthening of hospital information systems by taking advantage of full potential offered by open-source software. Our research was performed on the activities carried out in Mali and in part through the RAFT (Réseau en Afrique Francophone pour la Télémédecine) Network. We focused mainly on the activities of e-learning, telemedicine, and hospital information systems. These include the use of platforms that work with low Internet connection bandwidth. With regard to information systems, our strategy is mainly focused on the improvement and implementation of open-source tools. Several telemedicine application projects were reviewed including continuing online medical education and the support of isolated health professionals through the usage of innovative tools. This review covers the RAFT project for continuing medical education in French-speaking Africa, the tele-radiology project in Mali, the "EQUI-ResHuS" project for equal access to health over ICT in Mali, The "Pact-e.Santé" project for community health workers in Mali. We also detailed a large-scale experience of an open-source hospital information system implemented in Mali: "Cinz@n". We report on successful experiences in the field of telemedicine and on the evaluation by the end-users of the Cinz@n project, a pilot hospital information system in Mali. These reflect the potential of healthcare-ICT for Sub-Saharan African countries.

West Africa International Centers of Excellence for Malaria Research: Drug Resistance Patterns to Artemether–Lumefantrine in Senegal, Mali, and The Gambia

Science.gov (United States)

Dieye, Baba; Affara, Muna; Sangare, Lassana; Joof, Fatou; Ndiaye, Yaye D.; Gomis, Jules F.; Ndiaye, Mouhamadou; Mbaye, Aminata; Diakite, Mouhamadou; Sy, Ngayo; Mbengue, Babacar; Deme, Awa B.; Daniels, Rachel; Ahouidi, Ambroise D.; Dieye, Tandakha; Abdullahi, Ahmad; Doumbia, Seydou; Ndiaye, Jean L.; Diarra, Ayouba; Ismaela, Abubakar; Coulibaly, Mamadou; Welty, Clint; Ngwa, Alfred Amambua; Shaffer, Jeffrey; D'Alessandro, Umberto; Volkman, Sarah K.; Wirth, Dyann F.; Krogstad, Donald J.; Koita, Ousmane; Nwakanma, Davis; Ndiaye, Daouda

2016-01-01

In 2006, artemether–lumefantrine (AL) became the first-line treatment of uncomplicated malaria in Senegal, Mali, and the Gambia. To monitor its efficacy, between August 2011 and November 2014, children with uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria were treated with AL and followed up for 42 days. A total of 463 subjects were enrolled in three sites (246 in Senegal, 97 in Mali, and 120 in Gambia). No early treatment failure was observed and malaria infection cleared in all patients by day 3. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-adjusted adequate clinical and parasitological response (ACPR) was 100% in Mali, and the Gambia, and 98.8% in Senegal. However, without PCR adjustment, ACPR was 89.4% overall; 91.5% in Mali, 98.8% in Senegal, and 64.3% in the Gambia (the lower value in the Gambia attributed to poor compliance of the full antimalarial course). However, pfmdr1 mutations were prevalent in Senegal and a decrease in parasite sensitivity to artesunate and lumefantrine (as measured by ex vivo drug assay) was observed at all sites. Recrudescent parasites did not show Kelch 13 (K13) mutations and AL remains highly efficacious in these west African sites. PMID:27549635

Diversification of Educational Provision and School-to-Work Transitions in Rural Mali: Analysing a Reconfiguration of Inequalities in Light of Justice Theories

Science.gov (United States)

Weyer, Frederique

2011-01-01

Based on an approach focusing on actors and in particular on educational trajectories, this paper analyses the effects of diversification of educational provision on inequalities in rural Mali. It shows that there are considerable gaps in the skills acquired by students, including within formal education. These gaps are perceived as illegitimate…

A Novel Bifunctional Amino Acid Racemase With Multiple Substrate Specificity, MalY From Lactobacillus sakei LT-13: Genome-Based Identification and Enzymological Characterization

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Shiro Kato

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The Lactobacillus sakei strain LK-145 isolated from Moto, a starter of sake, produces potentially large amounts of three D-amino acids, D-Ala, D-Glu, and D-Asp, in a medium containing amylase-digested rice as a carbon source. The comparison of metabolic pathways deduced from the complete genome sequence of strain LK-145 to the type culture strain of Lactobacillus sakei strain LT-13 showed that the L- and D-amino acid metabolic pathways are similar between the two strains. However, a marked difference was observed in the putative cysteine/methionine metabolic pathways of strain LK-145 and LT-13. The cystathionine β-lyase homolog gene malY was annotated only in the genome of strain LT-13. Cystathionine β-lyase is an important enzyme in the cysteine/methionine metabolic pathway that catalyzes the conversion of L-cystathionine into L-homocysteine. In addition to malY, most genome-sequenced strains of L. sakei including LT-13 lacked the homologous genes encoding other putative enzymes in this pathway. Accordingly, the cysteine/methionine metabolic pathway likely does not function well in almost all strains of L. sakei. We succeeded in cloning and expressing the malY gene from strain LT-13 (Ls-malY in the cells of Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3 and characterized the enzymological properties of Ls-MalY. Spectral analysis of purified Ls-MalY showed that Ls-MalY contained a pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (PLP as a cofactor, and this observation agreed well with the prediction based on its primary structure. Ls-MalY showed amino acid racemase activity and cystathionine β-lyase activity. Ls-MalY showed amino acid racemase activities in various amino acids, such as Ala, Arg, Asn, Glu, Gln, His, Leu, Lys, Met, Ser, Thr, Trp, and Val. Mutational analysis revealed that the -amino group of Lys233 in the primary structure of Ls-MalY likely bound to PLP, and Lys233 was an essential residue for Ls-MalY to catalyze both the amino acid racemase and β-lyase reactions. In

The yellow Fever epidemic in Western mali, september-november 1987: why did epidemiological surveillance fail?

Science.gov (United States)

Kurz, X

1990-03-01

Recent yellow fever epidemics in West Africa have underlined the discrepancy between the official number of cases and deaths and those estimated by a retrospective epidemiological investigation. During the yellow fever epidemic that broke out in western Mali in September 1987, a total of 305 cases and 145 deaths were officially notified, but estimates revealed true figures abut five times higher. This paper attempts to discuss the factors that hindered early case detection and more complete reporting. They were, first, the insufficient training on the clinical diagnosis, the blood sampling method for laboratory confirmation, and the curative treatment of patients (resulting in low utilization of services); second, the lack of an action plan to prepare in advance a quick response to the epidemic, affecting reporting procedures at the peripheral level and active case-finding during the outbreak; and third, the lack of laboratory facilities for a quick confirmation of the disease. The difficulties experienced during the yellow fever epidemic in Mali demonstrated the importance of a preparedness strategy for epidemic control, based on an integrated approach of epidemiological surveillance within basic health service activities. The need for regional collaboration and for institutionalized funds in the donor community that could be mobilized for epidemic preparedness activities is also emphasized.

Nonhealing Ulcer: Acroangiodermatitis of Mali

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Neeraj Varyani

2011-01-01

Full Text Available An 18-year-old male presented with a nonhealing wound on left lower limb, pain and swelling over multiple joints, weight loss, and yellowish discoloration of eyes and urine for the past 4 years. On examination, the patient had pallor, icterus, and generalized lymphadenopathy with a nonhealing unhealthy ulcer over left medial malleolus. He had deformed joints with hepatomegaly and splenomegaly. His laboratory investigations were positive for antinuclear antibody (ANA and anticardiolipin antibody (ACLA. Synovial fluid analysis showed inflammatory findings. Biopsy of margin of the ulcer showed findings consistent with Acroangiodermatitis of Mali. The patient was treated with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs and aspirin for juvenile idiopathic arthritis and secondary antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS, respectively. The ulcer was managed conservatively with systemic antibiotics and topical steroids along with limb elevation and compression elastic stockings. The patient's symptoms improved significantly, and he is in our followup.

Reaching every child with rotavirus vaccine: Report from the 10th African rotavirus symposium held in Bamako, Mali.

Science.gov (United States)

Sow, Samba O; Steele, A Duncan; Mwenda, Jason M; Armah, George E; Neuzil, Kathleen M

2017-10-09

The Center for Vaccine Development - Mali (CVD - Mali), the World Health Organization's regional office in Africa (WHO/AFRO), and the CVD at the University of Maryland School of Medicine hosted the 10th African Rotavirus Symposium in Bamako, Mali on 1-2 June 2016. The symposium is coordinated by WHO/AFRO, the Regional Rotavirus Reference Laboratories, and the African Rotavirus Network (ARN), with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The event brings together leading rotavirus researchers, scientists, and policy-makers from across Africa and the world. Over 150 participants, from 31 countries, including 27 in Africa, joined forces to address the theme "Reaching Every Child in Africa with Rotavirus Vaccines." This symposium, the first in francophone Africa, occurred at an unprecedented time when 33 African countries had introduced rotavirus vaccines into their national immunization programs. The symposium concluded with a Call to Action to introduce rotavirus vaccines in the 21 remaining African countries, to increase access in countries with existing vaccination programs, and to continue surveillance and research on rotavirus and other diarrheal diseases. Copyright © 2017.

Understanding farm trajectories and development pathways: Two decades of change in southern Mali

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Falconnier, G.N.; Descheemaeker, K.K.E.; Mourik, van T.A.; Sanogo, O.; Giller, K.E.

2015-01-01

Institutional support for smallholders has been the motor for the expanding cotton production sector in southern Mali since the 1970s. Smallholder farms exhibit diverse resource endowments and little is known on how they benefit from and cope with changes in this institutional support. In this paper

How project approach influences adoption of SWC by farmers, examples from southern Mali

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bodnar, F.; Schrader, T.; Campen, Van W.

2006-01-01

Choices in project approach affect the continuation of soil and water conservation (SWC) after project withdrawal, and thus the sustainability and cost effectiveness of the project. A SWC project was carried out in southern Mali between 1986 and 1998. Its features were the promotion of cheap and

L’introuvable capitale du Mali. La question de la capitale dans l’historiographie du royaume médiéval du Mali The capital that cannot be found: The question of the capital in the historiography of the medieval kingdom of Mali

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Hadrien Collet

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Parmi les nombreuses hypothèses portant sur la capitale du Mali à son apogée (xiiie-début xve siècle, celle de Niani, apparue sous la plume des « historiens coloniaux », a connu la plus belle fortune. Construite par l’histoire coloniale, puis partiellement déconstruite à partir des années 1970, l’hypothèse de Niani, bien que porteuse d’une façon de faire de l’histoire aujourd’hui révolue, continue d’avoir ses partisans. Apparue en 1923, elle traverse l’époque coloniale et celle des indépendances des années 1960 avant de se retrouver confrontée à la méthode critique de l’histoire académique et de l’archéologie. Cette étude propose donc d’appréhender l’historiographie spécifique à Niani, qui reflète les évolutions de l’écriture de l’histoire ancienne du Soudan, et de faire le point sur l’état des recherches actuelles sur la question de la capitale du Mali.In the writings of “colonialist historians”, the hypothesis of Niani was certainly the main one formulated about the capital of medieval Mali at its height, from the 13th till the middle of the 15th century. This hypothesis, produced by colonial history in 1923 but partially deconstructed since the 1970s, still has strong support despite its outdated approach to writing history. It was advanced during the colonial era and the period of independence (the 1960s, before being subjected to a critique from academic history and archaeology. The historiography of Niani is presented as a reflection of trends in the writing of the history of the ancient Sudan, and current research on Mali’s capital is examined.

Consumption of, and beliefs about fonio (digitaria exilis) in urban area in Mali

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fanou, N.; Koreissi, Y.; Dossa, R.A.M.; Brouwer, I.D.

2009-01-01

The study sought to determine beliefs and practices about neglected crops in West Africa, using fonio (Digitaria exilis) as a model to understand how obstacles impede the consumption of this cereal in Bamako, the capital city of Mali. This was a crosssectional study on food ethnography in three

Validating operational food insecurity indicators against a dynamic benchmark : evidence from Mali

OpenAIRE

Christiaensen, Luc J.; Boisvert, Richard N.; Hoddinott, John

2000-01-01

The authors develop an explicitly forward-looking indicator of food insecurity that takes into account both current dietary inadequacy and vulnerability to dietary inadequacy in the future. Application of this measure to data from northern Mali shows that neglecting the future dimension of food insecurity causes serious underestimation of food insecurity in this area. The authors evaluate ...

Efficacy of the oral pentavalent rotavirus vaccine in Mali.

Science.gov (United States)

Sow, Samba O; Tapia, Milagritos; Haidara, Fadima C; Ciarlet, Max; Diallo, Fatoumata; Kodio, Mamoudou; Doumbia, Moussa; Dembélé, Rokiatou D; Traoré, Oumou; Onwuchekwa, Uma U; Lewis, Kristen D C; Victor, John C; Steele, A Duncan; Neuzil, Kathleen M; Kotloff, Karen L; Levine, Myron M

2012-04-27

The oral, pentavalent rotavirus vaccine (PRV), RotaTeq was assessed for prevention of severe rotavirus gastroenteritis (RVGE) in young children in two multi-site, randomized, placebo-controlled field trials; one in Asia (Vietnam and Bangladesh) and the other in sub-Saharan Africa (Ghana, Kenya and Mali). The efficacy results for the Mali site of the multi-country trial are presented here. We randomly assigned infants in a 1:1 ratio to receive 3 doses of PRV/placebo at approximately 6, 10, and 14 weeks of age. Gastroenteritis episodes were captured passively at the local health centers and by home visits. The primary study outcome was severe RVGE, as defined by a score of ≥ 11 using the Vesikari Clinical Scoring System occurring ≥ 14 days after the third dose until the end of the study. Other efficacy analyses included efficacy against severe RVGE through the first year and during the second years of life, as well as efficacy after receiving at least one dose of vaccine. In total, 1960 infants were enrolled in the trial at the Mali site and sera were collected on a subset of infants (approximately 150) for immunogenicity testing. In the first year of follow-up, largely due to cultural practices to visit traditional healers as the first point of care, the point estimate of efficacy was unreliable: the per protocol vaccine efficacy against severe RVGE was 1% (95% confidence interval [CI]: -431.7, 81.6); the intention-to-treat vaccine efficacy was 42.9% (95% CI: -125.7, 87.7). During the second year of follow-up, after the surveillance system was modified to adapt to local customs and health care seeking practices, the point estimate of per-protocol vaccine efficacy was 19.2% (95% CI: -23.1,47.3%). 82.5% of Malian infants (95% CI: 70.1,91.3%) who received PRV mounted a seroresponse (≥ 3-fold rise from baseline (prevaccination) to post-dose 3 vaccination) of anti-rotavirus immunoglobulin A antibody, with a post third-dose geometric mean titer (GMT) of 31.3 units

Using modeling, satellite images and existing global datasets for rapid preliminary assessments of renewable energy resources: The case of Mali

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nygaard, Ivan; Rasmussen, K.; Badger, Jake

2010-01-01

This paper presents a novel approach to the preliminary, low-cost, national-scale mapping of wind energy, solar energy and certain categories of bio-energy resources in developing countries, using Mali as an example. The methods applied make extensive use of satellite remote sensing and meteorolo...... that at the current price of about 70 US$/barrel for fossil fuels, renewable energy resources are becoming economically as well as environmentally attractive options.......This paper presents a novel approach to the preliminary, low-cost, national-scale mapping of wind energy, solar energy and certain categories of bio-energy resources in developing countries, using Mali as an example. The methods applied make extensive use of satellite remote sensing...... a competitive option. Solar energy resources are shown to be abundant in all of Mali, though the highest values are found in the south. The temporal variation is relatively limited. Bio-energy resources are also concentrated in the south, but there are small pockets of high vegetation productivity...

Snježana Malić-Limari, MSc in Natural Sciences

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Sven Jelaska

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Snježana Malić-Limari successfully defended her Master’s thesis Evaluation of Medvednica Nature Park with Respect to Land Cover, Landform and Visitor System at the Faculty of Science of the University of Zagreb on November 23, 2009. The Master’s thesis was evaluated by the following Committee: Prof. Dr. Božena Mitić, Assist. Prof. Dr. Sven Jelaska (mentor and Prof. Dr. Sanja Tišma, Institute for International Relations.

Effects of climate variability and climate change on crop production in southern Mali

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Traore, B.; Corbeels, M.; Wijk, van M.T.; Rufino, M.C.; Giller, K.E.

2013-01-01

In West Africa predictions of future changes in climate and especially rainfall are highly uncertain, and up to now no long-term analyses are available of the effects of climate on crop production. This study analyses long-term trends in climate variability at N'Tarla and Sikasso in southern Mali

Ghana and Mali. Grade 7 Model Lesson for Standard 7.4. World History and Geography: Medieval Sub-Saharan Africa. California History-Social Science Course Models.

Science.gov (United States)

Zachlod, Michelle, Ed.

California State Standard 7.4 is delineated in the following manner: "Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the sub-Saharan civilizations of Ghana and Mali in Medieval Africa. Seventh-grade students focus on the Niger River and the growth of the Mali and Ghana empires; analyze the importance…

Indicators of young women's modern contraceptive use in Burkina Faso and Mali from Demographic and Health Survey data.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Regan, Amy; Thompson, Gretchen

2017-01-01

High total fertility rates in Burkina Faso and Mali are leading to population growth beyond the agricultural and fiscal means of its citizens. Providing access to affordable family planning methods is a key step in driving the demographic transition where fertility and mortality rates decline. Furthermore, both nations face significant challenges as climate change is projected to disproportionately impact the western Sahel region undermining environmental, social and economic stability within the region. This analysis was included in formative research to inform family planning programming. The aim of this study was to examine possible indicators of long acting and permanent contraceptive method (LAPM) and short-term method (STM) use for young women in Burkina Faso and Mali. Secondary data analysis was conducted using the three most recent Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) datasets for Burkina Faso (1998, 2003, 2010) and Mali (2001, 2006, 2012). Women ages 15-24, at risk for unwanted pregnancy were included in these analyses. Summary descriptive statistics across all time points are reported and multinomial logistic regression was used with the most recent data to determine potential indicators of different types of modern contraceptive methods. In Burkina Faso in 2010, 24% of women ages 15-24 were using modern contraceptives. Only 2.9% reported using LAPMs in 2010, an increase from 0.3% in 1998. In Mali, modern contraceptive use increased more recently, rising from 9.4% in 2001 to 10.2% in 2006 to 15.3% in 2012. LAPM use also increased from 0.3% in 2001 to 4.1% in 2012. Significant indicators of LAPM contraceptive use in both countries included educational attainment, ideal family size, home ownership and husband's desire for more children. Young women in Burkina Faso and Mali are increasingly using modern contraceptives for family planning; however, the LAPM contraceptive prevalence rate remains low. Our analysis indicates that social norms around ideal family

Boom aurifère et dynamiques économiques entre Sénégal, Mali et Guinée

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Faty B. Mbodj

2009-03-01

Full Text Available La conjoncture mondiale et les réformes minières entreprises par des pays comme la Guinée (1995, le Mali (1999 et le Sénégal (2003 ont créé les conditions favorables à l’investissement de multinationales de l’or dans un espace transfrontalier situé entre l’est du Sénégal, l’ouest du Mali et le nord-est de la Guinée. A travers les activités annexes et les investissements directs occasionnés, ces multinationales apparaissent comme un facteur d’intégration nationale et sous régionale de ces zones aurifères jusqu’ici en marge. Toutefois, l’insuffisance de leurs contributions financières, la gestion peu efficace de celles-ci, ainsi que la concurrence directe et indirecte que subissent les économies agricoles soulèvent des interrogations sur l’avenir économique des régions étudiées face aux activités extractives.The mining reforms undertaken by countries like Guinea (1995, Mali (1999 and Senegal (2003 have created favorable conditions for the investment of gold multinationals in a transborder area located between the east of Senegal, the west of Mali and the north-east of Guinea. Through the side activities and direct investments brought about, these firms appear as an opportunity to integrate these marginalized zones within the national and regional economies. However, their financial contributions are insufficient and they provoke direct and indirect competition on local agricultural economies, raising questions on the role of extractive activities for the economic future of the areas studied.

A seroepidemiological study of pandemic A/H1N1(2009) influenza in a rural population of Mali.

Science.gov (United States)

Koita, O A; Sangare, L; Poudiougou, B; Aboubacar, B; Samake, Y; Coulibaly, T; Pronyk, P; Salez, N; Kieffer, A; Ninove, L; Flahault, A; de Lamballerie, X

2012-10-01

The swine-origin H1N1 influenza A virus (pH1N1(2009)) started to circulate worldwide in 2009, and cases were notified in a number of sub-Saharan African countries. However, no epidemiological data allowing estimation of the epidemic burden were available in this region, preventing comprehensive comparisons with other parts of the world. The CoPanFlu-Mali programme studied a cohort of 202 individuals living in the rural commune of Dioro (southern central Mali). Pre-pandemic and post-pandemic paired sera (sampled in 2006 and April 2010, respectively) were tested by the haemagglutination inhibition (HI) method. Different estimates of pH1N1(2009) infection during the 2009 first epidemic wave were used (increased prevalence of HI titre of ≥1/40 or ≥1/80, seroconversions) and provided convergent attack rate values (12.4-14.9%), the highest values being observed in the 0-19-year age group (16.0-18.4%). In all age groups, pre-pandemic HI titres of ≥1/40 were associated with complete absence of seroconversion; and geometric mean titres were 20 in others. Important variations in seroconversion rate existed among the different villages investigated. Despite limitations resulting from the size and composition of the sample analysed, this study provides strong evidence that the impact of the pH1N1(2009) first wave was more important than previously believed, and that the determinants of the epidemic spread in sub-Saharan populations were quite different from those observed in developed countries. © 2011 The Authors. Clinical Microbiology and Infection © 2011 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.

Communicating war in Mali, 2012 : On-offline networked political agency in times of conflict

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bruijn, de M.E.; Pelckmans, L.; Sangare, B.

2015-01-01

The Arab Spring raised high expectations for political freedom, especially for situations in which the rapid development of ICT intersects with political oppression and rebellion, as was the case in Mali, West Africa. In 2012 the country’s northern part fell into the hands of ‘rebels’ and jihadists

Cost analysis of an integrated disease surveillance and response system: case of Burkina Faso, Eritrea, and Mali.

Science.gov (United States)

Somda, Zana C; Meltzer, Martin I; Perry, Helen N; Messonnier, Nancy E; Abdulmumini, Usman; Mebrahtu, Goitom; Sacko, Massambou; Touré, Kandioura; Ki, Salimata Ouédraogo; Okorosobo, Tuoyo; Alemu, Wondimagegnehu; Sow, Idrissa

2009-01-08

Communicable diseases are the leading causes of illness, deaths, and disability in sub-Saharan Africa. To address these threats, countries within the World Health Organization (WHO) African region adopted a regional strategy called Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR). This strategy calls for streamlining resources, tools, and approaches to better detect and respond to the region's priority communicable disease. The purpose of this study was to analyze the incremental costs of establishing and subsequently operating activities for detection and response to the priority diseases under the IDSR. We collected cost data for IDSR activities at central, regional, district, and primary health care center levels from Burkina Faso, Eritrea, and Mali, countries where IDSR is being fully implemented. These cost data included personnel, transportation items, office consumable goods, media campaigns, laboratory and response materials and supplies, and annual depreciation of buildings, equipment, and vehicles. Over the period studied (2002-2005), the average cost to implement the IDSR program in Eritrea was $0.16 per capita, $0.04 in Burkina Faso and $0.02 in Mali. In each country, the mean annual cost of IDSR was dependent on the health structure level, ranging from $35,899 to $69,920 at the region level, $10,790 to $13,941 at the district level, and $1,181 to $1,240 at the primary health care center level. The proportions spent on each IDSR activity varied due to demand for special items (e.g., equipment, supplies, drugs and vaccines), service availability, distance, and the epidemiological profile of the country. This study demonstrates that the IDSR strategy can be considered a low cost public health system although the benefits have yet to be quantified. These data can also be used in future studies of the cost-effectiveness of IDSR.

Cost analysis of an integrated disease surveillance and response system: case of Burkina Faso, Eritrea, and Mali

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Touré Kandioura

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Communicable diseases are the leading causes of illness, deaths, and disability in sub-Saharan Africa. To address these threats, countries within the World Health Organization (WHO African region adopted a regional strategy called Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR. This strategy calls for streamlining resources, tools, and approaches to better detect and respond to the region's priority communicable disease. The purpose of this study was to analyze the incremental costs of establishing and subsequently operating activities for detection and response to the priority diseases under the IDSR. Methods We collected cost data for IDSR activities at central, regional, district, and primary health care center levels from Burkina Faso, Eritrea, and Mali, countries where IDSR is being fully implemented. These cost data included personnel, transportation items, office consumable goods, media campaigns, laboratory and response materials and supplies, and annual depreciation of buildings, equipment, and vehicles. Results Over the period studied (2002–2005, the average cost to implement the IDSR program in Eritrea was $0.16 per capita, $0.04 in Burkina Faso and $0.02 in Mali. In each country, the mean annual cost of IDSR was dependent on the health structure level, ranging from $35,899 to $69,920 at the region level, $10,790 to $13,941 at the district level, and $1,181 to $1,240 at the primary health care center level. The proportions spent on each IDSR activity varied due to demand for special items (e.g., equipment, supplies, drugs and vaccines, service availability, distance, and the epidemiological profile of the country. Conclusion This study demonstrates that the IDSR strategy can be considered a low cost public health system although the benefits have yet to be quantified. These data can also be used in future studies of the cost-effectiveness of IDSR.

Co-learning cycles to support the design of innovative farm systems in southern Mali

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Falconnier, Gatien N.; Descheemaeker, Katrien; Mourik, Van Thomas A.; Adam, Myriam; Sogoba, Bougouna; Giller, Ken E.

2017-01-01

Farm systems were re-designed together with farmers during three years (2013–2015) in Southern Mali with the aim to improve income without compromising food self-sufficiency. A cyclical learning model with three steps was used: Step 1 was the co-design of a set of crop/livestock technical

[Blood supply and demand at the Fifth District Health Centre in Bamako (Mali)].

Science.gov (United States)

Traore, Mamadou; Dumont, Alexandre; Kaya, Amadou Balobo; Traore, Soumana Oumar; Traore, Oumar Moussokoro; Dolo, Amadou

2011-01-01

An adequate uncontaminated blood supply is an essential element of an effective health care system. A regional blood transfusion policy was defined in 2004 by the Direction of Health in Bamako, Mali. The objective of this study is to analyse the coverage of transfusion needs at the Fifth District health Center in Bamako after the implementation of this policy. This prospective study, conducted from December 2006 through May 2007, included 134 patients for whom transfusion orders were recorded in the laboratory. The coverage rate of transfusion needs was estimated by dividing the number of units transfused by the number of units that health professionals requested. The blood supply was regular (46 units per month, on average) and consistent with demand (59 units per month on average). Overall, 75% of the transfusions were required for obstetric complications. All patients received at least one 450-mL unit of whole blood. The coverage of transfusion needs has reached 65% of the total number of units required (95% CI = 60-70%). The implementation of a functioning system of blood transfusion is complex. In Bamako, a system based on a centralized transfusion center met a high proportion of the needs in a reference hospital where demand was high while ensuring a high level of patient safety. Further studies are needed to guide the implementation of feasible and sustainable strategies for providing sufficient quantities of safe blood in other contexts and to assess the impact of these different strategies on global health, and on maternal health in particular.

Endophytic bacterial community living in roots of healthy and 'Candidatus Phytoplasma mali'-infected apple (Malus domestica, Borkh.) trees.

Science.gov (United States)

Bulgari, Daniela; Bozkurt, Adem I; Casati, Paola; Cağlayan, Kadriye; Quaglino, Fabio; Bianco, Piero A

2012-11-01

'Candidatus Phytoplasma mali', the causal agent of apple proliferation (AP) disease, is a quarantine pathogen controlled by chemical treatments against insect vectors and eradication of diseased plants. In accordance with the European Community guidelines, novel strategies should be developed for sustainable management of plant diseases by using resistance inducers (e.g. endophytes). A basic point for the success of this approach is the study of endophytic bacteria associated with plants. In the present work, endophytic bacteria living in healthy and 'Ca. Phytoplasma mali'-infected apple trees were described by cultivation-dependent and independent methods. 16S rDNA sequence analysis showed the presence of the groups Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, Chlamydiae, and Firmicutes. In detail, library analyses underscored 24 and 17 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) in healthy and infected roots, respectively, with a dominance of Betaproteobacteria. Moreover, differences in OTUs number and in CFU/g suggested that phytoplasmas could modify the composition of endophytic bacterial communities associated with infected plants. Intriguingly, the combination of culturing methods and cloning analysis allowed the identification of endophytic bacteria (e.g. Bacillus, Pseudomonas, and Burkholderia) that have been reported as biocontrol agents. Future research will investigate the capability of these bacteria to control 'Ca. Phytoplasma mali' in order to develop sustainable approaches for managing AP.

Eneolithic mine Prljuša: Mali Šturac archaeological and geophysical investigations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonović Dragana

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The Eneolithic copper mine at Mali Šturac was discovered in 1980 and subsequently investigated to a smaller extent from 1981 to 1987. In 2010 the investigations at Prljuša were reactivated with the aim of defining how much and how long the mine had been exploited during prehistory. Pilot geophysical studies were followed by more extensive explorations in 2011. They focused on a zone related to Shafts 4 and 6, discovered in 1987. The geophysical explorations have comprised the methods of selfpotential - SP, electrical scanning - ES and seismic profiling with one geophone - SGRP. The explorations covered a surface of 400 m² including five sections, each 50 m long, with 2 m intervals between them. These investigations identified underground channels in Shaft 4 and Shaft 6. Three meters below Shaft 4, a large underground gallery was found and in the continuation of the entrance of Shaft 6, a 10 m long horizontal channel was detected. Northwards from Shaft 4 and Shaft 6, at a distance of 6-8 m, at least six mining shafts were detected. However, they are not visible on the surface because their entrances are filled with loose material. The investigations carried out in 2011 proved that geophysical investigations are an efficient method for studying old mining works and, therefore, it has been decided to continue with this type of exploration. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 177020: Archaeology of Serbia: cultural identity, integration factors, technological processes and the role of the Central Balkans in the development of European prehistory i br. 177023: Cultural changes and population movements in the early prehistory of the Central Balkans

Women in WAR and peace – reflections on gender and the role of female soldiers in MINUSMA, MALI

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haugegaard, Rikke

Active involvement of women is key to sustainable and inclusive peace. Despite efforts to increase the deployment of female soldiers, the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Mali (MINUSMA) remains dominated by men. A focus on the operational relevance of gender integration and building...... on existing capacities in the mission will be small, yet realistic, steps forward. This paper discusses mechanisms within the mission that have been established to raise gender awareness, based on fieldwork conducted by me in MINUSMA in June 2016, together with post.doc Signe Cold-Ravnkilde and Peter Albrecht...

Knowledge, attitudes, practices and willingness to vaccinate in preparation for the introduction of HPV vaccines in Bamako, Mali.

Science.gov (United States)

De Groot, Anne S; Tounkara, Karamoko; Rochas, Mali; Beseme, Sarah; Yekta, Shahla; Diallo, Fanta Siby; Tracy, J Kathleen; Teguete, Ibrahima; Koita, Ousmane A

2017-01-01

Although screening for pre-cancerous cervical lesions and human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination are accepted and effective means to prevent cervical cancer, women in Mali have limited access to these interventions. In addition, cervical cancer prevention by HPV vaccination has been controversial in some settings. To reduce cervical cancer prevalence and increase HPV vaccine uptake, it is important to understand the level of knowledge about cervical cancer screening and practices related to vaccination in at-risk populations. In this study, the level of knowledge about HPV and cervical cancer and attitudes towards vaccination were assessed among 301 participants (male and female, adults and adolescents) in a house-to-house survey in two urban neighborhoods in Bamako, Mali. The survey was combined with a brief educational session on HPV. Prior to the education session, overall knowledge of HPV infection and cervical cancer was very low: only 8% knew that HPV is a sexually transmitted infection (STI). Less than 20% of women had ever consulted a gynecologist and less than 3% had ever had cervical cancer screening. After hearing a description of HPV vaccine, more than 80% would accept HPV vaccination; fathers and husbands were identified as primary decisions makers and local clinics or the home as preferred sites for vaccination. This study provides information on STI knowledge and vaccine acceptance in Bamako, Mali in 2012, prior to the introduction of HPV vaccination.

Policy Review on Adult Learning: The Adult Non-Formal Education Policy of Mali, West Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Gadio, Moussa

2011-01-01

This article focuses on the issue of policy development for adult learning in Mali, West Africa. On January 2007, the Malian government adopted the "Adult Non-formal Education Policy Document," which was intended to regulate the adult learning sector and federate the actions of policy makers, adult education providers, and adult…

Sharia as ‘Desert Business’: Understanding the Links between Criminal Networks and Jihadism in Northern Mali

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haugegaard, Rikke

2017-01-01

How can we understand the social and economic dynamics that enable the operative space of the militant networks in northern Mali? This article argues that jihadist militant groups are actors in local power struggles rather than ‘fighters’ or ‘terrorists’ with extremist ideological motivations. I ...

A Positive Correlation between Atypical Memory B Cells and Plasmodium falciparum Transmission Intensity in Cross-Sectional Studies in Peru and Mali

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Weiss, Greta E.; Clark, Eva H.; Li, Shanping; Traore, Boubacar; Kayentao, Kassoum; Ongoiba, Aissata; Hernandez, Jean N.; Doumbo, Ogobara K.; Pierce, Susan K.; Branch, OraLee H.; Crompton, Peter D.

2011-01-01

Background Antibodies that protect against Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) malaria are only acquired after years of repeated infections. The B cell biology that underlies this observation is poorly understood. We previously reported that “atypical” memory B cells are increased in children and adults exposed to intense Pf transmission in Mali, similar to what has been observed in individuals infected with HIV. In this study we examined B cell subsets of Pf -infected adults in Peru and Mali to determine if Pf transmission intensity correlates with atypical memory B cell expansion. Methodology/Principal Findings In this cross-sectional study venous blood was collected from adults in areas of zero (U.S., n = 10), low (Peru, n = 18) and high (Mali, n = 12) Pf transmission. Adults in Peru and Mali were infected with Pf at the time of blood collection. Thawed lymphocytes were analyzed by flow cytometry to quantify B cell subsets, including atypical memory B cells, defined by the cell surface markers CD19+ CD20+ CD21− CD27− CD10−. In Peru, the mean level of atypical memory B cells, as a percent of total B cells, was higher than U.S. adults (Peru mean: 5.4% [95% CI: 3.61–7.28]; U.S. mean: 1.4% [95% CI: 0.92–1.81]; p<0.0001) but lower than Malian adults (Mali mean 13.1% [95% CI: 10.68–15.57]; p = 0.0001). In Peru, individuals self-reporting ≥1 prior malaria episodes had a higher percentage of atypical memory B cells compared to those reporting no prior episodes (≥1 prior episodes mean: 6.6% [95% CI: 4.09–9.11]; no prior episodes mean: 3.1% [95% CI: 1.52–4.73]; p = 0.028). Conclusions/Significance Compared to Pf-naive controls, atypical memory B cells were increased in Peruvian adults exposed to low Pf transmission, and further increased in Malian adults exposed to intense Pf transmission. Understanding the origin, function and antigen specificity of atypical memory B cells in the context of Pf infection could contribute to our

Assessment of the impact of market regulation in Mali on the price of essential medicines provided through the private sector.

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Maïga, Diadié; Williams-Jones, Bryn

2010-10-01

In 1998, the government of Mali adopted a national pharmaceutical policy aimed at promoting a supply system for generic essential medicines that would guarantee equal access for all citizens. Distribution and delivery is a shared responsibility of both public and private sectors (wholesalers and pharmacies). To influence private sector behaviour, the national policy uses a combination of government regulation and market forces. In 2006, the government issued a decree fixing maximum prices in the private sector for 107 prescription drugs from the national list of 426 essential medicines. The current study assessed the impact of this intervention on the evolution of market prices (wholesale and retail), and the subsequent availability and public access to essential medicines in Mali. A cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted in February and May 2006, and January 2009, with 16 wholesalers and 30 private drugstores in Bamako, Mali. The overall availability of essential medicines at private wholesalers (p=1) and pharmacies (p=0.53) was identical before and after the enforcement of the 2006 decree fixing maximum drug prices. Contrary to concerns expressed by wholesalers and pharmacies, and the other stakeholders, the decree did not impact negatively on availability of essential medicines. In fact, median wholesale prices in 2009 were 25.6% less than those fixed by the decree. In private pharmacies, retail prices were only 3% more expensive than the recommended prices, compared with being 25.5% more expensive prior to enforcement of the decree. The study shows that prices of essential medicines in Mali have evolved favourably towards the prices recommended by the government decree. Further, the study contributes to mounting evidence that market regulation by governments does not necessarily negatively affect drug availability; in fact, given the reduction in prices, the study shows that Malians arguably have better access to more affordable essential medicines

The True Lion King of Africa: The Epic History of Sundiata, King of Old Mali.

Science.gov (United States)

Paterno, Domenica R.

David Wisniewski's 1992 picture book version of the African epic of "Sundiata, Lion King of Mali" and the actual historical account of the 13th century Lion King, Sundiata, are both badly served by Disney's "The Lion King." Disney has been praised for using African animals as story characters; for using the African landscape as…

Economic and social sustainability performance of jatropha projects: results from field surveys in Mozambique, Tanzania and Mali

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Romijn, H.A.; Heijnen, S.; Rom Colthoff, J.; Jong, de B.; Eijck, van J.A.J.

2014-01-01

This paper presents results from comprehensive field surveys of jatropha projects in Mozambique, Tanzania and Mali in 2012. The article singles out the salient economic and social impact results and derives lessons. The results clearly demonstrate the weak business case for jatropha biofuel

Economic and Social Sustainability Performance of Jatropha Projects: Results from Field Surveys in Mozambique, Tanzania and Mali

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Romijn, Henny; Heijnen, Sanne; Rom Colthoff, Jouke; de Jong, Boris; van Eijck, Janske

2014-01-01

This paper presents results from comprehensive field surveys of jatropha projects in Mozambique, Tanzania and Mali in 2012. The article singles out the salient economic and social impact results and derives lessons. The results clearly demonstrate the weak business case for jatropha biofuel

Thai in-service teacher understanding of nature of science in biology teaching: Case of Mali

Science.gov (United States)

Aiemsum-ang, Napapan; Yuenyong, Chokchai

2018-01-01

This paper aimed to investigate the existing ideas of nature of science (NOS) teaching in Thailand biology classroom. The study reported the existing ideas of nature of science (NOS) teaching of one biology teacher Mrs. Mali who had been teaching for 6 years at in a school in Khon Kaen city. Methodology regarded interpretive paradigm. Tools of interpretation included 2 months of classroom observation, interviewing, and questionnaire of NOS. The findings revealed Mali held good understanding of the nature of science in the aspect of the use of evidence, the aspect of knowledge inquiry through different observation and deduction, the aspect of creativity and imagination influencing science knowledge inquiry, and the aspect of changeable scientific knowledge. Her biology teaching indicated that she used both the deficient nature of science approach and the implicit nature of science approach. The implicit nature of science approach was applied mostly in 7 periods and only 2 periods were arranged using the deficient nature of science approach. The paper has implication for professional development and pre-service program on NOS teaching in Thailand.

Sécurité d'État et insécurité nationale au Mali : les logiques ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

PhD, Socio économiste, Directeur, CERNES, Bamako, Mali. .... Au regard de la référence que constitue la définition sécuritaire régalienne de l'État et de son monopole .... Sur le plan économique, le cycle accumulation, rupture et reconstitution.

Analyse d'une plate-forme d'innovation dans la filière karité au Mali

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sidibé, Amadou; Vellema, Sietze; Dembelé, Fadiala; Traoré, Mamoudou; Kuyper, Thomas W.

2017-01-01

Causal explanations of change after an Innovation Platform intervention in a given domain tend to attribute outcomes mainly to what the Innovation Platform did. This paper uses the case study of an Innovation Platform in the value chain of shea nut in Mali, to explore the actual processes that

Successful implementation of the World Health Organization hand hygiene improvement strategy in a referral hospital in Mali, Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Allegranzi, Benedetta; Sax, Hugo; Bengaly, Loséni; Richet, Hervé; Minta, Daouda K; Chraiti, Marie-Noelle; Sokona, Fatoumata Maiga; Gayet-Ageron, Angèle; Bonnabry, Pascal; Pittet, Didier

2010-02-01

To assess the feasibility and effectiveness of the World Health Organization hand hygiene improvement strategy in a low-income African country. A before-and-after study from December 2006 through June 2008, with a 6-month baseline evaluation period and a follow-up period of 8 months from the beginning of the intervention. University Hospital, Bamako, Mali. Participants. Two hundred twenty-four healthcare workers. The intervention consisted of introducing a locally produced, alcohol-based handrub; monitoring hand hygiene compliance; providing performance feedback; educating staff; posting reminders in the workplace; and promoting an institutional safety climate according to the World Health Organization multimodal hand hygiene improvement strategy. Hand hygiene infrastructure, compliance, healthcare workers' knowledge and perceptions, and handrub consumption were evaluated at baseline and at follow-up. Severe deficiencies in the infrastructure for hand hygiene were identified before the intervention. Local handrub production and quality control proved to be feasible, affordable, and satisfactory. At follow-up, handrubbing was the quasi-exclusive hand hygiene technique (93.3%). Compliance increased from 8.0% at baseline to 21.8% at follow-up (P appreciation of each strategy component by staff. Multimodal hand hygiene promotion is feasible and effective in a low-income country. Access to handrub was critical for its success. These findings motivated the government of Mali to expand the intervention nationwide. This experience represents a significant advancement for patient safety in developing countries.

Mating performance of Glossina palpalis gambiensis strains from Burkina Faso, Mali, and Senegal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mutika, Gratian N.; Kabore, Idrissa; Parker, Andrew G.; Vreysen, Marc J.B.; Seck, Momar T.; Sall, Baba; Bouyer, Jeremy

2012-01-01

The mating performance of Glossina palpalis gambiensis Vanderplank (Diptera: Glossinidae) mass- reared in Burkina Faso (BKF strain) was compared with that of target populations originating from the Bamako peri-urban area of the Niger River Basin, Mali (MLI strain) and the Niayes area, Senegal (SEN strain). The tests were carried out using a field cage either set up outdoors in Burkina Faso or inside the laboratory in Austria. The target population strains(MLI and SEN) were a few generations from the wild whereas the laboratory-reared flies (BKF) were adapted to laboratory rearing over many generations. The laboratory-reared BKF strain significantly out-competed the MLI strain in the mating tests, but showed close to equal competitiveness with the SEN strain. At least one-third of possible matings occurred during each observation period. The females from the two target populations readily mated with males from the BKF strain. The selected mating parameters and behaviour in the cage showed that there was mating compatibility between the strains and this absence of obvious mating barriers indicates the potential of using BKF strain males in programmes that have a sterile insect technique (SIT) component targeting the two G.p.gambiensis populations of Mali and Senegal.

Knowledge, attitudes, practices and willingness to vaccinate in preparation for the introduction of HPV vaccines in Bamako, Mali

Science.gov (United States)

Tounkara, Karamoko; Rochas, Mali; Beseme, Sarah; Yekta, Shahla; Diallo, Fanta Siby; Tracy, J. Kathleen; Teguete, Ibrahima; Koita, Ousmane A.

2017-01-01

Although screening for pre-cancerous cervical lesions and human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination are accepted and effective means to prevent cervical cancer, women in Mali have limited access to these interventions. In addition, cervical cancer prevention by HPV vaccination has been controversial in some settings. To reduce cervical cancer prevalence and increase HPV vaccine uptake, it is important to understand the level of knowledge about cervical cancer screening and practices related to vaccination in at-risk populations. In this study, the level of knowledge about HPV and cervical cancer and attitudes towards vaccination were assessed among 301 participants (male and female, adults and adolescents) in a house-to-house survey in two urban neighborhoods in Bamako, Mali. The survey was combined with a brief educational session on HPV. Prior to the education session, overall knowledge of HPV infection and cervical cancer was very low: only 8% knew that HPV is a sexually transmitted infection (STI). Less than 20% of women had ever consulted a gynecologist and less than 3% had ever had cervical cancer screening. After hearing a description of HPV vaccine, more than 80% would accept HPV vaccination; fathers and husbands were identified as primary decisions makers and local clinics or the home as preferred sites for vaccination. This study provides information on STI knowledge and vaccine acceptance in Bamako, Mali in 2012, prior to the introduction of HPV vaccination. PMID:28192460

Knowledge, attitudes, practices and willingness to vaccinate in preparation for the introduction of HPV vaccines in Bamako, Mali.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anne S De Groot

Full Text Available Although screening for pre-cancerous cervical lesions and human papilloma virus (HPV vaccination are accepted and effective means to prevent cervical cancer, women in Mali have limited access to these interventions. In addition, cervical cancer prevention by HPV vaccination has been controversial in some settings. To reduce cervical cancer prevalence and increase HPV vaccine uptake, it is important to understand the level of knowledge about cervical cancer screening and practices related to vaccination in at-risk populations. In this study, the level of knowledge about HPV and cervical cancer and attitudes towards vaccination were assessed among 301 participants (male and female, adults and adolescents in a house-to-house survey in two urban neighborhoods in Bamako, Mali. The survey was combined with a brief educational session on HPV. Prior to the education session, overall knowledge of HPV infection and cervical cancer was very low: only 8% knew that HPV is a sexually transmitted infection (STI. Less than 20% of women had ever consulted a gynecologist and less than 3% had ever had cervical cancer screening. After hearing a description of HPV vaccine, more than 80% would accept HPV vaccination; fathers and husbands were identified as primary decisions makers and local clinics or the home as preferred sites for vaccination. This study provides information on STI knowledge and vaccine acceptance in Bamako, Mali in 2012, prior to the introduction of HPV vaccination.

Impact of Schistosoma haematobium infection on urinary tract pathology, nutritional status and anaemia in school-aged children in two different endemic areas of the Niger River Basin, Mali

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sacko, Moussa; Magnussen, Pascal; Keita, Adama D.

2011-01-01

The aim of the present study was to contribute to define urinary schistosomiasis-related morbidity indicators and to understand the relationship between infection intensity and disease burden among school-aged children in different endemic areas of Mali. A cross sectional study was undertaken in ...... this study are of importance for planning intervention as for monitoring and evaluation of control in different endemic settings in Mali....

Forecasting non-stationary diarrhea, acute respiratory infection, and malaria time-series in Niono, Mali.

Science.gov (United States)

Medina, Daniel C; Findley, Sally E; Guindo, Boubacar; Doumbia, Seydou

2007-11-21

Much of the developing world, particularly sub-Saharan Africa, exhibits high levels of morbidity and mortality associated with diarrhea, acute respiratory infection, and malaria. With the increasing awareness that the aforementioned infectious diseases impose an enormous burden on developing countries, public health programs therein could benefit from parsimonious general-purpose forecasting methods to enhance infectious disease intervention. Unfortunately, these disease time-series often i) suffer from non-stationarity; ii) exhibit large inter-annual plus seasonal fluctuations; and, iii) require disease-specific tailoring of forecasting methods. In this longitudinal retrospective (01/1996-06/2004) investigation, diarrhea, acute respiratory infection of the lower tract, and malaria consultation time-series are fitted with a general-purpose econometric method, namely the multiplicative Holt-Winters, to produce contemporaneous on-line forecasts for the district of Niono, Mali. This method accommodates seasonal, as well as inter-annual, fluctuations and produces reasonably accurate median 2- and 3-month horizon forecasts for these non-stationary time-series, i.e., 92% of the 24 time-series forecasts generated (2 forecast horizons, 3 diseases, and 4 age categories = 24 time-series forecasts) have mean absolute percentage errors circa 25%. The multiplicative Holt-Winters forecasting method: i) performs well across diseases with dramatically distinct transmission modes and hence it is a strong general-purpose forecasting method candidate for non-stationary epidemiological time-series; ii) obliquely captures prior non-linear interactions between climate and the aforementioned disease dynamics thus, obviating the need for more complex disease-specific climate-based parametric forecasting methods in the district of Niono; furthermore, iii) readily decomposes time-series into seasonal components thereby potentially assisting with programming of public health interventions

What Is Next for Mali? The Roots of Conflict and Challenges to Stability

Science.gov (United States)

2013-11-01

maintaining a livelihood from camels, cattle, sheep, and goats , a practice long predating the creation of the current state boundaries.15 In the era before...the colonial period. The Peulh (also called Fula or Fulani) account for about 11 percent of the population, and they farm or herd cattle in the Niger...Empire that once existed around Gao. They compose 7 percent of Mali’s population and engage in subsis- tence farming in southeastern Mali. The Tuareg

Feasibility of wind power integration in weak grids in non-coastal areas of sub-saharan Africa: the case of Mali

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivan Nygaard

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Installed wind capacity in Africa has grown rapidly the last few years, and by late 2016 had reached about 4.8 GW. However, so far few investments have been made in inland localities due to the generally lower wind potential. This paper therefore explores if and to what extent it is possible to establish economically feasible wind-power plants in countries with lower wind potential. To address this question, the paper provides a combined wind resource mapping and a pre-feasibility study for grid integration of wind power at four specific sites in Mali. The study finds that Mali has generally poor wind conditions, with average wind speeds of below 5 m/s at 50 m above ground level in the south, while there are larger areas in the northern part with average wind speeds of above 7 m/s at 50 m above ground level. Overall the research shows that in countries with generally poor wind conditions, such as in the southern part of Mali, it is possible to identify a limited number of sites with local speed-up effects situated close to the existing grid, at which there are options for undertaking medium-size wind-power projects that would be economically feasible at current crude oil prices of 50 USD/barrel.

Infertility, Psychological Distress, and Coping Strategies among Women in Mali, West Africa: A Mixed-Methods Study.

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Hess, Rosanna F; Ross, Ratchneewan; GilillandJr, John L

2018-03-01

Relatively little is known about infertility and its consequences in Mali, West Africa where the context and culture are different from those of previously studied settings. This study therefore aimed to specifically examine infertility induced psychological distress and coping strategies among women in Mali. A convergent mixed-methods design-correlational cross-sectional and qualitative descriptive-guided the study. Fifty-eight infertile Malian women participated: 52 completed the Psychological Evaluation Test specific for infertility and a question on general health status, and 26 were interviewed in-depth. Over 20% scored above the cut-off point for psychological distress, and 48% described their general health as poor. There was no significant difference between women with primary vs. secondary infertility. The study found that infertile women lived with marital tensions, criticism from relatives, and stigmatization from the community. They experienced sadness, loneliness, and social deprivation. Coping strategies included traditional and biomedical treatments, religious faith and practices, and self-isolation. Health care professionals should provide holistic care for infertile women to meet their physical, spiritual, psychological, and social needs.

Surveillance Training for Ebola Preparedness in Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, and Mali

OpenAIRE

Cáceres, Victor M.; Sidibe, Sekou; Andre, McKenzie; Traicoff, Denise; Lambert, Stephanie; King, Melanie; Kazambu, Ditu; Lopez, Augusto; Pedalino, Biagio; Guibert, Dionisio J. Herrera; Wassawa, Peter; Cardoso, Placido; Assi, Bernard; Ly, Alioune; Traore, Bouyagui

2017-01-01

The 2014–2015 epidemic of Ebola virus disease in West Africa primarily affected Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. Several countries, including Mali, Nigeria, and Senegal, experienced Ebola importations. Realizing the importance of a trained field epidemiology workforce in neighboring countries to respond to Ebola importations, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Field Epidemiology Training Program unit implemented the Surveillance Training for Ebola Preparedness (STEP) initiative....

State-space forecasting of Schistosoma haematobium time-series in Niono, Mali.

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Medina, Daniel C; Findley, Sally E; Doumbia, Seydou

2008-08-13

Much of the developing world, particularly sub-Saharan Africa, exhibits high levels of morbidity and mortality associated with infectious diseases. The incidence of Schistosoma sp.-which are neglected tropical diseases exposing and infecting more than 500 and 200 million individuals in 77 countries, respectively-is rising because of 1) numerous irrigation and hydro-electric projects, 2) steady shifts from nomadic to sedentary existence, and 3) ineffective control programs. Notwithstanding the colossal scope of these parasitic infections, less than 0.5% of Schistosoma sp. investigations have attempted to predict their spatial and or temporal distributions. Undoubtedly, public health programs in developing countries could benefit from parsimonious forecasting and early warning systems to enhance management of these parasitic diseases. In this longitudinal retrospective (01/1996-06/2004) investigation, the Schistosoma haematobium time-series for the district of Niono, Mali, was fitted with general-purpose exponential smoothing methods to generate contemporaneous on-line forecasts. These methods, which are encapsulated within a state-space framework, accommodate seasonal and inter-annual time-series fluctuations. Mean absolute percentage error values were circa 25% for 1- to 5-month horizon forecasts. The exponential smoothing state-space framework employed herein produced reasonably accurate forecasts for this time-series, which reflects the incidence of S. haematobium-induced terminal hematuria. It obliquely captured prior non-linear interactions between disease dynamics and exogenous covariates (e.g., climate, irrigation, and public health interventions), thus obviating the need for more complex forecasting methods in the district of Niono, Mali. Therefore, this framework could assist with managing and assessing S. haematobium transmission and intervention impact, respectively, in this district and potentially elsewhere in the Sahel.

Prevalence of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae isolated from blood cultures in Mali.

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Sangare, Samba Adama; Maiga, Almoustapha Issiaka; Guindo, Ibrehima; Maiga, Aminata; Camara, Namory; Dicko, Oumar Agaly; Diallo, Souleymane; Bougoudogo, Flabou; Armand-Lefevre, Laurence; Andremont, Antoine; Maiga, Ibrahim Izetiegouma

2016-10-31

The increasing frequency of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae is becoming a serious public health concern. This study sought to determine ESBL frequency in Enterobacteriaceae isolated from patients' blood cultures in two university teaching hospitals of Bamako, Mali. During a three-month period, the presence of Enterobacteriaceae from blood cultures of patients admitted to the university teaching hospitals of Bamako was evaluated. The microbial identifications were initially performed with an API 20E gallery and VITEK2 locally in Mali, and then confirmation in France was performed with a mass spectrometry MALDI-TOF in the bacteriology laboratory of the university teaching hospital of Bichat. Antibiotic susceptibility profiles were determined by the diffusion method as recommended by the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST). The isolated species were K. pneumoniae (14/40; 35.0%), E. coli (11/40; 27.5%), and E. cloacae (9/40; 22.5%). Of the strains isolated, 21/34 (61.8%) had an ESBL phenotype, including 10/14 (71.4%) K. pneumoniae, 8/11 (72.7%) E. coli, and 3/9 (33.3%) E. cloacae. Resistances associated with ESBL strains of K. pneumoniae, E. coli, and E. cloacae were as follows: gentamicin (10/10, 100%; 6/8, 75%; 2/3, 67%, respectively), amikacin (2/10, 20%; 0/8, 0%; 0/3, 0%, respectively), ofloxacin (8/10, 80%; 7/8, 87%; 3/3, 100%, respectively), and cotrimoxazole (10/10, 100%; 6/8, 75%; 3/3, 100%, respectively). Almost two-thirds (61.8%) of Enterobacteriaceae isolated from our blood cultures were ESBL producers. Only susceptibilities to carbapenems and to amikacin were fully conserved within the strains.

Traditional couching is not an effective alternative procedure for cataract surgery in Mali.

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Schémann, J F; Bakayoko, S; Coulibaly, S

2000-12-01

In Mali, more cataract patients receive sight-restoring surgery using a traditional "couching" procedure (the lens inside the vitreous body) than by modern cataract surgery. In order to evaluate the relative effectiveness and other outcomes of the traditional procedure compared to the modern surgical intervention, we conducted a population-based survey in a rural district of Mali in 1996. A total of 99,800 persons from 160 villages were eligible to be included in the sample. All individuals operated for cataract by a modern procedure were checked for visual acuity and questioned regarding their clinical history, the cost of the surgery and their satisfaction with the surgery immediately following the operation and presently. Each patient was paired with one person operated by a traditional cataract surgical procedure. From a total population of 99,800 we found 85 individuals (0.085%) who had been operated by intracapsular extraction (ICCE) without lens implantation and we paired these with 82 individuals operated by the traditional method and by a local healer. In both groups, males were predominant (74.4% in the modern group and 61.3% in the traditional) and the median age was 65 and 68 years, respectively. Men with a higher social status (defined as administrative or religious authority) were slightly more common among those operated by ICCE (18.9%) than among those operated by the traditional healer (4.4%). Nearly half (47.6%) of the patients operated by couching did not know that a modern alternative existed. The mean cost to the patient of the two procedures was similar; with traditional couching costing on average US$ 42.10 and modern surgery (including transport and drugs) costing US$ 52.40. The traditional healer was often paid partially in kind and the price paid varied according to the patient's ability to pay. The clinical results differed greatly between the two methods. After aphakic correction of eyes operated by ICCE, 5.3% had good vision (33/18), 76

FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH HIV VOLUNTARY DISCLOSURE TO ONE'S STEADY SEXUAL PARTNER IN MALI: RESULTS FROM A COMMUNITY-BASED STUDY.

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Cissé, Mamadou; Diop, Samba; Abadie, Alise; Henry, Emilie; Bernier, Adeline; Fugon, Lionel; Dembele, Bintou; Otis, Joanne; Preau, Marie

2016-01-01

Despite the widespread dissemination of HIV information through public awareness campaigns in Mali, disclosing seropositivity to one's steady sexual partner (SSP) remains difficult for people living with HIV (PLHIV). Disclosure is a public health concern with serious implications and is also strongly linked to the quality of life of PLHIV. This study aimed to analyse factors associated with voluntary HIV disclosure to one's SSP, using a community-based cross-sectional study on 300 adult PLHIV in contact with a Malian community-based organization working in the field of AIDS response. A 125-item questionnaire was administered by trained personnel to study participants between May and October 2011. Analysis was restricted to the 219 participants who both reported having a SSP and answered to the question on disclosure to their SSP. A weighted multivariate logistic regression was used to determine variables independently associated with disclosure. In total, 161 participants (73%) reported HIV disclosure to their SSP. Having children (odds ratio [95% confidence interval]: 4.52 [1.84-11.12]), being accompanied to the survey site (3.66 [1.00-13.33]), knowing others who had publicly declared their seropositivity (3.12 [1.59-6.12]), having higher self-esteem (1.55 [1.09-2.19]) and using means other than anti-retroviral treatment to treat HIV (0.33 [0.11-1.00]) were independently associated with disclosure. This study identified several factors that should be considered for the design of interventions aimed at facilitating disclosure if/when desired in this cultural context.

Anemia and growth retardation associated with Schistosoma haematobium infection in Mali

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stecher, Chalotte W; Sacko, Moussa; Madsen, Henry

2017-01-01

BackgroundThe aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate a possible association of Schistosoma haematobium with child growth development and describe a plausible schistosomiasis-related anemia in children and adults in a highly schistosomiasis endemic area of Mali. MethodsUrine, feces...... associated with anemia; i.e., odds of having anemia in the highest and the next highest category was 3.25 (95% CL 1.61–6.55; p... factors. Anemia was most pronounced in the 2–5 year olds males (55.5%, n=98). P. falciparum infection was not significantly associated with anemia. Stunting (body mass index [BMI] for age z-score

The assessment of processes controlling the spatial distribution of hydrogeochemical groundwater types in Mali using multivariate statistics

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Keita, Souleymane; Zhonghua, Tang

2017-10-01

Sustainable management of groundwater resources is a major issue for developing countries, especially in Mali. The multiple uses of groundwater led countries to promote sound management policies for sustainable use of the groundwater resources. For this reason, each country needs data enabling it to monitor and predict the changes of the resources. Also given the importance of groundwater quality changes often marked by the recurrence of droughts; the potential impacts of regional and geological setting of groundwater resources requires careful study. Unfortunately, recent decades have seen a considerable reduction of national capacities to ensure the hydrogeological monitoring and production of qualit data for decision making. The purpose of this work is to use the groundwater data and translate into useful information that can improve water resources management capacity in Mali. In this paper, we used groundwater analytical data from accredited, laboratories in Mali to carry out a national scale assessment of the groundwater types and their distribution. We, adapted multivariate statistical methods to classify 2035 groundwater samples into seven main groundwater types and built a national scale map from the results. We used a two-level K-mean clustering technique to examine the hydro-geochemical records as percentages of the total concentrations of major ions, namely sodium (Na), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), chloride (Cl), bicarbonate (HCO3), and sulphate (SO4). The first step of clustering formed 20 groups, and these groups were then re-clustered to produce the final seven groundwater types. The results were verified and confirmed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and RockWare (Aq.QA) software. We found that HCO3 was the most dominant anion throughout the country and that Cl and SO4 were only important in some local zones. The dominant cations were Na and Mg. Also, major ion ratios changed with geographical location and geological, and climatic

"Sundiata, Lion King of Mali." Adapted by Kim Hines, Featuring Griot Alhaji Papa Susso, Cue Sheet for Students.

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Freeman, Aakhu TuahNera

This performance guide is designed for teachers to use with students before and after a performance of "Sundiata: Lion King of Mali," adapted by Kim Hines and featuring Griot Alhaji Papa Susso. The guide, called a "Cuesheet," contains seven activity sheets for use in class, addressing: (1) Sundiata: Man & Myth (discusses…

Exploring innovative ways to conduct coverage surveys for neglected tropical diseases in Malawi, Mali, and Uganda.

Science.gov (United States)

Woodhall, Dana M; Mkwanda, Square; Dembele, Massitan; Lwanga, Harriet; Drexler, Naomi; Dubray, Christine; Harris, Jennifer; Worrell, Caitlin; Mathieu, Els

2014-04-01

Currently, a 30-cluster survey to monitor drug coverage after mass drug administration for neglected tropical diseases is the most common methodology used by control programs. We investigated alternative survey methodologies that could potentially provide an estimation of drug coverage. Three alternative survey methods (market, village chief, and religious leader) were conducted and compared to the 30-cluster method in Malawi, Mali, and Uganda. In Malawi, drug coverage for the 30-cluster, market, village chief, and religious leader methods were 66.8% (95% CI 60.3-73.4), 74.3%, 76.3%, and 77.8%, respectively. In Mali, results for round 1 were 62.6% (95% CI 54.4-70.7), 56.1%, 74.8%, and 83.2%, and 57.2% (95% CI 49.0-65.4), 54.5%, 72.2%, and 73.3%, respectively, for round 2. Uganda survey results were 65.7% (59.4-72.0), 43.7%, 67.2%, and 77.6% respectively. Further research is needed to test different coverage survey methodologies to determine which survey methods are the most scientifically rigorous and resource efficient. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Antiretroviral treatment outcome in HIV-1-infected patients routinely followed up in capital cities and remote areas of Senegal, Mali and Guinea-Conakry.

Science.gov (United States)

Diouara, Abou Abdallah Malick; Ndiaye, Halimatou Diop; Guindo, Ibrehima; Bangoura, Nestor; Cissé, Mohamed; Edmond, Tchiakpe; Bougoudogo, Flabou; Mboup, Souleymame; Peeters, Martine; Ayouba, Ahidjo; Kane, Ndèye Coumba Touré

2014-01-01

Access to antiretroviral treatment (ART) becomes more and more effective in resource-limited settings (RLS). However, this global effort would be even more profitable if the access to laboratory services especially in decentralized settings was strengthened. We report the virological outcome and HIV-1 drug resistance in three West African countries using dried blood spots (DBS) samples. We included HIV-1-infected adults on ART ≥6 months and followed up in capital cities and decentralized sites in Senegal, Mali and Guinea-Conakry. Patients were consecutively enrolled and DBS were collected in field conditions and kept at ambient temperature before transfer to the reference laboratory. Viral load (VL) was quantified using the NucliSENS EasyQ HIV-1 v1.2. Genotyping of HIV-1 pol gene was performed using in-house protocol. Of the 407 participants, 119, 152 and 136 were from Senegal, Mali and Guinea-Conakry, respectively. The median treatment duration was 36 months [IQR: 6-136]. Virological failure (VF) (VL≥3log10 copies/mL) was observed in 26% (95% confidence interval (CI), 18-35; n=31), 11% (95% CI, 6-17; n=16) and 24% (95% CI, 17-32; n=33) of patients in Senegal, Mali and Guinea-Conakry, respectively (p=0.001). Of samples presenting VL≥3log10 copies/mL (n=80), 70 were successfully genotyped. At least one drug resistance mutation (DRM) was detected in the following proportions: 70% (95% CI, 50-86; n=19), 93% (95% CI, 68-100; n=14) and 68% (95% CI, 48-84; n=19) in Senegal, Mali and Guinea-Conakry, respectively (p=0.22). Twenty-six per cent (26%; 95% CI, 16-38; n=18) of patients in VF harboured wild-type viruses, which is likely indicative of weak adherence. Phylogenetic analysis showed the predominance of CRF02_AG subtype (73%; 95% CI, 61-83; n=51). We describe the ART outcome in capital and rural settings of Senegal, Mali and Guinea-Conakry. Our results in all of the three countries highlight the need to reinforce the ART adherence in order to minimize the

Open source challenges for hospital information system (HIS in developing countries: a pilot project in Mali

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chaacho Saad

2010-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background We are currently witnessing a significant increase in use of Open Source tools in the field of health. Our study aims to research the potential of these software packages for developing countries. Our experiment was conducted at the Centre Hospitalier Mere Enfant in Mali. Methods After reviewing several Open Source tools in the field of hospital information systems, Mediboard software was chosen for our study. To ensure the completeness of Mediboard in relation to the functionality required for a hospital information system, its features were compared to those of a well-defined comprehensive record management tool set up at the University Hospital "La Timone" of Marseilles in France. It was then installed on two Linux servers: a first server for testing and validation of different modules, and a second one for the deployed full implementation. After several months of use, we have evaluated the usability aspects of the system including feedback from end-users through a questionnaire. Results Initial results showed the potential of Open Source in the field of health IT for developing countries like Mali. Five main modules have been fully implemented: patient administrative and medical records management of hospital activities, tracking of practitioners' activities, infrastructure management and the billing system. This last component of the system has been fully developed by the local Mali team. The evaluation showed that the system is broadly accepted by all the users who participated in the study. 77% of the participants found the system useful; 85% found it easy; 100% of them believe the system increases the reliability of data. The same proportion encourages the continuation of the experiment and its expansion throughout the hospital. Conclusions In light of the results, we can conclude that the objective of our study was reached. However, it is important to take into account the recommendations and the challenges discussed

« Suivre la route ».Mobilités et échanges entre Mali, Mauritanie et Sénégal

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Armelle Choplin

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Cinquante ans après l’indépendance du Sénégal, du Mali et de la Mauritanie, la question de l’intégration régionale, de la fluidification des échanges et des mouvements de populations entre les trois Etats se pose avec acuité. Il s’agit de confronter les principes de la CEDEAO (libre circulation des biens et des hommes à la réalité des mobilités dans cette région. Reposant sur une enquête de terrain multi-située le long de la route, cet article rend compte des contradictions entre l’essor des réseaux de transports, l’intensification des échanges et les pratiques sociales transnationales entravées par de nombreux contrôles.Fifty years after the independence of Senegal, Mali and Mauritania, the issue of regional integration and political relations between the three states is at stake. The ECOWAS promotes the establishment of a common market and free movement of people. This article sheds light on the spreading of transports networks, increasing exchanges and people transborder practices. Based on a multi-sited fieldwork along the “route”, this paper highlights new form of popular transnationalism but also the contradiction between Ecowas theoretical principles and the growing controls, which hinder circulation.

Analysis of Food Safety and Security Challenges in Emerging African Food Producing Areas through a One Health Lens: The Dairy Chains in Mali.

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Cheng, Rachel; Mantovani, Alberto; Frazzoli, Chiara

2017-01-01

Challenges posed by changes in livestock production in emerging food producing areas and demographic development and climate change require new approaches and responsibilities in the management of food chains. The increasingly recognized role of primary food producers requires the support of the scientific community to instruct effective approaches based on scientific data, tools, and expertise. Mali is an emerging food producing area, and this review covers (i) the dairy farming scenario and its environment, (ii) the role of dairy production in food security, including the greatly different animal rearing systems in the Sahel and tropical regions, (iii) risk management pillars as modern infrastructures, effective farmer organizations, and institutional systems to guarantee animal health and safety of products, and (iv) feasible interventions based on good practices and risk assessment at the farm level (e.g., sustainable use of fertilizers, feeds, veterinary drugs, and pesticides) to protect consumers from food safety hazards. Social innovation based on the empowerment of the primary food producers emerges as crucial for sustainable and safe food production. Sustainable policies should be supported by the mobilization of stakeholders of One Health, which is a science-based approach to linking human health and nutrition with the health and management of food producing animals and environmental safety. In the context of the complex, multifaceted scenario of Mali dairy production, this article presents how a cost-effective animal health and food safety scheme could be established in the dairy production chain. Because milk is a major commodity in this country, benefits could be derived in food security, public health, the resilience of the farming system, animal husbandry, and international trade.

Enhancing Community Knowledge and Health Behaviors to Eliminate Blinding Trachoma in Mali Using Radio Messaging as a Strategy

Science.gov (United States)

Bamani, Sanoussi; Toubali, Emily; Diarra, Sadio; Goita, Seydou; Berte, Zana; Coulibaly, Famolo; Sangare, Hama; Tuinsma, Marjon; Zhang, Yaobi; Dembele, Benoit; Melvin, Palesa; MacArthur, Chad

2013-01-01

The National Blindness Prevention Program in Mali has broadcast messages on the radio about trachoma as part of the country's trachoma elimination strategy since 2008. In 2011, a radio impact survey using multi-stage cluster sampling was conducted in the regions of Kayes and Segou to assess radio listening habits, coverage of the broadcasts,…

Dynamics-based centrality for directed networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Masuda, Naoki; Kori, Hiroshi

2010-11-01

Determining the relative importance of nodes in directed networks is important in, for example, ranking websites, publications, and sports teams, and for understanding signal flows in systems biology. A prevailing centrality measure in this respect is the PageRank. In this work, we focus on another class of centrality derived from the Laplacian of the network. We extend the Laplacian-based centrality, which has mainly been applied to strongly connected networks, to the case of general directed networks such that we can quantitatively compare arbitrary nodes. Toward this end, we adopt the idea used in the PageRank to introduce global connectivity between all the pairs of nodes with a certain strength. Numerical simulations are carried out on some networks. We also offer interpretations of the Laplacian-based centrality for general directed networks in terms of various dynamical and structural properties of networks. Importantly, the Laplacian-based centrality defined as the stationary density of the continuous-time random walk with random jumps is shown to be equivalent to the absorption probability of the random walk with sinks at each node but without random jumps. Similarly, the proposed centrality represents the importance of nodes in dynamics on the original network supplied with sinks but not with random jumps.

Attitudes and use of medicinal plants during pregnancy among women at health care centers in three regions of Mali, West-Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Nergard, Cecilie Sogn; Ho, Thi Phung Than; Diallo, Drissa; Ballo, Ngolo; Paulsen, Berit Smestad; Nordeng, Hedvig

2015-10-09

Although, medicinal plants have been important for women's health historically, the knowledge about such use during pregnancy in developing countries is limited. This is the first quantitative, ethnobotanical study on Malian women's use of and attitudes towards the use of medicinal plants during pregnancy. The aim of the study was to describe Malian women's use of medicinal plants during pregnancy according to indications and to evaluate the potentially safety of such use. The overall aim was to preserve valuable information about medicinal plants for women's reproductive health for the future. Data was collected through structured interviews of 209 pregnant women or mothers in three health care centers in Mali. The women were interviewed about their uses of medicinal plants during pregnancy and their attitudes to such use. Nine specific medicinal plants commonly used in Mali and treatment of eleven common ailments in pregnancy were specifically queried about. In total, 79.9 % had used medicinal plants during pregnancy. Only 17 women (8.5 %) had received a recommendation from a traditional practitioner (TP). The most commonly used medicinal plants were Lippia chevalieri (55.5 %), Combretum micranthum (39.7 %), Parkia biglobosa (12.0 %) and Vepris heterophylla (8.1 %). The most common reasons for use were for well-being (37.7 %), symptoms of malaria (37.1 %) and "increased salt-elimination" (to reduce edema) (19.2 %). For treatment of symptoms of malaria and urinary tract infections during pregnancy, the women's choices of medicinal plants agreed with those previously reported from interviews with TPs. Almost 30 % believed that medicinal plants had no adverse effects for the mother. This study showed an extensive use and knowledge of medicinal plants during pregnancy in three regions in Mali. However, exclusive use of medicinal plants as treatment of malaria and urinary tract infections during pregnancy may pose a health risk for the mother and her unborn child. A

HIV, HCV, HBV and syphilis rate of positive donations among blood donations in Mali: lower rates among volunteer blood donors.

Science.gov (United States)

Diarra, A; Kouriba, B; Baby, M; Murphy, E; Lefrere, J-J

2009-01-01

Good data on background seroprevalence of major transfusion transmitted infections is lacking in Mali. We gathered data on the rate of positive donations of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), hepatitis B virus (HBV) and syphilis among blood donations in Mali for calendar year 2007. Donations with repeatedly reactive results on screening enzyme immunoassay (EIA) were considered to be seropositive. Rate of positive donations per blood unit collected was 2.6% for HIV, 3.3% for HCV, 13.9% for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and 0.3% for syphilis. For HIV, HBsAg and syphilis, rate of positive donations was significantly (pdonations from replacement donors than those from volunteer donors, while HCV rate of positive donations was similar in the two groups. Rate of positive donations was also significantly (p<0.0001) lower in blood units from regular than from first-time donors. These data reinforce WHO recommendations for increasing the number of regular, volunteer blood donors in Africa.

The spatial distribution of Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto and An. arabiensis (Diptera: Culicidae in Mali

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N. Sogoba

2007-05-01

Full Text Available Variations in the biology and ecology and the high level of genetic polymorphism of malaria vectors in Africa highlight the value of mapping their spatial distribution to enhance successful implementation of integrated vector management. The objective of this study was to collate data on the relative frequencies of Anopheles gambiae s.s. and An. arabiensis mosquitoes in Mali, to assess their association with climate and environmental covariates, and to produce maps of their spatial distribution. Bayesian geostatistical logistic regression models were fitted to identify environmental determinants of the relative frequencies of An. gambiae s.s. and An. arabiensis species and to produce smooth maps of their geographical distribution. The frequency of An. arabiensis was positively associated with the normalized difference vegetation index, the soil water storage index, the maximum temperature and the distance to water bodies. It was negatively associated with the minimum temperature and rainfall. The predicted map suggests that, in West Africa, An. arabiensis is concentrated in the drier savannah areas, while An. gambiae s.s. prefers the southern savannah and land along the rivers, particularly the inner delta of Niger. Because the insecticide knockdown resistance (kdr gene is reported only in An. gambiae s.s. in Mali, the maps provide valuable information for vector control. They may also be useful for planning future implementation of malaria control by genetically manipulated mosquitoes.

Notes from the church of the Virgin at the island of Mali grad

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Cvetkovski Sašo

2010-01-01

Full Text Available In this text the unknown parts of the wall paintings from the Church of the Virgin at the island of Mali Grad (The Great Prespa Lake are analyzed: the figure of a monk praying to St. Paraskeve, on the southern wall of the nave, as well as the painting on the southern faüade with the depictions of St. George on horseback, the Virgin as Empress enthroned, and the bust of two saints, St. Paraskeve and St. Nicholas. The monk is identified with the hegoumenos Jona, mentioned in the donor’s inscription dating from 1369.

Lignocellulosic residues for production of electricity, biogas or second generation biofuel: A case study of technical and sustainable potential of rice straw in Mali

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nygaard, Ivan; Dembelé, Filifing; Daou, Ibrahima

2016-01-01

Biomass from agricultural residues, especially lignocellulosic biomass, is not only seen as a sustainable biomass source for the production of electricity, but increasingly as a resource for the production of biogas and second generation biofuel in developing countries. Based on empirical research...... in an irrigated rice-growing area, Office du Niger, in Mali, this article builds scenarios for the sustainable potential of rice straw. The paper concludes that there is great uncertainty regarding the size of the sustainable resources of rice straw available for energy, but that the most likely scenario...

Identification by PCR of non-typhoidal Salmonella enterica serovars associated with invasive infections among febrile patients in Mali.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sharon M Tennant

2010-03-01

Full Text Available In sub-Saharan Africa, non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS are emerging as a prominent cause of invasive disease (bacteremia and focal infections such as meningitis in infants and young children. Importantly, including data from Mali, three serovars, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Dublin, account for the majority of non-typhoidal Salmonella isolated from these patients.We have extended a previously developed series of polymerase chain reactions (PCRs based on O serogrouping and H typing to identify Salmonella Typhimurium and variants (mostly I 4,[5],12:i:-, Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Dublin. We also designed primers to detect Salmonella Stanleyville, a serovar found in West Africa. Another PCR was used to differentiate diphasic Salmonella Typhimurium and monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium from other O serogroup B, H:i serovars. We used these PCRs to blind-test 327 Salmonella serogroup B and D isolates that were obtained from the blood cultures of febrile patients in Bamako, Mali.We have shown that when used in conjunction with our previously described O-serogrouping PCR, our PCRs are 100% sensitive and specific in identifying Salmonella Typhimurium and variants, Salmonella Enteritidis, Salmonella Dublin and Salmonella Stanleyville. When we attempted to differentiate 171 Salmonella Typhimurium (I 4,[ 5],12:i:1,2 strains from 52 monophasic Salmonella Typhimurium (I 4,[5],12:i:- strains, we were able to correctly identify 170 of the Salmonella Typhimurium and 51 of the Salmonella I 4,[5],12:i:- strains.We have described a simple yet effective PCR method to support surveillance of the incidence of invasive disease caused by NTS in developing countries.

Les arbres fruitiers sahéliens dans l'économie rurale; Cas du Burkina Faso et du Mali

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kuhlman, J.W.; Coulibaly, K.; Yago, E.L.; Michels, R.; Berg, van den J.

2010-01-01

Ce document est le compte-rendu d’une enquête réalisée dans neuf villages au Mali et au Burkina Faso sur l’importance des fruits et d’autres produits provenant des arbres fruitiers indigènes. Ces arbres font partie du paysage agricole de la savane ouest-africaine. L’étude porte sur le rôle de ces

Improving community development by linking agriculture, nutrition and education: design of a randomised trial of "home-grown" school feeding in Mali.

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Masset, Edoardo; Gelli, Aulo

2013-02-21

Providing food through schools has well documented effects in terms of the education, health and nutrition of school children. However, there is limited evidence in terms of the benefits of providing a reliable market for small-holder farmers through "home-grown" school feeding approaches. This study aims to evaluate the impact of school feeding programmes sourced from small-holder farmers on small-holder food security, as well as on school children's education, health and nutrition in Mali. In addition, this study will examine the links between social accountability and programme performance. This is a field experiment planned around the scale-up of the national school feeding programme, involving 116 primary schools in 58 communities in food insecure areas of Mali. The randomly assigned interventions are: 1) a school feeding programme group, including schools and villages where the standard government programme is implemented; 2) a "home-grown" school feeding and social accountability group, including schools and villages where the programme is implemented in addition to training of community based organisations and local government; and 3) the control group, including schools and household from villages where the intervention will be delayed by at least two years, preferably without informing schools and households. Primary outcomes include small-holder farmer income, school participation and learning, and community involvement in the programme. Other outcomes include nutritional status and diet-diversity. The evaluation will follow a mixed method approach, including household, school and village level surveys as well as focus group discussions with small-holder farmers, school children, parents and community members. The impact evaluation will be incorporated within the national monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system strengthening activities that are currently underway in Mali. Baselines surveys are planned for 2012. A monthly process monitoring visits, spot

76 FR 69318 - In the Matter of the Designation of Mali Khan also known as Madi Khan as a Specially Designated...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-11-08

... DEPARTMENT OF STATE [Public Notice 7681] In the Matter of the Designation of Mali Khan also known... Khan, committed, or poses a significant risk of committing, acts of terrorism that threaten the security of U.S. nationals or the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the United States...

On-farm yield potential of local seed watermelon landraces under heat- and drought-prone conditions in Mali

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nantoume, Aminata Dolo; Christiansen, Jørgen Lindskrog; Andersen, Sven Bode

2012-01-01

On-farm yield experiments were carried out in the Tombouctou region of Mali in 2009/10 under heat- and drought-prone desert conditions with three local landraces of seed-type watermelons. The landraces, named Fombou, Kaneye and Musa Musa by the farmers, exhibited distinct characteristics for fruit...... responsive. The yields obtained suggest that these local landraces of watermelon are valuable plant genetic resources for securing food supply in arid, heat- and drought-prone areas....

Constructing a survey over time: Audio-visual feedback and theatre sketches in rural Mali

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Véronique Hertrich

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Knowledge dissemination is an emerging issue in population studies, both in terms of ethics and data quality. The challenge is especially important in long term follow-up surveys and it requires methodological imagination when the population is illiterate. The paper presents the dissemination project developed in a demographic surveillance system implemented in rural Mali over the last 20 years. After basic experience of document transfer, the feedback strategy was developed through audiovisual shows and theatre sketches. The advantages and drawbacks of these media are discussed, in terms of scientific communication and the construction of dialogue with the target population.

Reference terms for the capitalisation study of Mali domestic biogas (BFM) and Climate and Energy in Western Africa (CEnAO) projects. Projects financed by the FISONG arrangement of the French Agency for Development (AFD)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2014-01-01

The BFM project (or domestic biogas project in Mali) project concerns the installation of 100 bio-digesters in Mali, and the CenAO one concerns the building up of wood-energy sector in Bamako. This report first presents these both projects, and then presents the capitalisation study, its objectives (global and specific objectives). It presents the study organisation: method and approach (preliminary phase, realisation, conclusion and recommendation), required abilities for the assessment, duration, documents to be produced

Achieving Peace in Northern Mali: Past Agreements, Local Conflicts, and the Prospects for a Durable Settlement

Science.gov (United States)

2015-01-01

conflict- mitigation mechanisms used in northern Mali—such as political agreements and integration of former militants into security forces—as well as...21. 24 Keita, 2002, p. 23. 25 Sophie Boukhari, “Mali: A Flickering Flame,” UNESCO Courier, Vol. 53, No. 1, January 2000, pp. 26–28, p. 27. 26 Susanna...state do not have the level of tensions they had under Tandja.65 Issoufou also took measures to mitigate the consequences that the Libyan crisis had

Nutritional value of locally produced foods and potential for developing age-appropriate complementary foods for children under 2 years of age in Mali.

Science.gov (United States)

Ayoya, Mohamed Ag; Kodio, Joseph; Iknane, Akory Ag; Sodjinou, Roger

2010-09-01

Promotion of dietary diversity using locally available nutritious foods is an effective approach in low-income areas to improve the quality of young children's diet and, hence, their growth and development. To identify the nutritional values of locally acceptable, feasible, affordable, and sustainable foods and develop a number of recipes that could be used to complement effectively nutrient intakes provided through breastfeeding to children 6 to 23 months of age in Bandiagara, Mali. Structured questionnaires were used to obtain lists of all locally available foods during village assembly meetings and identify the food basket of households and child feeding practices during interviews with mothers and fathers. The nutritional values of the foods were estimated, and the Malian food composition table was used to identify the combinations that would result in the most nutritious recipes. Breastfeeding was widely practiced, but the rate of exclusive breastfeeding during the first 6 months of life was extremely low (7%). The practice of early introduction of water and complementary foods was a problem. Forty recipes for improved dishes, including puddings, drinks and juices, purees, salads, and soups, were proposed. The nutritional values of the 10 most nutritious of these recipes, the types and quantities of the ingredients, and the method of preparation of each recipe are described. Locally produced indigenous foods in rural Mali were used to develop energy- and nutrient-dense complementary foods for children. Further research is needed to test the short- and long-term effects of consuming these dishes on the nutritional status of children 6 to 23 months of age in Mali.

EIGENVECTOR-BASED CENTRALITY MEASURES FOR TEMPORAL NETWORKS*

Science.gov (United States)

TAYLOR, DANE; MYERS, SEAN A.; CLAUSET, AARON; PORTER, MASON A.; MUCHA, PETER J.

2017-01-01

Numerous centrality measures have been developed to quantify the importances of nodes in time-independent networks, and many of them can be expressed as the leading eigenvector of some matrix. With the increasing availability of network data that changes in time, it is important to extend such eigenvector-based centrality measures to time-dependent networks. In this paper, we introduce a principled generalization of network centrality measures that is valid for any eigenvector-based centrality. We consider a temporal network with N nodes as a sequence of T layers that describe the network during different time windows, and we couple centrality matrices for the layers into a supra-centrality matrix of size NT × NT whose dominant eigenvector gives the centrality of each node i at each time t. We refer to this eigenvector and its components as a joint centrality, as it reflects the importances of both the node i and the time layer t. We also introduce the concepts of marginal and conditional centralities, which facilitate the study of centrality trajectories over time. We find that the strength of coupling between layers is important for determining multiscale properties of centrality, such as localization phenomena and the time scale of centrality changes. In the strong-coupling regime, we derive expressions for time-averaged centralities, which are given by the zeroth-order terms of a singular perturbation expansion. We also study first-order terms to obtain first-order-mover scores, which concisely describe the magnitude of nodes’ centrality changes over time. As examples, we apply our method to three empirical temporal networks: the United States Ph.D. exchange in mathematics, costarring relationships among top-billed actors during the Golden Age of Hollywood, and citations of decisions from the United States Supreme Court. PMID:29046619

Prevalence of HPV 16 and 18 and attitudes toward HPV vaccination trials in patients with cervical cancer in Mali

Science.gov (United States)

Téguété, Ibrahima; Dolo, Amadou; Sangare, Kotou; Sissoko, Abdoulaye; Rochas, Mali; Beseme, Sarah; Tounkara, Karamoko; Yekta, Shahla; De Groot, Anne S.; Koita, Ousmane A.

2017-01-01

Background Cervical cancer is one of the most common and lethal cancers in West Africa. Even though vaccines that protect against the most common Human papillomavirus (HPV) strains, 16 and 18, are currently in use in developed countries, the implementation of these vaccines in developing countries has been painfully slow, considering the pre-eminence of HPV-associated cervical cancer among women in those countries. Aim We performed serological and PCR-based assessment of blood and tissue specimens obtained from women undergoing cervical cancer-related surgery at a major urban hospital in Bamako. Since several therapeutic HPV vaccines are currently in clinical trials, we also assessed willingness to participate in HPV cancer vaccine trials. Methods Blood and biopsy samples of 240 women were evaluated for HPV types 16 and 18 by serology and PCR. Knowledge regarding the HPV vaccine and autonomy to decide to vaccinate their own child was assessed with a standardized questionnaire. Results HPV 16 and 18 were identified in 137/166 (82.5%) cervical cancer biopsy samples by PCR. Co-infection with both HPV 16 and 18 was significantly more frequent in women over 50 years of age than in younger women (63.0% vs. 37.0%). 44% of study participants said they would be willing to vaccinate their child with HPV vaccine. Only 39% of women participating in this study reported that they would be able to make an autonomous decision to receive HPV vaccination. Permission from a male spouse or head of household was identified as important for participation by 59% of the women. Conclusion This study provides strong support for the introduction of currently available HPV vaccines in Mali, and also provides key information about conditions for obtaining informed consent for HPV vaccine trials and HPV vaccination in Mali. PMID:28231334

Indicators of young women’s modern contraceptive use in Burkina Faso and Mali from Demographic and Health Survey data

OpenAIRE

O’Regan, Amy; Thompson, Gretchen

2017-01-01

Background High total fertility rates in Burkina Faso and Mali are leading to population growth beyond the agricultural and fiscal means of its citizens. Providing access to affordable family planning methods is a key step in driving the demographic transition where fertility and mortality rates decline. Furthermore, both nations face significant challenges as climate change is projected to disproportionately impact the western Sahel region undermining environmental, social and economic stabi...

Donor-funded project's sustainability assessment: a qualitative case study of a results-based financing pilot in Koulikoro region, Mali.

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Seppey, Mathieu; Ridde, Valéry; Touré, Laurence; Coulibaly, Abdourahmane

2017-12-08

Results-based financing (RBF) is emerging as a new alternative to finance health systems in many African countries. In Mali, a pilot project was conducted to improve demand and supply of health services through financing performance in targeted services. No study has explored the sustainability process of such a project in Africa. This study's objectives were to understand the project's sustainability process and to assess its level of sustainability. Sustainability was examined through its different determinants, phases, levels and contexts. These were explored using qualitative interviews to discern, via critical events, stakeholders' ideas regarding the project's sustainability. Data collection sites were chosen with the participation of different stakeholders, based on a variety of criteria (rural/urban settings, level of participation, RBF participants still present, etc.). Forty-nine stakeholders were then interviewed in six community health centres and two referral health centres (from 11/12/15 to 08/03/16), including health practitioners, administrators, and those involved in implementing and conceptualizing the program (government and NGOs). A theme analysis was done with the software © QDA Miner according to the study's conceptual framework. The results of this project show a weak level of sustainability due to many factors. While some gains could be sustained (ex.: investments in long-term resources, high compatibility of values and codes, adapted design to the implementations contexts, etc.) other intended benefits could not (ex.: end of investments, lack of shared cultural artefacts around RBF, loss of different tasks and procedures, need of more ownership of the project by the local stakeholders). A lack of sustainability planning was observed, and few critical events were associated to phases of sustainability. While this RBF project aimed at increasing health agents' motivation through different mechanisms (supervision, investments, incentives, etc

Heaven on Earth? The development of tourism in the Dogon Country and the Hombori Mountains (Mali Le Paradis sur Terre ? Le développement du tourisme au Pays Dogon et dans les Monts Hombori (Mali

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Olivier Walther

2008-10-01

Full Text Available Cet article étudie le développement touristique inégal de deux destinations touristiques du Mali: le Pays Dogon, un must du marché touristique ouest-africain, et les Monts Hombori, considérés comme un « paradis sur Terre » en raison de leur exceptionnelle biodiversité. En s’appuyant sur les travaux de Butler (1980, nos travaux suggèrent que ces lieux touristiques se situent à des stades très différents de leur cycle de vie touristique. Au Pays Dogon, l’intérêt constant manifesté par les anthropologues depuis les années 1930 a conduit au classement du site au Patrimoine de l’Humanité. Rien de tel à Hombori, où les amateurs de tourisme de montagne contemporains peuvent être considérés comme les pionniers de cette destination.This paper studies the unequal development of two tourist destinations in Mali: Dogon Country, a well-established tourist market area, and the Hombori Mountains, considered as a kind of “heaven on earth” due to their preserved biological biodiversity. Building on Butler’s destination life cycle model (1980, our research suggests Dogon Country benefits from a considerable, long-term advantage in terms of image, which has led to its inclusion within UNESCO’s World Heritage List. The situation is totally different in the Hombori Mountains where current mountain tourists can be considered as the trailblazers for this particular destination.

Information Technologies as a Tool for Agricultural Extension and Farmer-to-Farmer Exchange: Mobile-Phone Video Use in Mali and Burkina Faso

Science.gov (United States)

Sousa, Fernando; Nicolay, Gian; Home, Robert

2016-01-01

Mobile phones are widespread in the rural areas of Mali and Burkina Faso, but their potential as a tool for knowledge transfer by extension services in the region remains largely unexplored. The aim of this contribution is to evaluate the potential of video on mobile phones as a tool for farmer-to-farmer exchange and agricultural extension in…

Remote sensing and environment in the study of the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae in Mali

Science.gov (United States)

Rian, Sigrid Katrine Eivindsdatter

The malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae is the most important vector for the most devastating form of human malaria, the parasite Plasmodium falciparum. In-depth knowledge of the vector's history and environmental preferences is essential in the pursuit of new malaria mitigation strategies. Research was conducted in Mali across a range of habitats occupied by the vector, focusing on three identified chromosomal forms in the mosquito complex. The development of a 500-m landcover classification map was carried out using MODIS satellite imagery and extensive ground survey. The resulting product has the highest resolution and is the most up-to-date and most extensively ground-surveyed among land-cover maps for the study region. The new landcover classification product is a useful tool in the mapping of the varying ecological preferences of the different An. gambiae chromosomal forms. Climate and vegetation characteristics and their relationship to chromosomal forms were investigated further along a Southwest-Northeast moisture gradient in Mali. This research demonstrates particular ecological preferences of each chromosomal form, and gives a detailed examination of particular vegetation structural and climatological patterns across the study region. A key issue in current research into the population structure of An. gambiae is speciation and evolution in the complex, as an understanding of the mechanisms of change can help in the development of new mitigation strategies. A historical review of the paleoecology, archaeology, and other historical sources intended to shed light on the evolutionary history of the vector is presented. The generally held assumption that the current breed of An. gambiae emerged in the rainforest is called into question and discussed within the framework of paleoenvironment and human expansions in sub-Saharan West Africa.

Immunogenicity of Yellow Fever Vaccine Coadministered With MenAfriVac in Healthy Infants in Ghana and Mali.

Science.gov (United States)

Roy Chowdhury, Panchali; Meier, Christian; Laraway, Hewad; Tang, Yuxiao; Hodgson, Abraham; Sow, Samba O; Enwere, Godwin C; Plikaytis, Brian D; Kulkarni, Prasad S; Preziosi, Marie-Pierre; Niedrig, Matthias

2015-11-15

Yellow fever (YF) is still a major public health problem in endemic regions of Africa and South America. In Africa, one of the main control strategies is routine vaccination within the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI). A new meningococcal A conjugate vaccine (PsA-TT) is about to be introduced in the EPI of countries in the African meningitis belt, and this study reports on the immunogenicity of the YF-17D vaccines in infants when administered concomitantly with measles vaccine and PsA-TT. Two clinical studies were conducted in Ghana and in Mali among infants who received PsA-TT concomitantly with measles and YF vaccines at 9 months of age. YF neutralizing antibody titers were measured using a microneutralization assay. In both studies, the PsA-TT did not adversely affect the immune response to the concomitantly administered YF vaccine at the age of 9 months. The magnitude of the immune response was different between the 2 studies, with higher seroconversion and seroprotection rates found in Mali vs Ghana. Immunogenicity to YF vaccine is unaffected when coadministered with PsA-TT at 9 months of age. Further studies are warranted to better understand the determinants of the immune response to YF vaccine in infancy. ISRCTN82484612 (PsA-TT-004); PACTR201110000328305 (PsA-TT-007). © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

After the Fall of Qaddafi: Political, Economic, and Security Consequences for Libya, Mali, Niger, and Algeria

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Ricardo René Larémont

2013-06-01

Full Text Available On 20 October 2011, Muammar Qaddafi, the leader of Libya, was killed by members of a local militia in his hometown of Sirte. Qaddafi’s death and his regime’s end fractured a security structure that had brought some stability to Libya, Mali, Niger, and to a much lesser extent southern Algeria. Because of his regime’s demise, a new swathe of instability that comprises fractured, compromised, or failed states has emerged in the Sahelian region, giving ample opportunities to militant entrepreneurial groups that have organized and are inhibiting the re-creation of more stable states and societies.

Ethnopharmacological survey of six medicinal plants from Mali, West-Africa

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Bah Sekou

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract An ethnopharmacological survey was carried out to collect information about the use of six medicinal plants in the regions around Siby and Dioila, Mali. The plants investigated were Biopyhtum petersianum, Cola cordifolia, Combretum molle, Opilia celtidifolia, Parkia biglobosa and Ximenia americana. More than 60 medical indications were reported for the use of these plants in traditional medicine. The most frequently reported ailments were malaria (25.6%, different types of pain (14.0% and dermatitis (7.4%. The main forms for preparation were decoction (58.1% and powdered plant material (28.4%. The most frequent used plant parts were leaves (37.7% and stem bark (18.6%. The healers' consensus for the main indications is fairly high for the four plants B. petersianum, C. cordifolia, C. molle and O. celtidifolia, and this supports the traditional use of these plants. However for P. biglobosa and X. americana the healers' consensus is less consistent and it is more difficult to draw conclusions about the most important traditional use of these two plants.

Ethnopharmacological survey of different uses of seven medicinal plants from Mali, (West Africa in the regions Doila, Kolokani and Siby

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Barsett Hilde

2005-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract An ethnopharmacological survey was carried out to collect information on the use of seven medicinal plants in rural areas in the nearby regions of Bamako, Mali. The plants were Opilia celtidifolia, Anthocleista djalonensis, Erythrina senegalensis, Heliotropium indicum, Trichilia emetica, Piliostigma thonningii and Cochlospermum tinctorium About 50 medical indications were reported for the use of these plants in traditional medicine. The most frequent ailments reported were malaria, abdominal pain and dermatitis. The highest number of usages was reported for the treatment of malaria (22%. The majority of the remedies were prepared from freshly collected plant material from the wild and from a single species only. They were mainly taken orally, but some applications were prepared with a mixture of plants or ingredients such as honey, sugar, salt, ginger and pepper. Decoction of the leaves was the main form of preparation (65% and leaf powder was mostly used for the preparation of infusions (13%. The part of the plants most frequently used was the leaves. There was a high degree of informant consensus for the species and their medicinal indications between the healers interviewed. The results of this study showed that people are still dependent on medicinal plants in these rural areas of Mali.

Ethnopharmacological survey of different uses of seven medicinal plants from Mali, (West Africa) in the regions Doila, Kolokani and Siby.

Science.gov (United States)

Togola, Adiaratou; Diallo, Drissa; Dembélé, Seydou; Barsett, Hilde; Paulsen, Berit Smestad

2005-09-27

An ethnopharmacological survey was carried out to collect information on the use of seven medicinal plants in rural areas in the nearby regions of Bamako, Mali. The plants were Opilia celtidifolia, Anthocleista djalonensis, Erythrina senegalensis, Heliotropium indicum, Trichilia emetica, Piliostigma thonningii and Cochlospermum tinctorium. About 50 medical indications were reported for the use of these plants in traditional medicine. The most frequent ailments reported were malaria, abdominal pain and dermatitis. The highest number of usages was reported for the treatment of malaria (22%). The majority of the remedies were prepared from freshly collected plant material from the wild and from a single species only. They were mainly taken orally, but some applications were prepared with a mixture of plants or ingredients such as honey, sugar, salt, ginger and pepper. Decoction of the leaves was the main form of preparation (65%) and leaf powder was mostly used for the preparation of infusions (13%). The part of the plants most frequently used was the leaves. There was a high degree of informant consensus for the species and their medicinal indications between the healers interviewed. The results of this study showed that people are still dependent on medicinal plants in these rural areas of Mali.

Protocol additional to the agreement between the Republic of Mali and the International Atomic Energy Agency for the Application of Safeguards in Connection with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-01-01

The text of the Protocol Additional to the Safeguards Agreement 1 concluded between the Republic of Mali and the International Atomic Energy Agency for the application of safeguards in connection with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) is reproduced in this document for the information of all Members. The Additional Protocol was approved by the Board of Governors on 10 September 2002. It was signed in Vienna on 12 September 2002. Pursuant to Article 17 of the Additional Protocol, the Protocol entered into force upon signature by the representatives of Mali and the Agency, i.e. on 12 September 2002

[Reference values of neonatal erythrocyte and leukocyte count in Bamako, Mali].

Science.gov (United States)

Diallo, Dapa Aly; Diawara, Faoumata; Guindo, Aldiouma; Touré, Moustaph; Traoré, Mamadou; Fofana, Aïssata Traoré; Dembélé, Albdoul K; Guindo, Agnès; Diallo, Yacouba Lazare; Diallo, Oumahane; Baraika, Ag Mohamed; Dolo, Amadou Ingré

2013-01-01

Reference values for blood cell count are not established at birth in Mali. This study aimed to determine reference values for erythrocyte and leukocyte at birth in Bamako. Blood was collected from the umbilical cord immediately following its clamping and studied for complete blood cell count in 481 newborns with a birth weight > 2500g, Apgar score ≤ 7 at 5 or 10 minutes, without abnormal hemoglobin mutations and whose mothers were willing in Bamako, Mali. Other than the median and mean values, 2.5 and 97.5 percentiles were calculated. The findings suggest that the normal reference values following a timely clamping of the umbilical cord were (mean ± 1SD and range): RBC = 4,00 ± 0,46.1012/L (3,13 - 4,89), Hb = 14,12 ± 1,49 g/dL (11,20 - 17,00), Hct = 40,27 ± 4,71% (31,62 - 50,18), MCV = 101 ± 5 fl (91 - 112), MCHC = 35,37 ± 2,16 pg/cellule (30,70 - 39,59), MCH = 35,06 ± 0,93 g/dL (33,40 - 36,90), RDW = 17,79 ± 7,33% (15,50 - 20,39), Reticulocytes (109/L) = 133,081 ± 29,95 (66,62 - 200,86), GB (109/L) = 13,24 ± 7,23 (7,20 - 23,70), PMN (109/L) = 7,16 ± 4,70 (3,07 - 14,22), PME (109/L) = 0,28 ± 0,26 (0 - 0,98), PMB(109/L) = 0,05 ± 0,09 (0 - 0,31), Lymphocytes (109/L) = 4,49 ± 2,45 (1,96 - 9,42), Monocytes (10 9 /L) = 1,06 ± 0,73 (0,21 - 2,54), myelocytes = 1.43 ± 1.51%, erythroblasts = 4.52 ± 7.83%. It should be noted that male babies had a lower neutrophil count than female newborns. By taking into account these results when interpreting the blood cell count in Malian newborn infants, costly misdiagnoses should be considerably decreased in a population struggling with low incomes. Le comitée de rédaction se réserve le droit de revoyer aux auteurs avant toute soumission à l'avis des lecteurs les manuscrits qui ne seraient pas conformes à ces modalités de présentation. En outre il leur conseille de sonserver un examplaire du manuscrit, des figures et des tableaux.

Screening for acute childhood malnutrition during the National Nutrition Week in mali increases treatment referrals.

Science.gov (United States)

Nyirandutiye, Daniele H; Ag Iknane, Akory; Fofana, Amadou; Brown, Kenneth H

2011-01-01

To evaluate a pilot intervention designed to integrate mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) screening for acute malnutrition into the semi-annual Child Nutrition Week (Semaine d'Intensification des Activités de Nutrition, or "SIAN") activities carried out in June 2008. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Kolokani and Nara, two health districts in the Koulikoro region of Mali, 4-5 months after the SIAN, using a population-proportionate, multi-stage random sample of: 1) health centers, and 2) households in communities linked to each of the selected health centers. Caregivers of 1543 children who were 6-59 months of age at the time of the SIAN, 17 community-based volunteers and 45 health center staff members were interviewed. A total of 1278 children 6-59 months (83% of those studied) reportedly participated in SIAN. Of the participating children, 1258 received vitamin A (98% of SIAN participants; 82% of all eligible children), 945 received anti-helminth tablets (84% of participants; 71% of eligibles), and 669 were screened for acute malnutrition (52% of participants; 43% of eligibles). 186 of the children screened (27%) were reportedly identified as acutely malnourished. SIAN screening covered a significantly greater proportion of children than were examined in both community-based (22% of children) and health center-based screening activities (5% of children) combined during the 4-5 months after the SIAN (Pmalnutrition in SIAN permits the assessment of a large number of children for acute malnutrition, and should be continued.

Climate change and human health: Spatial modeling of water availability, malnutrition, and livelihoods in Mali, Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Jankowska, Marta M.; Lopez-Carr, David; Funk, Chris; Husak, Gregory J.; Chafe, Z.A.

2012-01-01

This study develops a novel approach for projecting climate trends in the Sahel in relation to shifting livelihood zones and health outcomes. Focusing on Mali, we explore baseline relationships between temperature, precipitation, livelihood, and malnutrition in 407 Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) clusters with a total of 14,238 children, resulting in a thorough spatial analysis of coupled climate-health dynamics. Results suggest links between livelihoods and each measure of malnutrition, as well as a link between climate and stunting. A ‘front-line’ of vulnerability, related to the transition between agricultural and pastoral livelihoods, is identified as an area where mitigation efforts might be usefully targeted. Additionally, climate is projected to 2025 for the Sahel, and demographic trends are introduced to explore how the intersection of climate and demographics may shift the vulnerability ‘front-line’, potentially exposing an additional 6 million people in Mali, up to a million of them children, to heightened risk of malnutrition from climate and livelihood changes. Results indicate that, holding constant morbidity levels, approximately one quarter of a million children will suffer stunting, nearly two hundred thousand will be malnourished, and over one hundred thousand will become anemic in this expanding arid zone by 2025. Climate and health research conducted at finer spatial scales and within shorter projected time lines can identify vulnerability hot spots that are of the highest priority for adaptation interventions; such an analysis can also identify areas with similar characteristics that may be at heightened risk. Such meso-scale coupled human-environment research may facilitate appropriate policy interventions strategically located beyond today’s vulnerability front-line.

Cotton as an entry point for soil fertility maintenance and food crop productivity in savannah agroecosystems - Evidence from a long-term experiment in southern Mali

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ripoche, A.; Crétenet, M.; Corbeels, M.; Affholder, F.; Naudin, K.; Sissoko, F.; Douzet, J.M.; Tittonell, P.A.

2015-01-01

Given the scarcity of manure and the limited land available for fallowing, cotton cultivation with its input credit schemes is often the main entry point for nutrients in cropping systems of West Africa. In an experiment carried out during 25 years in southern Mali, the crop and soil responses to

Genetic differentiation of watermelon landrace types in Mali revealed by microsatellite (SSR) markers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nantoume, Aminata Dolo; Andersen, Sven Bode; Jensen, Brita Dahl

2013-01-01

This study describes the genetic differentiation of a collection of 134 watermelon landrace accessions from Mali, representing red fleshed dessert and white fleshed seed and cooking type watermelons from five regions, plus three commercial dessert type cultivars with red flesh. The material...... the accessions into use groups (dessert, cooking, seed processing) explained 25 % of the variation. When categorising the accessions further into 10 landrace types, differentiated on the basis of use groups, local accession name, flesh colour and seed phenotype, these landrace types explained 26......-groups. One group included again the red fleshed dessert types with local and commercial origin, while the remaining seven genetic sub-groups comprised the white fleshed landrace types used for seed processing and cooking, as well as white fleshed types of one dessert type. Some of the seed and cooking types...

Efficacy of sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine + artesunate, sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine + amodiaquine, and sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine alone in uncomplicated falciparum malaria in Mali.

Science.gov (United States)

Maiga, Hamma; Djimde, Abdoulaye A; Beavogui, Abdoul H; Toure, Ousmane; Tekete, Mamadou; Sangare, Cheick Papa O; Dara, Antoine; Traore, Zoumana I; Traore, Oumar B; Dama, Souleymane; N'Dong, Christelle; Niangaly, Hamidou; Diallo, Nouhoum; Dembele, Demba; Sagara, Issaka; Doumbo, Ogobara K

2015-02-07

Plasmodium falciparum resistance to artemisinin has been reported in South-East Asia. Long half-life drugs are increasingly being used for malaria prevention. The potential spread of parasite resistance to these regimens is real and makes regular efficacy surveillance a priority. From August to December 2004 and July to December 2005, a randomized open label trial of sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) + artesunate (AS) versus SP + amodiaquine (AQ), and SP alone, was conducted in two villages of Mali. PCR was used to distinguish new infections from recrudescent P. falciparum infections. Patients were followed for 28 days to assess treatment efficacy. Overall 912 children aged between six to 59 months, with uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria were recruited. Baseline characteristics were similar in the three treatment arms. Crude ACPRs were 94.9%; 98.6% and 93.5% for SP + AS; SP + AQ and SP alone arms respectively (SP + AS versus SP + AQ, p = 0.01; SP + AS versus SP, p = 0.5; SP + AQ versus SP, p = 0.001). After PCR adjustment, cACPRs were 99%; 100% and 97.2% for SP + AS; SP + AQ and SP alone arms, respectively (SP + AS versus SP + AQ, p = 0.25; SP + AS versus SP, p = 0.12; SP + AQ versus SP, p = 0.007). Sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine + amodiaquine therapy was as efficacious as sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine + artesunate, but more efficacious than sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine alone in the treatment of uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria in Mali.

The Agency's Technical Co-operation programme with Mali, 1982-1992. Country programme summaries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-01-01

The country programme summary reported here is one in the series of such studies being undertaken of the Agency's TC programme with Member States. With over $2.7 million of Agency support received, Mali ranks 51st among all recipients of technical assistance in the period 1958 through 1991. More than half of the assistance during the past ten years has been provided in the form of equipment (58%), followed by expert services (27%) and training (15%). With a share of 93%, the Technical Assistance and Co-operation Fund has provided the best part of the resources, while only very small shares were made available through extrabudgetary contributions and assistance in kind (5% and 2%, respectively). With regard to project disbursements during the past ten years, by sector, the four major areas have been hydrology (31%), nuclear medicine (24%), agriculture (21%) and nuclear raw materials (16%)

Uniformity testing: assessment of a centralized web-based uniformity analysis system.

Science.gov (United States)

Klempa, Meaghan C

2011-06-01

Uniformity testing is performed daily to ensure adequate camera performance before clinical use. The aim of this study is to assess the reliability of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center's locally built, centralized, Web-based uniformity analysis system by examining the differences between manufacturer and Web-based National Electrical Manufacturers Association integral uniformity calculations measured in the useful field of view (FOV) and the central FOV. Manufacturer and Web-based integral uniformity calculations measured in the useful FOV and the central FOV were recorded over a 30-d period for 4 cameras from 3 different manufacturers. These data were then statistically analyzed. The differences between the uniformity calculations were computed, in addition to the means and the SDs of these differences for each head of each camera. There was a correlation between the manufacturer and Web-based integral uniformity calculations in the useful FOV and the central FOV over the 30-d period. The average differences between the manufacturer and Web-based useful FOV calculations ranged from -0.30 to 0.099, with SD ranging from 0.092 to 0.32. For the central FOV calculations, the average differences ranged from -0.163 to 0.055, with SD ranging from 0.074 to 0.24. Most of the uniformity calculations computed by this centralized Web-based uniformity analysis system are comparable to the manufacturers' calculations, suggesting that this system is reasonably reliable and effective. This finding is important because centralized Web-based uniformity analysis systems are advantageous in that they test camera performance in the same manner regardless of the manufacturer.

Fractal systems of central places based on intermittency of space-filling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Yanguang

2011-01-01

Highlights: → The idea of intermittency is introduced into central place model. → The revised central place model suggests incomplete space filling. → New central place fractals are presented for urban analysis. → The average nearest distance is proposed to estimate the fractal dimension. → The concept of distance-based space is replaced by that of dimension-based space. - Abstract: The central place models are fundamentally important in theoretical geography and city planning theory. The texture and structure of central place networks have been demonstrated to be self-similar in both theoretical and empirical studies. However, the underlying rationale of central place fractals in the real world has not yet been revealed so far. This paper is devoted to illustrating the mechanisms by which the fractal patterns can be generated from central place systems. The structural dimension of the traditional central place models is d = 2 indicating no intermittency in the spatial distribution of human settlements. This dimension value is inconsistent with empirical observations. Substituting the complete space filling with the incomplete space filling, we can obtain central place models with fractional dimension D < d = 2 indicative of spatial intermittency. Thus the conventional central place models are converted into fractal central place models. If we further integrate the chance factors into the improved central place fractals, the theory will be able to explain the real patterns of urban places very well. As empirical analyses, the US cities and towns are employed to verify the fractal-based models of central places.

Immunogenicity and safety of yellow fever vaccine among 115 HIV-infected patients after a preventive immunisation campaign in Mali.

Science.gov (United States)

Sidibe, Mariam; Yactayo, Sergio; Kalle, Abdoulaye; Sall, Amadou A; Sow, Samba; Ndoutabe, Modjirom; Perea, William; Avokey, Fenella; Lewis, Rosamund F; Veit, Olivia

2012-07-01

The immune response to yellow fever (YF) vaccine and its safety among HIV-infected individuals living in YF endemic areas is not well understood. Following a national YF preventive immunisation campaign in Mali in April 2008, we assessed the immunogenicity and safety of 17D yellow fever vaccine (17DV) among HIV-infected patients in two HIV treatment centres in Bamako, Mali, by testing for neutralising antibodies and identifying serious adverse events following immunisation (AEFI). A YF neutralisation titre (NT) of 1:≥20 was considered to be adequate and protective. A serious AEFI included hospitalisation, any life-threatening condition, or death, occurring within 30 days following 17DV administration. Of 115 HIV-infected patients who reported having received 17DV, 110 (96%) were on combination antiretroviral therapy and 83 patients were tested for neutralising antibodies. Around the time of vaccination, median CD4 cell count was 389 cells/mm(3) (IQR 227-511cells/mm(3)); HIV-RNA was undetectable in 24 of 46 patients tested. Seventy-six (92%) of 83 participants had adequate immune titres 9 months after the immunisation campaign. Previous vaccination or flavivirus exposure could contribute to this finding. No serious AEFI was found in the 115 participants. In this small series, YF vaccine appeared to be immunogenic with a favourable safety profile in HIV-infected patients on antiretroviral therapy. Higher CD4 cell counts and suppressed HIV-RNA were associated with the presence of an adequate immune titre and higher NTs. Copyright © 2012 Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Whole Genome Sequencing of Mycobacterium africanum Strains from Mali Provides Insights into the Mechanisms of Geographic Restriction.

Science.gov (United States)

Winglee, Kathryn; Manson McGuire, Abigail; Maiga, Mamoudou; Abeel, Thomas; Shea, Terrance; Desjardins, Christopher A; Diarra, Bassirou; Baya, Bocar; Sanogo, Moumine; Diallo, Souleymane; Earl, Ashlee M; Bishai, William R

2016-01-01

Mycobacterium africanum, made up of lineages 5 and 6 within the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC), causes up to half of all tuberculosis cases in West Africa, but is rarely found outside of this region. The reasons for this geographical restriction remain unknown. Possible reasons include a geographically restricted animal reservoir, a unique preference for hosts of West African ethnicity, and an inability to compete with other lineages outside of West Africa. These latter two hypotheses could be caused by loss of fitness or altered interactions with the host immune system. We sequenced 92 MTC clinical isolates from Mali, including two lineage 5 and 24 lineage 6 strains. Our genome sequencing assembly, alignment, phylogeny and average nucleotide identity analyses enabled us to identify features that typify lineages 5 and 6 and made clear that these lineages do not constitute a distinct species within the MTC. We found that in Mali, lineage 6 and lineage 4 strains have similar levels of diversity and evolve drug resistance through similar mechanisms. In the process, we identified a putative novel streptomycin resistance mutation. In addition, we found evidence of person-to-person transmission of lineage 6 isolates and showed that lineage 6 is not enriched for mutations in virulence-associated genes. This is the largest collection of lineage 5 and 6 whole genome sequences to date, and our assembly and alignment data provide valuable insights into what distinguishes these lineages from other MTC lineages. Lineages 5 and 6 do not appear to be geographically restricted due to an inability to transmit between West African hosts or to an elevated number of mutations in virulence-associated genes. However, lineage-specific mutations, such as mutations in cell wall structure, secretion systems and cofactor biosynthesis, provide alternative mechanisms that may lead to host specificity.

Molecular evidence of malaria and zoonotic diseases among rapid diagnostic test-negative febrile patients in low-transmission season, Mali

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Touré, Mahamoudou; Petersen, Pelle T; Bathily, Sidy N'd

2017-01-01

From November to December 2012 in Sélingué-Mali, blood samples from 88 febrile patients who tested negative by malaria Paracheck (®) rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) were used to assess the presence of sub-RDT Plasmodium falciparum as well as Borrelia, Coxiella burnetii, and Babesia applying molecular...... tools. Plasmodium sp. was present among 57 (60.2%) of the 88 malaria RDT-negative patients, whereas the prevalence of Borrelia, C. burnetii, and Babesia were 3.4% (N = 3), 1.1% (N = 1), and 0.0%, respectively. The additional diagnostic use of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) identified a high proportion...

Screening for acute childhood malnutrition during the National Nutrition Week in mali increases treatment referrals.

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Daniele H Nyirandutiye

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a pilot intervention designed to integrate mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC screening for acute malnutrition into the semi-annual Child Nutrition Week (Semaine d'Intensification des Activités de Nutrition, or "SIAN" activities carried out in June 2008. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Kolokani and Nara, two health districts in the Koulikoro region of Mali, 4-5 months after the SIAN, using a population-proportionate, multi-stage random sample of: 1 health centers, and 2 households in communities linked to each of the selected health centers. Caregivers of 1543 children who were 6-59 months of age at the time of the SIAN, 17 community-based volunteers and 45 health center staff members were interviewed. RESULTS: A total of 1278 children 6-59 months (83% of those studied reportedly participated in SIAN. Of the participating children, 1258 received vitamin A (98% of SIAN participants; 82% of all eligible children, 945 received anti-helminth tablets (84% of participants; 71% of eligibles, and 669 were screened for acute malnutrition (52% of participants; 43% of eligibles. 186 of the children screened (27% were reportedly identified as acutely malnourished. SIAN screening covered a significantly greater proportion of children than were examined in both community-based (22% of children and health center-based screening activities (5% of children combined during the 4-5 months after the SIAN (P<0.0001. In general, community volunteers and health personnel positively evaluated their experience adding MUAC screening to SIAN. CONCLUSION: Integrating MUAC screening for acute malnutrition in SIAN permits the assessment of a large number of children for acute malnutrition, and should be continued.

Screening for Acute Childhood Malnutrition during the National Nutrition Week in Mali Increases Treatment Referrals

Science.gov (United States)

Nyirandutiye, Daniele H.; Ag Iknane, Akory; Fofana, Amadou; Brown, Kenneth H.

2011-01-01

Objective To evaluate a pilot intervention designed to integrate mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) screening for acute malnutrition into the semi-annual Child Nutrition Week (Semaine d'Intensification des Activités de Nutrition, or “SIAN”) activities carried out in June 2008. Design A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Kolokani and Nara, two health districts in the Koulikoro region of Mali, 4–5 months after the SIAN, using a population-proportionate, multi-stage random sample of: 1) health centers, and 2) households in communities linked to each of the selected health centers. Caregivers of 1543 children who were 6–59 months of age at the time of the SIAN, 17 community-based volunteers and 45 health center staff members were interviewed. Results A total of 1278 children 6–59 months (83% of those studied) reportedly participated in SIAN. Of the participating children, 1258 received vitamin A (98% of SIAN participants; 82% of all eligible children), 945 received anti-helminth tablets (84% of participants; 71% of eligibles), and 669 were screened for acute malnutrition (52% of participants; 43% of eligibles). 186 of the children screened (27%) were reportedly identified as acutely malnourished. SIAN screening covered a significantly greater proportion of children than were examined in both community-based (22% of children) and health center-based screening activities (5% of children) combined during the 4-5 months after the SIAN (P<0.0001). In general, community volunteers and health personnel positively evaluated their experience adding MUAC screening to SIAN. Conclusion Integrating MUAC screening for acute malnutrition in SIAN permits the assessment of a large number of children for acute malnutrition, and should be continued. PMID:21731602

Effects of Population Growth and Climate Variability on Sustainable Groundwater in Mali, West Africa

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Alexandra Lutz

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Groundwater is increasingly relied on as a source of potable water in developing countries, but factors such as population growth, development, and climate variability, pose potential challenges for ongoing sustainable supply. The effect of these factors on the groundwater system was considered in four scenarios using a numerical model to represent the Bani area of Mali, West Africa. By 2040, population growth, climate variability, and development as urbanization, agriculture, and industry creates scenarios in which groundwater extraction is an increasingly larger percentage of the groundwater system. Consumption from agriculture and industry increases extraction rates from less than 1 to 3.8% of mean annual precipitation, which will likely affect the groundwater system. For instance, concentrated pumping in local areas may result in water level declines. The results of this study contribute to an ongoing evaluation of sustainable groundwater resources in West Africa.

Conflicts over land in the Niger river delta region of Mali : exploring the usefulness of SAM and CGE models to study participatory natural resource management in agricultural and pastoral systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kaboré, Pato Daniel

2008-01-01

The thesis deals with management of natural resources in the Niger Delta region of Mali. Climate changes and human activities have led to degradation of natural resources, whereas the demographic pressure increases. As a result, a social restructuring takes place: farmers are going to keep more

"Was it a mistake to tell others that you are infected with HIV?": factors associated with regret following HIV disclosure among people living with HIV in five countries (Mali, Morocco, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ecuador and Romania). Results from a community-based research.

Science.gov (United States)

Henry, Emilie; Bernier, Adeline; Lazar, Florin; Matamba, Gaspard; Loukid, Mohamed; Bonifaz, Cesar; Diop, Samba; Otis, Joanne; Préau, Marie

2015-02-01

This study examined regret following HIV serostatus disclosure and associated factors in under-investigated contexts (Mali, Morocco, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ecuador and Romania). A community-based cross-sectional study was implemented by a mixed consortium [researchers/community-based organizations (CBO)]. Trained CBO members interviewed 1,500 PLHIV in contact with CBOs using a 125-item questionnaire. A weighted multivariate logistic regression was performed. Among the 1,212 participants included in the analysis, 290 (23.9 %) declared that disclosure was a mistake. Female gender, percentage of PLHIV's network knowing about one's seropositivity from a third party, having suffered rejection after disclosure, having suffered HIV-based discrimination at work, perceived seriousness of infection score, daily loneliness, property index and self-esteem score were independently associated with regret. Discrimination, as well as individual characteristics and skills may affect the disclosure experience. Interventions aiming at improving PLHIV skills and reducing their social isolation may facilitate the disclosure process and avoid negative consequences.

Hepatitis B virus and primary liver carcinoma in Mali

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sidibe, S.; Sacko, B.Y.; Traore, I.; Traore, H.A.

2004-01-01

Full text: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relation between hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBs antigen) and serum alpha fetoprotein (AFP) levels in patients with liver cirrhosis and primary liver cancer (PLC) in Mali. Between September 1994 to December 1999 a prospective case control study was carried out in Hopital du Point 'G', in 104 patients (27 females, 77 males). Of these 104 patients, 57 were of cirrhosis and 47 of PLC. Age and sex matched 104 healthy controls were also included in the study. HBs antigen, antiHBs antibody and AFP were systematically measured by radioimmunoassay method. HBs antigen was found in 75% of patients as compared to 15.4% in healthy controls (p < 0.01). There was no difference in the frequency of HBs antigen in patients with cirrhosis and PLC. HBs antigen presence was found to be well correlated to AFP level. In fact, 81.5% of our patients with a serum AFP level greater than the normal value were HBs antigen positive. Of the 63% patients having AFP serum concentration greater than 8 times of our laboratory standardizes normal value, only 4 patients (6.3%) were negative for HBs antigen. AFP serum concentration greater than 16 times of the normal value was found only in HBs antigen patients. In our opinion, this data gives a new element to the role of Hbs antigen in the pathogenesis of liver cirrhosis and PLC. (author)

Wastewater planning in Djenné, Mali. A pilot project for the local infiltration of domestic wastewater.

Science.gov (United States)

Alderlieste, M C; Langeveld, J G

2005-01-01

The city of Djenné (Mali) is famous for its mosque which is the world's largest adobe building. Djenné is considered to be one of the most interesting cities in Western Africa from an architectural point of view. Since 1988, Djenné is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the 1990s, a drinking water supply network was provided by foreign development organisations. However, no facilities were provided for the disposal of wastewater, resulting in an increase of waterborne diseases. This paper describes the urban drainage problem in Djenné and discusses the systematic evaluation of possible solutions and the subsequent pilot project for the local infiltration of sullage. The infiltration of sullage proved to be an appropriate technology for solving the urban drainage problem in Djenné.

Use-value and importance of socio-cultural knowledge on Carapa procera trees in the Sudanian zone in Mali.

Science.gov (United States)

Dembélé, Urbain; Lykke, Anne Mette; Koné, Yénizié; Témé, Bino; Kouyaté, Amadou Malé

2015-03-02

Carapa procera is a native oil tree species with multipurpose values traditionally exploited by the local population in Southern Mali. This study focused on the assessment of local knowledge about the use of Carapa procera. Semi-structured ethnobotanical questionnaires were conducted among the ethnic groups Senufo, Fulani and Bambara in two localities in the Sudanian zone in Mali. Use values among these ethnic groups and gender were evaluated. This study showed that Carapa procera is a species with multiple uses and high use values. According to the consensus value for plant parts (CPP), the nuts constituted 57% of exploited plant parts followed by bark and leaves (12%), wood and roots (7%), mistletoes (4%) and gum (1%). The use diversity (UD) values of Carapa procera showed a high proportion of cosmetic (UD = 0.49) and therapeutic (UD = 0.36) uses. The UD for therapeutic uses was higher for ethnic groups in Ziékorodougou than in Niankorobougou. In contrast, the UD for cosmetic uses was higher for ethnic groups in Niankorobougou than in Ziékorodougou. Comparative analysis between ethnic groups revealed that the highest UD for cosmetic uses (0.63) was observed in the Bambara ethnic group, whereas the highest UD for therapeutic uses (0.39) was obtained in the Senufo ethnic group. The UD showed that cosmetic uses were higher for women than for men in both locations. Men in Ziékorodougou had the highest level of knowledge regarding plant parts used, forms of use and the specific reasons for using Carapa procera. This study highlighted the sociocultural importance of Carapa procera. In the light of its multipurpose uses, the promotion and enhancement of Carapa procera can provide significant socio-economic benefits to local people. In this perspective, it is necessary to implement conservation strategies and sustainable management through domestication of the species.

The role of community health workers in improving child health programmes in Mali

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Altmann Mathias

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Mortality of children under the age of five remains one of the most important public health challenges in developing countries. In rural settings, the promotion of household and community health practices through community health workers (CHWs is among the key strategies to improve child health. The objective of this study was to assess the performance of CHWs in the promotion of basic child heath services in rural Mali. Methods A community-based cross-sectional survey was undertaken using multi-stage cluster sampling of wards and villages. Data was collected through questionnaires among 401 child-caregivers and registers of 72 CHWs. Results Of 401 households suppose to receive a visit by a CHW, 219 (54.6%; confidence interval 95%; 49.6-59.5 had received at least one visit in the last three months before the survey. The mother is the most important caregiver (97%; high percentage being illiterate. Caregivers treat fever and diarrhoea with the correct regimen in 40% and 11% of cases respectively. Comparative analysis between households with and without CHW visits showed a positive influence of CHWs on family health practices: knowledge on the management of child fever (p = Conclusion Continuous training, transport means, adequate supervision and motivation of CHWs through the introduction of financial incentives and remuneration are among key factors to improve the work of CHWs in rural communities. Poor performance of basic household health practices can be related to irregular supply of drugs and the need of appropriate follow-up by CHWs.

EDUCATION, COMMUNITY AND RACIAL-ETHNIC RELATIONS: EXPERIENCES IN THE UNITED STATES AND MALI

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Joyce E. King

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Black students, as a group, are underserved by neoliberal policies and poorly resourced urban schools and Black Americans are over-represented in privatized prisons. This article challenges cultural deficit thinking and theorizing about Black children’s language and culture, which have been so pervasive in the U.S.Research discussed in this article interrupts this discourse of Black inferiority and highlights the importance of students developing a critical Black consciousness,which can contribute to their academic and cultural excellence. Emancipatory pedagogy for human freedom, which supports students’ positive sense of themselves and their racial-ethnic group, is also discussed. Emancipatory teachingfor critical Black consciousness and human freedom means recovering history, memory and identity, so students understand the state of Black America from a critical,historical perspective. Education for this kind of consciousness requires connecting students to their family, community history and to their ancestors. Five principles ofemancipatory pedagogy are presented that can guide teacher preparation, curriculum, text development, and standards-based instruction and support positive racial-ethnic relationships. These are: conscientization, critique of ideology/critique of racism as ideology, cultural agency/resistance to oppression, dialecticalepistemology and teaching through cultural arts. The example of the Songhoy Club, a pedagogical laboratory for heritage teaching for students and doctoral students and engaging parents, demonstrates how teaching Songhoy language and culture connects students with their African heritage, “from the Nile to the Niger to the Neighborhood.” Teaching this heritage is very important given that northern Mali is occupied by Islamic extremists who have destroyed historiccultural artifacts in Timbuktu.

Formal and informal decision making on water management at the village level: A case study from the Office du Niger irrigation scheme (Mali)

Science.gov (United States)

Vandersypen, Klaartje; Keita, Abdoulaye C. T.; Coulibaly, Y.; Raes, D.; Jamin, J.-Y.

2007-06-01

Water Users Associations (WUAs) are all too often considered a panacea for improving water management in irrigation schemes. Where grassroots movements are absent, they are usually imposed on farmers by national governments, NGOs, and international donors, without fully considering existing forms of organization. This also happened in the Office du Niger irrigation scheme in Mali, where after a partial irrigation management transfer, WUAs were created to fill the resulting power vacuum. This paper demonstrates that, despite active efforts to organize farmers in WUAs, informal patterns of decision making remain dominant. Given the shortcomings of these informal patterns, WUAs could provide a much-needed platform for institutionalizing collective action, on the condition that farmers accept them. Therefore WUAs should adopt some crucial characteristics of informal patterns of decision making while avoiding their weaknesses. First, making use of the existing authority of village leadership and the central management can improve the credibility of WUAs. Second, allowing flexibility in procedures and rules can make them more appropriate for dealing with collective action problems that are typically temporary and specific. Last, formalizing the current pattern of conflict management and sanctioning might enhance its sphere of action and tackle the current absence of firm engagement with respect to some informal management decisions. In addition, WUAs should represent and be accountable to all farmers, including those residing outside the village community.

40Ar/39Ar dating and geochemistry of tholeiitic magmatism related to the early opening of the Central Atlantic rift

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sebai, A.; Feraud, G.; Bertrand, H.; Hanes, J.

1991-01-01

Tholeiitic effusive and intrusive magnetism from Iberia, Morocco, Algeria and Mali, realted to the early opening of the Central Atlantic rift, was dated by the 40 Ar/ 39 Ar step-heating method. Four plateau ags, rangin from 203.7±2.7 to 197.1±1.8 Ma, were obtained on plagioclase from dykes from theTaoudenni area (Mali) and two lava flows from Morocco. The Messejana dyke (Iberia), which previously yielded discrepant conventional K-Ar dates, did not furnish any 40 Ar/ 39 Ar plateau dates. However, there is a clear inverse relationship between apparent age and K/Ca atio for gas fractions from a plagioclase separate (proportional to the alteration degree) which, combined with dates obtained on amphibole, biotite and pyroxene, allows us to determine an age of around 200 Ma for this body. These data, and those obtained on the Foum Zguid (Morocco) and the Ksi Ksou (Algeria) dykes, give evidence of a brief magmatic event (between 206 and 195 Ma ago) which affected a large area ca. 2500 km long. Trace-element modelling shows that most of these formations originated from a homogeneous, enriched, source material. Such a brief magmatic episode related to the opening of a continental rift is in agreement with findings in other magmatic provinces (e.g. the Deccan traps and the Red Sea rift, precisely dated by the 40 Ar/ 39 Ar method as well). (orig.)

Central Sensitization-Based Classification for Temporomandibular Disorders: A Pathogenetic Hypothesis

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Annalisa Monaco

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Dysregulation of Autonomic Nervous System (ANS and central pain pathways in temporomandibular disorders (TMD is a growing evidence. Authors include some forms of TMD among central sensitization syndromes (CSS, a group of pathologies characterized by central morphofunctional alterations. Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI is useful for clinical diagnosis. Clinical examination and CSI cannot identify the central site(s affected in these diseases. Ultralow frequency transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (ULFTENS is extensively used in TMD and in dental clinical practice, because of its effects on descending pain modulation pathways. The Diagnostic Criteria for TMD (DC/TMD are the most accurate tool for diagnosis and classification of TMD. However, it includes CSI to investigate central aspects of TMD. Preliminary data on sensory ULFTENS show it is a reliable tool for the study of central and autonomic pathways in TMD. An alternative classification based on the presence of Central Sensitization and on individual response to sensory ULFTENS is proposed. TMD may be classified into 4 groups: (a TMD with Central Sensitization ULFTENS Responders; (b TMD with Central Sensitization ULFTENS Nonresponders; (c TMD without Central Sensitization ULFTENS Responders; (d TMD without Central Sensitization ULFTENS Nonresponders. This pathogenic classification of TMD may help to differentiate therapy and aetiology.

Efficacy of chloroquine, amodiaquine and sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine for the treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria: revisiting molecular markers in an area of emerging AQ and SP resistance in Mali

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Wele Mamadou

2009-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background To update the National Malaria Control Programme of Mali on the efficacy of chloroquine, amodiaquine and sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine in the treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria. Methods During the malaria transmission seasons of 2002 and 2003, 455 children – between six and 59 months of age, with uncomplicated malaria in Kolle, Mali, were randomly assigned to one of three treatment arms. In vivo outcomes were assessed using WHO standard protocols. Genotyping of msp1, msp2 and CA1 polymorphisms were used to distinguish reinfection from recrudescent parasites (molecular correction. Results Day 28 adequate clinical and parasitological responses (ACPR were 14.1%, 62.3% and 88.9% in 2002 and 18.2%, 60% and 85.2% in 2003 for chloroquine, amodiaquine and sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine, respectively. After molecular correction, ACPRs (cACPR were 63.2%, 88.5% and 98.0% in 2002 and 75.5%, 85.2% and 96.6% in 2003 for CQ, AQ and SP, respectively. Amodiaquine was the most effective on fever. Amodiaquine therapy selected molecular markers for chloroquine resistance, while in the sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine arm the level of dhfr triple mutant and dhfr/dhps quadruple mutant increased from 31.5% and 3.8% in 2002 to 42.9% and 8.9% in 2003, respectively. No infection with dhps 540E was found. Conclusion In this study, treatment with sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine emerged as the most efficacious on uncomplicated falciparum malaria followed by amodiaquine. The study demonstrated that sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine and amodiaquine were appropriate partner drugs that could be associated with artemisinin derivatives in an artemisinin-based combination therapy.

A comparison between urban livestock production strategies in Burkina Faso, Mali and Nigeria in West Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Amadou, Hamadoun; Dossa, Luc Hippolyte; Lompo, Désiré Jean-Pascal; Abdulkadir, Aisha; Schlecht, Eva

2012-10-01

We undertook a comparative analysis of (peri-)urban livestock production strategies across three West African cities. Using a semi-structured questionnaire, livestock-keeping households (HH) were interviewed in Kano/Nigeria (84 HH), Bobo Dioulasso/Burkina Faso (63 HH) and Sikasso/Mali (63 HH). Questions covered livestock species kept, herd sizes and structure, feeds used, manure management, livestock marketing and production constraints. Sheep and goats dominated (p livestock, whereas field cropping and livestock were integrated. There was no relation between the education of the HH head and the adoption of improved management practices (p > 0.05), but the proportion of HH heads with a long-term experience in UPA activities was higher in Kano and in Bobo Dioulasso than in Sikasso (p livestock keepers in West Africa does not threaten the acceptance of improved technologies and innovations supporting the sustainability of their livestock production.

Field experiments of Anopheles gambiae attraction to local fruits/seedpods and flowering plants in Mali to optimize strategies for malaria vector control in Africa using attractive toxic sugar bait methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bah Sekou

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Based on recent studies in Israel demonstrating that attractive toxic sugar bait (ATSB methods can be used to decimate local anopheline and culicine mosquito populations, an important consideration is whether the same methods can be adapted and improved to attract and kill malaria vectors in Africa. The ATSB approach uses fruit or flower scent as an attractant, sugar solution as a feeding stimulant, and an oral toxin. The ATSB solutions are either sprayed on vegetation or suspended in simple bait stations, and the mosquitoes ingesting the toxic solutions are killed. As such, this approach targets sugar-feeding female and male mosquitoes. This study examines the attractiveness of African malaria vectors to local fruits/seedpods and flowering plants, key biological elements of the ATSB approach for mosquito control. Methods Three field experiments were conducted at sites in Mali. The attraction of Anopheles gambiae s.l. to 26 different local fruits and seedpods was determined at a site in the semi-arid Bandiagara District of Mali. Wire mesh glue traps with fruits/seedpods suspended on skewers inside were set along a seasonal lagoon. Seven replicates of each fruit/seedpod species were tested, with a water-soaked sponge and a sugar-soaked sponge as controls. The attraction of An. gambiae s.l. to 26 different types of flowering plants was determined at a site near Mopti in Mali. The flowering plants held in a water-filled buried container were tested using the same glue traps, with controls including water only and sugar solution. Six replicates of each selected plant type were tested on transects between rice paddies. Additional studies using CDC light traps were done to determine the relative densities and periodicity of An. gambiae s.l. attraction to branches of the most highly attractive flowering plant, branches without flowers, human odor, and candescent light. Results Of the 26 fruits and seedpods tested, 6 were attractive

Field experiments of Anopheles gambiae attraction to local fruits/seedpods and flowering plants in Mali to optimize strategies for malaria vector control in Africa using attractive toxic sugar bait methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Müller, Günter C; Beier, John C; Traore, Sekou F; Toure, Mahamoudou B; Traore, Mohamed M; Bah, Sekou; Doumbia, Seydou; Schlein, Yosef

2010-09-20

Based on recent studies in Israel demonstrating that attractive toxic sugar bait (ATSB) methods can be used to decimate local anopheline and culicine mosquito populations, an important consideration is whether the same methods can be adapted and improved to attract and kill malaria vectors in Africa. The ATSB approach uses fruit or flower scent as an attractant, sugar solution as a feeding stimulant, and an oral toxin. The ATSB solutions are either sprayed on vegetation or suspended in simple bait stations, and the mosquitoes ingesting the toxic solutions are killed. As such, this approach targets sugar-feeding female and male mosquitoes. This study examines the attractiveness of African malaria vectors to local fruits/seedpods and flowering plants, key biological elements of the ATSB approach for mosquito control. Three field experiments were conducted at sites in Mali. The attraction of Anopheles gambiae s.l. to 26 different local fruits and seedpods was determined at a site in the semi-arid Bandiagara District of Mali. Wire mesh glue traps with fruits/seedpods suspended on skewers inside were set along a seasonal lagoon. Seven replicates of each fruit/seedpod species were tested, with a water-soaked sponge and a sugar-soaked sponge as controls. The attraction of An. gambiae s.l. to 26 different types of flowering plants was determined at a site near Mopti in Mali. The flowering plants held in a water-filled buried container were tested using the same glue traps, with controls including water only and sugar solution. Six replicates of each selected plant type were tested on transects between rice paddies. Additional studies using CDC light traps were done to determine the relative densities and periodicity of An. gambiae s.l. attraction to branches of the most highly attractive flowering plant, branches without flowers, human odor, and candescent light. Of the 26 fruits and seedpods tested, 6 were attractive to An. gambiae s.l. females and males, respectively

QUARITE (quality of care, risk management and technology in obstetrics): a cluster-randomized trial of a multifaceted intervention to improve emergency obstetric care in Senegal and Mali.

Science.gov (United States)

Dumont, Alexandre; Fournier, Pierre; Fraser, William; Haddad, Slim; Traore, Mamadou; Diop, Idrissa; Gueye, Mouhamadou; Gaye, Alioune; Couturier, François; Pasquier, Jean-Charles; Beaudoin, François; Lalonde, André; Hatem, Marie; Abrahamowicz, Michal

2009-09-18

Maternal and perinatal mortality are major problems for which progress in sub-Saharan Africa has been inadequate, even though childbirth services are available, even in the poorest countries. Reducing them is the aim of two of the main Millennium Development Goals. Many initiatives have been undertaken to remedy this situation, such as the Advances in Labour and Risk Management (ALARM) International Program, whose purpose is to improve the quality of obstetric services in low-income countries. However, few interventions have been evaluated, in this context, using rigorous methods for analyzing effectiveness in terms of health outcomes. The objective of this trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of the ALARM International Program (AIP) in reducing maternal mortality in referral hospitals in Senegal and Mali. Secondary goals include evaluation of the relationships between effectiveness and resource availability, service organization, medical practices, and satisfaction among health personnel. This is an international, multi-centre, controlled cluster-randomized trial of a complex intervention. The intervention is based on the concept of evidence-based practice and on a combination of two approaches aimed at improving the performance of health personnel: 1) Educational outreach visits; and 2) the implementation of facility-based maternal death reviews. The unit of intervention is the public health facility equipped with a functional operating room. On the basis of consent provided by hospital authorities, 46 centres out of 49 eligible were selected in Mali and Senegal. Using randomization stratified by country and by level of care, 23 centres will be allocated to the intervention group and 23 to the control group. The intervention will last two years. It will be preceded by a pre-intervention one-year period for baseline data collection. A continuous clinical data collection system has been set up in all participating centres. This, along with the inventory of

Ostrich-Like Strategies in Sahelian Sands? Land and Water Grabbing in the Office du Niger, Mali

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas Hertzog

2012-06-01

Full Text Available In recent years, large-scale agricultural investment projects have increased in sub-Saharan Africa as a result of the growing appetites of local and international investors for land resources. Research has so far mainly focused on land issues, but the water implications of these land deals are starting to surface. Taking the Office du Niger (ON, in Mali, as a case study, we show that while around 100,000 ha is currently being cultivated, mostly by smallholders, a total of 600,000 ha of land has been allocated in the past ten years to investors in large-scale farming. This process has largely bypassed the official procedure established by the ON at regional level. The allocation of new lands has shifted to the national level, with an attempt to recentralize the management of land deals and associated benefits at the highest level, despite contrary efforts by foreign donors to strengthen the ON. This article describes the complex allocation process based on 'behind-closed-doors' negotiations. It then analyses the implications of the land deals on water issues by focusing on the strategies of actors to limit the risk of future water shortages, the current and expected difficulties in water management and allocation, and the emerging spatial and social redistribution of benefits and risk that signals a process of water grabbing.

Imaging of the central skull base.

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Borges, Alexandra

2009-11-01

The central skull base (CSB) constitutes a frontier between the extracranial head and neck and the middle cranial fossa. The anatomy of this region is complex, containing most of the bony foramina and canals of the skull base traversed by several neurovascular structures that can act as routes of spread for pathologic processes. Lesions affecting the CSB can be intrinsic to its bony-cartilaginous components; can arise from above, within the intracranial compartment; or can arise from below, within the extracranial head and neck. Crosssectional imaging is indispensable in the diagnosis, treatment planning, and follow-up of patients with CSB lesions. This review focuses on a systematic approach to this region based on an anatomic division that takes into account the major tissue constituents of the CSB.

A Novel Entropy-Based Centrality Approach for Identifying Vital Nodes in Weighted Networks

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Tong Qiao

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Measuring centrality has recently attracted increasing attention, with algorithms ranging from those that simply calculate the number of immediate neighbors and the shortest paths to those that are complicated iterative refinement processes and objective dynamical approaches. Indeed, vital nodes identification allows us to understand the roles that different nodes play in the structure of a network. However, quantifying centrality in complex networks with various topological structures is not an easy task. In this paper, we introduce a novel definition of entropy-based centrality, which can be applicable to weighted directed networks. By design, the total power of a node is divided into two parts, including its local power and its indirect power. The local power can be obtained by integrating the structural entropy, which reveals the communication activity and popularity of each node, and the interaction frequency entropy, which indicates its accessibility. In addition, the process of influence propagation can be captured by the two-hop subnetworks, resulting in the indirect power. In order to evaluate the performance of the entropy-based centrality, we use four weighted real-world networks with various instance sizes, degree distributions, and densities. Correspondingly, these networks are adolescent health, Bible, United States (US airports, and Hep-th, respectively. Extensive analytical results demonstrate that the entropy-based centrality outperforms degree centrality, betweenness centrality, closeness centrality, and the Eigenvector centrality.

Tectonometamorphic evolution of the gneissic Kidal assemblage related to the Pan-African thrust tectonics (Adrar des Iforas, Mali)

Science.gov (United States)

Champenois, M.; Boullier, A. M.; Sautter, V.; Wright, L. I.; Barbey, P.

In the central part of the Adrar des Iforas (Mali), the 2 Ba Eburnean granulatic unit has been thrust above a high-grade gneissic unit, the so-called 'Kidal assemblage', during an early event of the Pan-African orogeny. The Kidal assemblage can be defined as a tectonic mixing of an Eburnean granulitic basement, its sedimentary cover of Middle to Upper Proterozoic age (quartzites, marbles, basalts and metavolcanics) and various pretectonic rocks: ultrabasic to basic rocks, diorites, tonalites. All these rocks have been deformed during at least four main events and metamorphosed together. Thrusting of the Iforas Granulitic Unit above the Kidal assemblage happened during the first event D1. The movement direction was roughly N-S, as shown by the stretching lineation. Some field criteria indicate a sense of displacement towards the north. The lattice preferred orientation of quartz c- and axes indicate that the slip was dominantly on prismatic and probably pyramidal planes along an direction; consequently D1 deformation was achieved at high temperature or low-strain rate. The quartz c- and axes do not show any constant asymmetry, so they do not indicate a sense of shear. Two metamorphic stages have been found in the Kidal assemblage: the first one is characterized by kyanite in aluminous metasediments and by the occurrence of garnet-clinopyroxene-bearing boundis of basic rocks. The P-T range of this event is located at 700 ± 50°C and around 10 Kb. The second event is a syntectonic high temperature (600-650°C) low pressure (3.5 Kb) stage accompanied by migmatization. Such a tangential deformation in barrowian-type metamorphic conditions and with N-S transport direction is known along the entire Trans-Saharan belt and cannot be related in a simple way to the collision between West African Craton and the mobile belt.

Chimioprophylaxie du paludisme pendant la grossesse : évaluation de l'observance à Sikasso (Mali) par la méthode de Saker-Solomons

OpenAIRE

Arnold, Mireille

2004-01-01

Dans les régions endémiques, le paludisme contribue au développement d'une anémie sévère chez la femme enceinte et au faible poids de naissance de l'enfant. Dans ce contexte, une prophylaxie hebdomadaire de chloroquine est préconisée pour toutes les femmes enceintes au Mali. Une enquête transversale sur un échantillon représentatif de la population de femmes enceintes suivies aux consultations prénatales de Sikasso a permis d'évaluer l'observance de la chimioprophylaxie par questionnaire et r...

Chimioprophylaxie du paludisme pendant la grossesse: évaluation de l'observance à Sikasso (Mali) par la méthode de Saker-Solomons

OpenAIRE

Arnold, Mireille; Rougemont, André

2004-01-01

Dans les régions endémiques, le paludisme contribue au développement d'une anémie sévère chez la femme enceinte et au faible poids de naissance de l'enfant. Dans ce contexte, une prophylaxie hebdomadaire de chloroquine est préconisée pour toutes les femmes enceintes au Mali. Une enquête transversale sur un échantillon représentatif de la population de femmes enceintes suivies aux consultations prénatales de Sikasso a permis d'évaluer l'observance de la chimioprophylaxie par questionnaire et r...

Etiology and Factors Associated with Pneumonia in Children under 5 Years of Age in Mali: A Prospective Case-Control Study

Science.gov (United States)

Messaoudi, Mélina; Sánchez Picot, Valentina; Telles, Jean-Noël; Diakite, Abdoul-Aziz; Komurian-Pradel, Florence; Endtz, Hubert; Diallo, Souleymane; Paranhos-Baccalà, Gláucia; Vanhems, Philippe

2015-01-01

Background There are very limited data on children with pneumonia in Mali. The objective was to assess the etiology and factors associated with community-acquired pneumonia in hospitalized children pneumonia; Controls were hospitalized children without respiratory features, matched for age and period. Respiratory specimens, were collected to identify 19 viruses and 5 bacteria. Whole blood was collected from cases only. Factors associated with pneumonia were assessed by multivariate logistic regression. Results Overall, 118 cases and 98 controls were analyzed; 44.1% were female, median age was 11 months. Among pneumonia cases, 30.5% were hypoxemic at admission, mortality was 4.2%. Pneumonia cases differed from the controls regarding clinical signs and symptoms but not in terms of past medical history. Multivariate analysis of nasal swab findings disclosed that S. pneumoniae (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 3.4, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 1.6–7.0), human metapneumovirus (aOR = 17.2, 95% CI: 2.0–151.4), respiratory syncytial virus [RSV] (aOR = 7.4, 95% CI: 2.3–23.3), and influenza A virus (aOR = 10.7, 95% CI: 1.0–112.2) were associated with pneumonia, independently of patient age, gender, period, and other pathogens. Distribution of S. pneumoniae and RSV differed by season with higher rates of S. pneumoniae in January-June and of RSV in July-September. Pneumococcal serotypes 1 and 5 were more frequent in pneumonia cases than in the controls (P = 0.009, and P = 0.04, respectively). Conclusions In this non-PCV population from Mali, pneumonia in children was mainly attributed to S. pneumoniae, RSV, human metapneumovirus, and influenza A virus. Increased pneumococcal conjugate vaccine coverage in children could significantly reduce the burden of pneumonia in sub-Saharan African countries. PMID:26696249

Concordance-based Kendall's Correlation for Computationally-Light vs. Computationally-Heavy Centrality Metrics: Lower Bound for Correlation

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Natarajan Meghanathan

2017-01-01

Full Text Available We identify three different levels of correlation (pair-wise relative ordering, network-wide ranking and linear regression that could be assessed between a computationally-light centrality metric and a computationally-heavy centrality metric for real-world networks. The Kendall's concordance-based correlation measure could be used to quantitatively assess how well we could consider the relative ordering of two vertices vi and vj with respect to a computationally-light centrality metric as the relative ordering of the same two vertices with respect to a computationally-heavy centrality metric. We hypothesize that the pair-wise relative ordering (concordance-based assessment of the correlation between centrality metrics is the most strictest of all the three levels of correlation and claim that the Kendall's concordance-based correlation coefficient will be lower than the correlation coefficient observed with the more relaxed levels of correlation measures (linear regression-based Pearson's product-moment correlation coefficient and the network wide ranking-based Spearman's correlation coefficient. We validate our hypothesis by evaluating the three correlation coefficients between two sets of centrality metrics: the computationally-light degree and local clustering coefficient complement-based degree centrality metrics and the computationally-heavy eigenvector centrality, betweenness centrality and closeness centrality metrics for a diverse collection of 50 real-world networks.

DNA methylation-based classification of central nervous system tumours

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Capper, David; Jones, David T.W.; Sill, Martin

2018-01-01

Accurate pathological diagnosis is crucial for optimal management of patients with cancer. For the approximately 100 known tumour types of the central nervous system, standardization of the diagnostic process has been shown to be particularly challenging - with substantial inter-observer variabil......Accurate pathological diagnosis is crucial for optimal management of patients with cancer. For the approximately 100 known tumour types of the central nervous system, standardization of the diagnostic process has been shown to be particularly challenging - with substantial inter......-observer variability in the histopathological diagnosis of many tumour types. Here we present a comprehensive approach for the DNA methylation-based classification of central nervous system tumours across all entities and age groups, and demonstrate its application in a routine diagnostic setting. We show...

Comparative proteomics and protein profile related to phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity in germinated Oryza sativa 'KDML105' and Thai brown rice 'Mali Daeng' for better nutritional value.

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Maksup, Sarunyaporn; Pongpakpian, Sarintip; Roytrakul, Sittiruk; Cha-Um, Suriyan; Supaibulwatana, Kanyaratt

2018-01-01

Brown rice (BR) and germinated brown rice (GBR) are considered as prime sources of carbohydrate and bioactive compounds for more than half of the populations worldwide. Several studies have reported on the proteomics of BR and GBR; however, the proteomic profiles related to the synthesis of bioactive compounds are less well documented. In the present study, BR and GBR were used in a comparative analysis of the proteomic and bioactive compound profiles for two famous Thai rice varieties: Khao Dawk Mali 105 (KDML) and Mali Daeng (MD). The proteomes of KDML and MD revealed differences in the expression patterns of proteins after germination. Total phenolic compound content, anthocyanin contents and antioxidant activity of red rice MD was approximately 2.6-, 2.2- and 9.2-fold higher, respectively, compared to that of the white rice KDML. Moreover, GBR of MD showed higher total anthocyanin content and greater antioxidant activity, which is consistent with the increase expression of several proteins involved in the biosynthesis of phenolic compounds and protection against oxidative stress. Red rice MD exhibits higher nutrient values compared to white rice KDML and the appropriate germination of brown rice could represent a method for improving health-related benefits. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

[Vectorial transmission of malaria in a village along the Niger River and its fishing hamlet (Kéniéroba and Fourda, Mali)].

Science.gov (United States)

Keïta, M; Baber, I; Sogoba, N; Maïga, H M; Diallo, M'b; Doumbia, S; Traoré, S F

2014-12-01

A better understanding of malaria transmission dynamics is an essential element in the development of any targeted vector control strategy. The objective of this study was to better understand malaria transmission dynamics along the Niger River in Sudan savanna zone of Mali. Trough cross-sectional surveys, Anopheline larvae were collected by WHO standard dipping technique, and vector adults by Human Landing and pyrethrum spray catches methods. The vector population was composed of An. gambiae s.l. (> 99%) and An. funestus (hamlet Fourda) compared to farther inland Kéniéroba. The average infection rate of An. gambiae s.l. was 3.63% and 4.06% in Kéniéroba and Fourda respectively. The average entomological inoculation rate (EIR) during the study period was almost similar in Kéniéroba (0.70 infective bites/person/month) and Fourda (0.69 infective bites/person/month). The means EIRs over each of the rainy season 2006 and 2007 were always higher than the one of the dry season 2007 in both localities, with much smaller amplitude in Fourda than in Kéniéroba. However, the level of the transmission was 2.31 (0.37/0.16) times higher in Fourda than in Kéniéroba during the dry season.We conclude that in Sudan savanna zone of Mali, malaria transmission along the river is continuous throughout the year, but it is more intense in the immediate vicinity of the river during the dry season than during the rainy season in opposition to more distant localities to the river and vector control should not be focused only on the rainy in such setting.

A mixed methods approach to assess animal vaccination programmes: The case of rabies control in Bamako, Mali.

Science.gov (United States)

Mosimann, Laura; Traoré, Abdallah; Mauti, Stephanie; Léchenne, Monique; Obrist, Brigit; Véron, René; Hattendorf, Jan; Zinsstag, Jakob

2017-01-01

In the framework of the research network on integrated control of zoonoses in Africa (ICONZ) a dog rabies mass vaccination campaign was carried out in two communes of Bamako (Mali) in September 2014. A mixed method approach, combining quantitative and qualitative tools, was developed to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention towards optimization for future scale-up. Actions to control rabies occur on one level in households when individuals take the decision to vaccinate their dogs. However, control also depends on provision of vaccination services and community participation at the intermediate level of social resilience. Mixed methods seem necessary as the problem-driven transdisciplinary project includes epidemiological components in addition to social dynamics and cultural, political and institutional issues. Adapting earlier effectiveness models for health intervention to rabies control, we propose a mixed method assessment of individual effectiveness parameters like availability, affordability, accessibility, adequacy or acceptability. Triangulation of quantitative methods (household survey, empirical coverage estimation and spatial analysis) with qualitative findings (participant observation, focus group discussions) facilitate a better understanding of the weight of each effectiveness determinant, and the underlying reasons embedded in the local understandings, cultural practices, and social and political realities of the setting. Using this method, a final effectiveness of 33% for commune Five and 28% for commune Six was estimated, with vaccination coverage of 27% and 20%, respectively. Availability was identified as the most sensitive effectiveness parameter, attributed to lack of information about the campaign. We propose a mixed methods approach to optimize intervention design, using an "intervention effectiveness optimization cycle" with the aim of maximizing effectiveness. Empirical vaccination coverage estimation is compared to the

Demographic dynamics and off-take of cattle herds in southern Mali.

Science.gov (United States)

Ba, Alassane; Lesnoff, Matthieu; Poccard-Chapuis, Rene; Moulin, Charles-Henri

2011-08-01

The herds of 95 families were monitored for 1 year in eight villages in the cotton-growing region of southern Mali. In 2006-2007, reproduction performances were average, with 0.54 calvings/year per cow, and mortality was low. Herd numerical productivity is not very high, less than 0.13/year, because of the high proportion of males kept for animal draught. Depending on the herd size, the behaviour of the families differs, in terms of off-take and in-take of animals. Families that only have one or two draught animals seek to increase their animal draught capacity, with a negative net off-take (-0.13/year). Families with two to three cows have a very low net off-take (0.02/year), with culling of adult animals compensated by purchase. They therefore capitalised this year, with an annual herd growth of 8%. Families with a very large herd (20 to 50 cows) take off more of their stock, with a net off-take of 0.08/year (very few animal purchases) and make a stock growth of 5%. And finally, families with an average-sized herd (6 to 19 cows) take off the whole of the year's production, with a net off-take of 0.11/year and a nil stock growth rate. The use of a demographic model made it possible to measure the sensitivity of the productivity rate to the different demographic parameters.

QUARITE (quality of care, risk management and technology in obstetrics: a cluster-randomized trial of a multifaceted intervention to improve emergency obstetric care in Senegal and Mali

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gaye Alioune

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Maternal and perinatal mortality are major problems for which progress in sub-Saharan Africa has been inadequate, even though childbirth services are available, even in the poorest countries. Reducing them is the aim of two of the main Millennium Development Goals. Many initiatives have been undertaken to remedy this situation, such as the Advances in Labour and Risk Management (ALARM International Program, whose purpose is to improve the quality of obstetric services in low-income countries. However, few interventions have been evaluated, in this context, using rigorous methods for analyzing effectiveness in terms of health outcomes. The objective of this trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of the ALARM International Program (AIP in reducing maternal mortality in referral hospitals in Senegal and Mali. Secondary goals include evaluation of the relationships between effectiveness and resource availability, service organization, medical practices, and satisfaction among health personnel. Methods/Design This is an international, multi-centre, controlled cluster-randomized trial of a complex intervention. The intervention is based on the concept of evidence-based practice and on a combination of two approaches aimed at improving the performance of health personnel: 1 Educational outreach visits; and 2 the implementation of facility-based maternal death reviews. The unit of intervention is the public health facility equipped with a functional operating room. On the basis of consent provided by hospital authorities, 46 centres out of 49 eligible were selected in Mali and Senegal. Using randomization stratified by country and by level of care, 23 centres will be allocated to the intervention group and 23 to the control group. The intervention will last two years. It will be preceded by a pre-intervention one-year period for baseline data collection. A continuous clinical data collection system has been set up in all

Centralized light-source optical access network based on polarization multiplexing.

Science.gov (United States)

Grassi, Fulvio; Mora, José; Ortega, Beatriz; Capmany, José

2010-03-01

This paper presents and demonstrates a centralized light source optical access network based on optical polarization multiplexing technique. By using two optical sources emitting light orthogonally polarized in the Central Node for downstream and upstream operations, the Remote Node is kept source-free. EVM values below telecommunication standard requirements have been measured experimentally when bidirectional digital signals have been transmitted over 10 km of SMF employing subcarrier multiplexing technique in the electrical domain.

Understanding Urban Spatial Structure of Shanghai Central City Based on Mobile Phone Data

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Niu; Xinyi; Ding; Liang; Song; Xiaodong; Zhang; Qingfei

2015-01-01

Taking Shanghai Central City as its case study, this paper presents an approach to exploring the urban spatial structure through mobile phone positioning data. Firstly, based on base station location data and mobile phone signaling data, the paper analyses the number of users connecting to each base station, and further generates the maps of mobile phone user density through kernel density analysis. We move on to calculate the multi-day average user density based on a time frame of 10:00 and 23:00 at workdays and 15:00 and 23:00 at weekends for Shanghai Central City. Then, through spatial aggregation and density classifi cation on the density maps of 10:00 at workdays and 15:00 at weekends, we identify the ranks and functions of public centers within Shanghai Central City. Lastly, we identify residential areas, business off ice areas, and leisure areas in Shanghai Central City and measure the degree of functional mix by comparing the ratio of day and night user density as well as the user density at nighttime of workdays and weekends.

SACFIR: SDN-Based Application-Aware Centralized Adaptive Flow Iterative Reconfiguring Routing Protocol for WSNs.

Science.gov (United States)

Aslam, Muhammad; Hu, Xiaopeng; Wang, Fan

2017-12-13

Smart reconfiguration of a dynamic networking environment is offered by the central control of Software-Defined Networking (SDN). Centralized SDN-based management architectures are capable of retrieving global topology intelligence and decoupling the forwarding plane from the control plane. Routing protocols developed for conventional Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) utilize limited iterative reconfiguration methods to optimize environmental reporting. However, the challenging networking scenarios of WSNs involve a performance overhead due to constant periodic iterative reconfigurations. In this paper, we propose the SDN-based Application-aware Centralized adaptive Flow Iterative Reconfiguring (SACFIR) routing protocol with the centralized SDN iterative solver controller to maintain the load-balancing between flow reconfigurations and flow allocation cost. The proposed SACFIR's routing protocol offers a unique iterative path-selection algorithm, which initially computes suitable clustering based on residual resources at the control layer and then implements application-aware threshold-based multi-hop report transmissions on the forwarding plane. The operation of the SACFIR algorithm is centrally supervised by the SDN controller residing at the Base Station (BS). This paper extends SACFIR to SDN-based Application-aware Main-value Centralized adaptive Flow Iterative Reconfiguring (SAMCFIR) to establish both proactive and reactive reporting. The SAMCFIR transmission phase enables sensor nodes to trigger direct transmissions for main-value reports, while in the case of SACFIR, all reports follow computed routes. Our SDN-enabled proposed models adjust the reconfiguration period according to the traffic burden on sensor nodes, which results in heterogeneity awareness, load-balancing and application-specific reconfigurations of WSNs. Extensive experimental simulation-based results show that SACFIR and SAMCFIR yield the maximum scalability, network lifetime and stability

SACFIR: SDN-Based Application-Aware Centralized Adaptive Flow Iterative Reconfiguring Routing Protocol for WSNs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad Aslam

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Smart reconfiguration of a dynamic networking environment is offered by the central control of Software-Defined Networking (SDN. Centralized SDN-based management architectures are capable of retrieving global topology intelligence and decoupling the forwarding plane from the control plane. Routing protocols developed for conventional Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs utilize limited iterative reconfiguration methods to optimize environmental reporting. However, the challenging networking scenarios of WSNs involve a performance overhead due to constant periodic iterative reconfigurations. In this paper, we propose the SDN-based Application-aware Centralized adaptive Flow Iterative Reconfiguring (SACFIR routing protocol with the centralized SDN iterative solver controller to maintain the load-balancing between flow reconfigurations and flow allocation cost. The proposed SACFIR’s routing protocol offers a unique iterative path-selection algorithm, which initially computes suitable clustering based on residual resources at the control layer and then implements application-aware threshold-based multi-hop report transmissions on the forwarding plane. The operation of the SACFIR algorithm is centrally supervised by the SDN controller residing at the Base Station (BS. This paper extends SACFIR to SDN-based Application-aware Main-value Centralized adaptive Flow Iterative Reconfiguring (SAMCFIR to establish both proactive and reactive reporting. The SAMCFIR transmission phase enables sensor nodes to trigger direct transmissions for main-value reports, while in the case of SACFIR, all reports follow computed routes. Our SDN-enabled proposed models adjust the reconfiguration period according to the traffic burden on sensor nodes, which results in heterogeneity awareness, load-balancing and application-specific reconfigurations of WSNs. Extensive experimental simulation-based results show that SACFIR and SAMCFIR yield the maximum scalability, network lifetime

An agent-based model of centralized institutions, social network technology, and revolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Makowsky, Michael D; Rubin, Jared

2013-01-01

This paper sheds light on the general mechanisms underlying large-scale social and institutional change. We employ an agent-based model to test the impact of authority centralization and social network technology on preference falsification and institutional change. We find that preference falsification is increasing with centralization and decreasing with social network range. This leads to greater cascades of preference revelation and thus more institutional change in highly centralized societies and this effect is exacerbated at greater social network ranges. An empirical analysis confirms the connections that we find between institutional centralization, social radius, preference falsification, and institutional change.

Stable malaria incidence despite scaling up control strategies in a malaria vaccine-testing site in Mali.

Science.gov (United States)

Coulibaly, Drissa; Travassos, Mark A; Kone, Abdoulaye K; Tolo, Youssouf; Laurens, Matthew B; Traore, Karim; Diarra, Issa; Niangaly, Amadou; Daou, Modibo; Dembele, Ahmadou; Sissoko, Mody; Guindo, Bouréima; Douyon, Raymond; Guindo, Aldiouma; Kouriba, Bourema; Sissoko, Mahamadou S; Sagara, Issaka; Plowe, Christopher V; Doumbo, Ogobara K; Thera, Mahamadou A

2014-09-19

The recent decline in malaria incidence in many African countries has been attributed to the provision of prompt and effective anti-malarial treatment using artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) and to the widespread distribution of long-lasting, insecticide-treated bed nets (LLINs). At a malaria vaccine-testing site in Bandiagara, Mali, ACT was introduced in 2004, and LLINs have been distributed free of charge since 2007 to infants after they complete the Expanded Programme of Immunization (EPI) schedule and to pregnant women receiving antenatal care. These strategies may have an impact on malaria incidence. To document malaria incidence, a cohort of 400 children aged 0 to 14 years was followed for three to four years up to July 2013. Monthly cross-sectional surveys were done to measure the prevalence of malaria infection and anaemia. Clinical disease was measured both actively and passively through continuous availability of primary medical care. Measured outcomes included asymptomatic Plasmodium infection, anaemia and clinical malaria episodes. The incidence rate of clinical malaria varied significantly from June 2009 to July 2013 without a clear downward trend. A sharp seasonality in malaria illness incidence was observed with higher clinical malaria incidence rates during the rainy season. Parasite and anaemia point prevalence also showed seasonal variation with much higher prevalence rates during rainy seasons compared to dry seasons. Despite the scaling up of malaria prevention and treatment, including the widespread use of bed nets, better diagnosis and wider availability of ACT, malaria incidence did not decrease in Bandiagara during the study period.

Kamu Mali Yönetiminin ISO 9001 Kalite Yönetim Sistemine Entegrasyonu

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Hakan KİTAPÇI

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Tarihsel süreç içinde birbirlerinden farklı gelişme göstermelerine rağmen günümüzde Toplam Kalite Yönetimi (TKY ve İç Denetim karşılıklı etkileşim içinde olan ve birbirinin gelişimine katkı sağlayan iki ayrı yönetim kavramıdır. TKY maliyetleri düşürerek kalitenin iyileştirilmesini ve müşteri memnuniyetinin artırılmasını amaçlayan insan odaklı bir yönetim anlayışıdır. İç Denetim, etkinlik ve verimliliğin artırılması hususunda üst yönetime güvence ve danışmanlık sağlayan bir yönetim fonksiyonudur. Çalışmada, Kamu mali yönetimi ve TKY’nin birbiri ile ilişkisi, birbirini etkileme şekli ve boyutu literatür taranarak ortaya konmuş, KMYKK çerçevesinde uygulama esasları irdelenmiştir. Çalışmada riski, IT sistemlerini, iç kontrol süreçlerini, çevre ile ilişkileri, performansı ve kaliteyi değerlendiren iç denetim, bir yönetim felsefesi olan TKY içindeki yeri ve rolü ile değerlendirilmiştir.

DNA methylation-based classification of central nervous system tumours.

Science.gov (United States)

Capper, David; Jones, David T W; Sill, Martin; Hovestadt, Volker; Schrimpf, Daniel; Sturm, Dominik; Koelsche, Christian; Sahm, Felix; Chavez, Lukas; Reuss, David E; Kratz, Annekathrin; Wefers, Annika K; Huang, Kristin; Pajtler, Kristian W; Schweizer, Leonille; Stichel, Damian; Olar, Adriana; Engel, Nils W; Lindenberg, Kerstin; Harter, Patrick N; Braczynski, Anne K; Plate, Karl H; Dohmen, Hildegard; Garvalov, Boyan K; Coras, Roland; Hölsken, Annett; Hewer, Ekkehard; Bewerunge-Hudler, Melanie; Schick, Matthias; Fischer, Roger; Beschorner, Rudi; Schittenhelm, Jens; Staszewski, Ori; Wani, Khalida; Varlet, Pascale; Pages, Melanie; Temming, Petra; Lohmann, Dietmar; Selt, Florian; Witt, Hendrik; Milde, Till; Witt, Olaf; Aronica, Eleonora; Giangaspero, Felice; Rushing, Elisabeth; Scheurlen, Wolfram; Geisenberger, Christoph; Rodriguez, Fausto J; Becker, Albert; Preusser, Matthias; Haberler, Christine; Bjerkvig, Rolf; Cryan, Jane; Farrell, Michael; Deckert, Martina; Hench, Jürgen; Frank, Stephan; Serrano, Jonathan; Kannan, Kasthuri; Tsirigos, Aristotelis; Brück, Wolfgang; Hofer, Silvia; Brehmer, Stefanie; Seiz-Rosenhagen, Marcel; Hänggi, Daniel; Hans, Volkmar; Rozsnoki, Stephanie; Hansford, Jordan R; Kohlhof, Patricia; Kristensen, Bjarne W; Lechner, Matt; Lopes, Beatriz; Mawrin, Christian; Ketter, Ralf; Kulozik, Andreas; Khatib, Ziad; Heppner, Frank; Koch, Arend; Jouvet, Anne; Keohane, Catherine; Mühleisen, Helmut; Mueller, Wolf; Pohl, Ute; Prinz, Marco; Benner, Axel; Zapatka, Marc; Gottardo, Nicholas G; Driever, Pablo Hernáiz; Kramm, Christof M; Müller, Hermann L; Rutkowski, Stefan; von Hoff, Katja; Frühwald, Michael C; Gnekow, Astrid; Fleischhack, Gudrun; Tippelt, Stephan; Calaminus, Gabriele; Monoranu, Camelia-Maria; Perry, Arie; Jones, Chris; Jacques, Thomas S; Radlwimmer, Bernhard; Gessi, Marco; Pietsch, Torsten; Schramm, Johannes; Schackert, Gabriele; Westphal, Manfred; Reifenberger, Guido; Wesseling, Pieter; Weller, Michael; Collins, Vincent Peter; Blümcke, Ingmar; Bendszus, Martin; Debus, Jürgen; Huang, Annie; Jabado, Nada; Northcott, Paul A; Paulus, Werner; Gajjar, Amar; Robinson, Giles W; Taylor, Michael D; Jaunmuktane, Zane; Ryzhova, Marina; Platten, Michael; Unterberg, Andreas; Wick, Wolfgang; Karajannis, Matthias A; Mittelbronn, Michel; Acker, Till; Hartmann, Christian; Aldape, Kenneth; Schüller, Ulrich; Buslei, Rolf; Lichter, Peter; Kool, Marcel; Herold-Mende, Christel; Ellison, David W; Hasselblatt, Martin; Snuderl, Matija; Brandner, Sebastian; Korshunov, Andrey; von Deimling, Andreas; Pfister, Stefan M

2018-03-22

Accurate pathological diagnosis is crucial for optimal management of patients with cancer. For the approximately 100 known tumour types of the central nervous system, standardization of the diagnostic process has been shown to be particularly challenging-with substantial inter-observer variability in the histopathological diagnosis of many tumour types. Here we present a comprehensive approach for the DNA methylation-based classification of central nervous system tumours across all entities and age groups, and demonstrate its application in a routine diagnostic setting. We show that the availability of this method may have a substantial impact on diagnostic precision compared to standard methods, resulting in a change of diagnosis in up to 12% of prospective cases. For broader accessibility, we have designed a free online classifier tool, the use of which does not require any additional onsite data processing. Our results provide a blueprint for the generation of machine-learning-based tumour classifiers across other cancer entities, with the potential to fundamentally transform tumour pathology.

Operationalizing Civilian Protection in Mali: The Case for a Civilian Casualty Tracking, Analysis, and Response Cell

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Marla B. Keenan

2013-06-01

Full Text Available This practice note details an emerging best practice of civilian harm mitigation in armed conflict: namely, the creation of civilian casualty tracking, analysis and response processes by a warring party or peace operation force. It asserts that in Iraq, Afghanistan and soon Somalia, these processes to better understand civilian harm and address consequences have positively shaped mission tactics, training, and overall operations. In both Iraq and Afghanistan, tracking and analysis has lead to a marked decrease in civilian casualties and facilitated the making of amends for any civilian losses. The paper argues that for warring parties to achieve their mission—particularly one with a protection of civilians mandate as with the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA—they must fully understand the impact of their actions on the civilian population, positive or negative. For this reason, a Civilian Casualty Tracking, Analysis, and Response Cell should be created for MINUSMA to improve its ability mitigate risk to civilians as required by its Security Council mandate.

Results of an action-research on epilepsy in rural Mali.

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Elisa Bruno

Full Text Available To evaluate the RARE (Réseau Action-Recherche sur l'Epilepsie program, a model of managing and treating people with epilepsy (PWE at a primary health-care level in rural areas of Mali, we assessed treatment efficacy and compliance of patients who underwent the first year follow-up.A network of rural general practitioners (GPs settled in six rural districts of the regions of Koulikoro, Segou and Sikasso, was involved in the diagnosis, evaluation and monitoring of all the identified PWE and in the distribution of phenobarbital (PB. All the participants were included in a prospective database and followed-up by GPs at 4 months intervals during the first year. Seizure frequency, treatment doses and appearance of adverse events (AEs were systematically recorded. Efficacy was evaluated in terms of reduction of seizures frequency while noncompliance in terms of time to study withdrawal for any cause.596 patients treated with PB were included in the analysis. Of these, 74.0% completed the first year follow-up. At the final visit, 59.6% were seizure-free: 31.0% for 12 months, 10.2% for 8 months and 18.4% for 4 months. Adults and patients with convulsive seizures were the most drug-resistant (p<0.002. Few AEs were recorded. The multivariate analysis showed that being a woman, presenting convulsive seizures, having more than 5 seizures/month and had never be treated were predictors of withdrawal (p ≤ 0.05 at 12 months.This study showed a good response and compliance to the treatment and allowed the identification of some factors associated with failure of management in a setting very near to clinical practice. Awareness campaigns are needed to assure a broader accessibility to treatment and to improve the compliance and continuity with treatment programs.

Quality of care, risk management, and technology in obstetrics to reduce hospital-based maternal mortality in Senegal and Mali (QUARITE): a cluster-randomised trial.

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Dumont, Alexandre; Fournier, Pierre; Abrahamowicz, Michal; Traoré, Mamadou; Haddad, Slim; Fraser, William D

2013-07-13

Maternal mortality is higher in west Africa than in most industrialised countries, so the development and validation of effective interventions is essential. We did a trial to assess the effect of a multifaceted intervention to promote maternity death reviews and onsite training in emergency obstetric care in referral hospitals with high maternal mortality rates in Senegal and Mali. We did a pragmatic cluster-randomised controlled trial, with hospitals as the units of randomisation and patients as the unit of analysis. 46 public first-level and second-level referral hospitals with more than 800 deliveries a year were enrolled, stratified by country and hospital type, and randomly assigned to either the intervention group (n=23) or the control group with no external intervention (n=23). All women who delivered in each of the participating facilities during the baseline and post-intervention periods were included. The intervention, implemented over a period of 2 years at the hospital level, consisted of an initial interactive workshop and quarterly educational clinically-oriented and evidence-based outreach visits focused on maternal death reviews and best practices implementation. The primary outcome was reduction of risk of hospital-based mortality. Analysis was by intention-to-treat and relied on the generalised estimating equations extension of the logistic regression model to account for clustering of women within hospitals. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number ISRCTN46950658. 191,167 patients who delivered in the participating hospitals were analysed (95,931 in the intervention groups and 95,236 in the control groups). Overall, mortality reduction in intervention hospitals was significantly higher than in control hospitals (odds ratio [OR] 0·85, 95% CI 0·73-0·98, p=0·0299), but this effect was limited to capital and district hospitals, which mainly acted as first-level referral hospitals in this trial. There was no effect in second

Centralizing Data Management with Considerations of Uncertainty and Information-Based Flexibility

OpenAIRE

Velu, Chander K.; Madnick, Stuart E.; Van Alstyne, Marshall W.

2013-01-01

This paper applies the theory of real options to analyze how the value of information-based flexibility should affect the decision to centralize or decentralize data management under low and high uncertainty. This study makes two main contributions. First, we show that in the presence of low uncertainty, centralization of data management decisions creates more total surplus for the firm as the similarity of business units increases. In contrast, in the presence of high uncertainty, centraliza...

All projects related to | Page 40 | IDRC - International Development ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

High rates of maternal death and teen pregnancy persist in West and Central Africa. Topic: HEALTH SERVICES, MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH, Capacity building, RESEARCH, HEALTH EDUCATION, BILINGUALISM. Region: Cameroon, South of Sahara, Benin, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Burkina Faso.

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International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

2009-06-30

Start Date: June 30, 2009. End Date: January 1, 2013. Topic: RESEARCH NETWORKS, RESEARCH RESULTS, HEALTH POLICY, POLICY MAKING. Region: North of Sahara, South of Sahara, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Mali, Mozambique, Burkina Faso, Zambia. Program: Maternal and Child Health.

All projects related to | Page 396 | IDRC - International Development ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

2009-06-30

Start Date: June 30, 2009. End Date: January 1, 2013. Topic: RESEARCH NETWORKS, RESEARCH RESULTS, HEALTH POLICY, POLICY MAKING. Region: North of Sahara, South of Sahara, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Mali, Mozambique, Burkina Faso, Zambia. Program: Maternal and Child Health.

Digital health and the need to develop centers of expertise in sub-Saharan Africa : two examples in Mali and Cameroon.

Science.gov (United States)

Bagayoko, C-O; Bediang, G; Anne, A; Niang, M; Traoré, A-K; Geissbuhler, A

2017-11-01

It is generally agreed today that digital technology provides a lever for improving access to health care, care processes, and public health planning and activities such as education and prevention. Its use in countries that have reached a given level of development has taken place in a somewhat fragmented manner that raises important interoperability problems and sometimes makes synergy impossible between the different projects of digital health. This may be linked to several factors, principally the lack of a global vision of digital health, and inadequate methodological knowledge that prevents the development and implementation of this vision. The countries of Africa should be able to profit from these errors from the beginnings of digital health, by moving toward systemic approaches, known standards, and tools appropriate to the realities on the ground. The aim of this work is to present the methodological approaches as well as the principal results of two relatively new centers of expertise in Mali and Cameroon intended to cultivate this vision of digital governance in the domain of health and to train professionals to implement the projects. Both centers were created due to initiatives of organizations of civil society. The center in Mali developed toward an economic interest group and then to collaboration with healthcare and university organizations. The same process is underway at the Cameroon center. The principal results from these centers can be enumerated under different aspects linked to research, development, training, and implementation of digital health tools. They have produced dozens of scientific publications, doctoral dissertations, theses, and papers focused especially on subjects such as the medicoeconomic evaluation tools of e-health and health information technology systems. In light of these results, we can conclude that these two centers of expertise have well and truly been established. Their role may be decisive in the local training of

Assessing a computerized routine health information system in Mali using LQAS.

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, J C; Schroeder, D G; Marsh, D R; Allhasane, S; Kone, D

2001-09-01

Between 1987 and 1998 Save the Children conducted a child survival programme in Mali with the goal of reducing maternal and child morbidity and mortality. An integral part of this programme was a computerized demographic surveillance and health information system (HIS) that gathered data on individuals on an on-going basis. To assess the overall coverage and quality of the data in the HIS, to identify specific health districts that needed improvements in data collection methods, and to determine particular areas of weakness in data collection. Random samples of 20 mothers with children LQAS) was used to identify districts in which records and interview results did not meet predetermined levels of acceptability. Data collected in the interviews were combined to estimate overall coverage and quality. When all variables were analyzed, all 14 lots were rejected, and it was estimated that 52% of all events occurring in the community were registered in ProMIS. Much of this poor performance was due to immunization and growth monitoring data, which were not updated due to printer problems. Coverage of events increased (92%) when immunizations and growth monitoring were excluded, and no lots were rejected. When all variables were analyzed for quality of data recorded, six lots were rejected and the overall estimation was 83%. With immunizations and growth monitoring excluded, overall quality was 86% and no lots were rejected. The comprehensive computerized HIS did not meet expectations. This may be due, in part, to the ambitious objective of complete and intensive monitoring of a large population without adequate staff and equipment. Future efforts should consider employing a more targeted and streamlined HIS so that data can be more complete and useful.

Three randomized trials of maternal influenza immunization in Mali, Nepal, and South Africa: Methods and expectations.

Science.gov (United States)

Omer, Saad B; Richards, Jennifer L; Madhi, Shabir A; Tapia, Milagritos D; Steinhoff, Mark C; Aqil, Anushka R; Wairagkar, Niteen

2015-07-31

Influenza infection in pregnancy can have adverse impacts on maternal, fetal, and infant outcomes. Influenza vaccination in pregnancy is an appealing strategy to protect pregnant women and their infants. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is supporting three large, randomized trials in Nepal, Mali, and South Africa evaluating the efficacy and safety of maternal immunization to prevent influenza disease in pregnant women and their infants <6 months of age. Results from these individual studies are expected in 2014 and 2015. While the results from the three maternal immunization trials are likely to strengthen the evidence base regarding the impact of influenza immunization in pregnancy, expectations for these results should be realistic. For example, evidence from previous influenza vaccine studies - conducted in general, non-pregnant populations - suggests substantial geographic and year-to-year variability in influenza incidence and vaccine efficacy/effectiveness. Since the evidence generated from the three maternal influenza immunization trials will be complementary, in this paper we present a side-by-side description of the three studies as well as the similarities and differences between these trials in terms of study location, design, outcome evaluation, and laboratory and epidemiological methods. We also describe the likely remaining knowledge gap after the results from these trials become available along with a description of the analyses that will be conducted when the results from these individual data are pooled. Moreover, we highlight that additional research on logistics of seasonal influenza vaccine supply, surveillance and strain matching, and optimal delivery strategies for pregnant women will be important for informing global policy related to maternal influenza immunization. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Designing the central knowledge base for the purposes of final works in architecture

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Aleksić Ljiljana

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The solution for many issues related to the selection of construction products, currently present on the market, could be a Central knowledge base, consisting of verified and reliable data of construction products. Beside previous participants: investor, architect and contractor, that were involved in the processes of design and construction, herein is equally introduced manufacturer construction materials and products. The Central knowledge base consists of: a catalog sheets of the graphics base, alphanumeric base and base with textual data, and represents a flexible system that is subject to amendments. It is built to support architects during processes design and construction, as well as for education of students attending subject Final works at the Faculty of Civil Engineering in Subotica.

List of Higher Risk Countries and Territories (IDRC, September 2012 ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

IDRC CRDI

List of Higher Risk Countries and Territories (IDRC, September 2012). Afghanistan. Belarus. Burundi. Central African Republic. Congo, Democratic Republic of. Chad. Cuba. Eastern Europe, countries of. Eritrea. Former Soviet Union, countries of. Iran. Iraq. Korea, Democratic People's Republic of. Liberia. Libya. Mali.

Movement ecology of five Afrotropical waterfowl species from Malawi, Mali and Nigeria

Science.gov (United States)

Takekawa, John Y.; Heath, Shane R.; Iverson, S.R.L.; Gaidet, Nicolas; Cappelle, Julien; Dodman, Tim; Hagemeijer, Ward; Eldridge, William D.; Petrie, Scott A.; Yarris, Gregory S.; Manu, Shiiwua; Olsen, Glenn H.; Prosser, Diann J.; Spragens, Kyle A.; Douglas, David C.; Newman, Scott H.

2015-01-01

Habitat availability for Afrotropical waterbirds is highly dynamic with unpredictable rainfall patterns and ephemeral wetlands resulting in diverse movement strategies among different species. Movement strategies among waterfowl encompass resident, regional and intercontinental migrants, but little quantitative information exists on their specific movement patterns. We studied the movement ecology of five Afrotropical waterfowl species marked with satellite transmitters in Malawi, Mali and Nigeria. Resident species, including White-faced Whistling Ducks Dendrocygna viduata, Fulvous Whistling Ducks Dendrocygna bicolor and Spur-winged Geese Plectropterus gambensis, remained sedentary during the rainy season and only flew limited distances during other months. In contrast, Knob-billed Ducks Sarkidiornis melanotos made short regional movements >50 km in all months and showed little site fidelity to previously used habitats in subsequent years. Garganey Anas quequedula followed an intercontinental strategy and made long-distance jumps across the Sahara and Mediterranean to their Eurasian breeding grounds. Most species flew farthest during the dry season, as mean daily movements varied from 1.5 to 14.2 km and was greatest in the winter months (January-March). Total distance moved varied from 9.5 km for White-faced Whistling Ducks (October-December) to 45.6 km for Knob-billed Ducks (April-June). Nomadic behaviour by Knob-billed Ducks was evidenced by long exploratory flights, but small mean daily movements suggested that they were relying on previous experience. Improving our understanding of these movement strategies increases our ability to assess connectivity of wetland resources that support waterfowl throughout their annual cycle and focuses conservation efforts on their most important habitats.

BridgeRank: A novel fast centrality measure based on local structure of the network

Science.gov (United States)

Salavati, Chiman; Abdollahpouri, Alireza; Manbari, Zhaleh

2018-04-01

Ranking nodes in complex networks have become an important task in many application domains. In a complex network, influential nodes are those that have the most spreading ability. Thus, identifying influential nodes based on their spreading ability is a fundamental task in different applications such as viral marketing. One of the most important centrality measures to ranking nodes is closeness centrality which is efficient but suffers from high computational complexity O(n3) . This paper tries to improve closeness centrality by utilizing the local structure of nodes and presents a new ranking algorithm, called BridgeRank centrality. The proposed method computes local centrality value for each node. For this purpose, at first, communities are detected and the relationship between communities is completely ignored. Then, by applying a centrality in each community, only one best critical node from each community is extracted. Finally, the nodes are ranked based on computing the sum of the shortest path length of nodes to obtained critical nodes. We have also modified the proposed method by weighting the original BridgeRank and selecting several nodes from each community based on the density of that community. Our method can find the best nodes with high spread ability and low time complexity, which make it applicable to large-scale networks. To evaluate the performance of the proposed method, we use the SIR diffusion model. Finally, experiments on real and artificial networks show that our method is able to identify influential nodes so efficiently, and achieves better performance compared to other recent methods.

Seasonal climate effects anemotaxis in newly emerged adult Anopheles gambiae Giles in Mali, West Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Manoukis, Nicholas C; Baber, Ibrahima; Diallo, Moussa; Sogoba, Nafomon; Ribeiro, José M C

2011-01-01

The direction and magnitude of movement by the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae Giles has been of great interest to medical entomologists for over 70 years. This direction of movement is likely to be affected by many factors, from environmental conditions and stage of life history of the mosquito to the existence of attractants in the vicinity. We report here the direction of movement of newly emerged An. gambiae in nature, around the village of Donéguébougou, Mali. We assessed the direction of movement for individual mosquitoes by placing them in a novel enclosure with exit traps oriented in the direction of the cardinal and intermediate points of the compass. We consistently found predominantly Southward directions of movement during 2009 and 2010, with an additional Eastward component during the dry season and a Westward one during the wet season. Our data indicate that wind has an important effect on the direction of movement, but that this effect varied by season: Average directions of movement were downwind during the dry season and upwind during the wet season. A switch in anemotactic response suggests that the direction of movement of An. gambiae relative to the wind immediately after emergence under varying conditions of humidity should be further investigated under controlled conditions.

Seasonal climate effects anemotaxis in newly emerged adult Anopheles gambiae Giles in Mali, West Africa.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicholas C Manoukis

Full Text Available The direction and magnitude of movement by the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae Giles has been of great interest to medical entomologists for over 70 years. This direction of movement is likely to be affected by many factors, from environmental conditions and stage of life history of the mosquito to the existence of attractants in the vicinity. We report here the direction of movement of newly emerged An. gambiae in nature, around the village of Donéguébougou, Mali. We assessed the direction of movement for individual mosquitoes by placing them in a novel enclosure with exit traps oriented in the direction of the cardinal and intermediate points of the compass. We consistently found predominantly Southward directions of movement during 2009 and 2010, with an additional Eastward component during the dry season and a Westward one during the wet season. Our data indicate that wind has an important effect on the direction of movement, but that this effect varied by season: Average directions of movement were downwind during the dry season and upwind during the wet season. A switch in anemotactic response suggests that the direction of movement of An. gambiae relative to the wind immediately after emergence under varying conditions of humidity should be further investigated under controlled conditions.

Foraging Is Determinant to Improve Smallholders’ Food Security in Rural Areas in Mali, West Africa

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Sognigbe N’Danikou

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Studies on the enabling factors for household food security (HFS most often used simplified econometric models looking into the links with a selected set of variables. In this research, a livelihood approach of HFS was used and aimed at determining the most significant livelihood assets for HFS in dryland agricultural systems. Elements of the five livelihood assets were assessed through questionnaire surveys with a random sample of 180 households, and six focus group discussions in three communities along the rural-urban continuum, in Southern Mali. The coping strategy index approach was used to evaluate household food security status. Non-parametric and parametric statistical tests were combined, as appropriate, to identify the most significant determinants of HFS status. Findings indicated that most determinant factors of HFS were the diversity of wild and cultivated food plants, and hunting (natural capital; access to clean water and irrigation (infrastructural capital; and off-farm employment (financial capital. HFS also improved along the urban-rural continuum and rural households with high natural capital seemed to be more food secure. Findings call for important investment to expand the natural capital (e.g., domestication of new crops and agricultural diversification and infrastructural capital (irrigation facilities, clean water of the rural households.

List of Higher Risk Countries and Territories (IDRC, April 2012 ...

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List of Higher Risk Countries and Territories (IDRC, April 2012). Afghanistan. Belarus. Burundi. Central African Republic. Congo, Democratic Republic of. Chad. Cuba. Eastern Europe, countries of. Eritrea. Former Soviet Union, countries of. Iran. Iraq. Korea, Democratic People's Republic of. Liberia. Libya. Mali. Myanmar ...

[Patient's role and chronic disease in Mali: between policies and expert and lay practices].

Science.gov (United States)

Gobatto, Isabelle; Tijou Traoré, Annick; Martini, Jessica

2016-01-01

The growing burden of non-communicable diseases challenges health systems of low-and middle-income countries and requires health care reform by the introduction of models focused on patient participation. This article puts into perspective the management of two chronic diseases, diabetes and HIV/AIDS, in Mali. It explores the way in which the patient’s role is conceived and implemented at three levels: policy-makers, healthcare professionals and patients, in order to more clearly understand the dynamics and rationales underlying promotion of the patient’s role in the context of a low-income country. Results were derived from qualitative interviews conducted between 2010 and 2012 with key stakeholders involved in policy, healthcare professionals and patients, and from observations of healthcare relationships in two specialized healthcare structures in Bamako. The chronic nature of the disease is not sufficient to define the patient’s role in healthcare. Other factors also influence the emergence and practice of an active patient care model: the political, clinical and social history of the disease; the institutional work contexts of healthcare professionals; patients’ representations and practices. Patients are well aware of the role they need to play in the management of a chronic disease and they develop resources to remain active. These various dynamics should be better taken into account to make effective changes in the health care system and to strengthen patients’ autonomy.

Vulnerability and the Role of Education in Environmentally Induced Migration in Mali and Senegal

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Victoria van der Land

2013-12-01

Full Text Available In the West African Sahel, the majority of the population depends on subsistence farming and livestock breeding and is thus particularly vulnerable to climatic changes. One possible response to natural hazards is migration. Recent research suggests that environmentally induced mobility is closely linked to the social vulnerability and adaptive capacity of individuals and groups. However, only little attention has been paid thus far to the role of formal education in this context. Our objective was to fill this gap by examining the role of formal education in environmentally induced migration as one characteristic of social vulnerability to environmental change. Our analysis focuses on two regions in the West African Sahel, Bandiagara in Mali and Linguère in Senegal, that are presumed to be particularly affected by climate change and environmental degradation. Our results reveal that formal education plays an important role in reducing vulnerability to environmental stress because people with a higher level of education are usually less dependent on environmentally sensitive economic activities such as farming. Moreover, an agricultural economic activity can be an obstacle to a high level of formal education. We found no significant effect of people's education on the migration experience as such. However, motives for migration differ considerably depending on the amount of education received, suggesting that migration constitutes a livelihood strategy, particularly for the lower educated.

Investigation of the seasonal microbiome of Anopheles coluzzii mosquitoes in Mali.

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Benjamin J Krajacich

Full Text Available The poorly understood mechanisms of dry season persistence of Anopheles spp. mosquitoes through the dry season in Africa remain a critical gap in our knowledge of Plasmodium disease transmission. While it is thought that adult mosquitoes remain in a dormant state throughout this seven-month dry season, the nature of this state remains unknown and has largely not been recapitulated in laboratory settings. To elucidate possible connections of this state with microbial composition, the whole body microbiomes of adult mosquitoes in the dry and wet seasons in two locations of Mali with varying water availability were compared by sequencing the 16S ribosomal RNA gene. These locations were a village near the Niger River with year-round water sources (N'Gabakoro, "riparian", and a typical Sahelian area with highly seasonal breeding sites (Thierola Area, "Sahelian". The 16S bacterial data consisted of 2057 sequence variants in 426 genera across 184 families. From these data, we found several compositional differences that were seasonally and spatially linked. Counter to our initial hypothesis, there were more pronounced seasonal differences in the bacterial microbiome of riparian, rather than Sahelian areas. These seasonal shifts were primarily in Ralstonia, Sphingorhabdus, and Duganella spp. bacteria that are usually soil and water-associated, indicating these changes may be from bacteria acquired in the larval environment, rather than adulthood. In Sahelian dry season mosquitoes, there was a unique intracellular bacteria, Anaplasma, which likely was acquired through non-human blood feeding. Cytochrome B analysis of blood meals showed greater heterogeneity in host choice of An. coluzzii independent of season in the Thierola area compared to N'Gabakoro (77.5% vs. 94.6% human-origin blood meal, respectively, indicating a relaxation of anthropophily. Overall, this exploratory study provides valuable indications of spatial and seasonal differences in

Lactase persistence genotypes and malaria susceptibility in Fulani of Mali

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Dolo Amagana

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Fulani are a widely spread African ethnic group characterized by lower susceptibility to Plasmodium falciparum, clinical malaria morbidity and higher rate of lactase persistence compared to sympatric tribes. Lactase non-persistence, often called lactose intolerance, is the normal condition where lactase activity in the intestinal wall declines after weaning. Lactase persistence, common in Europe, and in certain African people with traditions of raising cattle, is caused by polymorphisms in the enhancer region approximately 14 kb upstream of the lactase gene. Methods To evaluate the relationship between malaria and lactase persistence genotypes, a 400 bp region surrounding the main European C/T-13910 polymorphism upstream of the lactase gene was sequenced. DNA samples used in the study originated from 162 Fulani and 79 Dogon individuals from Mali. Results Among 79 Dogon only one heterozygote of the lactase enhancer polymorphism was detected, whereas all others were homozygous for the ancestral C allele. Among the Fulani, the main European polymorphism at locus C/T-13910 was by far the most common polymorphism, with an allele frequency of 37%. Three other single-nucleotide polymorphisms were found with allele frequencies of 3.7%, 1.9% and 0.6% each. The novel DNA polymorphism T/C-13906 was seen in six heterozygous Fulani. Among the Fulani with lactase non-persistence CC genotypes at the C/T-13910 locus, 24% had malaria parasites detectable by microscopy compared to 18% for lactase persistent genotypes (P = 0.29. Pooling the lactase enhancer polymorphisms to a common presumptive genotype gave 28% microscopy positives for non-persistent and 17% for others (P = 0.11. Conclusions Plasmodium falciparum parasitaemia in asymptomatic Fulani is more common in individuals with lactase non-persistence genotypes, but this difference is not statistically significant. The potential immunoprotective properties of dietary cow milk as a reason

Caribbean and Central American Women's Feminist Inquiry through Theater-Based Action Research

Science.gov (United States)

Sánchez Ares, Rocío

2015-01-01

Feminist action research interrogates gendered dynamics in the development of a collective consciousness. A group of immigrant Latina women (Latinas) from the Caribbean and Central America employed community-based theater as an instrument to mobilize diverse audiences against discriminatory practices and policies. Based on their theater work, I…

Fermentative Aroma Compounds and Sensory Descriptors of Traditional Croatian Dessert Wine Prošek from Plavac mali cv.

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Goran Zdunić

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Prošek is a traditional dessert wine from the coastal region of Croatia made from partially dried grapes. There is very little literature data about the chemical composition and sensory properties of Prošek, so an experimental production from the dried grapes of Plavac mali cultivar has been done using native and induced alcoholic fermentations. To determine the volatile compounds, gas chromatography with flame ionisation detector (GC/FID was used on the samples prepared with solid phase microextraction (SPME. Higher alcohols, esters, carbonyl compounds and volatile acids were determined in the wine samples. Wines were grouped according to the production method using principal component analysis (PCA. It was found that Prošek wines produced with native and induced alcoholic fermentation differ in their volatile compounds. Descriptive sensory analysis was applied to show the sensory properties of Prošek wine, whose characteristic aromas include those of dried fruit (raisins, red berries, honey, chocolate and vanilla. A significant difference depending on the type of fermentation was determined in two sensory attributes, strawberry jam aroma and fullness.

[Mechanism and implication of regulation of the pricing of essential medicines in the private pharmaceutical sector in Mali].

Science.gov (United States)

Maïga, D; Maïga, S; Maïga, M D

2010-04-01

The healthcare and pharmaceutical professions in Mali were privatized in 1985. Privatization led to swift expansion of the private sector and upset the balance that had existed between the public and private sectors. A national pharmaceutical policy did not emerge until a decade later. Its purpose was to promote a system ensuring fair access to essential generic medicines for all. It was hoped that synergy between the two sectors would promote that objective. However, the policy calling for distribution of essential generic medicine through the private sector was not accompanied by an adequate system for pricing. This problem led the government to adopt a price regulation policy to realign market dynamics with public health goals. This experience shows that a sustained effort from public policy makers is necessary to prevail against the professional and business interests that can conflict with the public interest. Analysis of this experience also demonstrates the need to improve, restructure, and control the pharmaceutical industry. The government must continue to play its crucial role in the context of limited resources and inequality between consumers and pharmaceutical companies.

The Effect of Vegetation Productivity on Millet Prices in the Informal Markets of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brown, M.E. [Department of Geography, University of Maryland, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 923, Greenbelt, MD 20771 (United States); Pinzon, J.E. [Science Systems and Applications Inc., NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 923, Greenbelt, MD (United States); Prince, S.D. [Department of Geography, University of Maryland, College Park, MD (United States)

2006-09-15

Systematic evaluation of food security throughout the Sahel has been attempted for nearly two decades. Food security analyses have used both food prices to determine the ability of the population to access food, and satellite-derived vegetation indices that measure vegetation production to establish how much food is available each year. The relationship between these two food security indicators is explored here using correspondence analysis and through the use of Markov chain models. Two sources of quantitative data were used: 8 km normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) data from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometers (AVHRR) carried on the NOAA series of satellites, and monthly millet prices from 445 markets in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso. The results show that the growing season vegetation production is related to the price of millet at the annual and the seasonal time scales. If the growing season was characterized by erratic, sparse rainfall, it resulted in higher prices, and well-distributed, abundant rainfall resulted in lower prices. The correspondence between vegetation production and millet prices is used to produce maps of millet prices for West Africa.

Caution solidaire, une contrainte au developpement de la culture du cotonnier dans la region de Sikasso au Mali

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AROUNA DEMBELE

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Solidarity caution , a constraint for development of cotton cultivation in the region of Sikasso in Mali . Accompaniment finance institutions of cotton production have claimed cotton producers cooperatives societies (CPCS to be the credit guarantee. From this collective guarantee, will appear the weaken operators in the (CPCS. So, the inability of these producers to reimburse their credit before the income distribution day push the (CPCS to adopt a multitude distribution approa ches of cotton profit. The consequences of these approaches on the production are very patient now. The aim of this matter is to analyse distribution approaches of (CPCS cotton profit by demonstrating their consequences on the cotton plant culture. Fo ur i nvestigations in the field have been undertaken. They have proved the cotton activity abandon by an important portion of producers (creditors and debtors. In one’s knows, the reduction of cotton culture surfaces is made by producers (creditors and debtors to simply maintain themselves in the cotton operators register. The revising of credit distribution instruction to producers has been planned as a solution for the cotton culture spinning.

Innovating for maternal and child health in Africa

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Corey Piccioni

country's Central Statistical Agency, will tackle the link between poor birth and death ... Laval, Canada, and Mali's Ministry of Public Health will adapt and test interven- ... strategies for implementing home visits within the country's health services. ... This could include everything from prenatal vitamin regimens and travel.

Search Results | Page 93 | IDRC - International Development ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Results 921 - 930 of 9578 ... Agriculture and Environment ... Afghanistan, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Mali, Micronesia, North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of), Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, .... Kenya has an estimated 18.2 million cattle, 16.3 million sheep, and 24.6 million goats.

What we do | Page 126 | IDRC - International Development ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Transnational Research on Decentralization in West and Central Africa. Although decentralization keeps coming up in the political discourse, it is fair to question its viability and effectiveness in the hands of local actors. North Of Sahara, South Of Sahara, Cameroon, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Burkina Faso. PROJECT ...

Orta Asya ve Kafkasya’da Nükleer Enerji Açısından Türkiye’nin Mali Beklenti ve Riskleri: Praksiyolojik Bir İnceleme

OpenAIRE

Bahçe, Abdullah; Gümüş, Öner

2016-01-01

 ÖzNükleer enerji birçok ülkenin birbirine karşı üstünlük sağlamada kullanabildikleri bir araçtır. Bunun temel sebebi de nükleer enerjinin ekonomik ve mali getiri sağlayarak ülkelerin kalkınmalarını etkileyebilecek bir potansiyele sahip olmasıdır. Bu yönüyle nükleer enerji, verginin doğmasına neden olacak bir etkiye de sahiptir. Türkiye’de ise nükleer enerji üretilememektedir. Bununla birlikte diğer enerji çeşitlerinin üretimi söz konusudur ve bu enerji çeşitlerinden üretilen mal ve hizmetler...

The Yatela gold deposit in Mali, West Africa: The final product of a long-lived history of hydrothermal alteration and weathering

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Masurel, Quentin; Miller, John; Hein, Kim A. A.; Hanssen, Eric; Thébaud, Nicolas; Ulrich, Stanislav; Kaisin, Jean; Tessougue, Samuel

2016-01-01

The Yatela gold deposit is located in the Kédougou-Kénieba inlier (KKI), a window of ca. 2200-2050 Ma rocks that are exposed in eastern Senegal and western Mali. The geology of the KKI differs from other Paleoproterozoic granite-greenstone belts and sedimentary basins by the abundance of carbonate rocks. The Yatela deposit occurs within 8 km of the regional-scale Senegal-Mali Shear Zone. Country rocks in the Yatela region have been subjected to polycyclic deformation and regional greenschist-facies metamorphism. A syn-kinematic diorite stock has intruded the metasedimentary sequences in the open pit and is associated with a hornblende-hornfels contact aureole. Field relationships and micro-textural data indicate that the primary gold mineralisation is shear-hosted. The similar relative timing and structural setting between the Yatela primary gold mineralisation and other world-class deposits in the region (e.g., Loulo, Lawrence et al., 2013a; Massawa, Treloar et al., 2014; Sadiola Hill, Masurel et al., in press) suggest that regional orogenic gold mineralisation occurred during a period of transcurrent tectonics, after the cessation of regional compressional deformation. The primary gold mineralisation at Yatela, however, is low-grade and sub-economic. It is hosted by marbles and, to a lesser extent, diorite. The primary ore is pyrite-rich, with abundant chalcopyrite, minor arsenopyrite and accessory Zn-Pb-Sb-Fe-Ag-Co-Ni-bearing mineral species. Post-Birimian surficial dissolution of hydrothermally altered and mineralised host marbles resulted in the creation of troughs, which were draped and infilled with a ferruginous dissolution residue enriched in gold. This auriferous residuum formed the economic resource mined at Yatela until decommissioning in 2013. The Yatela gold deposit is unique with respect to mineralisation types encountered in West Africa because an auriferous residuum of economic interest (>1 Moz) derives from an underlying sub-economic Birimian

Civil Affairs Language for Informing Cultural Operations (CALICO)

Science.gov (United States)

2011-10-01

lesser  percentage  of pages.  In order to select  this small sample in a representative manner, the corpus was stratified by relief organization activity...burkina faso  mali  guinea  guinea bissau  benin  liberia  cote d’ivoire  ivory coast  mali  nigeria   niger  cameroon  chad  central african republic  sudan...water supply  rainfall  soil  infertility   desertification  climatic variability  organic matter  Settlements    rural  Security Situation    conflict

Istanbul Chamber of Certified Public Accountants (ISMMMO The Key Element of Accounting Profession İstanbul Serbest Muhasebeci Mali Müşavirler Odası (İSMMMO Muhasebe Mesleğinin Yapı Taşı

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İlkim Mengülerek

2010-03-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this article is to indicate the identity struggle of a profession, the endeavors in the journey from Association to Chamber, the steps taken within this context, the achievements in a short period of time, the organizational development of Istanbul Chamber of Certified Public Accountants (ISMMMO between 1990 and 2009, the social function of the Chamber and its contributions to the profession in terms of information and science. The Information Access Center (IAC, established in 2006, serves not only in Istanbul but all over Turkey. IAC collects all books and periodicals in the field of accountancy published in Turkey and tracks certain foreign publications. It also continues to improve its services with the accountancy bibliography (books, articles, daily newsletter, index of "Mali Çözüm (Finance Solutions" magazine, and through activies and studies in the Library Week. Bu yazı’nın amacı bir mesleğin kimlik mücadelesini, dernekten odalaşma yolunda harcanan emekleri, izlemiş olduğu yolu ve kısa zamanda nerelere geldiğini ve İstanbul Serbest Muhasebeci Mali Müşavirler Odası (İSMMMO’nın 1990 – 2009 yılları arasındaki kurumsal gelişimi, toplumsal işlevi ve meslek alanına özellikle bilgi ve bilimsellik açısından katkılarını belirlemek olacaktır. 2006’da kurulma kararı alınan Bilgiye Erişim Merkezi (BEM yalnız İstanbul’a değil bütün Türkiye’ye hizmet verir duruma gelmiştir. BEM Türkiye’de yayımlanan muhasebecilik alanındaki bütün kitap ve süreli yayınları toplayıp, düzenleyerek hizmete hazır duruma getirirken belli başlı yabancı yayınları da izlemektedir. Muhasebecilik bibliyografyası (kitap, makale, günlük duyuru bülteni, Mali Çözüm dergisinin dizini, Kütüphane haftalarında yaptığı etkinlikler ve çalışmalarla hizmetlerini geliştirmektedir.

Female Engagement Teams: Making the Case for Institutionalization Based on U.S. Security Objectives in Africa

Science.gov (United States)

2013-05-23

qualitatively and quantitatively comparable to the other five billion inhabitants on the planet . He argued most of 26Ibid. 27Hillary R...www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/17/mali-gold-idUSL5E8GHH1X20120517 (accessed April 4, 2013); Human Rights Watch, A Poisonous Mix: Child Labor, Mercury ...Poisonous Mix: Child Labor, Mercury , and Artisanal Gold Mining in Mali. Washington, DC: Human Rights Watch, 2011. http://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files

Prevalence of HIV at the Kokoyo informal gold mining site: what lies behind the glitter of gold with regard to HIV epidemics in Mali? A community-based approach (the ANRS-12339 Sanu Gundo cross-sectional survey).

Science.gov (United States)

Sagaon-Teyssier, Luis; Balique, Hubert; Diallo, Fodié; Kalampalikis, Nikos; Mora, Marion; Bourrelly, Michel; Suzan-Monti, Marie; Spire, Bruno; Dembélé Keita, Bintou

2017-08-03

The aim of this article was to estimate HIV prevalence and the factors associated with HIV seropositivity in the population living and working at the informal artisanal small-scale gold mining (IASGM) site of Kokoyo in Mali, using data from the Sanu Gundo survey. Our main hypothesis was that HIV prevalence is higher in the context of IASGM than in the country as a whole. The ANRS-12339 Sanu Gundo was a cross-sectional survey conducted in December 2015. The quantitative survey consisted of face-to-face administration of questionnaires. Five focus groups were conducted for the qualitative survey. HIV prevalence was calculated for the sample, and according to the type of activity performed in IASGM. The IASGM site of Kokoyo, one of the largest sites in Mali (between 6000 and 1000 people). 224 respondents: 37.5% were gold-diggers, 33% retail traders, 6.7% tombolomas (ie, traditional guards) and 9% female sex workers. The remaining 13.8% reported another activity (mainly street vending). HIV prevalence and HIV prevalence according to subgroup, as defined by their activity at the Kokoyo IASGM. A probit logistic regression was implemented to estimate the characteristics associated with HIV seropositivity. HIV prevalence for the total sample was 8% (95% CI 7.7% to 8.3%), which is much higher than the 2015 national prevalence of 1.3%Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). The probability of HIV seropositivity was 7.8% (p=0.037) higher for female non-sex workers than for any other category, and this probability increased significantly with age. Qualitative data revealed the non-systematic use of condoms with sex workers; and long distance from health services was the main barrier to accessing care. Integrated policymaking should pay special attention to infectious diseases among populations in IASGM zones. Bringing information/prevention activities closer to people working in gold mining zones is an urgent public health action. © Article author(s) (or their

A National Regulatory Authority set up in a developing country: case of Mali

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kone, Nagantie

2008-01-01

Full text: The Republic of Mali is member of the International Atomic Energy Agency since 1961. Of since the creation of the IAEA, some African countries are members. The technical cooperation with the Agency started in the years 1975. Through that cooperation, many pacific uses of nuclear techniques have been introduced, then developed at different levels in many socio- economic domains as medicine, agriculture, research, and so on. That development of nuclear techniques use has occurred without legislation at all or in some limited cases with part of the legislation of the colonizing country), in a precise field (like radiography in medicine). Later the need of regulatory infrastructure implementation started. That implementation has followed several ways in the different African countries. Also, it started earlier in countries which had advanced activities in nuclear techniques and very later in others. Most if not all of these infrastructure (say regulatory board) were created by the greatest users of the nuclear techniques, the Ministry of Health in most cases or Energy Commission for Countries having a research reactor. After the years 90, the Agency has developed new vision in the implementation of Regulatory Authorities. The new innovation was: 1-) Development of Regulatory Authority with independent statute (decisions and finance); 2-) Assuming post graduate training in developing countries to come other the lack of human resources. That new strategy of the IAEA has facilitated the apparition and development of several new regulatory authorities. We are going to develop here the progress done by one of these new regulatory authorities, through five years being. (author)

Original Research Original Research

African Journals Online (AJOL)

RAGHAVENDRA

milk, the standard for adequate nutrition value (Upadhyay et al., 2009). QPM varieties have yielded positive results in China, Mexico, and Central America for yield and reduction of wet malnutrition. In Africa, 17(South Africa,. Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, Ghana,. Guinea, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, ...

Retailing of Processed Dairy and Grain Products in Mali: Evidence from a City Retail Outlet Inventory

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Veronique Theriault

2018-03-01

Full Text Available As in many sub-Saharan African countries, Mali is experiencing an unprecedented rate of urbanization and, with it, changes to its agri-food system. As more people live in urban areas, the demand for processed foods has been increasing rapidly. These changes have important implications for food and nutrition security. Yet, little is known about the scale and scope of the retailing of processed foods. To better understand this segment, we conducted a city retail outlet inventory of processed dairy and cereal foods in 2016. The main findings are that: (1 food availability is greater in the capital, high-income neighborhoods, and supermarkets; (2 there is a high prevalence of imported foods; (3 added sugar and vegetable fats are listed as a top-three ingredient in a quarter of processed products, highlighting issues related to healthfulness; (4 price premiums are paid for products that are imported from Europe, use improved packaging, and are retailed in supermarkets. Taken together, our findings indicate that the transformation in the Malian agri-food system is still at an early stage. The growing demand for processed foods presents economic opportunities for Malian farmers and processors, especially if they can improve product quality, packaging, and distribution.

Surveillance of Food- and Smear-Transmitted Pathogens in European Soldiers with Diarrhea on Deployment in the Tropics: Experience from the European Union Training Mission (EUTM Mali

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Hagen Frickmann

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Since 2013, European soldiers have been deployed on the European Union Training Mission (EUTM in Mali. From the beginning, diarrhea has been among the most “urgent” concerns. Diarrhea surveillance based on deployable real-time PCR equipment was conducted between December 2013 and August 2014. Material and Methods. In total, 53 stool samples were obtained from 51 soldiers with acute diarrhea. Multiplex PCR panels comprised enteroinvasive bacteria, diarrhea-associated Escherichia coli (EPEC, ETEC, EAEC, and EIEC, enteropathogenic viruses, and protozoa. Noroviruses were characterized by sequencing. Cultural screening for Enterobacteriaceae with extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL with subsequent repetitive sequence-based PCR (rep-PCR typing was performed. Clinical information was assessed. Results. Positive PCR results for diarrhea-associated pathogens were detected in 43/53 samples, comprising EPEC (n=21, ETEC (n=19, EAEC (n=15, Norovirus (n=10, Shigella spp./EIEC (n=6, Cryptosporidium parvum (n=3, Giardia duodenalis (n=2, Salmonella spp. (n=1, Astrovirus (n=1, Rotavirus (n=1, and Sapovirus (n=1. ESBL-positive Enterobacteriaceae were grown from 13 out of 48 samples. Simultaneous infections with several enteropathogenic agents were observed in 23 instances. Symptoms were mild to moderate. There were hints of autochthonous transmission. Conclusions. Multiplex real-time PCR proved to be suitable for diarrhea surveillance on deployment. Etiological attribution is challenging in cases of detection of multiple pathogens.

Evaluation of a Nutritional Support Intervention in Malnourished HIV-Infected Children in Bamako, Mali.

Science.gov (United States)

Jesson, Julie; Coulibaly, Aba; Sylla, Mariam; NʼDiaye, Clémentine; Dicko, Fatoumata; Masson, David; Leroy, Valériane

2017-10-01

We assessed a nutritional support intervention in malnourished HIV-infected children in a HIV-care program of the University Hospital Gabriel Touré, Bamako, Mali. All HIV-infected children younger than 15 years were diagnosed for malnutrition between 07 and 12, 2014. Malnutrition was defined according to the WHO growth standards with Z-scores. Two types were studied: acute malnutrition (AM) and chronic malnutrition (CM). All participants were enrolled in a 6-month prospective interventional cohort, receiving Ready-To-Use Therapeutic Food, according to type of malnutrition. The nutritional intervention was offered until child growth reached -1.5 SD threshold. Six-month probability to catch up growth (>-2 SD) was assessed for AM using Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox model. Among the 348 children screened, 198 (57%) were malnourished of whom 158 (80%) children were included: 97 (61%) for AM (35 with associated CM) and 61 (39%) with CM. Fifty-nine percent were boys, 97% were on antiretroviral therapy, median age was 9.5 years (Interquartile Range: 6.7-12.3). Among children with AM, 74% catch-up their growth at 6-month; probability to catch-up growth was greater for those without associated CM (adjusted Hazard Ratio = 1.97, CI 95%: 1.13 to 3.44). Anemia decreased significantly from 40% to 12% at the end of intervention (P nutritional screening and care in the pediatric HIV-care package is needed to optimize growth and prevent metabolic disorders.

[Coverage rate and satisfaction of populations after mass treatment with praziquantel and albendazole in Mali].

Science.gov (United States)

Sangho, H; Dabo, A; Sidibé, A; Dembélé, R; Diawara, A; Diallo, A; Konaté, S

2009-01-01

In Mali, schistosomiasis always remains a major public health problem. In 2005, mass treatment campaigns with praziquantel and albendazole have been organized in all endemic regions. The present study aimed to assess the impact of these mass treatment campaigns and the recipient's satisfaction in two endemic areas (Mopti and Ségou). It was a cross-sectional study with one passage from February to March 2006. The study carried out on political authorities (n=142), teachers and school administers (n=70), health workers (n=46), community distributors (n=33), community members (n=2170) and pupils (n=2480). We used Lot Quality Assurance Sample (LQAS) to determine treatment coverage and recipient's satisfaction. Two types of lots were considered, villages and schools. Questionnaires were used for investigation. In Ségou, the treatment rates varied from 100% at school level and in community in Bla district to 97.2% in the community of Ségou town. In Mopti, a treatment rate of 100% was observed in Bankass and Douentza both at school and in the community. The proportion of happiest individuals (to feel well) after the mass treatment campaign was 72.3% among pupils and 76.6% in the community. The results of this study suggest that the high treatment coverage rates observed during these campaigns should be sustained by a yearly chemotherapy strategy preceded by a community's health education programmes.

Modelling the elimination of river blindness using long-term epidemiological and programmatic data from Mali and Senegal

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Martin Walker

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The onchocerciasis transmission models EPIONCHO and ONCHOSIM have been independently developed and used to explore the feasibility of eliminating onchocerciasis from Africa with mass (annual or biannual distribution of ivermectin within the timeframes proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO and endorsed by the 2012 London Declaration on Neglected Tropical Diseases (i.e. by 2020/2025. Based on the findings of our previous model comparison, we implemented technical refinements and tested the projections of EPIONCHO and ONCHOSIM against long-term epidemiological data from two West African transmission foci in Mali and Senegal where the observed prevalence of infection was brought to zero circa 2007–2009 after 15–17 years of mass ivermectin treatment. We simulated these interventions using programmatic information on the frequency and coverage of mass treatments and trained the model projections using longitudinal parasitological data from 27 communities, evaluating the projected outcome of elimination (local parasite extinction or resurgence. We found that EPIONCHO and ONCHOSIM captured adequately the epidemiological trends during mass treatment but that resurgence, while never predicted by ONCHOSIM, was predicted by EPIONCHO in some communities with the highest (inferred vector biting rates and associated pre-intervention endemicities. Resurgence can be extremely protracted such that low (microfilarial prevalence between 1% and 5% can be maintained for 3–5 years before manifesting more prominently. We highlight that post-treatment and post-elimination surveillance protocols must be implemented for long enough and with high enough sensitivity to detect possible residual latent infections potentially indicative of resurgence. We also discuss uncertainty and differences between EPIONCHO and ONCHOSIM projections, the potential importance of vector control in high-transmission settings as a complementary intervention strategy, and the

The Audio-Visual Services in Fifteen African Countries. Comparative Study on the Administration of Audio-Visual Services in Advanced and Developing Countries. Part Four. First Edition.

Science.gov (United States)

Jongbloed, Harry J. L.

As the fourth part of a comparative study on the administration of audiovisual services in advanced and developing countries, this UNESCO-funded study reports on the African countries of Cameroun, Republic of Central Africa, Dahomey, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Libya, Mali, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Swaziland, Tunisia, Upper Volta and Zambia. Information…

On the species status of the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne ulmi Palmisano & Ambrogioni, 2000 (Nematoda, Meloidogynidae

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Mohammed Ahmed

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The root-knot nematode Meloidogyne ulmi is synonymised with Meloidogyne mali based on morphological and morphometric similarities, common hosts, as well as biochemical similarities at both protein and DNA levels. M. mali was first described in Japan on Malus prunifolia Borkh.; and M. ulmi in Italy on Ulmus chenmoui W.C. Cheng. Morphological and morphometric studies of their holo- and paratypes revealed important similarities in the major characters as well as some general variability in a few others. Host test also showed that besides the two species being able to parasitize the type hosts of the other, they share some other common hosts. Our study of the esterase and malate dehydrogenase isozyme phenotypes of some M. ulmi populations gave a perfectly comparable result to that already known for M. mali. Finally, phylogenetic studies of their SSU and LSU rDNA sequence data revealed that the two are not distinguishable at DNA level. All these put together, leave strong evidences to support the fact that M. ulmi is not a valid species, but a junior synonym of M. mali. Brief discussion on the biology and life cycle of M. mali is given. An overview of all known hosts and the possible distribution of M. mali in Europe are also presented.

Prioritization of Watersheds across Mali Using Remote Sensing Data and GIS Techniques for Agricultural Development Planning

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Murali Krishna Gumma

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Implementing agricultural water management programs over appropriate spatial extents can have positive effects on water access and erosion management. Lack of access to water for domestic and agricultural uses represents a major constraint on agricultural productivity and perpetuates poverty and hunger in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA. This lack of access is the result of erratic precipitation, poor water management, limited knowledge of hydrological systems, and inadequate investment in water infrastructure. Water management programs should be made by multi-disciplinary teams that consider the interrelationship between hydraulic and anthropogenic factors. This paper proposes a method to prioritize watersheds for water management and agricultural development across Mali (Western Africa using remote sensing data and GIS tools. The method involves deriving a set of relevant thematic layers from satellite imagery. Satellite images from Landsat ETM+ were used to generate thematic layers such as land use/land cover. Slope and drainage density maps were derived from Shuttle RADAR Topography Mission (SRTM Digital Elevation Model (DEM at 90 m spatial resolution. Population grids were available from the Global rural-urban mapping project (GRUMP database for the year 2000 and mean rainfall maps were extracted from Tropical rainfall measuring mission (TRMM grids for each year between 1988 and 2014. Each thematic layer was divided into classes that were assigned a rank for agriculture and livelihoods development provided by experts in the relevant field (e.g., Soil scientist ranking the soil classes and published literature on those themes. Zones of priority were delineated based on the combination of high scoring ranks from each thematic layer. Five categories of priority zones ranging from “very high” to “very low” were determined based on total score percentages. Field verification was then undertaken in selected categories to check the priority

[Sickle cell anemia and transfusion safety in Bamako, Mali. Seroprevalence of HIV, HBV and HCV infections and alloimmunization belonged to Rh and Kell systems in sickle cell anemia patients].

Science.gov (United States)

Diarra, A B; Guindo, A; Kouriba, B; Dorie, A; Diabaté, D T; Diawara, S I; Fané, B; Touré, B A; Traoré, A; Gulbis, B; Diallo, D A

2013-12-01

Red cell transfusion is one of the main treatments in sickle cell disease. However there are potential risks of blood transfusions. In order to propose strategies to improve blood safety in sickle cell disease in Mali, we conducted a prospective study of 133 patients with sickle cell anemia recruited at the sickle cell disease research and control center of Bamako, November 2010 to October 2011. The study aimed to determine the prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections by serum screening and the frequency of red cell alloimmunization before and after blood transfusion. The diagnosis of sickle cell syndrome was made by HPLC, the detection of markers of viral infection was performed by ELISA, and the diagnosis of alloimmunization was conducted by the Indirect Coombs test. Prevalence of viral infections observed at the time of enrolment of patients in the study was 1%, 3% and 1% respectively for HIV, HBV and HCV. Three cases of seroconversion after blood transfusion were detected, including one for HIV, one for HBV and one another for HCV in sickle cell anemia patients. All these patients had received blood from occasional donors. The red cell alloimmunization was observed in 4.4% of patients. All antibodies belonged to Rh system only. Blood transfusion safety in sickle cell anemia patients in Mali should be improved by the introduction of at least the technique for detecting the viral genome in the panel of screening tests and a policy of transfusions of blood units only from regular blood donors. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Sahelian pathways : climate and society in Central and South Mali

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bruijn, de M.E.; Kaag, A M.M.; Til, van A.; Dijk, van J.W.M.

2005-01-01

Climate change is a global problem with local consequences. However, the direction and magnitude of these consequences in extremely vulnerable regions - such as the Sahel - cannot yet be predicted with any certainty. The studies in this volume focus on people for whom climate variability, mainly

Lyapunov-Based Control Scheme for Single-Phase Grid-Connected PV Central Inverters

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meza, C.; Biel, D.; Jeltsema, D.; Scherpen, J. M. A.

A Lyapunov-based control scheme for single-phase single-stage grid-connected photovoltaic central inverters is presented. Besides rendering the closed-loop system globally stable, the designed controller is able to deal with the system uncertainty that depends on the solar irradiance. A laboratory

Road network selection for small-scale maps using an improved centrality-based algorithm

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Roy Weiss

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The road network is one of the key feature classes in topographic maps and databases. In the task of deriving road networks for products at smaller scales, road network selection forms a prerequisite for all other generalization operators, and is thus a fundamental operation in the overall process of topographic map and database production. The objective of this work was to develop an algorithm for automated road network selection from a large-scale (1:10,000 to a small-scale database (1:200,000. The project was pursued in collaboration with swisstopo, the national mapping agency of Switzerland, with generic mapping requirements in mind. Preliminary experiments suggested that a selection algorithm based on betweenness centrality performed best for this purpose, yet also exposed problems. The main contribution of this paper thus consists of four extensions that address deficiencies of the basic centrality-based algorithm and lead to a significant improvement of the results. The first two extensions improve the formation of strokes concatenating the road segments, which is crucial since strokes provide the foundation upon which the network centrality measure is computed. Thus, the first extension ensures that roundabouts are detected and collapsed, thus avoiding interruptions of strokes by roundabouts, while the second introduces additional semantics in the process of stroke formation, allowing longer and more plausible strokes to built. The third extension detects areas of high road density (i.e., urban areas using density-based clustering and then locally increases the threshold of the centrality measure used to select road segments, such that more thinning takes place in those areas. Finally, since the basic algorithm tends to create dead-ends—which however are not tolerated in small-scale maps—the fourth extension reconnects these dead-ends to the main network, searching for the best path in the main heading of the dead-end.

Remote sensing-based characterization of rainfall during atmospheric rivers over the central United States

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Nayak, Munir A.; Villarini, Gabriele

2018-01-01

Atmospheric rivers (ARs) play a central role in the hydrology and hydroclimatology of the central United States. More than 25% of the annual rainfall is associated with ARs over much of this region, with many large flood events tied to their occurrence. Despite the relevance of these storms for flood hydrology and water budget, the characteristics of rainfall associated with ARs over the central United has not been investigated thus far. This study fills this major scientific gap by describing the rainfall during ARs over the central United States using five remote sensing-based precipitation products over a 12-year study period. The products we consider are: Stage IV, Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission - Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA, both real-time and research version); Precipitation Estimation from Remotely Sensed Information using Artificial Neural Networks (PERSIANN); the CPC MORPHing Technique (CMORPH). As part of the study, we evaluate these products against a rain gauge-based dataset using both graphical- and metrics-based diagnostics. Based on our analyses, Stage IV is found to better reproduce the reference data. Hence, we use it for the characterization of rainfall in ARs. Most of the AR-rainfall is located in a narrow region within ∼150 km on both sides of the AR major axis. In this region, rainfall has a pronounced positive relationship with the magnitude of the water vapor transport. Moreover, we have also identified a consistent increase in rainfall intensity with duration (or persistence) of AR conditions. However, there is not a strong indication of diurnal variability in AR rainfall. These results can be directly used in developing flood protection strategies during ARs. Further, weather prediction agencies can benefit from the results of this study to achieve higher skill of resolving precipitation processes in their models.

Concentrations of Semivolatile Organic Compounds Associated with African Dust Air Masses in Mali, Cape Verde, Trinidad and Tobago, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, 2001-2008

Science.gov (United States)

Garrison, Virginia H.; Foreman, William T.; Genualdi, Susan A.; Majewski, Michael S.; Mohammed, Azad; Simonich, Staci Massey

2011-01-01

Every year, billions of tons of fine particles are eroded from the surface of the Sahara Desert and the Sahel of West Africa, lifted into the atmosphere by convective storms, and transported thousands of kilometers downwind. Most of the dust is carried west to the Americas and the Caribbean in the Saharan Air Layer (SAL). Dust air masses predominately impact northern South America during the Northern Hemisphere winter and the Caribbean and Southeastern United States in summer. Dust concentrations vary considerably temporally and spatially. In a dust source region (Mali), concentrations range from background levels of 575 micrograms per cubic meter (mu/u g per m3) to 13,000 mu/u g per m3 when visibility degrades to a few meters (Gillies and others, 1996). In the Caribbean, concentrations of 200 to 600 mu/u g per m3 in the mid-Atlantic and Barbados (Prospero and others, 1981; Talbot and others, 1986), 3 to 20 mu/u g per m3 in the Caribbean (Prospero and Nees, 1986; Perry and others, 1997); and >100 mu/u g per m3 in the Virgin Islands (this dataset) have been reported during African dust conditions. Mean dust particle size decreases as the SAL traverses from West Africa to the Caribbean and Americas as a result of gravitational settling. Mean particle size reaching the Caribbean is <1 micrometer (mu/u m) (Perry and others, 1997), and even finer particles are carried into Central America, the Southeastern United States, and maritime Canada. Particles less than 2.5 mu/u m diameter (termed PM2.5) can be inhaled deeply into human lungs. A large body of literature has shown that increased PM2.5 concentrations are linked to increased cardiovascular/respiratory morbidity and mortality (for example, Dockery and others, 1993; Penn and others, 2005).

Evaluation of an antibody-detection ELISA using pre-coated plates in the diagnosis of Trypanosoma congolense and T. vivax infections in cattle in Mali

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diall, O.; Bocoum, Z.; Sanogo, Y.

2000-01-01

Under the Coordinated Research Programme ''Use of immunoassay for improved diagnosis of trypanosomosis and monitoring trypanosomosis control programmes'', a new ELISA test has been validated. The test was designed for trypanosome specific antibody detection. The purpose of the work was to study the main parameters of the test (sensitivity and specificity) using reference sera provided by IAEA and field sera collected in Mali. The field sera were collected in different ecological zones and included sera from trypanosomosis endemic areas as well as sera from tsetse free areas. The test was performed according to the protocol proposed by IAEA. The results have shown a poor stability of the reference sera for both T. congolense and T. vivax. By using de-ionized water, we got better OD's for T. vivax C++ reference serum, while the T. congolense C++ had to be replaced by a locally produced reference serum. Under the above conditions, the T. congolense system gave quite encouraging results (sensitivity: 100%; specificity: 87.5-95%). This system was able to differentiate quite well animals from tsetse infected areas from those originating from tsetse free areas and could therefore be used in epidemiological surveys. The T. vivax system showed a good sensitivity (100%), but a poor specificity (37.5-57.5%). The T. vivax system could be improved by establishing a cut-off point based on local negative populations. (author)

Child malnutrition in sub-Saharan Africa: A meta-analysis of demographic and health surveys (2006-2016).

Science.gov (United States)

Akombi, Blessing J; Agho, Kingsley E; Merom, Dafna; Renzaho, Andre M; Hall, John J

2017-01-01

Sub-Saharan Africa has one of the highest levels of child malnutrition globally. Therefore, a critical look at the distribution of malnutrition within its sub-regions is required to identify the worst affected areas. This study provides a meta-analysis of the prevalence of malnutrition indicators (stunting, wasting and underweight) within four sub-regions of sub-Saharan Africa. Cross-sectional data from the most recent Demographic and Health Surveys (2006-2016) of 32 countries in sub-Saharan Africa were used. The countries were grouped into four sub-regions (East Africa, West Africa, Southern Africa and Central Africa), and a meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the prevalence of each malnutrition indicator within each of the sub-regions. Significant heterogeneity was detected among the various surveys (I2 >50%), hence a random effect model was used, and sensitivity analysis was performed, to examine the effects of outliers. Stunting was defined as HAZAfrica; Niger (43.9%), Mali (38.3%), Sierra Leone (37.9%) and Nigeria (36.8%) in West Africa; Democratic Republic of Congo (42.7%) and Chad (39.9%) in Central Africa. Wasting was highest in Niger (18.0%), Burkina Faso (15.50%) and Mali (12.7%) in West Africa; Comoros (11.1%) and Ethiopia (8.70%) in East Africa; Namibia (6.2%) in Southern Africa; Chad (13.0%) and Sao Tome & Principle (10.5%) in Central Africa. Underweight was highest in Burundi (28.8%) and Ethiopia (25.2%) in East Africa; Niger (36.4%), Nigeria (28.7%), Burkina Faso (25.7%), Mali (25.0%) in West Africa; and Chad (28.8%) in Central Africa. The prevalence of malnutrition was highest within countries in East Africa and West Africa compared to the WHO Millennium development goals target for 2015. Appropriate nutrition interventions need to be prioritised in East Africa and West Africa if sub-Saharan Africa is to meet the WHO global nutrition target of improving maternal, infant and young child nutrition by 2025.

Not sending the message: A low prevalence of strength-based exercise participation in rural and regional Central Queensland.

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Dalbo, Vincent J; Czerepusko, James B; Tucker, Patrick S; Kingsley, Michael I; Moon, Jordan R; Young, Kaelin; Scanlan, Aaron T

2015-10-01

The primary aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of current strength-based exercise in rural and regional populations of Central Queensland. The secondary aim was to examine the proportion of residents from various demographic groups who currently partake in strength-based exercise to allow for targeted strength training campaigns. A cross-sectional, survey-based experimental design was followed. Rural and regional Australia. Rural and regional community-dwelling individuals living in Central Queensland and aged 18 years and older. Survey data was collected in October and November 2010 as part of the Central Queensland University Social Survey. Strength-based exercise participation, gender, age, income, years of education, self-reported physical activity and perception of health. Participation in strength-based exercise was 13.2%. Women were less likely to partake in strength-based exercise than male, and ≥55 year old adults were less likely to partake in strength-based exercise than 18-34 year old adults. Participation in strength-based exercise was found to increase with years of education, self-reported physical activity and self-rated health. The prevalence of adults in rural and regional Central Queensland engaging in strength-based exercise is low. Exercise physiologists, clinicians and government officials must work together to ensure that this form of exercise is acknowledged as a vital component of health in rural and regional areas. © 2015 National Rural Health Alliance Inc.

An application-layer based centralized information access control for VPN

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

OUYANG Kai; ZHOU Jing-li; XIA Tao; YU Sheng-sheng

2006-01-01

With the rapid development of Virtual Private Network (VPN), many companies and organizations use VPN to implement their private communication. Traditionally, VPN uses security protocols to protect the confidentiality of data, the message integrity and the endpoint authentication. One core technique of VPN is tunneling, by which clients can access the internal servers traversing VPN. However, the tunneling technique also introduces a concealed security hole. It is possible that ifone vicious user can establish tunneling by the VPN server, he can compromise the internal servers behind the VPN server. So this paper presents a novel Application-layer based Centralized Information Access Control (ACIAC) for VPN to solve this problem.To implement an efficient, flexible and multi-decision access control model, we present two key techniques to ACIAC-the centralized management mechanism and the stream-based access control. Firstly, we implement the information center and the constraints/events center for ACIAC. By the two centers, we can provide an abstract access control mechanism, and the material access control can be decided dynamically by the ACIAC's constraint/event mechanism. Then we logically classify the VPN communication traffic into the access stream and the data stream so that we can tightly couple the features of VPN communication with the access control model. We also provide the design of our ACIAC prototype in this paper.

Effect of sugarcane scum and ashes of Chromolena odorata L. on ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

SAMSON MEDZA MVE

2 Regional Hub, West and Central Africa, CGIAR, BP 320, Bamako, Mali. 3 Gembloux Agro-Bio ... The main objective of this study was to develop an intensive cropping system for the Hibiscus sabdariffa L, reachable .... 50 x 2,5. T0: Control; An: Ash; Sn: Scum; An X Sn: Ash X Scums ..... indices to a short phase of australian.

PCR-based karyotyping of Anopheles gambiae inversion 2Rj identifies the BAMAKO chromosomal form

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Conway David J

2007-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The malaria vector Anopheles gambiae is polymorphic for chromosomal inversions on the right arm of chromosome 2 that segregate nonrandomly between assortatively mating populations in West Africa. One such inversion, 2Rj, is associated with the BAMAKO chromosomal form endemic to southern Mali and northern Guinea Conakry near the Niger River. Although it exploits a unique ecology and both molecular and chromosomal data suggest reduced gene flow between BAMAKO and other A. gambiae populations, no molecular markers exist to identify this form. Methods To facilitate study of the BAMAKO form, a PCR assay for molecular karyotyping of 2Rj was developed based on sequences at the breakpoint junctions. The assay was extensively validated using more than 700 field specimens whose karyotypes were determined in parallel by cytogenetic and molecular methods. As inversion 2Rj also occurs in SAVANNA populations outside the geographic range of BAMAKO, samples were tested from Senegal, Cameroon and western Guinea Conakry as well as from Mali. Results In southern Mali, where 2Rj polymorphism in SAVANNA populations was very low and most of the 2Rj homozygotes were found in BAMAKO karyotypes, the molecular and cytogenetic methods were almost perfectly congruent. Elsewhere agreement between the methods was much poorer, as the molecular assay frequently misclassified 2Rj heterozygotes as 2R+j standard homozygotes. Conclusion Molecular karyotyping of 2Rj is robust and accurate on 2R+j standard and 2Rj inverted homozygotes. Therefore, the proposed approach overcomes the lack of a rapid tool for identifying the BAMAKO form across developmental stages and sexes, and opens new perspectives for the study of BAMAKO ecology and behaviour. On the other hand, the method should not be applied for molecular karyotyping of j-carriers within the SAVANNA chromosomal form.

Differentiation of Enhancing Glioma and Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma by Texture-Based Machine Learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Alcaide-Leon, P; Dufort, P; Geraldo, A F; Alshafai, L; Maralani, P J; Spears, J; Bharatha, A

2017-06-01

Accurate preoperative differentiation of primary central nervous system lymphoma and enhancing glioma is essential to avoid unnecessary neurosurgical resection in patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of a machine-learning algorithm by using texture analysis of contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images for differentiation of primary central nervous system lymphoma and enhancing glioma. Seventy-one adult patients with enhancing gliomas and 35 adult patients with primary central nervous system lymphomas were included. The tumors were manually contoured on contrast-enhanced T1WI, and the resulting volumes of interest were mined for textural features and subjected to a support vector machine-based machine-learning protocol. Three readers classified the tumors independently on contrast-enhanced T1WI. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves were estimated for each reader and for the support vector machine classifier. A noninferiority test for diagnostic accuracy based on paired areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve was performed with a noninferiority margin of 0.15. The mean areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve were 0.877 (95% CI, 0.798-0.955) for the support vector machine classifier; 0.878 (95% CI, 0.807-0.949) for reader 1; 0.899 (95% CI, 0.833-0.966) for reader 2; and 0.845 (95% CI, 0.757-0.933) for reader 3. The mean area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the support vector machine classifier was significantly noninferior to the mean area under the curve of reader 1 ( P = .021), reader 2 ( P = .035), and reader 3 ( P = .007). Support vector machine classification based on textural features of contrast-enhanced T1WI is noninferior to expert human evaluation in the differentiation of primary central nervous system lymphoma and enhancing glioma. © 2017 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in Central America: a cross-sectional population-based study

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Roy A. Wong-McClure

2015-09-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To report the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS as found by the Central American Diabetes Initiative (CAMDI study for five major Central American populations: Belize (national; Costa Rica (San José; Guatemala (Guatemala City; Honduras (Tegucigalpa; and Nicaragua (Managua. METHODS: Study data on 6 185 adults aged 20 years or older with anthropometric and laboratory determination of MetS from population-based surveys were analyzed. Overall, the survey response rate was 82.0%. MetS prevalence was determined according to criteria from the Adult Treatment Panel III of the National Cholesterol Education Program. The study's protocol was reviewed and approved by the bioethical committee of each country studied. RESULTS: The overall standardized prevalence of MetS in the Central American region was 30.3% (95% confidence interval (CI: 27.1-33.4. There was wide variability by gender and work conditions, with higher prevalence among females and unpaid workers. The standardized percentage of the population free of any component of MetS was lowest in Costa Rica (9.0%; CI: 6.5-11.4 and highest in Honduras (21.1%; CI: 16.4-25.9. CONCLUSIONS: Overall prevalence of MetS in Central America is high. Strengthening surveillance of chronic diseases and establishing effective programs for preventing cardiovascular diseases might reduce the risk of MetS in Central America.

Enhancing community knowledge and health behaviors to eliminate blinding trachoma in Mali using radio messaging as a strategy.

Science.gov (United States)

Bamani, Sanoussi; Toubali, Emily; Diarra, Sadio; Goita, Seydou; Berté, Zana; Coulibaly, Famolo; Sangaré, Hama; Tuinsma, Marjon; Zhang, Yaobi; Dembelé, Benoit; Melvin, Palesa; MacArthur, Chad

2013-04-01

The National Blindness Prevention Program in Mali has broadcast messages on the radio about trachoma as part of the country's trachoma elimination strategy since 2008. In 2011, a radio impact survey using multi-stage cluster sampling was conducted in the regions of Kayes and Segou to assess radio listening habits, coverage of the broadcasts, community knowledge and behavior specific to trachoma and facial cleanliness of children. Radio access and listening were high, with 60% of respondents having heard a message on the radio about trachoma. The majority of respondents knew about trachoma, its root causes, its impact on health and prevention measures. Additionally, 66% reported washing their children's faces more than or equal to twice/day and 94% reported latrine disposal of feces. A high percentage of persons who gave a positive response to knowledge and behavior questions reported hearing the trachoma messages on the radio with 60% reporting that the radio is where they learned about trachoma. There was no significant difference in facial cleanliness when comparing children whose primary caregiver had/had not heard the trachoma messages. Next steps include revising the current messages to include more focused behavior change messaging and to engage in a more robust use of community radios.

The Impact of Six Annual Rounds of Mass Drug Administration on Wuchereria bancrofti Infections in Humans and in Mosquitoes in Mali.

Science.gov (United States)

Coulibaly, Yaya I; Dembele, Benoit; Diallo, Abdallah Amadou; Konaté, Siaka; Dolo, Houseini; Coulibaly, Siaka Yamoussa; Doumbia, Salif Seriba; Soumaoro, Lamine; Coulibaly, Michel Emmanuel; Bockarie, Moses J; Molyneux, David; Nutman, Thomas B; Klion, Amy D; Toure, Yeya T; Traore, Sekou F

2015-08-01

Wuchereria bancrofti prevalence and transmission were assessed in six endemic villages in Sikasso, Mali prior to and yearly during mass drug administration (MDA) with albendazole and ivermectin from 2002 to 2007. Microfilaremia was determined by calibrated thick smear of night blood in adult volunteers and circulating filarial antigen was measured using immunochromatographic card test in children < 5 years of age. Mosquitoes were collected by human landing catch from July to December. None of the 686 subjects tested were microfilaremic 12 months after the sixth MDA round. More importantly, circulating antigen was not detected in any of the 120 children tested, as compared with 53% (103/194) before the institution of MDA. The number of infective bites/human/year decreased from 4.8 in 2002 to 0.04 in 2007, and only one mosquito containing a single infective larva was observed 12 months after the final MDA round. Whether this dramatic reduction in transmission will be sustained following cessation of MDA remains to be seen. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

A super base station based centralized network architecture for 5G mobile communication systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manli Qian

2015-04-01

Full Text Available To meet the ever increasing mobile data traffic demand, the mobile operators are deploying a heterogeneous network with multiple access technologies and more and more base stations to increase the network coverage and capacity. However, the base stations are isolated from each other, so different types of radio resources and hardware resources cannot be shared and allocated within the overall network in a cooperative way. The mobile operators are thus facing increasing network operational expenses and a high system power consumption. In this paper, a centralized radio access network architecture, referred to as the super base station (super BS, is proposed, as a possible solution for an energy-efficient fifth-generation (5G mobile system. The super base station decouples the logical functions and physical entities of traditional base stations, so different types of system resources can be horizontally shared and statistically multiplexed among all the virtual base stations throughout the entire system. The system framework and main functionalities of the super BS are described. Some key technologies for system implementation, i.e., the resource pooling, real-time virtualization, adaptive hardware resource allocation are also highlighted.

SOTER-based soil parameter estimates for Central Africa - DR of Congo, Burundi and Rwanda (ver. 1.0)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Batjes, N.H.

2014-01-01

This harmonized set of soil parameter estimates for Central Africa, comprising Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, was derived from the Soil and Terrain Database for Central Africa (SOTERCAF ver. 1.0) and the ISRIC-WISE soil profile database, using standardized taxonomy-based

Late Proterozoic glacially controlled shelf sequences in western Mali (west Africa)

Science.gov (United States)

Deynoux, M.; Prousti, J. N.; Simon, B.

The Late Proterozoic deposits of the Bakoye Group (500 m) in western Mali constitute a remarkable example of a glacially influenced sedimentary record on an epicratonic platform. They are composed of alternating marine and continental formations which represent accumulation in a basin located in the vicinity of upland areas covered by ice sheets. One of these formations (the Ba4 Formation), which is the focus of this study, is composed of three major units. The basal Unit 1 is made up of carbonaceous coarse to fine grained sandstones which are organized in fining upward sequences and which comprise lenticular diamictite intercalations. This Unit is considered to represent the fore slope gravity flows of a subaqueous ice-cootact fan fed by meltwater streams (≪glacioturbidites≫). Unit 2 is made up of coarse to fine grained sandstones in a highly variable association of facies. This Unit is characterized by the abundance of wave ripples associated with convolute beddings. planar or wavy beddings and tabular or hummocky crossbeddings in a general shallowing upward trend. It also comprises evidence of gravity processes including debris flows and large slumped sandstone bodies. Unit 2 represents the progressive filling of the Ba4 basin and reflects the combined effect of glacially induced eustatism and isostacy during a phase of glacial retreat. The basal part of Unit 3 is made up of a succession (a few meters thick) of conglomerates, diamictites, sandstones, siltstones or carbonates lying on an erosional unconformity marked by periglacial frost wedges. The upper part of Unit 3 is thicker (100-150 m) and onlaps on these basal facies with a succession of sandstone bars exhibiting swaley and hummocky crossbeddings, large cut and fill structures, and planar laminations. Unit 3 is strongly transgressive, the lower shoreface and backshore deposits include algal mats and are onlapped by sand ridges emplaced in a high energy upper to middle shoreface environment. Overall

Separating temporal and topological effects in walk-based network centrality.

Science.gov (United States)

Colman, Ewan R; Charlton, Nathaniel

2016-07-01

The recently introduced concept of dynamic communicability is a valuable tool for ranking the importance of nodes in a temporal network. Two metrics, broadcast score and receive score, were introduced to measure the centrality of a node with respect to a model of contagion based on time-respecting walks. This article examines the temporal and structural factors influencing these metrics by considering a versatile stochastic temporal network model. We analytically derive formulas to accurately predict the expectation of the broadcast and receive scores when one or more columns in a temporal edge-list are shuffled. These methods are then applied to two publicly available data sets and we quantify how much the centrality of each individual depends on structural or temporal influences. From our analysis, we highlight two practical contributions: a way to control for temporal variation when computing dynamic communicability and the conclusion that the broadcast and receive scores can, under a range of circumstances, be replaced by the row and column sums of the matrix exponential of a weighted adjacency matrix given by the data.

Archiving and retrieval of experimental data using SAN based centralized storage system for SST-1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bhandarkar, Manisha, E-mail: manisha@ipr.res.in; Masand, Harish; Kumar, Aveg; Patel, Kirit; Dhongde, Jasraj; Gulati, Hitesh; Mahajan, Kirti; Chudasama, Hitesh; Pradhan, Subrata

2016-11-15

Highlights: • SAN (Storage Area Network) based centralized data storage system of SST-1 has envisaged to address the need of centrally availability of SST-1 storage system to archive/retrieve experimental data for the authenticated users for 24 × 7. • The SAN based data storage system has been designed/configured with 3-tiered architecture and GFS cluster file system with multipath support. • The adopted SAN based data storage for SST-1 is a modular, robust, and allows future expandability. • Important considerations has been taken like, Handling of varied Data writing speed from different subsystems to central storage, Simultaneous read access of the bulk experimental and as well as essential diagnostic data, The life expectancy of data, How often data will be retrieved and how fast it will be needed, How much historical data should be maintained at storage. - Abstract: SAN (Storage Area Network, a high-speed, block level storage device) based centralized data storage system of SST-1 (Steady State superconducting Tokamak) has envisaged to address the need of availability of SST-1 operation & experimental data centrally for archival as well as retrieval [2]. Considering the initial data volume requirement, ∼10 TB (Terabytes) capacity of SAN based data storage system has configured/installed with optical fiber backbone with compatibility considerations of existing Ethernet network of SST-1. The SAN based data storage system has been designed/configured with 3-tiered architecture and GFS (Global File System) cluster file system with multipath support. Tier-1 is of ∼3 TB (frequent access and low data storage capacity) comprises of Fiber channel (FC) based hard disks for optimum throughput. Tier-2 is of ∼6 TB (less frequent access and high data storage capacity) comprises of SATA based hard disks. Tier-3 will be planned later to store offline historical data. In the SAN configuration two tightly coupled storage servers (with cluster configuration) are

Archiving and retrieval of experimental data using SAN based centralized storage system for SST-1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhandarkar, Manisha; Masand, Harish; Kumar, Aveg; Patel, Kirit; Dhongde, Jasraj; Gulati, Hitesh; Mahajan, Kirti; Chudasama, Hitesh; Pradhan, Subrata

2016-01-01

Highlights: • SAN (Storage Area Network) based centralized data storage system of SST-1 has envisaged to address the need of centrally availability of SST-1 storage system to archive/retrieve experimental data for the authenticated users for 24 × 7. • The SAN based data storage system has been designed/configured with 3-tiered architecture and GFS cluster file system with multipath support. • The adopted SAN based data storage for SST-1 is a modular, robust, and allows future expandability. • Important considerations has been taken like, Handling of varied Data writing speed from different subsystems to central storage, Simultaneous read access of the bulk experimental and as well as essential diagnostic data, The life expectancy of data, How often data will be retrieved and how fast it will be needed, How much historical data should be maintained at storage. - Abstract: SAN (Storage Area Network, a high-speed, block level storage device) based centralized data storage system of SST-1 (Steady State superconducting Tokamak) has envisaged to address the need of availability of SST-1 operation & experimental data centrally for archival as well as retrieval [2]. Considering the initial data volume requirement, ∼10 TB (Terabytes) capacity of SAN based data storage system has configured/installed with optical fiber backbone with compatibility considerations of existing Ethernet network of SST-1. The SAN based data storage system has been designed/configured with 3-tiered architecture and GFS (Global File System) cluster file system with multipath support. Tier-1 is of ∼3 TB (frequent access and low data storage capacity) comprises of Fiber channel (FC) based hard disks for optimum throughput. Tier-2 is of ∼6 TB (less frequent access and high data storage capacity) comprises of SATA based hard disks. Tier-3 will be planned later to store offline historical data. In the SAN configuration two tightly coupled storage servers (with cluster configuration) are

The Central Simulation Committee (CSC): a model for centralization and standardization of simulation-based medical education in the U.S. Army healthcare system.

Science.gov (United States)

Deering, Shad; Sawyer, Taylor; Mikita, Jeffrey; Maurer, Douglas; Roth, Bernard J

2012-07-01

In this report, we describe the organizational framework, operations and current status of the Central Simulation Committee (CSC). The CSC was established in 2007 with the goals of standardizing simulation-based training in Army graduate medical education programs, assisting in redeployment training of physicians returning from war, and improving patient safety within the Army Medical Department. Presently, the CSC oversees 10 Simulation Centers, controls over 21,000 sq ft of simulation center space, and provides specialty-specific training in 14 medical specialties. In the past 2 years, CSC Simulation Centers have trained over 50,000 Army medical students, residents, physician assistants, nurses, Soldiers and DoD civilian medical personnel. We hope this report provides simulation educators within the military, and our civilian simulation colleagues, with insight into the workings of our organization and provides an example of centralized support and oversight of simulation-based medical education.

Activity of Maly Aktru Glacier (Сentral Altai and changes tree line fluctuations in its basin for a historical period

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A. N. Nazarov

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Major problems of dating of the glaciers activity from the wood residues found in moraines are discussed by the example of Maly Aktru Glacier. First of all, these are the underestimation of the glacier development features, the age of the sample itself and its content as well as losses of some outer rings. The study proves that disagreements between dendrochronological and radiocarbon ages of the samples are caused by manifestation of the Suess effect and contents of the wood cells. The reconstruction of June–July temperatures in the Aktru valley for two thousand years was used to reconstruct the altitudinal variability of the tree line thermal potential. Existence of a climatic optimum (I–IV A.D. had been revealed that brought to the higher position of the tree line in mid ages than its thermal potential could enable. On the basis of variability of growth indices for Siberian larch, it is shown that the medieval optimum stands out against a background of solely strong temperature depressions separating it from ancient and modern times, and the climate’s natural history is evidence that the current climate warming is an ordinary phenomenon.

Sizing and Optimization for Hybrid Central in South Algeria Based on Three Different Generators

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Chouaib Ammari

2017-11-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we will size an optimum hybrid central content three different generators, two on renewable energy (solar photovoltaic and wind power and two nonrenewable (diesel generator and storage system because the new central generator has started to consider the green power technology in order for best future to the world, this central will use all the green power resource available and distributes energy to a small isolated village in southwest of Algeria named “Timiaouine”. The consumption of this village estimated with detailed in two season; season low consumption (winter and high consumption (summer, the hybrid central will be optimized by program Hybrid Optimization Model for Electric Renewable (HOMER PRO, this program will simulate in two configuration, the first with storage system, the second without storage system and in the end the program HOMER PRO will choose the best configuration which is the mixture of both economic and ecologic configurations, this central warrants the energetic continuity of village. Article History: Received May 18th 2017; Received in revised form July 17th 2017; Accepted Sept 3rd 2017; Available online How to Cite This Article: Ammari, C., Hamouda,M., and Makhloufi,S. (2017 Sizing and Optimization for Hybrid Central in South Algeria Based on Three Different Generators. International Journal of Renewable Energy Development, 6(3, 263-272. http://doi.org/10.14710/ijred.6.3.263-272

Development of a Physiologically-Based Pharmacokinetic Model of the Rat Central Nervous System

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Raj K. Singh Badhan

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Central nervous system (CNS drug disposition is dictated by a drug’s physicochemical properties and its ability to permeate physiological barriers. The blood–brain barrier (BBB, blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier and centrally located drug transporter proteins influence drug disposition within the central nervous system. Attainment of adequate brain-to-plasma and cerebrospinal fluid-to-plasma partitioning is important in determining the efficacy of centrally acting therapeutics. We have developed a physiologically-based pharmacokinetic model of the rat CNS which incorporates brain interstitial fluid (ISF, choroidal epithelial and total cerebrospinal fluid (CSF compartments and accurately predicts CNS pharmacokinetics. The model yielded reasonable predictions of unbound brain-to-plasma partition ratio (Kpuu,brain and CSF:plasma ratio (CSF:Plasmau using a series of in vitro permeability and unbound fraction parameters. When using in vitro permeability data obtained from L-mdr1a cells to estimate rat in vivo permeability, the model successfully predicted, to within 4-fold, Kpuu,brain and CSF:Plasmau for 81.5% of compounds simulated. The model presented allows for simultaneous simulation and analysis of both brain biophase and CSF to accurately predict CNS pharmacokinetics from preclinical drug parameters routinely available during discovery and development pathways.

A Field-Based Aquatic Life Benchmark for Conductivity in Central Appalachian Streams (Final Report)

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EPA announced the availability of the final report, A Field-Based Aquatic Life Benchmark for Conductivity in Central Appalachian Streams. This report describes a method to characterize the relationship between the extirpation (the effective extinction) of invertebrate g...

What makes you more central? : antecedents of changes in betweenness-centrality in technology-based alliance networks

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gilsing, V.A.; Cloodt, M.M.A.H.; Bertrand-Cloodt, D.A.M.

2016-01-01

Although central network positions have been associated with above average performance effects, an important void that still remains is how firms come to occupy a more central position in the first place. Whereas recently made exogenous explanations have shed some more light on aggregate changes in

A PEG Construction of LDPC Codes Based on the Betweenness Centrality Metric

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BHURTAH-SEEWOOSUNGKUR, I.

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Progressive Edge Growth (PEG constructions are usually based on optimizing the distance metric by using various methods. In this work however, the distance metric is replaced by a different one, namely the betweenness centrality metric, which was shown to enhance routing performance in wireless mesh networks. A new type of PEG construction for Low-Density Parity-Check (LDPC codes is introduced based on the betweenness centrality metric borrowed from social networks terminology given that the bipartite graph describing the LDPC is analogous to a network of nodes. The algorithm is very efficient in filling edges on the bipartite graph by adding its connections in an edge-by-edge manner. The smallest graph size the new code could construct surpasses those obtained from a modified PEG algorithm - the RandPEG algorithm. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this paper produces the best regular LDPC column-weight two graphs. In addition, the technique proves to be competitive in terms of error-correcting performance. When compared to MacKay, PEG and other recent modified-PEG codes, the algorithm gives better performance over high SNR due to its particular edge and local graph properties.

The influence of a telehealth project on healthcare professional recruitment and retention in remote areas in Mali: A longitudinal study

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Gisèle Irène Claudine Mbemba

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Objectives: The telehealth project EQUI-ResHuS (in French, Les TIC pour un accès Équitable aux Ressources Humaines en Santé aimed to contribute to more equitable access to care and support practice in remote regions in Mali. This study explored the evolution of perceptions concerning telehealth among healthcare professionals in the four district health centres that participated in the EQUI-ResHus project and identified variables influencing their perceptions of telehealth impact on recruitment and retention of health professionals. Methods: One year after a first survey (T1, a second data collection (T2 was carried out among healthcare professionals using a 91-item questionnaire. Questions assessing telehealth use and perceptions and perceived impact on recruitment and retention of healthcare professionals were rated on a 5-point Likert scale. A total of 10 independent variables were considered for the analyses. A Wilcoxon signed-rank test was performed to detect differences between T1 and T2, and a bivariate linear regression model for repeated measures was carried out to assess the impact of independent variables on dependent variables. Results: There were no noticeable changes in perceptions related to telehealth influence on recruitment and retention. Only access to information and communication technology significantly differed between T1 and T2 according the Wilcoxon rank test (p = 0.001. Perceived influence of telehealth on recruitment and retention was mostly explained by attitude towards telehealth, perceived effect on recruitment and retention and barriers to recruitment and retention. Conclusion: Based on our results, telehealth was perceived as having a positive influence but mostly indirect influence on healthcare professional recruitment and retention. Also, there were no major changes after 1 year of telehealth use.

Nutrient composition and nutritional importance of green leaves and wild food resources in an agricultural district, Koutiala, in southern Mali.

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Nordeide, M B; Hatløy, A; Følling, M; Lied, E; Oshaug, A

1996-11-01

This paper discusses the nutrient composition and the nutritional importance of green leaves and wild gathered foods in an area with surplus food production in Mali. In this West African country, there is little information about the nutrient composition and the nutritional quality of foods in general, and of wild gathered foods in particular. Food frequency was collected in two cross-sectional surveys. Focus group discussions with women in the area were used to collect information about seasonality, availability and preparation of various foods. Selected food samples were collected for chemical analysis of nutrient composition. The food samples of green leaves (Adansonia digitata, Amaranthus viridis, Tamarindus indica, Allium cepa), seeds and flour (Parkia biglobosa) and fruits (Tamarindus indica) were analysed for water, energy, fat, protein, minerals, amino acids and carotenoids. Availability and use of the foods varied with seasons. In the rainy season, wild gathered foods (e.g. A. digitata) were used as much as fresh cultivated foods (e.g., A. viridis and A. cepa). The wild food resources were more frequently used in rural than in urban areas, with A. digitata as the dominating green leaves. Green leaves were rich in energy, protein and minerals (calcium, iron). Leaves of A. viridis were, in particular, rich in beta-carotene (3290 micrograms/100 g). Chemical score in dried green leaves varied from 47 (A. cepa) to 81 (A. digitata), with lysine as the first limiting amino acid. P. biglobosa fermented seeds, with 35% fat and 37% protein were a complementary source of lysine in the diet. Based on the seasonality, the frequency of use and the nutrient contents of selected green leaves and wild gathered foods in Koutiala district, it is concluded that these traditional and locally produced foods are valuable and important nutrient contributors in the diet both in rural and urban areas, but most important in rural areas.

Access to facility delivery and caesarean section in north-central Liberia: a cross-sectional community-based study

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Gartland, Matthew G; Taryor, Victor D; Norman, Andy M; Vermund, Sten H

2012-01-01

Objective Rural north-central Liberia has one of the world's highest maternal mortality ratios. We studied health facility birthing service utilisation and the motives of women seeking or not seeking facility-based care in north-central Liberia. Design Cross-sectional community-based structured interviews and health facility medical record review. Setting A regional hospital and the surrounding communities in rural north-central Liberia. Participants A convenience sample of 307 women between 15 and 49 years participated in structured interviews. 1031 deliveries performed in the regional hospital were included in the record review. Primary outcomes Delivery within a health facility and caesarean delivery rates were used as indicators of direct utilisation of care and as markers of availability of maternal health services. Results Of 280 interview respondents with a prior childbirth, only 47 (16.8%) delivered their last child in a health facility. Women who did not use formal services cited cost, sudden labour and family tradition or religion as their principal reasons for home delivery. At the regional hospital, the caesarean delivery rate was 35.5%. Conclusions There is an enormous unmet need for maternal health services in north-central Liberia. Greater outreach and referral services as well as community-based education among women, family members and traditional midwives are vital to improve the timely utilisation of care. PMID:23117566

Economic and Social Sustainability Performance of Jatropha Projects: Results from Field Surveys in Mozambique, Tanzania and Mali

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Henny Romijn

2014-09-01

Full Text Available This paper presents results from comprehensive field surveys of jatropha projects in Mozambique, Tanzania and Mali in 2012. The article singles out the salient economic and social impact results and derives lessons. The results clearly demonstrate the weak business case for jatropha biofuel production at this time. Plantations were found to be unviable because of insurmountable up-front capital requirements in combination with slow and unreliable crop maturation, inefficient oil pressing owing to a lack of scale and experience, inadequate utilization of by-products, and competitively-priced fossil diesel and palm oil. For smallholders, jatropha only has limited value as a hedge crop in environmentally and economically disadvantaged areas. Better prospects have to wait for the advent of improved jatropha varieties. Social impacts from the perspective of project managers were rather mixed: overall, food security perceptions were positive and no massive forced human displacements were noted so far, though some disputes over land access and compensation were reported. Labor legislation was apparently respected on plantations, and positive gender effects, regional income/employment effects and better public facilities were also reported. The projects generated considerable employment, albeit mostly of a temporary nature, as lack of economic viability had caused many projects to close down again. When introducing next-generation biofuel projects, better monitoring by various actor groups is recommended, as well as long-term investment plans that include integral exit strategies.

Alpha current flow betweenness centrality

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Avrachenkov, K.; Litvak, Nelli; Medyanikov, V.; Sokol, M.

2013-01-01

A class of centrality measures called betweenness centralities reflects degree of participation of edges or nodes in communication between different parts of the network. The original shortest-path betweenness centrality is based on counting shortest paths which go through a node or an edge. One of

Malaria vector populations across ecological zones in Guinea Conakry and Mali, West Africa.

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Coulibaly, Boubacar; Kone, Raymond; Barry, Mamadou S; Emerson, Becky; Coulibaly, Mamadou B; Niare, Oumou; Beavogui, Abdoul H; Traore, Sekou F; Vernick, Kenneth D; Riehle, Michelle M

2016-04-08

Malaria remains a pervasive public health problem in sub-Saharan West Africa. Here mosquito vector populations were explored across four sites in Mali and the Republic of Guinea (Guinea Conakry). The study samples the major ecological zones of malaria-endemic regions in West Africa within a relatively small distance. Mosquito vectors were sampled from larval pools, adult indoor resting sites, and indoor and outdoor human-host seeking adults. Mosquitoes were collected at sites spanning 350 km that represented arid savannah, humid savannah, semi-forest and deep forest ecological zones, in areas where little was previously known about malaria vector populations. 1425 mosquito samples were analysed by molecular assays to determine species, genetic attributes, blood meal sources and Plasmodium infection status. Anopheles gambiae and Anopheles coluzzii were the major anophelines represented in all collections across the ecological zones, with A. coluzzii predominant in the arid savannah and A. gambiae in the more humid sites. The use of multiple collection methodologies across the sampling sites allows assessment of potential collection bias of the different methods. The L1014F kdr insecticide resistance mutation (kdr-w) is found at high frequency across all study sites. This mutation appears to have swept almost to fixation, from low frequencies 6 years earlier, despite the absence of widespread insecticide use for vector control. Rates of human feeding are very high across ecological zones, with only small fractions of animal derived blood meals in the arid and humid savannah. About 30 % of freshly blood-fed mosquitoes were positive for Plasmodium falciparum presence, while the rate of mosquitoes with established infections was an order of magnitude lower. The study represents detailed vector characterization from an understudied area in West Africa with endemic malaria transmission. The deep forest study site includes the epicenter of the 2014 Ebola virus epidemic

First study on domestic dog ecology, demographic structure and dynamics in Bamako, Mali.

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Mauti, Stephanie; Traoré, Abdallah; Sery, Amadou; Bryssinckx, Ward; Hattendorf, Jan; Zinsstag, Jakob

2017-10-01

For the planning of an effective dog mass vaccination campaign against rabies in Africa, it is crucial to know more about the dog population. In this paper we describe for the first time the dog ecology, demographic structure and population dynamics of a domestic dog population in Bamako, Mali. In 2010 and 2011, we visited 2956 randomly selected compounds. Questionnaire data was collected on the compound and household level and on each dog individually. Dog-owning households were followed every six months during one (dog-owning households identified in 2011) or two years (dog-owning households identified in 2010) for the successive collection of dog demography data. We recorded 379 dogs in 279 compounds. The dog human ratio was estimated at 1:121, and the extrapolation of the domestic dog population in Bamako results in an estimate of 14 906 dogs (95% CI 13 041-17 037). The female male ratio was 1:2.8. A high proportion of young dogs was found as a result of a high turnover rate in the population. Mortality within the first year of life was high, and dogs had a life expectancy at birth of 2.5 years. Using a Leslie matrix, we estimated the annual dog population growth to be 20%. Christians were more likely to be dog owners than Muslims. Another factor favouring dog ownership was belonging to the ethnic group of Bobo or Malinke. Dogs were mainly used as watchdogs and fed with household leftovers and garbage. They were most often obtained and given away without remuneration. This work contributes vital information towards planning effective and sustainable dog rabies control programmes for the district of Bamako. Due to the high turnover rate, we recommend repeated mass-vaccination campaigns of at least 70% of the owned dogs at yearly intervals. In addition, dog-owners need to be educated on good dog management. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Free treatment, rapid malaria diagnostic tests and malaria village workers can hasten progress toward achieving the malaria related millennium development goals: the Médecins Sans Frontières experience from Chad, Sierra-Leone and Mali

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Katie Tayler-Smith

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Halving the burden of malaria by 2015 and ensuring that 80% of people with malaria receive treatment is among the health related targets of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs. Despite political momentum toward achieving this target, progress is slow and many with malaria (particularly in poor and rural communities in Africa are still without access to effective treatment. Finding ways to improve access to anti-malarial treatment in Africa is essential to achieve the malaria related and other MDG targets. During its work in Chad, Sierra Leone and Mali in the period 2004 to 2008, Médecins Sans Frontières showed that it was possible to significantly improve access to effective malaria treatment through: i the removal of health centre level user fees for essential healthcare for vulnerable population groups, ii the introduction of free community based treatment for children using malaria village workers to diagnose and treat simple malaria in communities where geographical and financial barriers limited access to effective malaria care, iii the improved diagnosis and treatment of malaria using rapid diagnosis tests and artemisinin based combination therapy, at both health facilities and in the community. This paper describes and discusses these strategies and their related impact.

Integrated and sustainable management of the shared aquifer systems in the Sahel region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Edwerd, Mickel

2012-01-01

It highlights the project Justification, the long term objective, the specific objectives and the project implementation strategy. The countries which participate to this project are the following: Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, central African Republic, Chad, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria and Senegal. Regarding Aquifer System we have: Chad Basin, Liptako-Gourma Aquifer, Iullemeden Aquifer, Senegalo-Mauritanian Aquifer and Taoudeni/Tanezrouft Basin.

Perspectives of people in Mali toward genetically-modified mosquitoes for malaria control

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Famenini Shannon

2010-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Genetically-modified (GM mosquitoes have been proposed as part of an integrated vector control strategy for malaria control. Public acceptance is essential prior to field trials, particularly since mosquitoes are a vector of human disease and genetically modified organisms (GMOs face strong scepticism in developed and developing nations. Despite this, in sub-Saharan Africa, where the GM mosquito effort is primarily directed, very little data is available on perspectives to GMOs. Here, results are presented of a qualitative survey of public attitudes to GM mosquitoes for malaria control in rural and urban areas of Mali, West Africa between the months of October 2008 and June 2009. Methods The sample consisted of 80 individuals - 30 living in rural communities, 30 living in urban suburbs of Bamako, and 20 Western-trained and traditional health professionals working in Bamako and Bandiagara. Questions were asked about the cause of malaria, heredity and selective breeding. This led to questions about genetic alterations, and acceptable conditions for a release of pest-resistant GM corn and malaria-refractory GM mosquitoes. Finally, participants were asked about the decision-making process in their community. Interviews were transcribed and responses were categorized according to general themes. Results Most participants cited mosquitoes as one of several causes of malaria. The concept of the gene was not widely understood; however selective breeding was understood, allowing limited communication of the concept of genetic modification. Participants were open to a release of pest-resistant GM corn, often wanting to conduct a trial themselves. The concept of a trial was reapplied to GM mosquitoes, although less frequently. Participants wanted to see evidence that GM mosquitoes can reduce malaria prevalence without negative consequences for human health and the environment. For several participants, a mosquito control programme was

Evidence-based measures to prevent central line-associated bloodstream infections: a systematic review.

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Perin, Daniele Cristina; Erdmann, Alacoque Lorenzini; Higashi, Giovana Dorneles Callegaro; Sasso, Grace Teresinha Marcon Dal

2016-09-01

to identify evidence-based care to prevent CLABSI among adult patients hospitalized in ICUs. systematic review conducted in the following databases: PubMed, Scopus, Cinahl, Web of Science, Lilacs, Bdenf and Cochrane Studies addressing care and maintenance of central venous catheters, published from January 2011 to July 2014 were searched. The 34 studies identified were organized in an instrument and assessed by using the classification provided by the Joanna Briggs Institute. the studies presented care bundles including elements such as hand hygiene and maximal barrier precautions; multidimensional programs and strategies such as impregnated catheters and bandages and the involvement of facilities in and commitment of staff to preventing infections. care bundles coupled with education and the commitment of both staff and institutions is a strategy that can contribute to decreased rates of central line-associated bloodstream infections among adult patients hospitalized in intensive care units. identificar evidências de cuidados para prevenção de infecção de corrente sanguínea relacionada a cateter venoso central em pacientes adultos em Unidades de Terapia Intensiva. revisão Sistemática realizada por meio de busca nas bases de dados Pubmed, Scopus, Cinahl, Web of Science, Lilacs, Bdenf e Cochrane. Foram buscadas pesquisas com cuidados com a cateterização e manutenção do cateter venoso central, publicados de janeiro de 2011 a julho de 2014. Os 34 estudos incluídos foram organizados em um instrumento e avaliados por meio da classificação do The Joanna Briggs Institute. os estudos apresentaram bundles de cuidados com elementos como a higiene das mãos e precauções máximas de barreira; programas multidimensionais e estratégias como cateteres e curativos impregnados e o envolvimento da instituição e engajamento da equipe nos esforços para prevenção de infecção. os cuidados no formato de bundles aliados com a educação e engajamento da equipe e

The efficacy of centralized flow rate control in 802.11-based wireless mesh networks

KAUST Repository

Jamshaid, K.

2013-06-13

Commodity WiFi-based wireless mesh networks (WMNs) can be used to provide last mile Internet access. These networks exhibit extreme unfairness with backlogged traffic sources. Current solutions propose distributed source-rate control algorithms requiring link-layer or transport-layer changes on all mesh nodes. This is often infeasible in large practical deployments. In wireline networks, router-assisted rate control techniques have been proposed for use alongside end-to-end mechanisms. We wish to evaluate the feasibility of establishing similar centralized control via gateways in WMNs. In this paper, we focus on the efficacy of this control rather than the specifics of the controller design mechanism. We answer the question: Given sources that react predictably to congestion notification, can we enforce a desired rate allocation through a single centralized controller? The answer is not obvious because flows experience varying contention levels, and transmissions are scheduled by a node using imperfect local knowledge. We find that common router-assisted flow control schemes used in wired networks fail in WMNs because they assume that (1) links are independent, and (2) router queue buildups are sufficient for detecting congestion. We show that non-work-conserving, rate-based centralized scheduling can effectively enforce rate allocation. It can achieve results comparable to source rate limiting, without requiring any modifications to mesh routers or client devices. 2013 Jamshaid et al.; licensee Springer.

Child malnutrition in sub-Saharan Africa: A meta-analysis of demographic and health surveys (2006-2016.

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Blessing J Akombi

Full Text Available Sub-Saharan Africa has one of the highest levels of child malnutrition globally. Therefore, a critical look at the distribution of malnutrition within its sub-regions is required to identify the worst affected areas. This study provides a meta-analysis of the prevalence of malnutrition indicators (stunting, wasting and underweight within four sub-regions of sub-Saharan Africa.Cross-sectional data from the most recent Demographic and Health Surveys (2006-2016 of 32 countries in sub-Saharan Africa were used. The countries were grouped into four sub-regions (East Africa, West Africa, Southern Africa and Central Africa, and a meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the prevalence of each malnutrition indicator within each of the sub-regions. Significant heterogeneity was detected among the various surveys (I2 >50%, hence a random effect model was used, and sensitivity analysis was performed, to examine the effects of outliers. Stunting was defined as HAZ<-2; wasting as WHZ<-2 and underweight as WAZ<-2.Stunting was highest in Burundi (57.7% and Malawi (47.1% in East Africa; Niger (43.9%, Mali (38.3%, Sierra Leone (37.9% and Nigeria (36.8% in West Africa; Democratic Republic of Congo (42.7% and Chad (39.9% in Central Africa. Wasting was highest in Niger (18.0%, Burkina Faso (15.50% and Mali (12.7% in West Africa; Comoros (11.1% and Ethiopia (8.70% in East Africa; Namibia (6.2% in Southern Africa; Chad (13.0% and Sao Tome & Principle (10.5% in Central Africa. Underweight was highest in Burundi (28.8% and Ethiopia (25.2% in East Africa; Niger (36.4%, Nigeria (28.7%, Burkina Faso (25.7%, Mali (25.0% in West Africa; and Chad (28.8% in Central Africa.The prevalence of malnutrition was highest within countries in East Africa and West Africa compared to the WHO Millennium development goals target for 2015. Appropriate nutrition interventions need to be prioritised in East Africa and West Africa if sub-Saharan Africa is to meet the WHO global nutrition target

Teachers' professional development in a community: A study of the central actors, their networks and web-based learning

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Jiri Lallimo

2008-07-01

Full Text Available The goal of this article was to study teachers' professional development related to web-based learning in the context of the teacher community. The object was to learn in what kind of networks teachers share the knowledge of web-based learning and what are the factors in the community that support or challenge teachers professional development of web-based learning. The findings of the study revealed that there are teachers who are especially active, called the central actors in this study, in the teacher community who collaborate and share knowledge of web-based learning. These central actors share both technical and pedagogical knowledge of web-based learning in networks that include both internal and external relations in the community and involve people, artefacts and a variety of media. Furthermore, the central actors appear to bridge different fields of teaching expertise in their community.According to the central actors' experiences the important factors that support teachers' professional development of web-based learning in the community are; the possibility to learn from colleagues and from everyday working practices, an emotionally safe atmosphere, the leader's personal support and community-level commitment. Also, the flexibility in work planning, challenging pupils, shared lessons with colleagues, training events in an authentic work environment and colleagues' professionalism are considered meaningful for professional development. As challenges, the knowledge sharing of web-based learning in the community needs mutual interests, transactive memory, time and facilities, peer support, a safe atmosphere and meaningful pedagogical practices.On the basis of the findings of the study it is suggested that by intensive collaboration related to web-based learning it may be possible to break the boundaries of individual teachership and create such sociocultural activities which support collaborative professional development in the teacher

Prototype Centralized Managing Permissions System Based on the Election Multibiometric Authentication

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Alexey Nikolaevich Ruchay

2013-02-01

Full Text Available This work aims to develop a prototype system of centralized managing permissions based on the election multibiometric authentication. The novelty of this work is to develop the principles of distinction and multi-factor authentication, because at the moment there is no such development. Depending on various conditions and factors, including the availability of electronic means and convenience, resistance to attacks and exploits, disease or injury of users the biometric authentication can be selected on the basis of any such biometrics as rhythm password, voice, dynamic signatures and graphics recognition.

Modeling infection transmission in primate networks to predict centrality-based risk.

Science.gov (United States)

Romano, Valéria; Duboscq, Julie; Sarabian, Cécile; Thomas, Elodie; Sueur, Cédric; MacIntosh, Andrew J J

2016-07-01

Social structure can theoretically regulate disease risk by mediating exposure to pathogens via social proximity and contact. Investigating the role of central individuals within a network may help predict infectious agent transmission as well as implement disease control strategies, but little is known about such dynamics in real primate networks. We combined social network analysis and a modeling approach to better understand transmission of a theoretical infectious agent in wild Japanese macaques, highly social animals which form extended but highly differentiated social networks. We collected focal data from adult females living on the islands of Koshima and Yakushima, Japan. Individual identities as well as grooming networks were included in a Markov graph-based simulation. In this model, the probability that an individual will transmit an infectious agent depends on the strength of its relationships with other group members. Similarly, its probability of being infected depends on its relationships with already infected group members. We correlated: (i) the percentage of subjects infected during a latency-constrained epidemic; (ii) the mean latency to complete transmission; (iii) the probability that an individual is infected first among all group members; and (iv) each individual's mean rank in the chain of transmission with different individual network centralities (eigenvector, strength, betweenness). Our results support the hypothesis that more central individuals transmit infections in a shorter amount of time and to more subjects but also become infected more quickly than less central individuals. However, we also observed that the spread of infectious agents on the Yakushima network did not always differ from expectations of spread on random networks. Generalizations about the importance of observed social networks in pathogen flow should thus be made with caution, since individual characteristics in some real world networks appear less relevant than

Live bird markets characterization and trading network analysis in Mali: Implications for the surveillance and control of avian influenza and Newcastle disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Molia, Sophie; Boly, Ismaël Ardho; Duboz, Raphaël; Coulibaly, Boubacar; Guitian, Javier; Grosbois, Vladimir; Fournié, Guillaume; Pfeiffer, Dirk Udo

2016-03-01

Live bird markets (LBMs) play an important role in the transmission of avian influenza (AI) and Newcastle disease (ND) viruses in poultry. Our study had two objectives: (1) characterizing LBMs in Mali with a focus on practices influencing the risk of transmission of AI and ND, and (2) identifying which LBMs should be targeted for surveillance and control based on properties of the live poultry trade network. Two surveys were conducted in 2009-2010: a descriptive study in all 96 LBMs of an area encompassing approximately 98% of the Malian poultry population and a network analysis study in Sikasso county, the main poultry supplying county for the capital city Bamako. Regarding LBMs' characteristics, risk factors for the presence of AI and ND viruses (being open every day, more than 2 days before a bird is sold, absence of zoning to segregate poultry-related work flow areas, waste removal or cleaning and disinfecting less frequently than on a daily basis, trash disposal of dead birds and absence of manure processing) were present in 80-100% of the LBMs. Furthermore, LBMs tended to have wide catchment areas because of consumers' preference for village poultry meat, thereby involving a large number of villages in their supply chain. In the poultry trade network from/to Sikasso county, 182 traders were involved and 685 links were recorded among 159 locations. The network had a heterogeneous degree distribution and four hubs were identified based on measures of in-degrees, out-degrees and betweenness: the markets of Medine and Wayerma and the fairs of Farakala and Niena. These results can be used to design biosecurity-improvement interventions and to optimize the prevention, surveillance and control of transmissible poultry diseases in Malian LBMs. Further studies should investigate potential drivers (seasonality, prices) of the poultry trade network and the acceptability of biosecurity and behavior-change recommendations in the Malian socio-cultural context. Copyright �

Appropriate training and retention of community doctors in rural areas: a case study from Mali

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Coulibaly Seydou

2008-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background While attraction of doctors to rural settings is increasing in Mali, there is concern for their retention. An orientation course for young practicing rural doctors was set up in 2003 by a professional association and a NGO. The underlying assumption was that rurally relevant training would strengthen doctors' competences and self-confidence, improve job satisfaction, and consequently contribute to retention. Methods Programme evaluation distinguished trainees' opinions, competences and behaviour. Data were collected through participant observation, group discussions, satisfaction questionnaires, a monitoring tool of learning progress, and follow up visits. Retention was assessed for all 65 trainees between 2003 and 2007. Results and discussion The programme consisted of four classroom modules – clinical skills, community health, practice management and communication skills – and a practicum supervised by an experienced rural doctor. Out of the 65 trained doctors between 2003 and 2007, 55 were still engaged in rural practice end of 2007, suggesting high retention for the Malian context. Participants viewed the training as crucial to face technical and social problems related to rural practice. Discussing professional experience with senior rural doctors contributed to socialisation to novel professional roles. Mechanisms underlying training effects on retention include increased self confidence, self esteem as rural doctor, and sense of belonging to a professional group sharing a common professional identity. Retention can however not be attributed solely to the training intervention, as rural doctors benefit from other incentives and support mechanisms (follow up visits, continuing training, mentoring... affecting job satisfaction. Conclusion Training increasing self confidence and self esteem of rural practitioners may contribute to retention of skilled professionals in rural areas. While reorientations of curricula in

Appropriate training and retention of community doctors in rural areas: a case study from Mali.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Dormael, Monique; Dugas, Sylvie; Kone, Yacouba; Coulibaly, Seydou; Sy, Mansour; Marchal, Bruno; Desplats, Dominique

2008-11-18

While attraction of doctors to rural settings is increasing in Mali, there is concern for their retention. An orientation course for young practicing rural doctors was set up in 2003 by a professional association and a NGO. The underlying assumption was that rurally relevant training would strengthen doctors' competences and self-confidence, improve job satisfaction, and consequently contribute to retention. Programme evaluation distinguished trainees' opinions, competences and behaviour. Data were collected through participant observation, group discussions, satisfaction questionnaires, a monitoring tool of learning progress, and follow up visits. Retention was assessed for all 65 trainees between 2003 and 2007. The programme consisted of four classroom modules--clinical skills, community health, practice management and communication skills--and a practicum supervised by an experienced rural doctor. Out of the 65 trained doctors between 2003 and 2007, 55 were still engaged in rural practice end of 2007, suggesting high retention for the Malian context. Participants viewed the training as crucial to face technical and social problems related to rural practice. Discussing professional experience with senior rural doctors contributed to socialisation to novel professional roles. Mechanisms underlying training effects on retention include increased self confidence, self esteem as rural doctor, and sense of belonging to a professional group sharing a common professional identity. Retention can however not be attributed solely to the training intervention, as rural doctors benefit from other incentives and support mechanisms (follow up visits, continuing training, mentoring...) affecting job satisfaction. Training increasing self confidence and self esteem of rural practitioners may contribute to retention of skilled professionals in rural areas. While reorientations of curricula in training institutions are necessary, other types of professional support are needed

Sense of shear and displacement estimates in the Abeibara-Rarhous late Pan-African shear zone, Adrar des Iforas, Mali

Science.gov (United States)

Boullier, Anne-Marie

The late Pan-African Abeibara-Rarhous shear zone in the Adrar des Iforas (Mali) is described and studied with the aim of defining the direction, sense of movement and amount of displacement along the zone. It is a strike-slip shear zone, the dextral sense of which is demonstrated at the scale of the map by the rotation of the related mylonitic foliation and at the scale of the thin section with characteristic microstructures. Preferred orientation of quartz c-axes is tentatively used; three quartz-rich samples of 35% or more quartz indicate dextral strike-slip movement, but other samples do not show preferred orientation of quartz c-axes. Strain measurements have been performed on one half of the shear zone using established techniques and a new technique using the thickness of mylonitic layering. The results vary along the length of the shear zone when using the same method and for the same cross-section when using the three methods together. A mean value of 4 km is obtained for total displacement which is low when considering the apparent width of the shear zone. This result is discussed in view of the assumptions involved in the strain estimation. The tectonic history of the Abeibara-Rarhous shear zone and its significance in the Trans-Saharan Pan-African collisional belt are discussed.

Seasonality and shift in age-specific malaria prevalence and incidence in Binko and Carrière villages close to the lake in Selingué, Mali.

Science.gov (United States)

Touré, Mahamoudou; Sanogo, Daouda; Dembele, Soumaila; Diawara, Sory Ibrahima; Oppfeldt, Karen; Schiøler, Karin L; Haidara, Dade Ben; Traoré, Sékou F; Alifrangis, Michael; Konradsen, Flemming; Doumbia, Seydou

2016-04-18

Malaria transmission in Mali is seasonal and peaks at the end of the rainy season in October. This study assessed the seasonal variations in the epidemiology of malaria among children under 10 years of age living in two villages in Selingué: Carrière, located along the Sankarani River but distant from the hydroelectric dam, and Binko, near irrigated rice fields, close to the dam. The aim of this study was to provide baseline data, seasonal pattern and age distribution of malaria incidence in two sites situated close to a lake in Selingué. Geographically, Selingué area is located in the basin of Sakanrani and belongs to the district of Yanfolila in the third administrative region of Mali, Sikasso. Two cross-sectional surveys were conducted in October 2010 (end of transmission season) and in July 2011 (beginning of transmission season) to determine the point prevalence of asymptomatic parasitaemia, and anaemia among the children. Cumulative incidence of malaria per month was determined in a cohort of 549 children through active and passive case detection from November 2010 through October 2011. The number of clinical episodes per year was determined among the children in the cohort. Logistic regression was used to determine risk factors for malaria. The prevalence of malaria parasitaemia varied significantly between villages with a strong seasonality in Carrière (52.0-18.9 % in October 2010 and July 2011, respectively) compared with Binko (29.8-23.8 % in October 2010 and July 2011, respectively). Children 6-9 years old were at least twice more likely to carry parasites than children up to 5 years old. For malaria incidence, 64.8-71.9 % of all children experienced at least one episode of clinical malaria in Binko and Carrière, respectively. The peak incidence was observed between August and October (end of the rainy season), but the incidence remained high until December. Surprisingly, the risk of clinical malaria was two- to nine-fold higher among

The Discriminative validity of "nociceptive," "peripheral neuropathic," and "central sensitization" as mechanisms-based classifications of musculoskeletal pain.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Smart, Keith M

2012-02-01

OBJECTIVES: Empirical evidence of discriminative validity is required to justify the use of mechanisms-based classifications of musculoskeletal pain in clinical practice. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the discriminative validity of mechanisms-based classifications of pain by identifying discriminatory clusters of clinical criteria predictive of "nociceptive," "peripheral neuropathic," and "central sensitization" pain in patients with low back (+\\/- leg) pain disorders. METHODS: This study was a cross-sectional, between-patients design using the extreme-groups method. Four hundred sixty-four patients with low back (+\\/- leg) pain were assessed using a standardized assessment protocol. After each assessment, patients\\' pain was assigned a mechanisms-based classification. Clinicians then completed a clinical criteria checklist indicating the presence\\/absence of various clinical criteria. RESULTS: Multivariate analyses using binary logistic regression with Bayesian model averaging identified a discriminative cluster of 7, 3, and 4 symptoms and signs predictive of a dominance of "nociceptive," "peripheral neuropathic," and "central sensitization" pain, respectively. Each cluster was found to have high levels of classification accuracy (sensitivity, specificity, positive\\/negative predictive values, positive\\/negative likelihood ratios). DISCUSSION: By identifying a discriminatory cluster of symptoms and signs predictive of "nociceptive," "peripheral neuropathic," and "central" pain, this study provides some preliminary discriminative validity evidence for mechanisms-based classifications of musculoskeletal pain. Classification system validation requires the accumulation of validity evidence before their use in clinical practice can be recommended. Further studies are required to evaluate the construct and criterion validity of mechanisms-based classifications of musculoskeletal pain.

Sugary Kefir Strain Lactobacillus mali APS1 Ameliorated Hepatic Steatosis by Regulation of SIRT-1/Nrf-2 and Gut Microbiota in Rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yung-Tsung; Lin, Yu-Chun; Lin, Jin-Seng; Yang, Ning-Sun; Chen, Ming-Ju

2018-04-01

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common disease that is concomitant with obesity, resulting in increased mortality. To date, the efficiency of NAFLD treatment still needs to be improved. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the effect of Lactobacillus mali APS1, which was isolated from sugary kefir, on hepatic steatosis in rats fed a high-fat diet (HFD). Sprague Dawley rats were fed a control diet, a HFD with saline, and a HFD with APS1 intervention by gavage daily for 12 weeks. The results showed that APS1 significantly reduced body weight and body weight gain in HFD-fed rats. APS1 reduced hepatic lipid accumulation by regulating SIRT-1/PGC-1α/SREBP-1 expression. Moreover, APS1 increased hepatic antioxidant activity by modulating Nrf-2/HO-1 expression. Notably, APS1 manipulated the gut microbiota, resulting in increasing proportions of the phylum Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes and reducing the abundance of specific NAFLD-associated bacteria. These results suggested that APS1 ameliorated hepatic steatosis by modulating lipid metabolism and antioxidant activity via manipulating specific NAFLD-associated gut microbiota in vivo. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Closeness-Centrality-Based Synchronization Criteria for Complex Dynamical Networks With Interval Time-Varying Coupling Delays.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Myeongjin; Lee, Seung-Hoon; Kwon, Oh-Min; Seuret, Alexandre

2017-09-06

This paper investigates synchronization in complex dynamical networks (CDNs) with interval time-varying delays. The CDNs are representative of systems composed of a large number of interconnected dynamical units, and for the purpose of the mathematical analysis, the leading work is to model them as graphs whose nodes represent the dynamical units. At this time, we take note of the importance of each node in networks. One way, in this paper, is that the closeness-centrality mentioned in the field of social science is grafted onto the CDNs. By constructing a suitable Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional, and utilizing some mathematical techniques, the sufficient and closeness-centrality-based conditions for synchronization stability of the networks are established in terms of linear matrix inequalities. Ultimately, the use of the closeness-centrality can be weighted with regard to not only the interconnection relation among the nodes, which was utilized in the existing works but also more information about nodes. Here, the centrality will be added as the concerned information. Moreover, to avoid the computational burden causing the nonconvex term including the square of the time-varying delay, how to deal with it is applied by estimating it to the convex term including time-varying delay. Finally, two illustrative examples are given to show the advantage of the closeness-centrality in point of the robustness on time-delay.

Cultivating Urban Naturalists: Teaching Experiential, Place-Based Learning through Nature Journaling in Central Park

Science.gov (United States)

Warkentin, Traci

2011-01-01

Preservice educators engaged in experiential, place-based learning through a semester-long assignment in which they observed a specific place in Central Park in Manhattan, New York, and kept a nature journal. The assignment was organized around two pivotal elements: direct, sensory experience and time in place. Both elements added vital dimensions…

Prevalence of trachoma in the Kayes region of Mali eight years after stopping mass drug administration.

Science.gov (United States)

Traoré, Lamine; Dembele, Benoit; Keita, Modibo; Reid, Steven D; Dembéle, Mahamadou; Mariko, Bréhima; Coulibaly, Famolo; Goldman, Whitney; Traoré, Dramane; Coulibaly, Daouda; Guindo, Boubacar; Amon, Joseph J; Knieriemen, Marily; Zhang, Yaobi

2018-02-01

In 2009, three years after stopping mass treatment with azithromycin, a trachoma impact survey in four health districts in the Kayes region of Mali found a prevalence of trachomatous inflammation-follicular (TF) among children aged 1 to 9 years of >5% and a trachomatous trichiasis (TT) prevalence within the general population (≥1-year-old) of <1%. As a result, the government's national trachoma program expanded trichiasis surgery and related activities required to achieve trachoma elimination. In 2015, to assess progress towards elimination, a follow-up impact survey was conducted in the Kayes, Kéniéba, Nioro and Yélimané health districts. The survey used district level two-stage cluster random sampling methodology with 20 clusters of 30 households in each evaluation unit. Subjects were eligible for examination if they were ≥1 year. TF and TT cases were identified and confirmed by experienced ophthalmologists. In total 14,159 people were enumerated and 11,620 (82%) were examined. TF prevalence (95% confidence interval (CI)) was 0.5% (0.3-1%) in Kayes, 0.8% (0.4-1.7%) in Kéniéba, 0.2% (0-0.9%) in Nioro and 0.3% (0.1-1%) in Yélimané. TT prevalence (95% CI) was 0.04% (0-0.25%) in Kayes, 0.29% (0.11-0.6%) in Kéniéba, 0.04% (0-0.25%) in Nioro and 0.07% (0-0.27%) in Yélimané. Eight years after stopping MDA and intensifying trichiasis surgery outreach campaigns, all four districts reached the TF elimination threshold of <5% and three of four districts reached the TT elimination threshold of <0.1%.

Mobile devices for community-based REDD+ monitoring: a case study for Central Vietnam.

Science.gov (United States)

Pratihast, Arun Kumar; Herold, Martin; Avitabile, Valerio; de Bruin, Sytze; Bartholomeus, Harm; Souza, Carlos M; Ribbe, Lars

2012-12-20

Monitoring tropical deforestation and forest degradation is one of the central elements for the Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in developing countries (REDD+) scheme. Current arrangements for monitoring are based on remote sensing and field measurements. Since monitoring is the periodic process of assessing forest stands properties with respect to reference data, adopting the current REDD+ requirements for implementing monitoring at national levels is a challenging task. Recently, the advancement in Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) and mobile devices has enabled local communities to monitor their forest in a basic resource setting such as no or slow internet connection link, limited power supply, etc. Despite the potential, the use of mobile device system for community based monitoring (CBM) is still exceptional and faces implementation challenges. This paper presents an integrated data collection system based on mobile devices that streamlines the community-based forest monitoring data collection, transmission and visualization process. This paper also assesses the accuracy and reliability of CBM data and proposes a way to fit them into national REDD+ Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) scheme. The system performance is evaluated at Tra Bui commune, Quang Nam province, Central Vietnam, where forest carbon and change activities were tracked. The results show that the local community is able to provide data with accuracy comparable to expert measurements (index of agreement greater than 0.88), but against lower costs. Furthermore, the results confirm that communities are more effective to monitor small scale forest degradation due to subsistence fuel wood collection and selective logging, than high resolution remote sensing SPOT imagery.

Fast network centrality analysis using GPUs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shi Zhiao

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background With the exploding volume of data generated by continuously evolving high-throughput technologies, biological network analysis problems are growing larger in scale and craving for more computational power. General Purpose computation on Graphics Processing Units (GPGPU provides a cost-effective technology for the study of large-scale biological networks. Designing algorithms that maximize data parallelism is the key in leveraging the power of GPUs. Results We proposed an efficient data parallel formulation of the All-Pairs Shortest Path problem, which is the key component for shortest path-based centrality computation. A betweenness centrality algorithm built upon this formulation was developed and benchmarked against the most recent GPU-based algorithm. Speedup between 11 to 19% was observed in various simulated scale-free networks. We further designed three algorithms based on this core component to compute closeness centrality, eccentricity centrality and stress centrality. To make all these algorithms available to the research community, we developed a software package gpu-fan (GPU-based Fast Analysis of Networks for CUDA enabled GPUs. Speedup of 10-50× compared with CPU implementations was observed for simulated scale-free networks and real world biological networks. Conclusions gpu-fan provides a significant performance improvement for centrality computation in large-scale networks. Source code is available under the GNU Public License (GPL at http://bioinfo.vanderbilt.edu/gpu-fan/.

Variation de quelques parametres floristiques suivant les zones de ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

L'une des fonctions principales de l'aménagement de la Réserve de Biosphère de la Boucle du Baoulé (RBBB) au Mali est de conserver la végétation dans son état originel dans l'aire centrale. L'étude des paramètres floristiques est indispensable si l'on veut mettre en place des aménagements durables dans la RBBB.

A Combination of Central Pattern Generator-based and Reflex-based Neural Networks for Dynamic, Adaptive, Robust Bipedal Locomotion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Di Canio, Giuliano; Larsen, Jørgen Christian; Wörgötter, Florentin

2016-01-01

Robotic systems inspired from humans have always been lightening up the curiosity of engineers and scientists. Of many challenges, human locomotion is a very difficult one where a number of different systems needs to interact in order to generate a correct and balanced pattern. To simulate...... the interaction of these systems, implementations with reflexbased or central pattern generator (CPG)-based controllers have been tested on bipedal robot systems. In this paper we will combine the two controller types, into a controller that works with both reflex and CPG signals. We use a reflex-based neural...... network to generate basic walking patterns of a dynamic bipedal walking robot (DACBOT) and then a CPG-based neural network to ensure robust walking behavior...

Central bank independence and inflation revisited

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Klomp, Jeroen; de Haan, Jakob

We re-examine the relationship between central bank independence (CBI), proxied by the central bank governor's turnover rate and an indicator based on central bank laws in place, and inflation using a random coefficient model with the Hildreth-Houck estimator for more than 100 countries in the

Central bank independence and inflation revisited

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Klomp, J.G.; Haan, de J.

2010-01-01

We re-examine the relationship between central bank independence (CBI), proxied by the central bank governor's turnover rate and an indicator based on central bank laws in place, and inflation using a random coefficient model with the Hildreth-Houck estimator for more than 100 countries in the

Assessment of Groundwater Resources in the Context of Climate Change and Population Growth: Case of the Klela Basin in Southern Mali

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adama Toure

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Groundwater in the Klela basin in Mali, a subbasin of the Bani basin (one of the main tributaries of the Niger River, is required for domestic use, irrigation and livestock. Furthermore, water supply of the city of Sikasso directly depends on the groundwater resources, which are under pressure caused by increased water demand as well as climate variability and climate change. As a consequence, freshwater availability is being threatened which can have a direct negative impact on irrigation agriculture. The aim of this study was to evaluate future behavior of groundwater resources in the context of climate change and population growth using socio-economic and population growth scenarios for water demand and the Representative Concentration Pathways scenarios (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 data for calculating groundwater recharge using the Thornthwaite model. The WEAP (Water Evaluation and Planning system model was applied to balance water availability and demand and to compute changes in groundwater storage up to 2050. The overall results show that groundwater recharge as well as storage is decreasing over time, especially in the 2030s which can lead to severe agricultural droughts in this period. Recharge declined by approximatively 49% and stored groundwater by 24% over the study period.

Goat-based aid programme in Central Java: An effective intervention for the poor and vulnerable?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Budisatria, I.G.S.; Udo, H.M.J.

2013-01-01

This study evaluated a goat-based aid programme developed to facilitate the recovery of vulnerable people in an earthquake affected area in Central Java, Indonesia. Farmers, organised in farmers’ groups, received a package of one male and four female goats. In total, 72 farmers from 6 farmers’

Surgical treatment for central pain after stroke based on the neural mechanism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirato, Masafumi; Takahashi, Akio; Watanabe, Katsushige; Kazama, Ken; Yoshimoto, Yuhei

2008-01-01

Previous neurophysiological and neuroimaging studies have suggested that functional changes might occur in the sensory thalamus, associated with reorganization of the thalamocortical system, in cases with central pain after stroke (thalamic pain). It might cause the misconduction of the sensory signal or a hyperactive response to peripheral natural stimulation on the thalamus, resulting in it playing an important roles in the genesis of central pain. Hyperactivity in the cerebral cortex adjacent to the central sulcus on the side ipsilateral to a cerebrovascular disease (CVD) lesion also might relate to central pain. We performed various kinds of surgical treatments in 29 cases with central pain after stroke based on the neural mechanism deserbed above. Epidural spinal cord stimulation was effective in 4 out of 7 cases with localized pain on the distal part of the leg and arm. We achieved pain control in these cases showing definite somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) originating in the sensory cortex before surgery. Stereotactic (Vim-Vcpc) thalamotomy with the aid of depth microrecording was effective in 4 out of 7 cases with diffuse pain. In good responders, we could find responses to natural peripheral stimulation and seldom encountered irregular burst discharges in the sensory thalamus during the operation. Preoperative positron emission tomography (PET) studies also revealed an increase of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in the sensory cortex ipsilateral to the thalamic CVD lesion during contralateral thumb brushing. Gamma knife treatment was effective in 5 out of 7 cases after stereotactic thalamotomy. It became stable in 3 out of these 5 cases. Each case was treated with a maximum dose of 120-150 Gy using a 4 mm collimator. Precentral electrical cortical stimulation was performed in 8 cases. Sufficient pain relief was achieved in 3 out of 6 cases in which we could implant an importable pulse generator (IPG). In one of these cases, we found definite

The new Central American seismic hazard zonation: Mutual consensus based on up to day seismotectonic framework

Science.gov (United States)

Alvarado, Guillermo E.; Benito, Belén; Staller, Alejandra; Climent, Álvaro; Camacho, Eduardo; Rojas, Wilfredo; Marroquín, Griselda; Molina, Enrique; Talavera, J. Emilio; Martínez-Cuevas, Sandra; Lindholm, Conrad

2017-11-01

Central America is one of the most active seismic zones in the World, due to the interaction of five tectonic plates (North America, Caribbean, Coco, Nazca and South America), and its internal deformation, which generates almost one destructive earthquakes (5.4 ≤ Mw ≤ 8.1) every year. A new seismological zonation for Central America is proposed based on seismotectonic framework, a geological context (tectonic and geological maps), geophysical and geodetic evidence (gravimetric maps, magnetometric, GPS observations), and previous works. As a main source of data a depurated earthquake catalog was collected covering the period from 1522 to 2015. This catalog was homogenized to a moment magnitude scale (Mw). After a careful analysis of all the integrated geological and seismological information, the seismogenic zones were established into seismic areas defined by similar patterns of faulting, seismicity, and rupture mechanism. The tectonic environment has required considering seismic zones in two particular seismological regimes: a) crustal faulting (including local faults, major fracture zones of plate boundary limits, and thrust fault of deformed belts) and b) subduction, taking into account the change in the subduction angle along the trench, and the type and location of the rupture. The seismicity in the subduction zone is divided into interplate and intraplate inslab seismicity. The regional seismic zonation proposed for the whole of Central America, include local seismic zonations, avoiding discontinuities at the national boundaries, because of a consensus between the 7 countries, based on the cooperative work of specialists on Central American seismotectonics and related topics.

Efficient crop type mapping based on remote sensing in the Central Valley, California

Science.gov (United States)

Zhong, Liheng

Most agricultural systems in California's Central Valley are purposely flexible and intentionally designed to meet the demands of dynamic markets. Agricultural land use is also impacted by climate change and urban development. As a result, crops change annually and semiannually, which makes estimating agricultural water use difficult, especially given the existing method by which agricultural land use is identified and mapped. A minor portion of agricultural land is surveyed annually for land-use type, and every 5 to 8 years the entire valley is completely evaluated. So far no effort has been made to effectively and efficiently identify specific crop types on an annual basis in this area. The potential of satellite imagery to map agricultural land cover and estimate water usage in the Central Valley is explored. Efforts are made to minimize the cost and reduce the time of production during the mapping process. The land use change analysis shows that a remote sensing based mapping method is the only means to map the frequent change of major crop types. The traditional maximum likelihood classification approach is first utilized to map crop types to test the classification capacity of existing algorithms. High accuracy is achieved with sufficient ground truth data for training, and crop maps of moderate quality can be timely produced to facilitate a near-real-time water use estimate. However, the large set of ground truth data required by this method results in high costs in data collection. It is difficult to reduce the cost because a trained classification algorithm is not transferable between different years or different regions. A phenology based classification (PBC) approach is developed which extracts phenological metrics from annual vegetation index profiles and identifies crop types based on these metrics using decision trees. According to the comparison with traditional maximum likelihood classification, this phenology-based approach shows great advantages

Cultural, morphological, pathogenic and molecular characterization ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Alternaria blotch (Alternaria mali) causes severe foliar damage to apple trees in Kashmir. Twenty one (21) isolates of A. mali were collected from different locations and characterized for cultural, morphological, pathogenic and molecular variations. A. mali colonies varied in their cultural behaviour ranging from velvety to ...

Contemporary approaches to reducing the risks of central counterparties based on the use of marginal contributions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Utkin Viktor Sergeyevich

2012-07-01

Full Text Available To protect their own interests central counterparties has developed a number of procedures, including payment of guarantee margin by trading members as a means to ensure their positions. This article discusses a number of approaches, which attempt to simulate the risks of the Central Committee, as well as calculating the amount of margin and other resources in the event of insolvency. These approaches are based on the simulation of the three main types: (a statistical modeling; (b optimization modeling, and (c model of option pricing. The author incorporates the basic provisions of models.

Assessment of age based on the pulp cavity width of the maxillary central incisors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Uday Ginjupally

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Aims and Objectives: The aim of this study was to estimate the age of the patients belonging to the age group of 15 - 55 years, attending the Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, St. Joseph Dental College and Hospital, Eluru, based on the radiographic evaluation of the pulp cavity width of the maxillary central incisors. Materials and Methods: The study group comprised of 120 subjects. Intraoral periapical radiographs of the maxillary central incisors were taken for all subjects, using the conventional paralleling angle technique and the pulp cavity width was measured at the cervical and middle third using a digital vernier caliper. The data obtained was subjected to correlation and regression analysis. Results: A negative linear relationship was obtained between the age and pulp cavity width (cervical third, r = -0.459 and middle third, r = -0.704. Cubic regression analysis was done and the regression formulae were obtained. A mean difference of 0.1 years was obtained between the estimated age and real age, indicating the reliability of the derived formula. Conclusion: It can be concluded that the width of the pulp cavity of maxillary central incisors are reliable for estimation of age.

When should I attempt my centrally administered summative assessments in the RANZCP competency-based training program?

Science.gov (United States)

Kealy-Bateman, Warren; Kotze, Beth; Lampe, Lisa

2016-12-01

To provide information relevant to decision-making around the timing of attempting the centrally administered summative assessments in the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) 2012 Fellowship Program. We consider the new Competency-Based Fellowship Program of the RANZCP and its underlying philosophy, the trainee trajectory within the program and the role of the supervisor. The relationship between workplace-based and external assessments is discussed. The timing of attempting centrally administered summative assessments is considered within the pedagogical framework of medical competencies development. Although successful completion of all the centrally administered summative assessments requires demonstration of a junior consultant standard of competency, the timing at which this standard will most commonly be achieved is likely to vary from assessment to assessment. There are disadvantages attendant upon prematurely attempting assessments, and trainees are advised to carefully consider the requirements of each assessment and match this against their current level of knowledge and skills. Trainees and supervisors need to be clear about the competencies required for each of the external assessments and match this against the trainee's current competencies to assist in decision-making about the timing of assessments and planning for future learning. © The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2016.

[Maxillary swing approach in the management of tumors in the central and lateral cranial base].

Science.gov (United States)

Liao, Hua; Hua, Qing-quan; Wu, Zhan-yuan

2006-04-01

A retrospective review of seventeen patients who were operated through the maxillary swing approach was carried out to assess the efficacy of this approach in the management of tumors of the central and lateral cranial base. From May 2000 to January 2005, 17 patients with primary or recurrent neoplasms involving the central cranial or lateral base underwent surgical resection via maxillary swing approach. Ten patients were male, and other seven patients were female, and age range was 7 to 58 years, with a mean age of 42. 6 years. Eight patients had tumors originally involving lateral cranial base, and nine patients had tumors originated from central cranial base. The pathology spectrum was very wide. Among them, five suffered from chordoma, two had rhabdomyosarcoma, two had squamous cell carcinoma, one had malignant fibrous histiocytoma, one had malignant melanoma, one had esthesioneuroblastoma, one had invaded hypophysoma, two had schwannoma, one had pleomorphic adenoma, and one had angiofibroma. Three patients had received previous surgery, two patients had previous radiation therapy and nine patients received postoperative radiotherapy. Sixteen of all seventeen patients had oncologically complete resection, one had near-total resection. This group patients was followed up from 10 to 60 months, with a median follow-up time of 28 months. Two patients died 14 and 26 months after surgery respectively, as a result of local recurrence and metastasis. One patient defaulted follow-up at 12 months after operation, and the other 14 patients were alive at the time of analysis. Of the 12 malignant tumors, the 1-and 2-year survival rate were 91.67% and 72.92%, respectively. The facial wounds of all patients healed primarily, and there were no necrosis of the maxilla, damage of the temporal branch of the facial nerve, lower-lid ectropion, and facial deformity. Epiphora and facial hypoesthesia were detected in all patients. Four patients (23.5%) developed palatal fistula, ten

Centralized digital control of accelerators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Melen, R.E.

1983-09-01

In contrasting the title of this paper with a second paper to be presented at this conference entitled Distributed Digital Control of Accelerators, a potential reader might be led to believe that this paper will focus on systems whose computing intelligence is centered in one or more computers in a centralized location. Instead, this paper will describe the architectural evolution of SLAC's computer based accelerator control systems with respect to the distribution of their intelligence. However, the use of the word centralized in the title is appropriate because these systems are based on the use of centralized large and computationally powerful processors that are typically supported by networks of smaller distributed processors

Assessing Woody Vegetation Trends in Sahelian Drylands Using MODIS Based Seasonal Metrics

Science.gov (United States)

Brandt, Martin; Hiernaux, Pierre; Rasmussen, Kjeld; Mbow, Cheikh; Kergoat, Laurent; Tagesson, Torbern; Ibrahim, Yahaya Z.; Wele, Abdoulaye; Tucker, Compton J.; Fensholt, Rasmus

2016-01-01

Woody plants play a major role for the resilience of drylands and in peoples' livelihoods. However, due to their scattered distribution, quantifying and monitoring woody cover over space and time is challenging. We develop a phenology driven model and train/validate MODIS (MCD43A4, 500m) derived metrics with 178 ground observations from Niger, Senegal and Mali to estimate woody cover trends from 2000 to 2014 over the entire Sahel. The annual woody cover estimation at 500 m scale is fairly accurate with an RMSE of 4.3 (woody cover %) and r(exp 2) = 0.74. Over the 15 year period we observed an average increase of 1.7 (+/- 5.0) woody cover (%) with large spatial differences: No clear change can be observed in densely populated areas (0.2 +/- 4.2), whereas a positive change is seen in sparsely populated areas (2.1 +/- 5.2). Woody cover is generally stable in cropland areas (0.9 +/- 4.6), reflecting the protective management of parkland trees by the farmers. Positive changes are observed in savannas (2.5 +/- 5.4) and woodland areas (3.9 +/- 7.3). The major pattern of woody cover change reveals strong increases in the sparsely populated Sahel zones of eastern Senegal, western Mali and central Chad, but a decreasing trend is observed in the densely populated western parts of Senegal, northern Nigeria, Sudan and southwestern Niger. This decrease is often local and limited to woodlands, being an indication of ongoing expansion of cultivated areas and selective logging.We show that an overall positive trend is found in areas of low anthropogenic pressure demonstrating the potential of these ecosystems to provide services such as carbon storage, if not over-utilized. Taken together, our results provide an unprecedented synthesis of woody cover dynamics in theSahel, and point to land use and human population density as important drivers, however only partially and locally offsetting a general post-drought increase.

A survey of domestic wells and pit latrines in rural settlements of Mali: Implications of on-site sanitation on the quality of water supplies.

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez-Santos, P; Martín-Loeches, M; García-Castro, N; Solera, D; Díaz-Alcaide, S; Montero, E; García-Rincón, J

2017-10-01

On-site sanitation is generally advocated as a means to eradicate the health hazards associated with open defecation. While this has provided a welcome upgrade to the livelihoods of millions of people in low-income countries, improved sanitation facilities are increasingly becoming a threat to domestic groundwater-based supplies. Within this context, a survey of pit latrines, domestic wells and improved water sources was carried out in a large rural village of southern Mali. All households were surveyed for water, sanitation and hygiene habits. Domestic wells and improved water sources were georeferenced and sampled for water quality (pH, electric conductivity, temperature, turbidity, total dissolved solids, thermotolerant coliforms, chloride and nitrate) and groundwater level, while all latrines were inspected and georeferenced. A GIS database was then used to evaluate the proportion of water points within the influence area of latrines, as well as to underpin multiple regression models to establish the determinants for fecal contamination in drinking supplies. Moreover, an appraisal of domestic water treatment practices was carried out. This revealed that nearly two-thirds of the population uses bleach to purify drinking supplies, but also that domestic-scale treatment as currently implemented by the population is far from effective. It is thus concluded that existing habits could be enhanced as a means to make water supplies safer. Furthermore, population, well and latrine density were all identified as statistically significant predictors for fecal pollution at different spatial scales. These findings are policy-relevant in the context of groundwater-dependent human settlements, since many countries in the developing world currently pursue the objective of eliminating open defecation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

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Results 31 - 40 of 138 ... Home · South of Sahara; Mali .... Improved access to comprehensive emergency obstetric care and its effect on institutional maternal mortality in rural Mali. A maternity referral system that included basic and comprehensive ... schemes was implemented in six rural health districts in Kayes region, Mali.

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International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Exploring the Potential Benefits of Mobile Phone Service for Epidemiological Monitoring in Mali. Mali has one of the heaviest disease burdens in the world. Using cellphones to monitor outbreaks of disease in the country could help to ease that burden. North Of Sahara, South Of Sahara, Mali. PROJECT ...

Central FPGA-based destination and load control in the LHCb MHz event readout

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jacobsson, R.

2012-01-01

The readout strategy of the LHCb experiment is based on complete event readout at 1 MHz. A set of 320 sub-detector readout boards transmit event fragments at total rate of 24.6 MHz at a bandwidth usage of up to 70 GB/s over a commercial switching network based on Gigabit Ethernet to a distributed event building and high-level trigger processing farm with 1470 individual multi-core computer nodes. In the original specifications, the readout was based on a pure push protocol. This paper describes the proposal, implementation, and experience of a non-conventional mixture of a push and a pull protocol, akin to credit-based flow control. An FPGA-based central master module, partly operating at the LHC bunch clock frequency of 40.08 MHz and partly at a double clock speed, is in charge of the entire trigger and readout control from the front-end electronics up to the high-level trigger farm. One FPGA is dedicated to controlling the event fragment packing in the readout boards, the assignment of the farm node destination for each event, and controls the farm load based on an asynchronous pull mechanism from each farm node. This dynamic readout scheme relies on generic event requests and the concept of node credit allowing load control and trigger rate regulation as a function of the global farm load. It also allows the vital task of fast central monitoring and automatic recovery in-flight of failing nodes while maintaining dead-time and event loss at a minimum. This paper demonstrates the strength and suitability of implementing this real-time task for a very large distributed system in an FPGA where no random delays are introduced, and where extreme reliability and accurate event accounting are fundamental requirements. It was in use during the entire commissioning phase of LHCb and has been in faultless operation during the first two years of physics luminosity data taking.

Central FPGA-based destination and load control in the LHCb MHz event readout

Science.gov (United States)

Jacobsson, R.

2012-10-01

The readout strategy of the LHCb experiment is based on complete event readout at 1 MHz. A set of 320 sub-detector readout boards transmit event fragments at total rate of 24.6 MHz at a bandwidth usage of up to 70 GB/s over a commercial switching network based on Gigabit Ethernet to a distributed event building and high-level trigger processing farm with 1470 individual multi-core computer nodes. In the original specifications, the readout was based on a pure push protocol. This paper describes the proposal, implementation, and experience of a non-conventional mixture of a push and a pull protocol, akin to credit-based flow control. An FPGA-based central master module, partly operating at the LHC bunch clock frequency of 40.08 MHz and partly at a double clock speed, is in charge of the entire trigger and readout control from the front-end electronics up to the high-level trigger farm. One FPGA is dedicated to controlling the event fragment packing in the readout boards, the assignment of the farm node destination for each event, and controls the farm load based on an asynchronous pull mechanism from each farm node. This dynamic readout scheme relies on generic event requests and the concept of node credit allowing load control and trigger rate regulation as a function of the global farm load. It also allows the vital task of fast central monitoring and automatic recovery in-flight of failing nodes while maintaining dead-time and event loss at a minimum. This paper demonstrates the strength and suitability of implementing this real-time task for a very large distributed system in an FPGA where no random delays are introduced, and where extreme reliability and accurate event accounting are fundamental requirements. It was in use during the entire commissioning phase of LHCb and has been in faultless operation during the first two years of physics luminosity data taking.

Performance of small cluster surveys and the clustered LQAS design to estimate local-level vaccination coverage in Mali.

Science.gov (United States)

Minetti, Andrea; Riera-Montes, Margarita; Nackers, Fabienne; Roederer, Thomas; Koudika, Marie Hortense; Sekkenes, Johanne; Taconet, Aurore; Fermon, Florence; Touré, Albouhary; Grais, Rebecca F; Checchi, Francesco

2012-10-12

Estimation of vaccination coverage at the local level is essential to identify communities that may require additional support. Cluster surveys can be used in resource-poor settings, when population figures are inaccurate. To be feasible, cluster samples need to be small, without losing robustness of results. The clustered LQAS (CLQAS) approach has been proposed as an alternative, as smaller sample sizes are required. We explored (i) the efficiency of cluster surveys of decreasing sample size through bootstrapping analysis and (ii) the performance of CLQAS under three alternative sampling plans to classify local VC, using data from a survey carried out in Mali after mass vaccination against meningococcal meningitis group A. VC estimates provided by a 10 × 15 cluster survey design were reasonably robust. We used them to classify health areas in three categories and guide mop-up activities: i) health areas not requiring supplemental activities; ii) health areas requiring additional vaccination; iii) health areas requiring further evaluation. As sample size decreased (from 10 × 15 to 10 × 3), standard error of VC and ICC estimates were increasingly unstable. Results of CLQAS simulations were not accurate for most health areas, with an overall risk of misclassification greater than 0.25 in one health area out of three. It was greater than 0.50 in one health area out of two under two of the three sampling plans. Small sample cluster surveys (10 × 15) are acceptably robust for classification of VC at local level. We do not recommend the CLQAS method as currently formulated for evaluating vaccination programmes.

Distributed knowledge-based system for the optimum utilisation of South African wool

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Dlodlo, N

2009-09-01

Full Text Available combed yarn joints by artifi cial neural networks. Part 1: Developing an artifi cial neural network model, Fibres and Textiles in Eastern Europe, 13(1): 39-43. 20. Maly, R., Abdel-Wahab, H., Wild, C., Overstreet, C.M., Gupta, A., Abdel-Hamid, A...

Measuring Long-Term Impact Based on Network Centrality: Unraveling Cinematic Citations

Science.gov (United States)

Spitz, Andreas; Horvát, Emőke-Ágnes

2014-01-01

Traditional measures of success for film, such as box-office revenue and critical acclaim, lack the ability to quantify long-lasting impact and depend on factors that are largely external to the craft itself. With the growing number of films that are being created and large-scale data becoming available through crowd-sourced online platforms, an endogenous measure of success that is not reliant on manual appraisal is of increasing importance. In this article we propose such a ranking method based on a combination of centrality indices. We apply the method to a network that contains several types of citations between more than 40,000 international feature films. From this network we derive a list of milestone films, which can be considered to constitute the foundations of cinema. In a comparison to various existing lists of ‘greatest’ films, such as personal favourite lists, voting lists, lists of individual experts, and lists deduced from expert polls, the selection of milestone films is more diverse in terms of genres, actors, and main creators. Our results shed light on the potential of a systematic quantitative investigation based on cinematic influences in identifying the most inspiring creations in world cinema. In a broader perspective, we introduce a novel research question to large-scale citation analysis, one of the most intriguing topics that have been at the forefront of scientific enquiries for the past fifty years and have led to the development of various network analytic methods. In doing so, we transfer widely studied approaches from citation analysis to the the newly emerging field of quantification efforts in the arts. The specific contribution of this paper consists in modelling the multidimensional cinematic references as a growing multiplex network and in developing a methodology for the identification of central films in this network. PMID:25295877

Measuring long-term impact based on network centrality: unraveling cinematic citations.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andreas Spitz

Full Text Available Traditional measures of success for film, such as box-office revenue and critical acclaim, lack the ability to quantify long-lasting impact and depend on factors that are largely external to the craft itself. With the growing number of films that are being created and large-scale data becoming available through crowd-sourced online platforms, an endogenous measure of success that is not reliant on manual appraisal is of increasing importance. In this article we propose such a ranking method based on a combination of centrality indices. We apply the method to a network that contains several types of citations between more than 40,000 international feature films. From this network we derive a list of milestone films, which can be considered to constitute the foundations of cinema. In a comparison to various existing lists of 'greatest' films, such as personal favourite lists, voting lists, lists of individual experts, and lists deduced from expert polls, the selection of milestone films is more diverse in terms of genres, actors, and main creators. Our results shed light on the potential of a systematic quantitative investigation based on cinematic influences in identifying the most inspiring creations in world cinema. In a broader perspective, we introduce a novel research question to large-scale citation analysis, one of the most intriguing topics that have been at the forefront of scientific enquiries for the past fifty years and have led to the development of various network analytic methods. In doing so, we transfer widely studied approaches from citation analysis to the the newly emerging field of quantification efforts in the arts. The specific contribution of this paper consists in modelling the multidimensional cinematic references as a growing multiplex network and in developing a methodology for the identification of central films in this network.

Electric protections based in microprocessors in power plants; Protecciones electricas basadas en microprocesadores en centrales generadoras

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Libreros, Domitilo; Castanon Jimenez, Jose Ismael [Instituto de Investigaciones Electricas, Cuernavaca (Mexico)

1988-12-31

This article is centered around the substitution of the conventional electric protections of a power plant in connection type unit for protections based in microprocessors. A general model of conventional protection of a power plant is described and the number of analogic and digital signals that intervene in that model are quantified. A model is setup for power plant protection with microprocessors, analyzing each one of the modules that would form it. Finally, the algorithms to carry on such protection are presented. [Espanol] Este articulo se centra en torno a la sustitucion de las protecciones electricas convencionales de una central generadora en conexion tipo unidad por protecciones basadas en microprocesadores. Se describe el modelo general de proteccion convencional de una central generadora y se cuantifica el numero de senales analogicas y digitales que interviene en dicho modelo. Se propone un modelo para proteccion de centrales generadoras mediante microprocesadores, analizandose cada uno de los modulos que lo conformarian. Finalmente, se presentan los algoritmos para realizar dicha proteccion.

Electric protections based in microprocessors in power plants; Protecciones electricas basadas en microprocesadores en centrales generadoras

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Libreros, Domitilo; Castanon Jimenez, Jose Ismael [Instituto de Investigaciones Electricas, Cuernavaca (Mexico)

1987-12-31

This article is centered around the substitution of the conventional electric protections of a power plant in connection type unit for protections based in microprocessors. A general model of conventional protection of a power plant is described and the number of analogic and digital signals that intervene in that model are quantified. A model is setup for power plant protection with microprocessors, analyzing each one of the modules that would form it. Finally, the algorithms to carry on such protection are presented. [Espanol] Este articulo se centra en torno a la sustitucion de las protecciones electricas convencionales de una central generadora en conexion tipo unidad por protecciones basadas en microprocesadores. Se describe el modelo general de proteccion convencional de una central generadora y se cuantifica el numero de senales analogicas y digitales que interviene en dicho modelo. Se propone un modelo para proteccion de centrales generadoras mediante microprocesadores, analizandose cada uno de los modulos que lo conformarian. Finalmente, se presentan los algoritmos para realizar dicha proteccion.

Sustainable Development: A Strategy for Regaining Control of Northern Mali

Science.gov (United States)

2014-06-01

sheep and goats ) and Trans Saharan trade. Central to the Tuaregs’ successful trading were their strategically networked water wells, which were owned...nomadic activity; however, restricting nomadization forced the Tuaregs to abandon their life style, begin farming , and seek jobs in towns and cities

Comparing intake estimations based on food composition data with chemical analysis in Malian women

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koréissi-Dembélé, Yara; Doets, Esmee L.; Fanou-Fogny, Nadia; Hulshof, Paul J.M.; Moretti, Diego; Brouwer, Inge D.

2017-01-01

Objective: Food composition databases are essential for estimating nutrient intakes in food consumption surveys. The present study aimed to evaluate the Mali food composition database (TACAM) for assessing intakes of energy and selected nutrients at population level. Design: Weighed food records and

Some Phonetic Phenomena in the Central Podillia Dialect (Based on the Terminology of Traditional Folk Crafts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kraievska Hanna

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Background: In the reviewed paper we attempted to investigate the phonetic variation of the Central Podillia dialect on the example of some linguistic phenomena. We found out that many linguists studied the phonetic variation based on the Ukrainians' dialect speech. However, they did not study the terminology of folk crafts of the Central Podillia dialects, that's why we aim to describe the sound differences of the lexical units of this area. Purpose: The purpose of the analysis is to determine some phonetic phenomena of the Central Podillia dialect. First of all, there are changes within the stable word length (metathesis, substantive changes of one sound in the stable surround sound, and changes, accompanied by the word elongation or contraction (prosthesis, epenthesis, elision. Results: The analyzed dialects widely present the consonant changes within the stable word length (г → ґ, т → д, с → ш, з → ж…. The performed study characterizes the Central Podillia dialects by the vowel change within a stable word length – 5 cases. Sound changes are typical for the analyzed dialects affecting the dynamics of the word length (prosthetic sounds - [г], [в], [й], [і], [и]. In opposition to the phonetic processes that help to increase the length of the word, we observe the loss of the sound in the middle of the word in the Central Podillia dialects (reduction – [o], [й], [в]. Discussion: The analysis of some phonetic phenomena of the Central Podillia dialects proved the existence of phonetic features typical for the South-Western dialect. However, we determined the local sound differences of this area, which confirm the identity of the language of this region.

’Itinéraires de la faim’ des migrants subsahariens expulsés d’Algérie au Mali Organizing survival among sub-Saharan migrants expelled from Algeria to Mali

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Clara Lecadet

2010-12-01

Full Text Available En Algérie, l’expulsion des migrants d’origine subsaharienne vers la frontière Nord du Mali est devenue depuis le début des années 2000 un processus régulier. Rationnement alimentaire drastique dans les prisons algériennes, angoisse vitale dans les ghettos organisés en micro-communautés nationales aux abords de la frontière, leitmotiv de l’aide d’urgence : la faim constitue une caractéristique majeure de l’expérience vécue par les expulsés. Elle est à la fois une violence intime, une donnée politique, un motif d’intervention humanitaire. On parlera ainsi d’itinéraires de la faim pour appréhender le processus de l’expulsion et les parcours erratiques de l’après-expulsion : ils sont ici envisagés à la fois du point de vue du dispositif étatique algérien qui en porte la responsabilité et des contre-dispositifs précaires mis en œuvre par les expulsés pour survivre. Les expulsés auto-organisés, les associations d’expulsés, l’intervention ponctuelle des ONG, tentent en effet de faire face aux expulsions par des formes de regroupement, d’accueil et de restauration atypiques dans un contexte d’abandon et de dénuement radical.Since the beginning of the century the expulsion of sub-Saharan migrants from Algeria to the Northern Malian border has become a regular event. Hunger is the main aspect of expelled migrant life, caused by poor rations in Algerian jails, daily fear in the ghettos organized into national micro-communities on the border and the limited supply of emergency aid. Hunger is simultaneously a primal suffering, a political issue and an argument for humanitarian aid. We describe the process of expulsion and the erratic journey of migrants after deportation as itineraries of hunger. These itineraries are considered from two points of view; the state processes involved in these collective deportations and the precarious strategies invented by expelled migrants to survive. A combination

Beliefs and practices concerning twins, hermaphrodites, and albinos among the Bamana and Maninka of Mali.

Science.gov (United States)

Imperato, Gavin H; Imperato, Pascal James

2006-06-01

The Bamana and Maninka of Mali greatly value twins, and have elaborated a range of cultural beliefs and practices to assure their survival. Rates of twinning among these two ethnic groups average from 15.2/1000 to 17.9/1000 births compared to 10.5/1000 births (without assisted reproduction) in the United States and Great Britain. Twins (flaniw) are regarded as extraordinary beings with unusual powers, and as a gift from the supreme deity. A small altar (sinzin) is maintained in the home of twins, and periodic sacrifices of chicken blood, kola nuts, millet paste and millet beer regularly made to assure their protection. Albinos (yéfeguéw) and true and pseudo-hermaphrodites (tyéténousotéw) are also considered twin beings. However, they are believed to be the result of aberrant parental social behavior. The Bamana and Maninka believe that all four groups (twins, albinos, hermaphrodites, and pseudo-harmaphrodites) are closely linked to Faro, an androgynous supernatural being who provides equilibrium in the world. Faro is the original albino and hermaphrodite who gave birth to the first pair of twins after self-impregnation. Whenever a twin dies, a small wooden statue is sculpted called a flanitokélé (twin that remains). This commemorative figure is kept close to the surviving twin, reflecting a belief in the inseparability of twins. Eventually, the surviving twin takes responsibility for the figure. When a surviving twin marries, another figure is often sculpted in the opposite sex from the deceased twin, and placed with the original sculpture. Such commemorative sculptures are not created upon the death of those who are albinos, hermaphrodites, or pseudo-hermaphrodites. In recent years, transformational belief patterns have evolved as increasing numbers of Bamana and Maninka embrace Islam. Traditional beliefs are often given Islamic myths of origin. However, even in this Islamic context, many practices that assure twin survival are maintained.

Eesti saadab kaks kaitseväelast Malisse

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

2013-01-01

Kaitseminister Urmas Reinsalu sõnul saadab Eesti ühe ohvitseri ja allohvitseri Euroopa Liidu väljaõppemissioonile Malis. Kaitseminister kinnitas, et tegu pole lahingumissiooniga. "Missiooni eesmärk on aidata Mali valitsusel taastada kontroll riigi territooriumil", ütles Reinsalu. "Euroopa Liit toetab Mali valitsusvägesid väljaõppe ja nõustamisega"

Accountability of central banks: aspects and quantification

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. DE HAAN

1999-06-01

Full Text Available The work examines the relationship between central bank independence and accountability. The authors do this by using an indicator for central bank accountability based on the laws of 16 central banks. Central bank accountability is identified as having three distinct features, namely, the explicit definition and ranking of the objectives of monetary policy, the transparency of the actual monetary policy, and the final responsibility to monetary policy.

Political and Legal Bases of Foreign Policy Activity of the European Union in the Region of Central Asia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Turdimurat M. Tursunmuratov

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The author analyses the European Union’s foreign policy in Central Asia. He indicates the basic tendencies of development of the EU cooperation with the countries of Central Asian region. Further, the author analyzes the implementation of joint projects within the framework adopted by the Partnership Agreements. Based on a critical analysis, the researcher highlights a number of constraints to effective development of relations between the EU and Central Asian states. He carries out a structural analysis of conceptual documents of the European Union for the development of bilateral and multilateral relations with Central Asian countries in the region. Scientific novelty of this work lies in the systematization of stages in the evolution of relations between the European Union and the countries of Central Asia. The author divides the formation of cooperation into four main stages. The first stage of the relations between the EU and the countries of Central Asia includes conceptual framework of the legal regulatory structure of bilateral and multilateral cooperation. The second stage is characterized by the realization of a number of joint projects in the field of transport communications, democratic transformations, regional security and stability. The third stage of the relations is determined by acquiring of special geographical significance of the region of Central Asia resulting from the engagement of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan in 2001. The fourth stage has begun in 2015 with the adoption of the EU Strategy for a New Partnership with Central Asia for 2017-2021. These studies serve as a basis for developing some important proposals and recommendations for the improvement of the effectiveness of cooperation between the parties.

Central FPGA-based Destination and Load Control in the LHCb MHz Event Readout

CERN Document Server

Jacobsson, Richard

2012-01-01

The readout strategy of the LHCb experiment [1] is based on complete event readout at 1 MHz [2]. Over 300 sub-detector readout boards transmit event fragments at 1 MHz over a commercial 70 Gigabyte/s switching network to a distributed event building and trigger processing farm with 1470 individual multi-core computer nodes [3]. In the original specifications, the readout was based on a pure push protocol. This paper describes the proposal, implementation, and experience of a powerful non-conventional mixture of a push and a pull protocol, akin to credit-based flow control. A high-speed FPGA-based central master module controls the event fragment packing in the readout boards, the assignment of the farm node destination for each event, and controls the farm load based on an asynchronous pull mechanism from each farm node. This dynamic readout scheme relies on generic event requests and the concept of node credit allowing load balancing and trigger rate regulation as a function of the global farm load. It also ...

The Impacts of U.S. Cotton Programs on the World Market: An Analysis of Brazilian and African WTO Petitions

OpenAIRE

Pan, Suwen; Mohanty, Samarendu; Ethridge, Don E.; Fadiga, Mohamadou L.

2004-01-01

Brazil, supported by Australia challenged U.S. cotton programs at the September 2003 meeting of the WTO settlement Body. Brazil complained that U.S. cotton subsidies such as marketing loans, export credits, commodity certificates, direct payments and counter cyclical payments are depressing world prices and are injurious to Brazilian farmers. In addition, the West and Central African Countries (WCA) countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali and Chad have filed a petition with the WTO claiming th...

Modelling malaria incidence with environmental dependency in a locality of Sudanese savannah area, Mali.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaudart, Jean; Touré, Ousmane; Dessay, Nadine; Dicko, A Lassane; Ranque, Stéphane; Forest, Loic; Demongeot, Jacques; Doumbo, Ogobara K

2009-04-10

The risk of Plasmodium falciparum infection is variable over space and time and this variability is related to environmental variability. Environmental factors affect the biological cycle of both vector and parasite. Despite this strong relationship, environmental effects have rarely been included in malaria transmission models.Remote sensing data on environment were incorporated into a temporal model of the transmission, to forecast the evolution of malaria epidemiology, in a locality of Sudanese savannah area. A dynamic cohort was constituted in June 1996 and followed up until June 2001 in the locality of Bancoumana, Mali. The 15-day composite vegetation index (NDVI), issued from satellite imagery series (NOAA) from July 1981 to December 2006, was used as remote sensing data.The statistical relationship between NDVI and incidence of P. falciparum infection was assessed by ARIMA analysis. ROC analysis provided an NDVI value for the prediction of an increase in incidence of parasitaemia.Malaria transmission was modelled using an SIRS-type model, adapted to Bancoumana's data. Environmental factors influenced vector mortality and aggressiveness, as well as length of the gonotrophic cycle. NDVI observations from 1981 to 2001 were used for the simulation of the extrinsic variable of a hidden Markov chain model. Observations from 2002 to 2006 served as external validation. The seasonal pattern of P. falciparum incidence was significantly explained by NDVI, with a delay of 15 days (p = 0.001). An NDVI threshold of 0.361 (p = 0.007) provided a Diagnostic Odd Ratio (DOR) of 2.64 (CI95% [1.26;5.52]).The deterministic transmission model, with stochastic environmental factor, predicted an endemo-epidemic pattern of malaria infection. The incidences of parasitaemia were adequately modelled, using the observed NDVI as well as the NDVI simulations. Transmission pattern have been modelled and observed values were adequately predicted. The error parameters have shown the smallest

Modelling malaria incidence with environmental dependency in a locality of Sudanese savannah area, Mali

Science.gov (United States)

Gaudart, Jean; Touré, Ousmane; Dessay, Nadine; Dicko, A lassane; Ranque, Stéphane; Forest, Loic; Demongeot, Jacques; Doumbo, Ogobara K

2009-01-01

Background The risk of Plasmodium falciparum infection is variable over space and time and this variability is related to environmental variability. Environmental factors affect the biological cycle of both vector and parasite. Despite this strong relationship, environmental effects have rarely been included in malaria transmission models. Remote sensing data on environment were incorporated into a temporal model of the transmission, to forecast the evolution of malaria epidemiology, in a locality of Sudanese savannah area. Methods A dynamic cohort was constituted in June 1996 and followed up until June 2001 in the locality of Bancoumana, Mali. The 15-day composite vegetation index (NDVI), issued from satellite imagery series (NOAA) from July 1981 to December 2006, was used as remote sensing data. The statistical relationship between NDVI and incidence of P. falciparum infection was assessed by ARIMA analysis. ROC analysis provided an NDVI value for the prediction of an increase in incidence of parasitaemia. Malaria transmission was modelled using an SIRS-type model, adapted to Bancoumana's data. Environmental factors influenced vector mortality and aggressiveness, as well as length of the gonotrophic cycle. NDVI observations from 1981 to 2001 were used for the simulation of the extrinsic variable of a hidden Markov chain model. Observations from 2002 to 2006 served as external validation. Results The seasonal pattern of P. falciparum incidence was significantly explained by NDVI, with a delay of 15 days (p = 0.001). An NDVI threshold of 0.361 (p = 0.007) provided a Diagnostic Odd Ratio (DOR) of 2.64 (CI95% [1.26;5.52]). The deterministic transmission model, with stochastic environmental factor, predicted an endemo-epidemic pattern of malaria infection. The incidences of parasitaemia were adequately modelled, using the observed NDVI as well as the NDVI simulations. Transmission pattern have been modelled and observed values were adequately predicted. The error

Comparing intake estimations based on food composition data with chemical analysis in Malian women.

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Koréissi-Dembélé, Yara; Doets, Esmee L; Fanou-Fogny, Nadia; Hulshof, Paul Jm; Moretti, Diego; Brouwer, Inge D

2017-06-01

Food composition databases are essential for estimating nutrient intakes in food consumption surveys. The present study aimed to evaluate the Mali food composition database (TACAM) for assessing intakes of energy and selected nutrients at population level. Weighed food records and duplicate portions of all foods consumed during one day were collected. Intakes of energy, protein, fat, available carbohydrates, dietary fibre, Ca, Fe, Zn and vitamin A were assessed by: (i) estimating the nutrient intake from weighed food records based on an adjusted TACAM (a-TACAM); and (ii) chemical analysis of the duplicate portions. Agreement between the two methods was determined using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and Bland-Altman plots. Bamako, Mali. Apparently healthy non-pregnant, non-lactating women (n 36) aged 15-36 years. Correlation coefficients between estimated and analysed values ranged from 0·38 to 0·61. At population level, mean estimated and analysed nutrient intakes differed significantly for carbohydrates (203·0 v. 243·5 g/d), Fe (9·9 v. 22·8 mg/d) and vitamin A (356 v. 246 µg retinol activity equivalents). At individual level, all estimated and analysed nutrient intakes differed significantly; the differences tended to increase with higher intakes. The a-TACAM is sufficiently acceptable for measuring average intakes of macronutrients, Ca and Zn at population level in low-intake populations, but not for carbohydrate, vitamin A and Fe intakes, and nutrient densities.

Dairy farms typology and management of animal genetic resources in the peri-urban zone of Bamako (Mali

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Abdoulaye Toure

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Facing growth in demand, dairy production in peri-urban areas of developing countries is changing rapidly. To characterise this development around Bamako (Mali, this study establishes a typology of dairy production systems with a special focus on animal genetic resources. The survey included 52 dairy cattle farms from six peri-urban sites. It was conducted in 2011 through two visits, in the dry and harvest seasons. The median cattle number per farm was 17 (range 5–118 and 42% of farmers owned cropland (8.3± 7.3 ha, minimum 1 ha, maximum 25 ha. Feeding strategy was a crucial variable in farm characterisation, accounting for about 85% of total expenses. The use of artificial insemination and a regular veterinary follow-up were other important parameters. According to breeders’ answers, thirty genetic profiles were identified, from local purebreds to different levels of crossbreds. Purebred animals raised were Fulani Zebu (45.8 %, Maure Zebu (9.2 %, Holstein (3.0 %, Azawak Zebu (1.3 %, Mere Zebu (0.5% and Kuri taurine (0.1 %. Holstein crossbred represented 30.5% of the total number of animals (19.0% Fulani-Holstein, 11.2% Maure-Holstein and 0.3% Kuri-Holstein. Montbéliarde, Normande and Limousin crossbreds were also found (6.6 %, 0.7% and 0.3 %, respectively. A multivariate analysis helped disaggregate the diversity of management practices. The high diversity of situations shows the need for consideration of typological characteristics for an appropriate intervention. Although strongly anchored on local breeds, the peri-urban dairy systems included a diversity of exotic cattle, showing an uncoordinated quest of breeders for innovation. Without a public intervention, this dynamic will result in an irremediable erosion of indigenous animal genetic resources.

Biochemical and fatty acid composition of Arca noae (Bivalvia: Arcidae from the Mali Ston Bay, Adriatic Sea

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I. DUPCIC RADIC

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Biochemical and fatty acid composition of the bivalve Arca noae were investigated in the Mali Ston Bay in relation to environmental conditions. Sampling was carried out monthly, from December 2001 to November 2002. Wet shellfish meat consists on average of 77.61% water and 22.39% dry matter, while dry shellfish meat consists on average of 89.04% organic and 10.96% inorganic matter. PCA analysis identified temperature, nitrate, silicate, MICRO, Chl a and salinity as the most important environmental factors influencing biochemical composition of A. noae. An increase of dry weight content of A. noae was observed during the spring when both the sea temperature and food supply increased rapidly. Contents of protein (54.39-62.06% of dry weight, carbohydrate (4.13-8.07% of dry weight and lipid (3.46-8.58% of dry weight varied significantly during the year. Protein and lipid level reached the maximum value in June. The fatty acid profiles of total lipids extracted from A. noae showed high level of unsaturation (UNS/SAT 1.9-3.4. Total polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA represented the majority of total fatty acids (40.3-59.9% of total fatty acids and the most abundant were eicosapentaenoic (20:5n-3 and docosahexaenoic (22:6n-3 acid. n-3/n-6 PUFA ratio value varied between 2.1 and 5.0 and was the highest during the spring (April to June. Due to their low lipid and high percentages of healthy polyunsaturated fatty acids A. noae can be evaluated as a quality seafood product. The most suitable period of the year for its consumption is in the spring when it reaches its highest nutritional values.

Price and quality of livestock feeds in suburban markets of West Africa’s Sahel: Case study from Bamako, Mali

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A. A. Ayantunde

2014-07-01

Full Text Available In West African Sahel cities, livestock husbandry such as smallholder dairy production and livestock (cattle, sheep and goat fattening has become popular among livestock owners to meet food needs for the household, and for income generation. The increasing importance of urban and suburban agriculture, particularly livestock husbandry in the region, has led to a rapid increase in livestock populations in most of the cities. As a result of this increase and the associated growth in the demand for feeds, feed markets have sprung up in many cities and towns of West Africa’s Sahel. A survey of livestock feed markets was conducted in five markets in Bamako, Mali. Prices of livestock feeds were monitored monthly from January to December 2010. In addition, feed samples were collected from the markets for laboratory analysis to determine their nutritional quality. Results showed that the prices of cowpea hay and groundnut haulm were consistently higher than those of other feeds throughout the year. The price of cowpea hay ranged from 367 FCFA/kg dry matter (DM (1 USD ≈ 500 FCFA in October, i.e. immediately after harvest, to 667 FCFA/kg DM in August, i.e. in the wet season. Results also showed that there was no relationship between price and quality for all feed types. However, prices and quality of feeds differed significantly across seasons suggesting that the season was a major determinant for the price of livestock feeds in suburban areas of West Africa’s Sahel.

Performance of small cluster surveys and the clustered LQAS design to estimate local-level vaccination coverage in Mali

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Minetti Andrea

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Estimation of vaccination coverage at the local level is essential to identify communities that may require additional support. Cluster surveys can be used in resource-poor settings, when population figures are inaccurate. To be feasible, cluster samples need to be small, without losing robustness of results. The clustered LQAS (CLQAS approach has been proposed as an alternative, as smaller sample sizes are required. Methods We explored (i the efficiency of cluster surveys of decreasing sample size through bootstrapping analysis and (ii the performance of CLQAS under three alternative sampling plans to classify local VC, using data from a survey carried out in Mali after mass vaccination against meningococcal meningitis group A. Results VC estimates provided by a 10 × 15 cluster survey design were reasonably robust. We used them to classify health areas in three categories and guide mop-up activities: i health areas not requiring supplemental activities; ii health areas requiring additional vaccination; iii health areas requiring further evaluation. As sample size decreased (from 10 × 15 to 10 × 3, standard error of VC and ICC estimates were increasingly unstable. Results of CLQAS simulations were not accurate for most health areas, with an overall risk of misclassification greater than 0.25 in one health area out of three. It was greater than 0.50 in one health area out of two under two of the three sampling plans. Conclusions Small sample cluster surveys (10 × 15 are acceptably robust for classification of VC at local level. We do not recommend the CLQAS method as currently formulated for evaluating vaccination programmes.

Community centrality and social science research.

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Allman, Dan

2015-12-01

Community centrality is a growing requirement of social science. The field's research practices are increasingly expected to conform to prescribed relationships with the people studied. Expectations about community centrality influence scholarly activities. These expectations can pressure social scientists to adhere to models of community involvement that are immediate and that include community-based co-investigators, advisory boards, and liaisons. In this context, disregarding community centrality can be interpreted as failure. This paper considers evolving norms about the centrality of community in social science. It problematises community inclusion and discusses concerns about the impact of community centrality on incremental theory development, academic integrity, freedom of speech, and the value of liberal versus communitarian knowledge. Through the application of a constructivist approach, this paper argues that social science in which community is omitted or on the periphery is not failed science, because not all social science requires a community base to make a genuine and valuable contribution. The utility of community centrality is not necessarily universal across all social science pursuits. The practices of knowing within social science disciplines may be difficult to transfer to a community. These practices of knowing require degrees of specialisation and interest that not all communities may want or have.

Prognostic Significance of Modified Advanced Lung Cancer Inflammation Index (ALI in Patients with Small Cell Lung Cancer_ Comparison with Original ALI.

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Eun Young Kim

Full Text Available Advanced lung cancer inflammation index (ALI, body mass index [BMI] x serum albumin/neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio [NLR] has been shown to predict overall survival (OS in small cell lung cancer (SCLC. CT enables skeletal muscle to be quantified, whereas BMI cannot accurately reflect body composition. The purpose was to evaluate prognostic value of modified ALI (mALI using CT-determined L3 muscle index (L3MI, muscle area at L3/height2 beyond original ALI.L3MIs were calculated using the CT images of 186 consecutive patients with SCLC taken at diagnosis, and mALI was defined as L3MI x serum albumin/NLR. Using chi-squared test determined maximum cut-offs for low ALI and low mALI, the prognostic values of low ALI and low mALI were tested using Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards analysis. Finally, deviance statistics was used to test whether the goodness of fit of the prognostic model is improved by adding mALI as an extra variable.Patients with low ALI (cut-off, 31.1, n = 94 had shorter OS than patients with high ALI (median, 6.8 months vs. 15.8 months; p < 0.001, and patients with low mALI (cut-off 67.7, n = 94 had shorter OS than patients with high mALI (median, 6.8 months vs. 16.5 months; p < 0.001. There was no significant difference in estimates of median survival time between low ALI and low mALI (z = 0.000, p = 1.000 and between high ALI and high mALI (z = 0.330, p = 0.740. Multivariable analysis showed that low ALI was an independent prognostic factor for shorter OS (HR, 1.67, p = 0.004, along with advanced age (HR, 1.49, p = 0.045, extensive disease (HR, 2.27, p < 0.001, supportive care only (HR, 7.86, p < 0.001, and elevated LDH (HR, 1.45, p = 0.037. Furthermore, goodness of fit of this prognostic model was not significantly increased by adding mALI as an extra variable (LR difference = 2.220, p = 0.136.The present study confirms mALI using CT-determined L3MI has no additional prognostic value beyond original ALI using BMI. ALI

The impact of integrated prevention and treatment on child malnutrition and health: the PROMIS project, a randomized control trial in Burkina Faso and Mali.

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Huybregts, Lieven; Becquey, Elodie; Zongrone, Amanda; Le Port, Agnes; Khassanova, Regina; Coulibaly, Lazare; Leroy, Jef L; Rawat, Rahul; Ruel, Marie T

2017-03-09

Evidence suggests that both preventive and curative nutrition interventions are needed to tackle child acute malnutrition (AM) in developing countries. In addition to reducing the incidence of AM, providing preventive interventions may also help increase attendance (and coverage) of AM screening, a major constraint in the community-based management of child acute malnutrition (CMAM) model. There is a paucity of evidence-based strategies to deliver integrated preventive and curative interventions effectively and affordably at scale. The aim of the Innovative Approaches for the Prevention of Childhood Malnutrition (PROMIS) study is to assess the feasibility, quality of implementation, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of an integrated child malnutrition prevention and treatment intervention package implemented through a community-based platform in Mali and a facility-based platform in Burkina Faso. The PROMIS intervention entails a comprehensive preventive package offered on a monthly basis to caregivers of children, while children are screened for acute malnutrition (AM). The package consists of behavior change communication on essential nutrition and hygiene actions, and monthly preventive doses of small quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements (SQ-LNS) for children aged 6 to 23.9 months. Positive AM cases are referred to treatment services offered by first-line health services according to the CMAM model. The PROMIS intervention will be evaluated using a mixed methods approach. The impact study encompasses two types of study design: i) repeated cross-sectional surveys conducted at baseline and at endline after 24 months of program implementation and ii) a longitudinal study with a monthly follow-up for 18 months. Primary study impact measures include the incidence and endpoint prevalence of AM, AM screening coverage and treatment compliance. A process evaluation will assess the feasibility and quality of implementation of the intervention guided by country

The impact of integrated prevention and treatment on child malnutrition and health: the PROMIS project, a randomized control trial in Burkina Faso and Mali

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Lieven Huybregts

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Evidence suggests that both preventive and curative nutrition interventions are needed to tackle child acute malnutrition (AM in developing countries. In addition to reducing the incidence of AM, providing preventive interventions may also help increase attendance (and coverage of AM screening, a major constraint in the community-based management of child acute malnutrition (CMAM model. There is a paucity of evidence-based strategies to deliver integrated preventive and curative interventions effectively and affordably at scale. The aim of the Innovative Approaches for the Prevention of Childhood Malnutrition (PROMIS study is to assess the feasibility, quality of implementation, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of an integrated child malnutrition prevention and treatment intervention package implemented through a community-based platform in Mali and a facility-based platform in Burkina Faso. Methods/Design The PROMIS intervention entails a comprehensive preventive package offered on a monthly basis to caregivers of children, while children are screened for acute malnutrition (AM. The package consists of behavior change communication on essential nutrition and hygiene actions, and monthly preventive doses of small quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements (SQ-LNS for children aged 6 to 23.9 months. Positive AM cases are referred to treatment services offered by first-line health services according to the CMAM model. The PROMIS intervention will be evaluated using a mixed methods approach. The impact study encompasses two types of study design: i repeated cross-sectional surveys conducted at baseline and at endline after 24 months of program implementation and ii a longitudinal study with a monthly follow-up for 18 months. Primary study impact measures include the incidence and endpoint prevalence of AM, AM screening coverage and treatment compliance. A process evaluation will assess the feasibility and quality of

DIRC-based PID for the EIC central detector

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dzhygadlo, Roman; Schwarz, Carsten; Schwiening, Jochen [GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung GmbH, Darmstadt (Germany); Peters, Klaus [GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung GmbH, Darmstadt (Germany); Goethe-Universitaet Frankfurt (Germany); Collaboration: DIRC at EIC RD-Collaboration

2015-07-01

One of the key requirements for the central detector of a future Electron-Ion Collider (EIC) is to provide radially compact Particle Identification (PID) (e/π,π/K,K/p) over a wide momentum range. It is expected that the PID system will need to include one or more Cherenkov counters to achieve this goal. With a radial size of only a few cm, a DIRC counter (Detector of Internally Reflected Cherenkov light) is potentially an attractive option. The DIRC rate at EIC R and D Collaboration was formed by groups in the United States and Germany in 2011 with funding from DOE to investigate ways to extend the momentum coverage of DIRC counters for the EIC detector by up to 50% beyond the current state of the art. Possible design improvements include a complex focusing system, multi-anode sensors with smaller pixels, a time-based reconstruction algorithm, and chromatic dispersion mitigation. Both Geant and ray-tracing simulations are used to optimize the design configuration of the DIRC counter in terms of the performance and the best integration with the EIC detector. We discuss the current status of the design studies and the possible improvements to the Cherenkov angle resolution and the photon yield.

Branch-Based Centralized Data Collection for Smart Grids Using Wireless Sensor Networks

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Kwangsoo Kim

2015-05-01

Full Text Available A smart grid is one of the most important applications in smart cities. In a smart grid, a smart meter acts as a sensor node in a sensor network, and a central device collects power usage from every smart meter. This paper focuses on a centralized data collection problem of how to collect every power usage from every meter without collisions in an environment in which the time synchronization among smart meters is not guaranteed. To solve the problem, we divide a tree that a sensor network constructs into several branches. A conflict-free query schedule is generated based on the branches. Each power usage is collected according to the schedule. The proposed method has important features: shortening query processing time and avoiding collisions between a query and query responses. We evaluate this method using the ns-2 simulator. The experimental results show that this method can achieve both collision avoidance and fast query processing at the same time. The success rate of data collection at a sink node executing this method is 100%. Its running time is about 35 percent faster than that of the round-robin method, and its memory size is reduced to about 10% of that of the depth-first search method.

Branch-based centralized data collection for smart grids using wireless sensor networks.

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Kim, Kwangsoo; Jin, Seong-il

2015-05-21

A smart grid is one of the most important applications in smart cities. In a smart grid, a smart meter acts as a sensor node in a sensor network, and a central device collects power usage from every smart meter. This paper focuses on a centralized data collection problem of how to collect every power usage from every meter without collisions in an environment in which the time synchronization among smart meters is not guaranteed. To solve the problem, we divide a tree that a sensor network constructs into several branches. A conflict-free query schedule is generated based on the branches. Each power usage is collected according to the schedule. The proposed method has important features: shortening query processing time and avoiding collisions between a query and query responses. We evaluate this method using the ns-2 simulator. The experimental results show that this method can achieve both collision avoidance and fast query processing at the same time. The success rate of data collection at a sink node executing this method is 100%. Its running time is about 35 percent faster than that of the round-robin method, and its memory size is reduced to about 10% of that of the depth-first search method.

An effector of apple proliferation phytoplasma targets TCP transcription factors-a generalized virulence strategy of phytoplasma?

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Janik, Katrin; Mithöfer, Axel; Raffeiner, Margot; Stellmach, Hagen; Hause, Bettina; Schlink, Katja

2017-04-01

The plant pathogen Candidatus Phytoplasma mali (P. mali) is the causative agent of apple proliferation, a disease of increasing importance in apple-growing areas within Europe. Despite its economic importance, little is known about the molecular mechanisms of disease manifestation within apple trees. In this study, we identified two TCP (TEOSINTE BRANCHED/CYCLOIDEA/PROLIFERATING CELL FACTOR) transcription factors of Malus x domestica as binding partners of the P. mali SAP11-like effector ATP_00189. Phytohormone analyses revealed an effect of P. mali infection on jasmonates, salicylic acid and abscisic acid levels, showing that P. mali affects phytohormonal levels in apple trees, which is in line with the functions of the effector assumed from its binding to TCP transcription factors. To our knowledge, this is the first characterization of the molecular targets of a P. mali effector and thus provides the basis to better understand symptom development and disease progress during apple proliferation. As SAP11 homologues are found in several Phytoplasma species infecting a broad range of different plants, SAP11-like proteins seem to be key players in phytoplasmal infection. © 2016 BSPP AND JOHN WILEY & SONS LTD.

Palaeocology of coal-bearing Eocene sediments in central Anatolia (Turkey) based on quantitative palynological data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Akkiraz, M.S.; Kayseri, M.S.; Akgun, F. [Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir (Turkey). Dept. of Geological Engineering

2008-04-15

In this study, the lignite-bearing Yoncali formation between Yozgat and Sorgun, in central Anatolia has been palynologically examined. Based on 37 outcrop samples, quantitative palynological studies recognized 64 genera and 136 palynoflora species in the palynological assemblage, which indicated a Middle-Late Eocene age. This paper also presents a quantitative palaeovegetation and palaeoclimate reconstruction for the Middle-Upper Eocene coal occurrences of Central Anatolia on the basis of palynomorph assemblages. The diversified floral and ecological characteristics of the pollen taxa indicates that the Middle-Upper Eocene formations in central Anatolia were characterized by the presence of a complex mangrove swamp with contributions by Nypa, Pelliciera, Avicennia, Diporites tszkaszentgydrgyi and dinoflagellate cysts which reflect warm climatic conditions. Lowland-riparian and montane elements are characterized by the dominance of Myricaceae, Symplocaceae, Icacinaceae, Quercus, Pinus and Castanea. Swamp-freshwater elements are represented by Sparganjaceae, Nymphaceae, Taxodjaceae, Cupressaceae and Nyssa as well as fern spores such as Osmundaceae and Gleicheniaceae. The calculations were performed with the help of the 'Coexistence Approach' method to climatically evaluate palynoflora from the Yozgat-Sorgun area. The obtained results have been compared to data derived from the application of the Coexistence Approach to other, already published Central Anatolian palynofloras of the same age. The results of the climatic inferences suggest that the palaeoclimatic conditions were in the megathermal zone, megatherm/mesotherm intermediate zone whereas mesothermic conditions prevailed in the montane region. Likewise, the results of mean annual range of temperatures indicate the influence of the Indian ocean, which enabled the development of the mangroves.

Patient-provider communication styles in HIV treatment programs in Bamako, Mali: A mixed-methods study to define dimensions and measure patient preferences

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Emily A. Hurley

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Effective patient-provider communication (PPC promotes patient adherence and retention in long-term care. Sub-Saharan Africa faces unprecedented demand for chronic care for HIV patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART, yet adherence and retention remain challenging. In high-income countries, research describing patient preferences for different PPC styles has guided interventions to improve PPC and patient outcomes. However, research on PPC preferences in sub-Saharan Africa is limited. We sought to define PPC dimensions relevant to ART programs in Bamako, Mali through recordings of clinical interactions, in-depth interviews and focus-group discussions with 69 patients and 17 providers. To assess preferences toward contrasting PPC styles within dimensions, we conducted a vignette-based survey with 141 patients across five ART facilities. Qualitative analysis revealed two PPC dimensions similar to those described in the literature on patient-centered communication (level of psychosocial regard, balance of power, and one unique dimension that emerged from the data (guiding patient behavior: easy/tough/sharp. Significantly more survey participants chose the vignette demonstrating high psychosocial regard (52.2% compared to a biomedical style (22.5% (p<0.001. Within balance of power, a statistically similar proportion of participants chose the vignette demonstrating shared power (40.2% compared to a provider-dominated style (35.8%. In guiding patient behavior, a similar proportion of participants preferred the vignette depicting the “easy” (38.4% and/or “tough” style (40.6%, but significantly fewer preferred the “sharp” style (14.5% (p<0.001. Highly educated participants chose biomedical and shared power styles more frequently, while less educated participants more frequently indicated “no preference”. Working to understand, develop, and tailor PPC styles to patients in chronic care may help support patient retention and ultimately

A Centralized Detection of Sinkhole Attacks Based on Energy Level of the Nodes on Cluster-Based Wireless Sensor Networks

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Merve Nilay Aydın

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Wireless Sensor Networks is consist of thousands of small and low-cost devices, which communicate over wireless medium. Due to locating in harsh environment and having limited resources, WSN is prone to various attacks. One of the most dangerous attacks threatening WSN is the sinkhole attack. In this paper, sinkhole attack is modelled on a cluster-based WSN, and a centralized detection algorithm based on the remaining energies of the nodes is proposed. The simulations were run for different values of energy thresholds and various numbers of nodes. The performance of the system was investigated over total energy consumption in the system, the number of packets arrived at base station and true detection rate of the sinkhole node(s. The results showed that the proposed method is energy-efficient and detects the malicious nodes with a 100% accuracy for all number of nodes.

Performance contracting in central government in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kristiansen, Mads Bøge

2015-01-01

) are observed across central government agencies, when the content of the performance contracts is compared. This makes it interesting to examine how variation in the content of the performance contracts across agencies can be explained? Based on a broad theoretical framework in which variation......This paper looks into performance contracting in Danish central government. Management by Objectives and Results (MBOR) was adopted in central government in Denmark during the 1980s and early 1990s. In 1991, performance contracts between parent ministries and their agencies were introduced...... in Danish central government. Since their introduction, performance contracts have become central elements in the steering and management of agencies in central government in Denmark, and today they are nearly universally adopted in central government. In Denmark, the Ministry of Finance is responsible...

Research on centrality of urban transport network nodes

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Kui; Fu, Xiufen

2017-05-01

Based on the actual data of urban transport in Guangzhou, 19,150 bus stations in Guangzhou (as of 2014) are selected as nodes. Based on the theory of complex network, the network model of Guangzhou urban transport is constructed. By analyzing the degree centrality index, betweenness centrality index and closeness centrality index of nodes in the network, the level of centrality of each node in the network is studied. From a different point of view to determine the hub node of Guangzhou urban transport network, corresponding to the city's key sites and major transfer sites. The reliability of the network is determined by the stability of some key nodes (transport hub station). The research of network node centralization can provide a theoretical basis for the rational allocation of urban transport network sites and public transport system planning.

Results-Based Financing in Mozambique's Central Medical Store: A Review After 1 Year.

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Spisak, Cary; Morgan, Lindsay; Eichler, Rena; Rosen, James; Serumaga, Brian; Wang, Angela

2016-03-01

Public health commodity supply chains are typically weak in low-income countries, partly because they have many disparate yet interdependent functions and components. Approaches to strengthening supply chains in such settings have often fallen short-they address technical weaknesses, but not the incentives that motivate staff to perform better. We reviewed the first year of a results-based financing (RBF) program in Mozambique, which began in January 2013. The program aimed to improve the performance of the central medical store-Central de Medicamentos e Artigos Medicos (CMAM)-by realigning incentives. We completed in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with 33 key informants, including representatives from CMAM and donor agencies, and collected quantitative data on performance measures and use of funds. The RBF agreement linked CMAM performance payments to quarterly results on 5 performance indicators related to supply planning, distribution planning, and warehouse management. RBF is predicated on the theory that a combination of carrot and stick-i.e., shared financial incentives, plus increased accountability for results-will spur changes in behavior. Important design elements: (1) indicators were measured against quarterly targets, and payments were made only for indicators that met those targets; (2) targets were set based on documented performance, at levels that could be reasonably attained, yet pushed for improvement; (3) payment was shared with and dependent on all staff, encouraging teamwork and collaboration; (4) results were validated by verifiable data sources; and (5) CMAM had discretion over how to use the funds. We found that CMAM's performance continually improved over baseline and that CMAM achieved many of its performance targets, for example, timely submission of quarterly supply and distribution planning reports. Warehouse indicators, such as inventory management and order fulfillment, proved more challenging but were nonetheless

Community-Level Sanitation Coverage More Strongly Associated with Child Growth and Household Drinking Water Quality than Access to a Private Toilet in Rural Mali

Science.gov (United States)

2017-01-01

Sanitation access can provide positive externalities; for example, safe disposal of feces by one household prevents disease transmission to households nearby. However, little empirical evidence exists to characterize the potential health benefits from sanitation externalities. This study investigated the effect of community sanitation coverage versus individual household sanitation access on child health and drinking water quality. Using a census of 121 villages in rural Mali, we analyzed the association of community latrine coverage (defined by a 200 m radius surrounding a household) and individual household latrine ownership with child growth and household stored water quality. Child height-for-age had a significant and positive linear relationship with community latrine coverage, while child weight-for-age and household water quality had nonlinear relationships that leveled off above 60% coverage (p water quality were not associated with individual household latrine ownership. The relationship between community latrine coverage and child height was strongest among households without a latrine; for these households, each 10% increase in latrine coverage was associated with a 0.031 (p-value = 0.040) increase in height-for-age z-score. In this study, the level of sanitation access of surrounding households was more important than private latrine access for protecting water quality and child health. PMID:28514143

Structural analysis of the central Columbia Plateau utilizing radar, digital topography, and magnetic data bases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thiessen, R.L.; Eliason, J.R.; Johnson, L.K.; Brougher, C.W.

1991-08-01

Interest in the Hanford site (Washington) as a nuclear production, power, and waste disposal site has led to generation of a vast quantity of geophysical and remote sensing data sets of the central Columbia Plateau. To data, these various studies, including at least 13 independent magnetic linear and image lineament studies, have not been adequately correlated. Therefore, these studies provide a unique opportunity to compare and contrast the viability of the different geophysical and remote sensing techniques. The geology of the central Columbia Plateau is characterized by subdued topography and limited outcrop, with most of the exposure concentrated in localized folded/faulted mountains (the Yakima folds) and along river canyons. In order to efficiently compare lineament data bases, we have written an automated computer routine that correlated lineaments that are within a user specified distance of each other. The angle between their trends has to be less than an input maximum separation angle. If more than two lineament maps exist for the area, the analyst may also specify the minimum number of times each structure must be seen. The lineament correlation routine was applied to data bases of all aeromagnetic linears as well as lineaments seen on radar and a digital elevation model DEM image. Geologic structures align with a set of three-dimensional planar structures identified with our Geologic Spatial Analysis (GSA) system. The GSA analysis is based upon computer automated detection of valley bottoms as defined by a DEM

Central tracker for BM@N experiment based on double side Si-microstrip detectors

Science.gov (United States)

Kovalev, Yu.; Kapishin, M.; Khabarov, S.; Shafronovskaia, A.; Tarasov, O.; Makankin, A.; Zamiatin, N.; Zubarev, E.

2017-07-01

Design of central tracker system based on Double-Sided Silicon Detectors (DSSD) for BM@N experiment is described. A coordinate plane with 10240 measuring channels, pitch adapter, reading electronics was developed. Each element was tested and assembled into a coordinate plane. The first tests of the plane with 106Ru source were carried out before installation for the BM@N experiment. The results of the study indicate that noisy channels and inefficient channels are less than 3%. In general, single clusters 87% (one group per module of consecutive strips) and 75% of clusters with a width equal to one strip.

Central hypothyroidism - a neglected thyroid disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Beck-Peccoz, Paolo; Rodari, Giulia; Giavoli, Claudia; Lania, Andrea

2017-10-01

Central hypothyroidism is a rare and heterogeneous disorder that is characterized by a defect in thyroid hormone secretion in an otherwise normal thyroid gland due to insufficient stimulation by TSH. The disease results from the abnormal function of the pituitary gland, the hypothalamus, or both. Moreover, central hypothyroidism can be isolated or combined with other pituitary hormone deficiencies, which are mostly acquired and are rarely congenital. The clinical manifestations of central hypothyroidism are usually milder than those observed in primary hypothyroidism. Obtaining a positive diagnosis for central hypothyroidism can be difficult from both a clinical and a biochemical perspective. The diagnosis of central hypothyroidism is based on low circulating levels of free T 4 in the presence of low to normal TSH concentrations. The correct diagnosis of both acquired (also termed sporadic) and congenital (also termed genetic) central hypothyroidism can be hindered by methodological interference in free T 4 or TSH measurements; routine utilization of total T 4 or T 3 measurements; concurrent systemic illness that is characterized by low levels of free T 4 and normal TSH concentrations; the use of the sole TSH-reflex strategy, which is the measurement of the sole level of TSH, without free T 4 , if levels of TSH are in the normal range; and the diagnosis of congenital hypothyroidism based on TSH analysis without the concomitant measurement of serum levels of T 4 . In this Review, we discuss current knowledge of the causes of central hypothyroidism, emphasizing possible pitfalls in the diagnosis and treatment of this disorder.

ScienceCentral: open access full-text archive of scientific journals based on Journal Article Tag Suite regardless of their languages.

Science.gov (United States)

Huh, Sun

2013-01-01

ScienceCentral, a free or open access, full-text archive of scientific journal literature at the Korean Federation of Science and Technology Societies, was under test in September 2013. Since it is a Journal Article Tag Suite-based full text database, extensible markup language files of all languages can be presented, according to Unicode Transformation Format 8-bit encoding. It is comparable to PubMed Central: however, there are two distinct differences. First, its scope comprises all science fields; second, it accepts all language journals. Launching ScienceCentral is the first step for free access or open access academic scientific journals of all languages to leap to the world, including scientific journals from Croatia.

Centralized vs. de-centralized multinationals and taxes

OpenAIRE

Nielsen, Søren Bo; Raimondos-Møller, Pascalis; Schjelderup, Guttorm

2005-01-01

The paper examines how country tax differences affect a multinational enterprise's choice to centralize or de-centralize its decision structure. Within a simple model that emphasizes the multiple conflicting roles of transfer prices in MNEs – here, as a strategic pre-commitment device and a tax manipulation instrument –, we show that (de-)centralized decisions are more profitable when tax differentials are (small) large. Keywords: Centralized vs. de-centralized decisions, taxes, MNEs. ...

Analysis of bacterial core communities in the central Baltic by comparative RNA-DNA-based fingerprinting provides links to structure-function relationships.

Science.gov (United States)

Brettar, Ingrid; Christen, Richard; Höfle, Manfred G

2012-01-01

Understanding structure-function links of microbial communities is a central theme of microbial ecology since its beginning. To this end, we studied the spatial variability of the bacterioplankton community structure and composition across the central Baltic Sea at four stations, which were up to 450 km apart and at a depth profile representative for the central part (Gotland Deep, 235 m). Bacterial community structure was followed by 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA)- and 16S rRNA gene-based fingerprints using single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) electrophoresis. Species composition was determined by sequence analysis of SSCP bands. High similarities of the bacterioplankton communities across several hundred kilometers were observed in the surface water using RNA- and DNA-based fingerprints. In these surface communities, the RNA- and DNA-based fingerprints resulted in very different pattern, presumably indicating large difference between the active members of the community as represented by RNA-based fingerprints and the present members represented by the DNA-based fingerprints. This large discrepancy changed gradually over depth, resulting in highly similar RNA- and DNA-based fingerprints in the anoxic part of the water column below 130 m depth. A conceivable mechanism explaining this high similarity could be the reduced oxidative stress in the anoxic zone. The stable communities on the surface and in the anoxic zone indicate the strong influence of the hydrography on the bacterioplankton community structure. Comparative analysis of RNA- and DNA-based community structure provided criteria for the identification of the core community, its key members and their links to biogeochemical functions.

Characterization of HIV-1 antiretroviral drug resistance after second-line treatment failure in Mali, a limited-resources setting

Science.gov (United States)

Maiga, Almoustapha Issiaka; Fofana, Djeneba Bocar; Cisse, Mamadou; Diallo, Fodié; Maiga, Moussa Youssoufa; Traore, Hamar Alassane; Maiga, Issouf Alassane; Sylla, Aliou; Fofana, Dionke; Taiwo, Babafemi; Murphy, Robert; Katlama, Christine; Tounkara, Anatole; Calvez, Vincent; Marcelin, Anne-Geneviève

2012-01-01

Objectives We describe the outcomes of second-line drug resistance profiles and predict the efficacy of drugs for third-line therapy in patients monitored without the benefit of plasma HIV-1 RNA viral load (VL) or resistance testing. Methods We recruited 106 HIV-1-infected patients after second-line treatment failure in Mali. VL was determined by the Abbott RealTime system and the resistance by the ViroSeq HIV-1 genotyping system. The resistance testing was interpreted using the latest version of the Stanford algorithm. Results Among the 106 patients, 93 had isolates successfully sequenced. The median age, VL and CD4 cells were respectively 35 years, 72 000 copies/mL and 146 cells/mm3. Patients were exposed to a median of 4 years of treatment and to six antiretrovirals. We found 20% of wild-type viruses. Resistance to etravirine was noted in 38%, to lopinavir in 25% and to darunavir in 12%. The duration of prior nucleos(t)ide reverse transcriptase inhibitor exposure was associated with resistance to abacavir (P < 0.0001) and tenofovir (P = 0.0001), and duration of prior protease inhibitor treatment with resistance to lopinavir (P < 0.0001) and darunavir (P = 0.06). Conclusion Long duration of therapy prior to failure was associated with high levels of resistance and is directly related to limited access to VL monitoring and delayed switches to second-line treatment, precluding efficacy of drugs for third-line therapy. This study underlines the need for governments and public health organizations to recommend the use of VL monitoring and also the availability of darunavir and raltegravir for third-line therapies in the context of limited-resource settings. PMID:22888273

The central image of a gravitationally lensed quasar.

Science.gov (United States)

Winn, Joshua N; Rusin, David; Kochanek, Christopher S

2004-02-12

A galaxy can act as a gravitational lens, producing multiple images of a background object. Theory predicts that there should be an odd number of images produced by the lens, but hitherto almost all lensed objects have two or four images. The missing 'central' images, which should be faint and appear near the centre of the lensing galaxy, have long been sought as probes of galactic cores too distant to resolve with ordinary observations. There are five candidates for central images, but in one case the third image is not necessarily the central one, and in the others the putative central images might be foreground sources. Here we report a secure identification of a central image, based on radio observations of one of the candidates. Lens models using the central image reveal that the massive black hole at the centre of the lensing galaxy has a mass of 20,000M(o) pc(-2), which is in agreement with expections based on observations of galaxies that are much closer to the Earth.

Caribou, individual-based modeling and mega-industry in central West Greenland

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Raundrup, Katrine; Nymand, Josephine; Nabe-Nielsen, Jacob

in West Greenland. In a newly started PhD-project the focus will be the implementation of spatially explicit individual based modeling (IBM). The project relies on existing knowledge on caribou behavior and feeding ecology along with data on variations in the vegetation. By relating vegetation, snow......Spatial distribution of caribou (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus) in West Greenland is a result of both short and long term changes in the Arctic landscape. To understand present distribution 40 satellite collars were deployed on 40 female caribou in the Akia-Maniitsoq herd, central West Greenland...... in an area. Further, enhanced or lowered hunting pressure, and changed weather conditions can be studied using IBM. Thus, both short and long term changes in the landscape will be studied and provide insights in how the specific spatial changes impact caribou in West Greenland....

Identifying multiple influential spreaders based on generalized closeness centrality

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Huan-Li; Ma, Chuang; Xiang, Bing-Bing; Tang, Ming; Zhang, Hai-Feng

2018-02-01

To maximize the spreading influence of multiple spreaders in complex networks, one important fact cannot be ignored: the multiple spreaders should be dispersively distributed in networks, which can effectively reduce the redundance of information spreading. For this purpose, we define a generalized closeness centrality (GCC) index by generalizing the closeness centrality index to a set of nodes. The problem converts to how to identify multiple spreaders such that an objective function has the minimal value. By comparing with the K-means clustering algorithm, we find that the optimization problem is very similar to the problem of minimizing the objective function in the K-means method. Therefore, how to find multiple nodes with the highest GCC value can be approximately solved by the K-means method. Two typical transmission dynamics-epidemic spreading process and rumor spreading process are implemented in real networks to verify the good performance of our proposed method.

Performance enhancement of photovoltaic array through string and central based MPPT system under non-uniform irradiance conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Syafaruddin; Karatepe, Engin; Hiyama, Takashi

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► We propose MPPT method for tracking global MPP of PV arrays under non-uniform irradiance conditions. ► We compare the performance of string and central based MPPT. ► Intelligent control method is utilized to identify the global operating voltage in string and central based MPPT system. ► The performance of proposed method is tested on different size of PV. - Abstract: Mismatching losses reduction of photovoltaic (PV) array has been intensively discussed through the increasing penetration of residential and commercial PV systems. Many causes of mismatching losses have been identified and plenty of proposed methods to solve this problem have been recently proposed. This paper deals with reducing method of mismatching losses due to the non-uniform irradiance conditions. It is well-known that a certain number of multiple peaks occur on the power–voltage curve as the number of PV modules in one-string increases under non-uniform operating conditions. Since the conventional control method only drives the operating points of PV system to the local maxima close to open circuit voltage, only small portion of power can be extracted from the PV system. In this study, a radial basis function neural network (RBF-ANN) based intelligent control method is utilized to map the global operating voltage and non-irradiance operating condition in string and central based MPPT systems. The proposed method has been tested on 10 × 3 (2.2 kW), 15 × 3 (2.5 kW) and 20 × 3 (3.3 kW) of series–parallel PV array configuration under random-shaded and continuous-shaded patterns. The proposed method is compared with the ideal case and conventional method through a simple power–voltage curve of PV arrays. The simulation results show that there are significant increases of about 30–60% of the extracted power in one operating condition when the proposed method is able to shift the operating voltage of modules to their optimum voltages.

Modelling malaria incidence with environmental dependency in a locality of Sudanese savannah area, Mali

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Demongeot Jacques

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The risk of Plasmodium falciparum infection is variable over space and time and this variability is related to environmental variability. Environmental factors affect the biological cycle of both vector and parasite. Despite this strong relationship, environmental effects have rarely been included in malaria transmission models. Remote sensing data on environment were incorporated into a temporal model of the transmission, to forecast the evolution of malaria epidemiology, in a locality of Sudanese savannah area. Methods A dynamic cohort was constituted in June 1996 and followed up until June 2001 in the locality of Bancoumana, Mali. The 15-day composite vegetation index (NDVI, issued from satellite imagery series (NOAA from July 1981 to December 2006, was used as remote sensing data. The statistical relationship between NDVI and incidence of P. falciparum infection was assessed by ARIMA analysis. ROC analysis provided an NDVI value for the prediction of an increase in incidence of parasitaemia. Malaria transmission was modelled using an SIRS-type model, adapted to Bancoumana's data. Environmental factors influenced vector mortality and aggressiveness, as well as length of the gonotrophic cycle. NDVI observations from 1981 to 2001 were used for the simulation of the extrinsic variable of a hidden Markov chain model. Observations from 2002 to 2006 served as external validation. Results The seasonal pattern of P. falciparum incidence was significantly explained by NDVI, with a delay of 15 days (p = 0.001. An NDVI threshold of 0.361 (p = 0.007 provided a Diagnostic Odd Ratio (DOR of 2.64 (CI95% [1.26;5.52]. The deterministic transmission model, with stochastic environmental factor, predicted an endemo-epidemic pattern of malaria infection. The incidences of parasitaemia were adequately modelled, using the observed NDVI as well as the NDVI simulations. Transmission pattern have been modelled and observed values were adequately

Kuni 10 kaitseväelast Malisse

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

2013-01-01

Valitsus saatis riigikokku eelnõu, mille kohaselt võib Eesti saata Euroopa Liidu väljaõppemissioonile Malis kuni 10 kaitseväelast. Kaitsevägi panustaks staabiohvitseridega, kelle peamiseks ülesandeks on osaleda Mali üksustele erinevate riikide poolt läbiviidava väljaõppe planeerimise ja nõustamise protsessides ning väljaõppemeeskonnaga, kelle ülesandeks on viia läbi Mali üksustele mitmesugust sõjalist väljaõpet

Research and application of an intelligent control system in central air-conditioning based on energy consumption simulation

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Ling; Che, Wenbin

2018-05-01

For the central air-conditioning energy-saving, it is common practice to use a wide range of PTD controllers in engineering to optimize energy savings. However, the shortcomings of the PTD controller have also been magnified on this issue, such as: calculation accuracy is not enough, the calculation time is too long. Particle swarm optimization has the advantage of fast convergence. This paper is based on Particle Swarm Optimization apply in PTD controller tuning parameters in order to achieve the purpose of saving energy while ensuring comfort. The algorithm proposed in this paper can adjust the weight according to the change of population fitness, reduce the weights of particles with lower fitness and enhance the weights of particles with higher fitness in the population, and fully release the population vitality. The method in this paper is validated by the TRNSYS model based on the central air-conditioning system. The experimental results show that the room temperature fluctuation is small, the overshoot is small, the adjustment speed is fast, and the energy-saving fluctuates at 10%.

The Design and Implementation of the Remote Centralized-Monitoring System of Well-Control Equipment Based on RFID Technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luo Bin

2017-01-01

Full Text Available At present, in domestic for the management of well control equipment continue to the traditional way of nameplates identifies and paper-based registration, there are many issues like the separation of data information of device, easy lose, difficult query, confused management and many other problems, which will make the problem device into the well field, and then resulting in well control runaway drilling accident. To solve the above problems, this paper put forward to the integrated remote centralized-monitoring management mode of the well-control equipment. Taking the advantages of IOT technology, adopting the RFID technology, and combining with the remote transmission, this paper designs the remote centralized-monitoring system of well-control equipment based on RFID, which realizes the intelligent management of well-control equipment and meets the actual demand of the well-control equipment safe use and timely scheduling, and it has the ability of field application.

Kuzeydoğu Anadolu Bölgesi Kapsamında Su Ürünleri Sektörünün Ulaşabileceği Potansiyel Büyüklüğünün Mali Projeksiyonu / Financial Projection of Potential of Aquaculture Sector in Northern Anatolia

OpenAIRE

Aras, N. Mevlüt; Yanık, Telat; Kocaman, E. Mahmut; Haliloğlu, H. İbrahim

2011-01-01

ÖZET: Bu çalışmada Doğu Anadolu Projesi (DAP) kapsamında merkezi hükümet tarafından yürütülen alt yapı destekleme programının aksatılmadan devreye girmesiyle daha çok Kuzeydoğu Anadolu Bölgesi illerinde ulaşılabilecek potansiyelin mali büyüklüğü üzerinde durulmuştur. Ayrıca projelerin katma değerleri açısından istihdam kapasitesi, sosyal değeri ve illere...

Structural changes of central white matter tracts in Kennedy's disease - a diffusion tensor imaging and voxel-based morphometry study.

Science.gov (United States)

Pieper, C C; Konrad, C; Sommer, J; Teismann, I; Schiffbauer, H

2013-05-01

Spinobulbar muscular atrophy [Kennedy's disease (KD)] is a rare X-linked neurodegenerative disorder of mainly spinal and bulbar motoneurons. Recent studies suggest a multisystem character of this disease. The aim of this study was to identify and characterize structural changes of gray (GM) and white matter (WM) in the central nervous system. Whole-brain-based voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) analyses were applied to MRI data of eight genetically proven patients with KD and compared with 16 healthy age-matched controls. Diffusion tensor imaging analysis showed not only decreased fractional anisotropy (FA) values in the brainstem, but also widespread changes in central WM tracts, whereas VBM analysis of the WM showed alterations primarily in the brainstem and cerebellum. There were no changes in GM volume. The FA value decrease in the brainstem correlated with the disease duration. Diffusion tensor imaging analysis revealed subtle changes of central WM tract integrity, while GM and WM volume remained unaffected. In our patient sample, KD had more extended effects than previously reported. These changes could either be attributed primarily to neurodegeneration or reflect secondary plastic changes due to atrophy of lower motor neurons and reorganization of cortical structures. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Space-time clustering of childhood malaria at the household level: a dynamic cohort in a Mali village

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ouattara Amed

2006-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Spatial and temporal heterogeneities in the risk of malaria have led the WHO to recommend fine-scale stratification of the epidemiological situation, making it possible to set up actions and clinical or basic researches targeting high-risk zones. Before initiating such studies it is necessary to define local patterns of malaria transmission and infection (in time and in space in order to facilitate selection of the appropriate study population and the intervention allocation. The aim of this study was to identify, spatially and temporally, high-risk zones of malaria, at the household level (resolution of 1 to 3 m. Methods This study took place in a Malian village with hyperendemic seasonal transmission as part of Mali-Tulane Tropical Medicine Research Center (NIAID/NIH. The study design was a dynamic cohort (22 surveys, from June 1996 to June 2001 on about 1300 children (Plasmodium falciparum, P. malariae and P. ovale infection and P. falciparum gametocyte carriage by means of time series and Kulldorff's scan statistic for space-time cluster detection. Results The time series analysis determined that malaria parasitemia (primarily P. falciparum was persistently present throughout the population with the expected seasonal variability pattern and a downward temporal trend. We identified six high-risk clusters of P. falciparum infection, some of which persisted despite an overall tendency towards a decrease in risk. The first high-risk cluster of P. falciparum infection (rate ratio = 14.161 was detected from September 1996 to October 1996, in the north of the village. Conclusion This study showed that, although infection proportions tended to decrease, high-risk zones persisted in the village particularly near temporal backwaters. Analysis of this heterogeneity at the household scale by GIS methods lead to target preventive actions more accurately on the high-risk zones identified. This mapping of malaria risk makes it possible

Mali

African Journals Online (AJOL)

sulaiman.adebowale

25 août 2006 ... communal de Baye a réclamé le transfert dudit droit, tel que ... arrondissement portant son nom, est aussi le chef-lieu de la commune de ...... Framework with South Asian and West African Cases»,Journal of Developing.

Central skull base osteomyelitis as a complication of necrotizing otitis externa: Imaging findings, complications, and challenges of diagnosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adams, A.; Offiah, C.

2012-01-01

Central skull base osteomyelitis is a rare, life-threatening complication of necrotizing or “malignant” otitis externa (NOE), which results in destruction of the skull base. The imaging appearances can be misinterpreted as malignancy but consideration of this diagnosis, both radiologically and clinically, is imperative to avoid the need for biopsy. The aim of this review is to highlight the pertinent imaging findings on computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging as well as the potential complications of this condition.

Fabrication of paper-based analytical devices optimized by central composite design.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamedpour, Vahid; Leardi, Riccardo; Suzuki, Koji; Citterio, Daniel

2018-04-30

In this work, an application of a design of experiments approach for the optimization of an isoniazid assay on a single-area inkjet-printed paper-based analytical device (PAD) is described. For this purpose, a central composite design was used for evaluation of the effect of device geometry and amount of assay reagents on the efficiency of the proposed device. The factors of interest were printed length, width, and sampling volume as factors related to device geometry, and amounts of the assay reagents polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), NH4OH, and AgNO3. Deposition of the assay reagents was performed by a thermal inkjet printer. The colorimetric assay mechanism of this device is based on the chemical interaction of isoniazid, ammonium hydroxide, and PVA with silver ions to induce the formation of yellow silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The in situ-formed AgNPs can be easily detected by the naked eye or with a simple flat-bed scanner. Under optimal conditions, the calibration curve was linear in the isoniazid concentration range 0.03-10 mmol L-1 with a relative standard deviation of 3.4% (n = 5 for determination of 1.0 mmol L-1). Finally, the application of the proposed device for isoniazid determination in pharmaceutical preparations produced satisfactory results.

Central Station Design Options

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

2011-01-01

. The work identifies the architecture, sizing and siting of prospective Central Stations in Denmark, which can be located at shopping centers, large car parking lots or gas stations. Central Stations are planned to be integrated in the Danish distribution grid. The Danish island of Bornholm, where a high...... overloading, more reference points might be necessary to represent various transformer loading levels. The subject of safety in Central Station is also addressed. A number of safety rules based on European standards apply to AC charging equipment up to 44 kW. The connection interlock and the automatic de......-energization are identified as fundamental requirements for safety in such a charging station. The connection interlock is a solution which ensures that no power is applied to the DC cable when the EV connector is not connected. The automatic de-energization device ensures that whenever a strain on the cable is detected, e...

Access and use of interventions to prevent and treat malaria among pregnant women in Kenya and Mali: a qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hill, Jenny; Kayentao, Kassoum; Achieng, Florence; Diarra, Samba; Dellicour, Stephanie; Diawara, Sory I; Hamel, Mary J; Ouma, Peter; Desai, Meghna; Doumbo, Ogobara K; ter Kuile, Feiko O; Webster, Jayne

2015-01-01

Coverage of malaria in pregnancy interventions in sub-Saharan Africa is suboptimal. We undertook a systematic examination of the operational, socio-economic and cultural constraints to pregnant women's access to intermittent preventive treatment (IPTp), long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLINs) and case management in Kenya and Mali to provide empirical evidence for strategies to improve coverage. Focus group discussions (FGDs) were held as part of a programme of research to explore the delivery, access and use of interventions to control malaria in pregnancy. FGDs were held with four sub-groups: non-pregnant women of child bearing age (aged 15-49 years), pregnant women or mothers of children aged pregnancy, disease prevention in mother and foetus, checking the position of the baby in preparation for delivery, and ensuring admission to a facility in case of complications. Barriers to accessing care related to the quality of the health provider-client interaction, perceived health provider skills and malpractice, drug availability, and cost of services. Pregnant women perceived themselves and their babies at particular risk from malaria, and valued diagnosis and treatment from a health professional, but cost of treatment at health facilities drove women to use herbal remedies or drugs bought from shops. Women lacked information on the safety, efficacy and side effects of antimalarial use in pregnancy. Women in these settings appreciated the benefits of antenatal care and yet health services in both countries are losing women to follow-up due to factors that can be improved with greater political will. Antenatal services need to be patient-centred, free-of-charge or highly affordable and accountable to the women they serve.

GEODATA: Information System Based on Geospatial for Early Warning Tracking and Analysis Agricultural Plant Diseases in Central Java

Science.gov (United States)

Prasetyo, S. Y. J.; Agus, Y. H.; Dewi, C.; Simanjuntak, B. H.; Hartomo, K. D.

2017-03-01

The Government of Indonesia is currently faced with the problems of food, especially rice. It needs in large numbers that have to import from neighboring countries. Actually, the Indonesian government has the ability to produce rice to meet national needs but is still faced with the problem of pest attack rice annually increasing extent. One of the factors is that geographically Indonesia located on the migration path of world rice insect pests (called BPH or Brown Planthoppers) (Nilaparvata lugens Stal.) It leads endemic status annually. One proposed strategy to be applied is to use an early warning system based on a specific region of the main pest population. The proposed information system called GEODATA. GEODATA is Geospatial Outbreak of Disease Tracking and Analysis. The system works using a library ESSA (Exponential Smoothing - Spatial Autocorrelation) developed in previous studies in Satya Wacana Christian University. GEODATA built to meet the qualifications required surveillance device by BMKG (Indonesian Agency of Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics’ Central Java Provinces), BPTPH (Indonesian Agency of Plant Protection and Horticulture) Central Java Provinces, BKP-KP District Boyolali, Central Java, (Indonesian Agency of Food Security and Agriculture Field Supervisor, District Boyolali, Central Java Provinces) and farmer groups. GIS GEODATA meets the needs of surveillance devices that include: (1) mapping of the disease, (2) analysis of the dynamics of the disease, and (3) prediction of attacks / disease outbreaks in a particular region. GIS GEODATA is currently under implementation in the laboratory field observations of plant pest in Central Java province, Indonesia.

Prognostic Significance of Modified Advanced Lung Cancer Inflammation Index (ALI) in Patients with Small Cell Lung Cancer_ Comparison with Original ALI.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Eun Young; Kim, Nambeom; Kim, Young Saing; Seo, Ja-Young; Park, Inkeun; Ahn, Hee Kyung; Jeong, Yu Mi; Kim, Jeong Ho

2016-01-01

Advanced lung cancer inflammation index (ALI, body mass index [BMI] x serum albumin/neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio [NLR]) has been shown to predict overall survival (OS) in small cell lung cancer (SCLC). CT enables skeletal muscle to be quantified, whereas BMI cannot accurately reflect body composition. The purpose was to evaluate prognostic value of modified ALI (mALI) using CT-determined L3 muscle index (L3MI, muscle area at L3/height2) beyond original ALI. L3MIs were calculated using the CT images of 186 consecutive patients with SCLC taken at diagnosis, and mALI was defined as L3MI x serum albumin/NLR. Using chi-squared test determined maximum cut-offs for low ALI and low mALI, the prognostic values of low ALI and low mALI were tested using Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards analysis. Finally, deviance statistics was used to test whether the goodness of fit of the prognostic model is improved by adding mALI as an extra variable. Patients with low ALI (cut-off, 31.1, n = 94) had shorter OS than patients with high ALI (median, 6.8 months vs. 15.8 months; p ALI and low mALI (z = 0.000, p = 1.000) and between high ALI and high mALI (z = 0.330, p = 0.740). Multivariable analysis showed that low ALI was an independent prognostic factor for shorter OS (HR, 1.67, p = 0.004), along with advanced age (HR, 1.49, p = 0.045), extensive disease (HR, 2.27, p ALI using BMI. ALI is a simple and useful prognostic indicator in SCLC.

2018-05-09T13:20:33Z https://www.ajol.info/index.php/all/oai oai:ojs ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

article/67957 2018-05-09T13:20:33Z ajtcam:ART Medicinal Plants Traditionally Used In Mali for Dysmenorrhea Sanogo, R Dysmenorrhea; Maytenus senegalensis; Stereospermum kunthianum; Trichilia emetica; Mali Dysmenorrhea is painful ...

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International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Region: North of Sahara, South of Sahara, Benin, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Senegal, Tunisia ... Region: Burkina Faso, Mali, Senegal, North of Sahara, South of Sahara ... South of Sahara, Cameroon, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Burkina Faso.

The French Muskoka Fund: origin, objectives, and implementation.

Science.gov (United States)

Aboubaker, S; Grimaldi, C

2016-11-01

Through its Priority Solidarity Fund, France set up a partnership with four United Nations agencies, WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, and UN WOMEN for the years 2011-2015 with an annual budget of 19 M €. An additional sixth year supplementary is underway. The program was developed through a common framework of actions coordinated and harmonized at the level of the target countries: integrated management of childhood diseases, mother-child nutrition, prenatal, perinatal, and postpartum follow-up, sexual and reproductive health, and adolescent health. The contribution of WHO was based on its normative role; UNICEF offered its operational capacity in the field, and UNFPA its focus on reproductive health, while UN WOMEN dealt with gender questions. The countries targeted specifically were: Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Haiti, Mali, Nigeria, Central Africa Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Senegal, Chad, and Togo.

Petrography and petrology of the Ayghalesi granite, east of Takab area (northwest of Iran

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Saeed Kamran

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The investigated granite intrusion is located at the north of Ayghalesi village, east of Takab The Ayghalesi granite has been intruded the Eocene sandstone and conglomerate rocks and low grade metamorphic hornfels have been metamorphosed host rocks. The main constituent minerals are K-feldspar, plagioclase, quartz and muscovite.and minor garnet. The main texture is granular but pegmatitic, myrmektitic, graphic and perthitic occur as minor textures. Chemically, the rocks are granite on the various classification diagrams. The Ayghalesi intrusion body is classified as S-type, peraluminous composition, calc-alkaline nature and is calcic-alkali to alkali-calcic on the base of modified alkali lime index (MALI. The investigated body, on the tectonic discrimination diagrams, fall on syn-collisional tectonic setting domain, suggesting that it was originated during collision of Central Iranian and Arabian plates Key words: granite,

Policy dialogues - the "bolts and joints" of policy-making: experiences from Cabo Verde, Chad and Mali.

Science.gov (United States)

Dovlo, Delanyo; Nabyonga-Orem, Juliet; Estrelli, Yolanda; Mwisongo, Aziza

2016-07-18

Policy processes that yield good outcomes are inherently complex, requiring interactions of stakeholders in problem identification, generation of political will and selection of practical solutions. To make policy processes rational, policy dialogues are increasingly being used as a policy-making tool. Despite their increasing use for policy-making in Africa, evidence is limited on how they have evolved and are being used on the continent or in low and middle income countries elsewhere. This was an exploratory study using qualitative methods. It utilised data related to policy dialogues for three specific policies and strategies to understand the interplay between policy dialogue and policy-making in Cabo Verde, Chad and Mali. The specific methods used to gather data were key informant interviews and document review. Data were analysed inductively and deductively using thematic content analysis. Participation in the policy dialogues was inclusive, and in some instances bottom-up participatory approaches were used. The respondents felt that the execution of the policy dialogues had been seamless, and the few divergent views expressed often were resolved in a unanimous manner. The policies and strategies developed were seen by all stakeholders as relating to priority issues. Other specific process factors that contributed to the success of the dialogues included the use of innovative approaches, good facilitation, availability of resources for the dialogues, good communication, and consideration of the different opinions. Among the barriers were contextual issues, delays in decision-making and conflicting coordination roles and mandates. Policy dialogues have proved to be an effective tool in health sector management and could be a crucial component of the governance dynamics of the sector. The policy dialogue process needs to be institutionalised for continuity and maintenance of institutional intelligence. Other essential influencing factors include building

Cuff-Based Oscillometric Central and Brachial Blood Pressures Obtained Through ABPM are Similarly Associated with Renal Organ Damage in Arterial Hypertension

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Patricia Fernández-Llama

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Background/Aims: Central blood pressure (BP has been suggested to be a better estimator of hypertension-associated risks. We aimed to evaluate the association of 24-hour central BP, in comparison with 24-hour peripheral BP, with the presence of renal organ damage in hypertensive patients. Methods: Brachial and central (calculated by an oscillometric system through brachial pulse wave analysis office BP and ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM data and aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV were measured in 208 hypertensive patients. Renal organ damage was evaluated by means of the albumin to creatinine ratio and the estimated glomerular filtration rate. Results: Fifty-four patients (25.9% were affected by renal organ damage, displaying either microalbuminuria (urinary albumin excretion ≥30 mg/g creatinine or an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR <60 ml/min/1.73 m2. Compared to those without renal abnormalities, hypertensive patients with kidney damage had higher values of office brachial systolic BP (SBP and pulse pressure (PP, and 24-h, daytime, and nighttime central and brachial SBP and PP. They also had a blunted nocturnal decrease in both central and brachial BP, and higher values of aortic PWV. After adjustment for age, gender, and antihypertensive treatment, only ABPM-derived BP estimates (both central and brachial showed significant associations with the presence of renal damage. Odds ratios for central BP estimates were not significantly higher than those obtained for brachial BP. Conclusion: Compared with peripheral ABPM, cuff-based oscillometric central ABPM does not show a closer association with presence of renal organ damage in hypertensive patients. More studies, however, need to be done to better identify the role of central BP in clinical practice.

Cuff-Based Oscillometric Central and Brachial Blood Pressures Obtained Through ABPM are Similarly Associated with Renal Organ Damage in Arterial Hypertension.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernández-Llama, Patricia; Pareja, Júlia; Yun, Sergi; Vázquez, Susana; Oliveras, Anna; Armario, Pedro; Blanch, Pedro; Calero, Francesca; Sierra, Cristina; de la Sierra, Alejandro

2017-01-01

Central blood pressure (BP) has been suggested to be a better estimator of hypertension-associated risks. We aimed to evaluate the association of 24-hour central BP, in comparison with 24-hour peripheral BP, with the presence of renal organ damage in hypertensive patients. Brachial and central (calculated by an oscillometric system through brachial pulse wave analysis) office BP and ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) data and aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) were measured in 208 hypertensive patients. Renal organ damage was evaluated by means of the albumin to creatinine ratio and the estimated glomerular filtration rate. Fifty-four patients (25.9%) were affected by renal organ damage, displaying either microalbuminuria (urinary albumin excretion ≥30 mg/g creatinine) or an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 ml/min/1.73 m2. Compared to those without renal abnormalities, hypertensive patients with kidney damage had higher values of office brachial systolic BP (SBP) and pulse pressure (PP), and 24-h, daytime, and nighttime central and brachial SBP and PP. They also had a blunted nocturnal decrease in both central and brachial BP, and higher values of aortic PWV. After adjustment for age, gender, and antihypertensive treatment, only ABPM-derived BP estimates (both central and brachial) showed significant associations with the presence of renal damage. Odds ratios for central BP estimates were not significantly higher than those obtained for brachial BP. Compared with peripheral ABPM, cuff-based oscillometric central ABPM does not show a closer association with presence of renal organ damage in hypertensive patients. More studies, however, need to be done to better identify the role of central BP in clinical practice. © 2017 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.

The interaction of wind and water in the desertification environment

Science.gov (United States)

Jacobberger, P. A.

1987-01-01

An appropriate process/response model for the physical basis of desertification is provided by the interactions of wind and water in the desert fringe environment. Essentially, the process of desertification can be thought of as a progressive environmental transition from predominantly fluvial to aeolian processes. This is a simple but useful way of looking at desertification; in this context, desertification is morphogenetic in character. To illustrate the model, a study of drought-related changes in central Mali will serve to trace the interrelated responses of geomorphologic processes to drought conditions.

Emulation-based comparative study of centralized and distributed control schemes for optical networks

Science.gov (United States)

Xin, Chunsheng; Ye, Yinghua; Dixit, Sudhir; Qiao, Chunming

2001-07-01

Recently there are considerable amount of research about the automatic control and provisioning in all optical networks. One of the critical issues is how to provide effective lightpath provisioning to improve network performance, such as blocking probability and decision time. Depending on the network topology, configuration, and administration policy, a distributed or centralized control scheme can be employed to manage the routing and signaling. In a distributed control scheme, each node exchanges information with other nodes, but performs routing and signaling independently from other nodes. On the other hand, in a centralized scheme, each node communicates with a central controller and the controller performs routing and signaling on behalf of all other nodes. Intuitively, the centralized scheme can obtain a lower blocking probability since the controller has the complete resource availability information. We have studied the two schemes through emulations, determined the signaling and processing overheads and quantified the conditions that favor one approach over the other.

Interactions between Global Health Initiatives and country health systems: the case of a neglected tropical diseases control program in Mali.

Science.gov (United States)

Cavalli, Anna; Bamba, Sory I; Traore, Mamadou N; Boelaert, Marleen; Coulibaly, Youssouf; Polman, Katja; Pirard, Marjan; Van Dormael, Monique

2010-08-17

Recently, a number of Global Health Initiatives (GHI) have been created to address single disease issues in low-income countries, such as poliomyelitis, trachoma, neonatal tetanus, etc.. Empirical evidence on the effects of such GHIs on local health systems remains scarce. This paper explores positive and negative effects of the Integrated Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) Control Initiative, consisting in mass preventive chemotherapy for five targeted NTDs, on Mali's health system where it was first implemented in 2007. Campaign processes and interactions with the health system were assessed through participant observation in two rural districts (8 health centres each). Information was complemented by interviews with key informants, website search and literature review. Preliminary results were validated during feedback sessions with Malian authorities from national, regional and district levels. We present positive and negative effects of the NTD campaign on the health system using the WHO framework of analysis based on six interrelated elements: health service delivery, health workforce, health information system, drug procurement system, financing and governance. At point of delivery, campaign-related workload severely interfered with routine care delivery which was cut down or totally interrupted during the campaign, as nurses were absent from their health centre for campaign-related activities. Only 2 of the 16 health centres, characterized by a qualified, stable and motivated workforce, were able to keep routine services running and to use the campaign as an opportunity for quality improvement. Increased workload was compensated by allowances, which significantly improved staff income, but also contributed to divert attention away from core routine activities. While the campaign increased the availability of NTD drugs at country level, parallel systems for drug supply and evaluation requested extra efforts burdening local health systems. The campaign budget

Interactions between Global Health Initiatives and country health systems: the case of a neglected tropical diseases control program in Mali.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Cavalli

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Recently, a number of Global Health Initiatives (GHI have been created to address single disease issues in low-income countries, such as poliomyelitis, trachoma, neonatal tetanus, etc.. Empirical evidence on the effects of such GHIs on local health systems remains scarce. This paper explores positive and negative effects of the Integrated Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD Control Initiative, consisting in mass preventive chemotherapy for five targeted NTDs, on Mali's health system where it was first implemented in 2007. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Campaign processes and interactions with the health system were assessed through participant observation in two rural districts (8 health centres each. Information was complemented by interviews with key informants, website search and literature review. Preliminary results were validated during feedback sessions with Malian authorities from national, regional and district levels. We present positive and negative effects of the NTD campaign on the health system using the WHO framework of analysis based on six interrelated elements: health service delivery, health workforce, health information system, drug procurement system, financing and governance. At point of delivery, campaign-related workload severely interfered with routine care delivery which was cut down or totally interrupted during the campaign, as nurses were absent from their health centre for campaign-related activities. Only 2 of the 16 health centres, characterized by a qualified, stable and motivated workforce, were able to keep routine services running and to use the campaign as an opportunity for quality improvement. Increased workload was compensated by allowances, which significantly improved staff income, but also contributed to divert attention away from core routine activities. While the campaign increased the availability of NTD drugs at country level, parallel systems for drug supply and evaluation requested extra efforts

Hydrogels for central nervous system therapeutic strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Russo, Teresa; Tunesi, Marta; Giordano, Carmen; Gloria, Antonio; Ambrosio, Luigi

2015-12-01

The central nervous system shows a limited regenerative capacity, and injuries or diseases, such as those in the spinal, brain and retina, are a great problem since current therapies seem to be unable to achieve good results in terms of significant functional recovery. Different promising therapies have been suggested, the aim being to restore at least some of the lost functions. The current review deals with the use of hydrogels in developing advanced devices for central nervous system therapeutic strategies. Several approaches, involving cell-based therapy, delivery of bioactive molecules and nanoparticle-based drug delivery, will be first reviewed. Finally, some examples of injectable hydrogels for the delivery of bioactive molecules in central nervous system will be reported, and the key features as well as the basic principles in designing multifunctional devices will be described. © IMechE 2015.

Africa’s Irregular Security Threats: Challenges for U.S. Engagement (Strategic Forum, Number 255, May 2010)

Science.gov (United States)

2010-05-01

Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) franchise based in Algeria and northern Mali, and the Harakat al-Shabab network based in southern Somalia.13 In North and West...point of launching a terrorist bombing attack at the Planet Hollywood restaurant in Cape Town in August 1998. This shift toward the informal and

CENTERA: A Centralized Trust-Based Efficient Routing Protocol with Authentication for Wireless Sensor Networks

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Ayman Tajeddine

2015-02-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we present CENTERA, a CENtralized Trust-based Efficient Routing protocol with an appropriate authentication scheme for wireless sensor networks (WSN. CENTERA utilizes the more powerful base station (BS to gather minimal neighbor trust information from nodes and calculate the best routes after isolating different types of “bad” nodes. By periodically accumulating these simple local observations and approximating the nodes’ battery lives, the BS draws a global view of the network, calculates three quality metrics—maliciousness, cooperation, and compatibility—and evaluates the Data Trust and Forwarding Trust values of each node. Based on these metrics, the BS isolates “bad”, “misbehaving” or malicious nodes for a certain period, and put some nodes on probation. CENTERA increases the node’s bad/probation level with repeated “bad” behavior, and decreases it otherwise. Then it uses a very efficient method to distribute the routing information to “good” nodes. Based on its target environment, and if required, CENTERA uses an authentication scheme suitable for severely constrained nodes, ranging from the symmetric RC5 for safe environments under close administration, to pairing-based cryptography (PBC for hostile environments with a strong attacker model. We simulate CENTERA using TOSSIM and verify its correctness and show some energy calculations.

CENTERA: a centralized trust-based efficient routing protocol with authentication for wireless sensor networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Tajeddine, Ayman; Kayssi, Ayman; Chehab, Ali; Elhajj, Imad; Itani, Wassim

2015-02-02

In this paper, we present CENTERA, a CENtralized Trust-based Efficient Routing protocol with an appropriate authentication scheme for wireless sensor networks (WSN). CENTERA utilizes the more powerful base station (BS) to gather minimal neighbor trust information from nodes and calculate the best routes after isolating different types of "bad" nodes. By periodically accumulating these simple local observations and approximating the nodes' battery lives, the BS draws a global view of the network, calculates three quality metrics-maliciousness, cooperation, and compatibility-and evaluates the Data Trust and Forwarding Trust values of each node. Based on these metrics, the BS isolates "bad", "misbehaving" or malicious nodes for a certain period, and put some nodes on probation. CENTERA increases the node's bad/probation level with repeated "bad" behavior, and decreases it otherwise. Then it uses a very efficient method to distribute the routing information to "good" nodes. Based on its target environment, and if required, CENTERA uses an authentication scheme suitable for severely constrained nodes, ranging from the symmetric RC5 for safe environments under close administration, to pairing-based cryptography (PBC) for hostile environments with a strong attacker model. We simulate CENTERA using TOSSIM and verify its correctness and show some energy calculations.

NPP-VIIRS DNB-based reallocating subpopulations to mercury in Urumqi city cluster, central Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, X.; Feng, X. B.; Dai, W.; Li, P.; Ju, C. Y.; Bao, Z. D.; Han, Y. L.

2017-02-01

Accurate and update assignment of population-related environmental matters onto fine grid cells in oasis cities of arid areas remains challenging. We present the approach based on Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (S-NPP) -Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) Day/Night Band (DNB) to reallocate population onto a regular finer surface. The number of potential population to the mercury were reallocated onto 0.1x0.1 km reference grid in Urumqi city cluster of China’s Xinjiang, central Asia. The result of Monte Carlo modelling indicated that the range of 0.5 to 2.4 million people was reliable. The study highlights that the NPP-VIIRS DNB-based multi-layered, dasymetric, spatial method enhances our abilities to remotely estimate the distribution and size of target population at the street-level scale and has the potential to transform control strategies for epidemiology, public policy and other socioeconomic fields.

Search Results | Page 9 | IDRC - International Development ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Results 81 - 90 of 158 ... The study examines dramatic changes in education policy in Mali, (1990s ... Economic relations of China and Sub-Saharan Africa : the case of Mali ... and Development in Africa: Private, Public and Multilateral Strategies.

Normal Development of Sutures and synchondroses in the central skull base : CT study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roh, Hong Gee; Kim, Hyung Jin; Kang, Jee Hee; Lee, Kyung Hee; Lim, Myung Kwan; Cho, Young Kuk; Ok, Cheol Su; Suh, Chang Hae

2000-01-01

To evaluate the developmental patterns of the sutures and synchondroses in the central skull base. We evaluated the CT scans of 109 children (age range 29 days to 15 years) with no skull base abnormality who had undergone axial CT of the skull base with 1-mm collimation. Using a five-tier scheme, we analyzed the developmental patterns of the 18 sutures and synchondroses related to the sphenoid and occipital bones. Fusion of the sutures and synchondroses related to the sphenoid bone progressed rapidly during the first two years. Thereafter, changes in the sphenoid bone were dominated by pneumatization of the sphenoid sinus. Fusion of the synchondroses within the sphenoid body, including intersphenoidal, intrapresphenoidal, intrapostsphenoidal synchondrosis occurred early and in most cases was graded ≥3D4. Fusion of the sphenosquamosal, sphenoethmoidal, and frontosphenoidal sutures was delayed, and residual sclerosis was a common finding. Except for Kerckring-supraoccipital synchondrosis, fusion of the six sutures and synchondroses related to the occipital bone occurred more gradually than that of those related to the sphenoid bone. Among these, fusion of the occipitomastoidal suture and petro-occipital synchondrosis was the last to occur. A knowledge of the developmental patterns of sutures and synchondroses can help differentiate normal conditions from those such as fracture, osseous dysplasia, or congenital malformation, which are abnormal. Our results provide certain basic information about skull base maturity in children. (author)

Assessing the ecological base flow in an experimental watershed of Central Taiwan

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Chiang; Yang, Ping-Shih; Tian, Pei-Ling

2010-05-01

The ecological base flow is crucial for the assessment and design for habitat rehabilitation and recovery. The amount of discharge affects the aquatic creatures and may damage the existence and balance of the community under extreme low conditions. Aquatic insect is selected as the target species in this study to evaluate the influence of the discharge and to estimate the ecological base flow. The distribution of the number of species and abundance (density) versus discharge is assessed to define the critical discharge. A stream located at the alpine area in central Taiwan is selected as the study area to evaluate the base flow. From the preliminary data (Aug 2008 to May 2009) collected from Creek C of Sitou watershed (area: 1.3 km^2) shows that the abundance of several species varies with the discharge. The dominate family and genus of aquatic insects is Baetidae (Order Ephemeroptera) and Baetis spp. that accounts for 26.3 and 17.2 %, respectively. The Hilsenhoff family biotic index (FBI) shows that the water quality is classified to "Excellent" and "Good" level while the EPT Index (Index of three orders: Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera) indicates that the stream is non-polluted. The discharge of base flow interpreted from the 90%, 95% and 96% curve of duration for the daily discharge is 0.1582, 0.0476 and 0.0378 cms; the threshold value evaluated by curve of abundance vs. discharge is 0.0154 cms. Consistent observations are yet to be collected to yield more accurate results.

Using centrality to rank web snippets

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jijkoun, V.; de Rijke, M.; Peters, C.; Jijkoun, V.; Mandl, T.; Müller, H.; Oard, D.W.; Peñas, A.; Petras, V.; Santos, D.

2008-01-01

We describe our participation in the WebCLEF 2007 task, targeted at snippet retrieval from web data. Our system ranks snippets based on a simple similarity-based centrality, inspired by the web page ranking algorithms. We experimented with retrieval units (sentences and paragraphs) and with the

The Central Trigger Processor (CTP)

CERN Multimedia

Franchini, Matteo

2016-01-01

The Central Trigger Processor (CTP) receives trigger information from the calorimeter and muon trigger processors, as well as from other sources of trigger. It makes the Level-1 decision (L1A) based on a trigger menu.

Eesti saadab ohvitserid kodusõjast räsitud Malisse / Urmas Jaagant

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Jaagant, Urmas

2013-01-01

Kaitseministri sõnul valmistab Euroopa Liit ette Mali väljaõppemissiooni, mille eesmärk on pakkuda Mali relvajõududele sõjalist nõustamist ja väljaõpet. Missiooni käivitamise korral soovib Eesti selles osaleda

Centrally Banked Cryptocurrencies

OpenAIRE

Danezis, George; Meiklejohn, Sarah

2015-01-01

Current cryptocurrencies, starting with Bitcoin, build a decentralized blockchain-based transaction ledger, maintained through proofs-of-work that also generate a monetary supply. Such decentralization has benefits, such as independence from national political control, but also significant limitations in terms of scalability and computational cost. We introduce RSCoin, a cryptocurrency framework in which central banks maintain complete control over the monetary supply, but rely on a distribut...

Centrally Banked Cryptocurrencies

OpenAIRE

Danezis, G.; Meiklejohn, S.

2016-01-01

Current cryptocurrencies, starting with Bitcoin, build a decentralized blockchain-based transaction ledger, maintained through proofs-of-work that also serve to generate a monetary supply. Such decentralization has benefits, such as independence from national political control, but also significant limitations in terms of computational costs and scalability. We introduce RSCoin, a cryptocurrency framework in which central banks maintain complete control over the monetary supply, but rely on...

Results-Based Financing in Mozambique’s Central Medical Store: A Review After 1 Year

Science.gov (United States)

Spisak, Cary; Morgan, Lindsay; Eichler, Rena; Rosen, James; Serumaga, Brian; Wang, Angela

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: Public health commodity supply chains are typically weak in low-income countries, partly because they have many disparate yet interdependent functions and components. Approaches to strengthening supply chains in such settings have often fallen short—they address technical weaknesses, but not the incentives that motivate staff to perform better. Methods: We reviewed the first year of a results-based financing (RBF) program in Mozambique, which began in January 2013. The program aimed to improve the performance of the central medical store—Central de Medicamentos e Artigos Medicos (CMAM)—by realigning incentives. We completed in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with 33 key informants, including representatives from CMAM and donor agencies, and collected quantitative data on performance measures and use of funds. Implementation: The RBF agreement linked CMAM performance payments to quarterly results on 5 performance indicators related to supply planning, distribution planning, and warehouse management. RBF is predicated on the theory that a combination of carrot and stick—i.e., shared financial incentives, plus increased accountability for results—will spur changes in behavior. Important design elements: (1) indicators were measured against quarterly targets, and payments were made only for indicators that met those targets; (2) targets were set based on documented performance, at levels that could be reasonably attained, yet pushed for improvement; (3) payment was shared with and dependent on all staff, encouraging teamwork and collaboration; (4) results were validated by verifiable data sources; and (5) CMAM had discretion over how to use the funds. Findings: We found that CMAM’s performance continually improved over baseline and that CMAM achieved many of its performance targets, for example, timely submission of quarterly supply and distribution planning reports. Warehouse indicators, such as inventory management and

Data bases for forest inventory in the North-Central Region.

Science.gov (United States)

Jerold T. Hahn; Mark H. Hansen

1985-01-01

Describes the data collected by the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Research Work Unit at the North Central Forest Experiment Station. Explains how interested parties may obtain information from the databases either through direct access or by special requests to the FIA database manager.

Channel utilization based energy efficient RoF centralized enterprise WLAN

NARCIS (Netherlands)

DebBarma, D.; Wang, Q.; Chetan, B.M.; Niemegeers, I.; Heemstra De Groot, S.M.

2016-01-01

Centralized Enterprise WLAN (CE-WLAN) encompassing supernumerary access points (APs) are being used to provide capacity to indoor environments. The approach of over dimensioned deployment of APs to meet the capacity needs of users at critical time periods are advocated with little concern towards

Smart electromechanical systems the central nervous system

CERN Document Server

Kurbanov, Vugar

2017-01-01

This book describes approaches to solving the problems of developing the central nervous system of robots (CNSR) based on smart electromechanical systems (SEMS) modules, principles of construction of the various modules of the central nervous system and variants of mathematical software CNSR in control systems for intelligent robots. It presents the latest advances in theory and practice at the Russian Academy of Sciences. Developers of intelligent robots to solve modern problems in robotics are increasingly addressing the use of the bionic approach to create robots that mimic the complexity and adaptability of biological systems. These have smart electromechanical system (SEMS), which are used in various cyber-physical systems (CPhS), and allow the functions of calculation, control, communications, information storage, monitoring, measurement and control of parameters and environmental parameters to be integrated. The behavior of such systems is based on the information received from the central nervous syst...

Partners in conflict prevention and peacebuilding

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dijkstra, Hylke; Mahr, Ewa; Petrov, Petar

This report analyses how the EU, UN and OSCE exchange civilian capabilities during crisis missions in Kosovo, Mali and Armenia.......This report analyses how the EU, UN and OSCE exchange civilian capabilities during crisis missions in Kosovo, Mali and Armenia....

Central sleep apnea

Science.gov (United States)

Sleep apnea - central; Obesity - central sleep apnea; Cheyne-Stokes - central sleep apnea; Heart failure - central sleep apnea ... Central sleep apnea results when the brain temporarily stops sending signals to the muscles that control breathing. The condition ...

A GPU-based solution for fast calculation of the betweenness centrality in large weighted networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rui Fan

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Betweenness, a widely employed centrality measure in network science, is a decent proxy for investigating network loads and rankings. However, its extremely high computational cost greatly hinders its applicability in large networks. Although several parallel algorithms have been presented to reduce its calculation cost for unweighted networks, a fast solution for weighted networks, which are commonly encountered in many realistic applications, is still lacking. In this study, we develop an efficient parallel GPU-based approach to boost the calculation of the betweenness centrality (BC for large weighted networks. We parallelize the traditional Dijkstra algorithm by selecting more than one frontier vertex each time and then inspecting the frontier vertices simultaneously. By combining the parallel SSSP algorithm with the parallel BC framework, our GPU-based betweenness algorithm achieves much better performance than its CPU counterparts. Moreover, to further improve performance, we integrate the work-efficient strategy, and to address the load-imbalance problem, we introduce a warp-centric technique, which assigns many threads rather than one to a single frontier vertex. Experiments on both realistic and synthetic networks demonstrate the efficiency of our solution, which achieves 2.9× to 8.44× speedups over the parallel CPU implementation. Our algorithm is open-source and free to the community; it is publicly available through https://dx.doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.4542405. Considering the pervasive deployment and declining price of GPUs in personal computers and servers, our solution will offer unprecedented opportunities for exploring betweenness-related problems and will motivate follow-up efforts in network science.

Women are fattening their sheep — and their income — with tree ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

2018-02-12

Feb 12, 2018 ... The results of the work were mainly targeted at female farmers, because sheep ... Based on a survey of farmers from Zan Coulibaly, a rural community in Mali, followed .... Bridging gender gaps with dairy goats and root crops.

Research on shock wave characteristics in the isolator of central strut rocket-based combined cycle engine under Ma5.5

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Xianggeng; Xue, Rui; Qin, Fei; Hu, Chunbo; He, Guoqiang

2017-11-01

A numerical calculation of shock wave characteristics in the isolator of central strut rocket-based combined cycle (RBCC) engine fueled by kerosene was carried out in this paper. A 3D numerical model was established by the DES method. The kerosene chemical kinetic model used the 9-component and 12-step simplified mechanism model. Effects of fuel equivalence ratio, inflow total temperature and central strut rocket on-off on shock wave characteristics were studied under Ma5.5. Results demonstrated that with the increase of equivalence ratio, the leading shock wave moves toward upstream, accompanied with higher possibility of the inlet unstart. However, the leading shock wave moves toward downstream as the inflow total temperature rises. After the central strut rocket is closed, the leading shock wave moves toward downstream, which can reduce risks of the inlet unstart. State of the shear layer formed by the strut rocket jet flow and inflow can influence the shock train structure significantly.

Potential of stem cell based therapy and tissue engineering in the regeneration of the central nervous system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

An Yihua; Tsang, Kent K S; Zhang Han

2006-01-01

The insufficiency of self-repair and regeneration of the central nervous system (CNS) leads to difficulty of rehabilitation of the injured brain. In the past few decades, the significant progress in cell therapy and tissue engineering has contributed to the functional recovery of the CNS to a great extent. The present review focuses on the potential role of stem cell based therapy and tissue engineering in the regeneration of the CNS. (topical review)

Branch-Based Centralized Data Collection for Smart Grids Using Wireless Sensor Networks

OpenAIRE

Kwangsoo Kim; Seong-il Jin

2015-01-01

A smart grid is one of the most important applications in smart cities. In a smart grid, a smart meter acts as a sensor node in a sensor network, and a central device collects power usage from every smart meter. This paper focuses on a centralized data collection problem of how to collect every power usage from every meter without collisions in an environment in which the time synchronization among smart meters is not guaranteed. To solve the problem, we divide a tree that a sensor network co...

75 FR 21131 - Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA); Request for Grant Proposals: Kennedy-Lugar...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-22

... countries at the time of publication of this RFGP are: Egypt, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mali...), Jordan, Kenya, Kosovo, Kuwait, Lebanon, Liberia, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria... opportunities; (4) monitoring student health, safety and welfare, host family and coordinator performance and...

The Exchange Data Communication System based on Centralized Database for the Meat Industry

Science.gov (United States)

Kobayashi, Yuichi; Taniguchi, Yoji; Terada, Shuji; Komoda, Norihisa

We propose applying the EDI system that is based on centralized database and supports conversion of code data to the meat industry. This system makes it possible to share exchange data on beef between enterprises from producers to retailers by using Web EDI technology. In order to efficiently convert code direct conversion of a sender's code to a receiver's code using a code map is used. This system that mounted this function has been implemented in September 2004. Twelve enterprises including retailers, and processing traders, and wholesalers were using the system as of June 2005. In this system, the number of code maps relevant to the introductory cost of the code conversion function was lower than the theoretical value and were close to the case that a standard code is mediated.

Synthesis and in vitro transfection efficiency of spermine-based cationic lipids with different central core structures and lipophilic tails.

Science.gov (United States)

Niyomtham, Nattisa; Apiratikul, Nuttapon; Suksen, Kanoknetr; Opanasopit, Praneet; Yingyongnarongkul, Boon-Ek

2015-02-01

Twelve spermine-based cationic lipids with four different central core structures (di(oxyethyl)amino, di(oxyethyl)amino carboxy, 3-amino-1,2-dioxypropyl and 2-amino-1,3-dioxypropyl) and three hydrophobic tails (lauric acid, myristic acid and palmitic acid) were synthesized. The liposomes containing lipids and DOPE showed moderate to good in vitro DNA delivery into HeLa cells. GFP expression experiments revealed that liposomes composed of lipids with 3-amino-1,2-dioxypropyl as a central core structure exhibited highest transfection efficiency under serum-free condition. Whereas, lipid with 2-amino-1,3-dioxypropyl core structure showed highest transfection under 10% serum condition. Moreover, the liposomes and lipoplexes composted of these cationic lipids exhibited low cytotoxicity. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The PCR-Based Diagnosis of Central Nervous System Tuberculosis: Up to Date

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Teruyuki Takahashi

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Central nervous system (CNS tuberculosis, particularly tuberculous meningitis (TBM, is the severest form of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.Tb infection, causing death or severe neurological defects in more than half of those affected, in spite of recent advancements in available anti-tuberculosis treatment. The definitive diagnosis of CNS tuberculosis depends upon the detection of M.Tb bacilli in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF. At present, the diagnosis of CNS tuberculosis remains a complex issue because the most widely used conventional “gold standard” based on bacteriological detection methods, such as direct smear and culture identification, cannot rapidly detect M.Tb in CSF specimens with sufficient sensitivity in the acute phase of TBM. Recently, instead of the conventional “gold standard”, the various molecular-based methods including nucleic acid amplification (NAA assay technique, particularly polymerase chain reaction (PCR assay, has emerged as a promising new method for the diagnosis of CNS tuberculosis because of its rapidity, sensitivity and specificity. In addition, the innovation of nested PCR assay technique is worthy of note given its contribution to improve the diagnosis of CNS tuberculosis. In this review, an overview of recent progress of the NAA methods, mainly highlighting the PCR assay technique, was presented.

Treatment actions and treatment failure: case studies in the response to severe childhood febrile illness in Mali

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ellis Amy A

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Appropriate home management of illness is vital to efforts to control malaria. The strategy of home management relies on caregivers to recognize malaria symptoms, assess severity and promptly seek appropriate care at a health facility if necessary. This paper examines the management of severe febrile illness (presumed malaria among children under the age of five in rural Koulikoro Region, Mali. Methods This research examines in-depth case studies of twenty-five households in which a child recently experienced a severe febrile illness, as well as key informant interviews and focus group discussions with community members. These techniques were used to explore the sequence of treatment steps taken during a severe illness episode and the context in which decisions were made pertaining to pursing treatments and sources of care, while incorporating the perspective and input of the mother as well as the larger household. Results Eighty-one participants were recruited in 25 households meeting inclusion criteria. Children's illness episodes involved multiple treatment steps, with an average of 4.4 treatment steps per episode (range: 2–10. For 76% of children, treatment began in the home, but 80% were treated outside the home as a second recourse. Most families used both traditional and modern treatments, administered either inside the home by family members, or by traditional or modern healers. Participants’ stated preference was for modern care, despite high rates of reported treatment failure (52%, n=12, however, traditional treatments were also often deemed appropriate and effective. The most commonly cited barrier to seeking care at health facilities was cost, especially during the rainy season. Financial constraints often led families to use traditional treatments. Conclusions Households have few options available to them in moments of overlapping health and economic crises. Public health research and policy should focus on

Variation in central bank independence across countries : Some provisional empirical evidence

NARCIS (Netherlands)

deHaan, J; vantHag, GJ

1995-01-01

In this paper seven hypotheses to explain variation in central bank independence across countries are tested. The predictions based upon the theory that delegation of authority by politicians to the central bank is used as a commitment device are not supported: central bank independence is not

Nonstate Security Threats in Africa: Challenges for U.S. Engagement

Science.gov (United States)

2010-12-01

franchise based in Algeria and north- ern Mali, and the Harakat al-Shabab network based in southern Somalia.13 In North and West Africa, AQIM is the...instance, ele- ments of PAGAD became radicalized to the point of launching a terrorist bombing attack at the Planet Hollywood restaurant in Cape Town in

Applying IFRS 9 to Central Banks Foreign Reserves

OpenAIRE

World Bank

2016-01-01

Effective January 1, 2018, IFRS 9 Financial Instruments will replace IAS 39 Financial Instruments: Recognition and Measurement (IAS 39). Unlike most publications on IFRS 9, this paper focuses primarily on the application of the new standard on central banks’ foreign reserve assets, which increasingly constitute a substantial part of central banks’ balance sheet. Based on IFRS 9 implementa...

Proof-of-Principle of Onchocerciasis Elimination with Ivermectin Treatment in Endemic Foci in Africa: Final Results of a Study in Mali and Senegal

Science.gov (United States)

Traore, Mamadou O.; Sarr, Moussa D.; Badji, Alioune; Bissan, Yiriba; Diawara, Lamine; Doumbia, Konimba; Goita, Soula F.; Konate, Lassana; Mounkoro, Kalifa; Seck, Amadou F.; Toe, Laurent; Toure, Seyni; Remme, Jan H. F.

2012-01-01

Background Mass treatment with ivermectin controls onchocerciasis as a public health problem, but it was not known if it could also interrupt transmission and eliminate the parasite in endemic foci in Africa where vectors are highly efficient. A longitudinal study was undertaken in three hyperendemic foci in Mali and Senegal with 15 to 17 years of annual or six-monthly ivermectin treatment in order to assess residual levels of infection and transmission, and test whether treatment could be safely stopped. This article reports the results of the final evaluations up to 5 years after the last treatment. Methodology/Principal Findings Skin snip surveys were undertaken in 131 villages where 29,753 people were examined and 492,600 blackflies were analyzed for the presence of Onchocerca volvulus larva using a specific DNA probe. There was a declining trend in infection and transmission levels after the last treatment. In two sites the prevalence of microfilaria and vector infectivity rate were zero 3 to 4 years after the last treatment. In the third site, where infection levels were comparatively high before stopping treatment, there was also a consistent decline in infection and transmission to very low levels 3 to 5 years after stopping treatment. All infection and transmission indicators were below postulated thresholds for elimination. Conclusion/Significance The study has established the proof of principle that onchocerciasis elimination with ivermectin treatment is feasible in at least some endemic foci in Africa. The study results have been instrumental for the current evolution from onchocerciasis control to elimination in Africa. PMID:23029586

Local Vegetation Trends in the Sahel of Mali and Senegal Using Long Time Series FAPAR Satellite Products and Field Measurement (1982–2010

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martin Brandt

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Local vegetation trends in the Sahel of Mali and Senegal from Geoland Version 1 (GEOV1 (5 km and the third generation Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies (GIMMS3g (8 km Fraction of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (FAPAR time series are studied over 29 years. For validation and interpretation of observed greenness trends, two methods are applied: (1 a qualitative approach using in-depth knowledge of the study areas and (2 a quantitative approach by time series of biomass observations and rainfall data. Significant greening trends from 1982 to 2010 are consistently observed in both GEOV1 and GIMMS3g FAPAR datasets. Annual rainfall increased significantly during the observed time period, explaining large parts of FAPAR variations at a regional scale. Locally, GEOV1 data reveals a heterogeneous pattern of vegetation change, which is confirmed by long-term ground data and site visits. The spatial variability in the observed vegetation trends in the Sahel area are mainly caused by varying tree- and land-cover, which are controlled by human impact, soil and drought resilience. A large proportion of the positive trends are caused by the increment in leaf biomass of woody species that has almost doubled since the 1980s due to a tree cover regeneration after a dry-period. This confirms the re-greening of the Sahel, however, degradation is also present and sometimes obscured by greening. GEOV1 as compared to GIMMS3g made it possible to better characterize the spatial pattern of trends and identify the degraded areas in the study region.

Blastic Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell Leukemia in a Black Malian

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2017-06-28

Jun 28, 2017 ... BPDCN in Mali. KEYWORDS: Acute Leukemia, black african, dendritic cell, Mali ... myeloid neoplasm by the 2008 world health organization classification of .... There are many standardized treatment regimens, and many protocols with ... leukemia chemotherapy regimen[7,11] or chronic leukemia treatment ...

Central obscuration effects on optical synthetic aperture imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xue-wen; Luo, Xiao; Zheng, Li-gong; Zhang, Xue-jun

2014-02-01

Due to the central obscuration problem exists in most optical synthetic aperture systems, it is necessary to analyze its effects on their image performance. Based on the incoherent diffraction limited imaging theory, a Golay-3 type synthetic aperture system was used to study the central obscuration effects on the point spread function (PSF) and the modulation transfer function (MTF). It was found that the central obscuration does not affect the width of the central peak of the PSF and the cutoff spatial frequency of the MTF, but attenuate the first sidelobe of the PSF and the midfrequency of the MTF. The imaging simulation of a Golay-3 type synthetic aperture system with central obscuration proved this conclusion. At last, a Wiener Filter restoration algorithm was used to restore the image of this system, the images were obviously better.

Tourism Communication in Community Based Tourism in Dieng Community, Central Java, Indonesia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manik Sunuantari

2017-08-01

Full Text Available To encourage a community’s role in the field of tourism, the local government of Central Java, Indonesia promotes a Community Based Tourism (CBT as a tourism development for the sustainable economy. It involves the community in decision-making processes, especially related to the acquisition of income, employment, and the preservation of the environment, and culture of the indigenous people. This research aimed to determine communication activities in the implementation of CBT. The theory used was tourism communication using Attention, Interest, Desire, Action (AIDA model. Then, the method was a case study by choosing Dieng as a tourist destination, and the tourism communication activities were undertaken in Dieng’s society, especially in the activities of Dieng Culture Festival (DCF. The results show that the tourism communication activities involving the community, POKDARWIS (Kelompok Sadar Wisata - Tourism Awareness Group, tourism advocates, and local governments should pay attention to the cultural and natural tourism potentials, and empower the local communities.

CENTRAL ROTATIONS OF MILKY WAY GLOBULAR CLUSTERS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fabricius, Maximilian H.; Rukdee, Surangkhana; Saglia, Roberto P.; Bender, Ralf; Hopp, Ulrich; Thomas, Jens; Williams, Michael J.; Noyola, Eva; Opitsch, Michael

2014-01-01

Most Milky Way globular clusters (GCs) exhibit measurable flattening, even if on a very low level. Both cluster rotation and tidal fields are thought to cause this flattening. Nevertheless, rotation has only been confirmed in a handful of GCs, based mostly on individual radial velocities at large radii. We are conducting a survey of the central kinematics of Galactic GCs using the new Integral Field Unit instrument VIRUS-W. We detect rotation in all 11 GCs that we have observed so far, rendering it likely that a large majority of the Milky Way GCs rotate. We use published catalogs of GCs to derive central ellipticities and position angles. We show that in all cases where the central ellipticity permits an accurate measurement of the position angle, those angles are in excellent agreement with the kinematic position angles that we derive from the VIRUS-W velocity fields. We find an unexpected tight correlation between central rotation and outer ellipticity, indicating that rotation drives flattening for the objects in our sample. We also find a tight correlation between central rotation and published values for the central velocity dispersion, most likely due to rotation impacting the old dispersion measurements

Anopheline (Diptera:Culicidae) breeding in a traditional tank-based village ecosystem in north central Sri Lanka

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Amerasinghe, F P; Konradsen, F; Fonseka, K T

1997-01-01

A 13-mo survey of immature anopheline mosquitoes breeding in surface water habitats was done at Mahameegaswewa village within the Huruluwewa watershed in north central Sri Lanka as part of a multidisciplinary study on malaria epidemiology. The watershed is representative of the ancient small tank......-based irrigation network that still forms an important component of the rice production system in the low elevation dry zone. In total, 3,818 immatures representing 12 species were obtained from 2,940 samples taken from 5 larval habitats within the village ecosystem. Anopheles varuna Iyengar and An. culicifacies...

Mobile soak pits improve spray team mobility, productivity and safety of PMI malaria control programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Mitchell, David F; Brown, Annie S; Bouare, Sory Ibrahima; Belemvire, Allison; George, Kristen; Fornadel, Christen; Norris, Laura; Longhany, Rebecca; Chandonait, Peter J

2016-09-15

In the President's Malaria Initiative (PMI)-funded Africa Indoor Residual Spraying Project (AIRS), end-of-day clean-up operations require the safe disposal of wash water resulting from washing the exterior of spray tanks and spray operators' personal protective equipment. Indoor residual spraying (IRS) programs typically use soak pits - large, in-ground filters - to adsorb, filter and then safely degrade the traces of insecticide found in the wash water. Usually these soak pits are permanent installations serving 30 or more operators, located in a central area that is accessible to multiple spray teams at the end of their workday. However, in remote areas, it is often impractical for teams to return to a central soak pit location for cleanup. To increase operational efficiency and improve environmental compliance, the PMI AIRS Project developed and tested mobile soak pits (MSP) in the laboratory and in field applications in Madagascar, Mali, Senegal, and Ethiopia where the distance between villages can be substantial and the road conditions poor. Laboratory testing confirmed the ability of the easily-assembled MSP to reduce effluent concentrations of two insecticides (Actellic 300-CS and Ficam VC) used by the PMI AIRS Project, and to generate the minimal practicable environmental "footprint" in these remote areas. Field testing in the Mali 2014 IRS campaign demonstrated ease of installation and use, resulted in improved and more consistent standards of clean-up, decreased transportation requirements, improved spray team working conditions, and reduced potential for operator exposure to insecticide. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Orden monetario y bancos centrales Monetary order and Central Banks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aglietta Michel

1996-06-01

Full Text Available Con el enfoque evolucionista e institucionalista de la economía de las convenciones francesa, este trabajo analiza el surgimiento histórico de la banca central y la creación institucional del 'arte de la banca central'. El artículo estudia los modelos formales del orden monetario, la banca libre y la banca central, y analiza los eventos históricos que llevaron a que el Banco de Inglaterra inventara el arte de manejar los bancos centrales en conjunción con el aprendizaje colectivo e institucional que lo hizo posible. Aglietta muestra que la banca central no es una creación del Estado sino una creación institucional endógena al sistema de mercado.With the evolutionist and institutionalist focus of the economics of the French conventions, this paper analyzes the historical rise of the central bank and the institutional creation of the 'art of the central bank'. The article studies formal models of the monetary order, free banking and the central bank, and analyzes the historie events that led to the Bank of England inventing the art of managing the central banks, in conjunction with the collective and institutional learning that made it possible. Aglietta shows that the central bank is not a creation of the State, but rather aninstitutional creation endogenous to the market system.

Structural Evolution of central part of the Tuzgolu (Salt Lake) Basin, Central Anatolia, Turkey

Science.gov (United States)

Ada, M.; Cemen, I.; Çaptuğ, A.; Demirci, M.; Engin, C.

2017-12-01

The Tuzgolu Basin in Central Anatolia, Turkey, covers low-relief areas located between the Pontide Mountains to the North and Tauride Mountains to the South. The basin started to form as a rift basin during the Late Maastrichtian. The main Tuzgolu-Aksaray fault zone on the eastern margin of the basin and the northwest trending Yeniceoba and Cihanbeyli fault zones on the western margin of the basin were probably developed during that time. The basin has also experienced westward extension in response to westward escape of the Anatolian plate since Late Miocene. Several geologic studies have been conducted in the Tuz Gölü (Salt Lake) Basin and surrounding areas to determine structural and tectono-stratigraphic development of the basin. However, there are still many questions regarding the structural evolution of the basin. The main purpose of this study is to investigate the structural evolution of the central Tuzgolu Basin based on the structural interpretation of available 2-D seismic reflection profiles, well log analysis and construction of structural cross sections. The cross-sections will be based on depth converted seismic lines to determine structural geometry of the faults and folds. A preliminary Petrel project has been prepared using available seismic profiles. Our preliminary structural interpretations suggest that a well-developed rollover anticline was developed with respect to the westward extension in Central Anatolia. The rollover anticline is faulted in its crest area by both down-to-the west and down-to-the east normal faults. The geometry of the main boundary fault at depth still remains in question. We anticipate that this question will be resolved based on depth converted structural cross-sections and their restoration.

The Regional Centrality of Vietnam’s Central Highlands

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Salemink, Oscar

2018-01-01

strategic value turned it into a battleground among various Vietnamese parties, France, and the United States. It was here that the outcome of the Indochina wars was determined, but at a terrible price for the local population. After the adoption of economic reforms in reunified Vietnam the Central......Vietnam’s Central Highlands—or Tây Nguyên—area is usually described as remote, backward, and primitive, but this region has played a central role in the history of the surrounding states and the wider East and Southeast Asia region. Far from isolated, the Central Highlands engaged in trade...... various rivalrous polities now known as Vietnam, Champa, Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand, the area occupied a strategic position in the wider mainland Southeast Asia region. With the emergence of a unified, neo-Confucianist Vietnamese state the region lost its centrality until the late colonial era, when its...

Integrating Micro-computers with a Centralized DBMS: ORACLE, SEED AND INGRES

Science.gov (United States)

Hoerger, J.

1984-01-01

Users of ADABAS, a relational-like data base management system (ADABAS) with its data base programming language (NATURAL) are acquiring microcomputers with hopes of solving their individual word processing, office automation, decision support, and simple data processing problems. As processor speeds, memory sizes, and disk storage capacities increase, individual departments begin to maintain "their own" data base on "their own" micro-computer. This situation can adversely affect several of the primary goals set for implementing a centralized DBMS. In order to avoid this potential problem, these micro-computers must be integrated with the centralized DBMS. An easy to use and flexible means for transferring logic data base files between the central data base machine and micro-computers must be provided. Some of the problems encounted in an effort to accomplish this integration and possible solutions are discussed.

CENTERA: A Centralized Trust-Based Efficient Routing Protocol with Authentication for Wireless Sensor Networks †

Science.gov (United States)

Tajeddine, Ayman; Kayssi, Ayman; Chehab, Ali; Elhajj, Imad; Itani, Wassim

2015-01-01

In this paper, we present CENTERA, a CENtralized Trust-based Efficient Routing protocol with an appropriate authentication scheme for wireless sensor networks (WSN). CENTERA utilizes the more powerful base station (BS) to gather minimal neighbor trust information from nodes and calculate the best routes after isolating different types of “bad” nodes. By periodically accumulating these simple local observations and approximating the nodes' battery lives, the BS draws a global view of the network, calculates three quality metrics—maliciousness, cooperation, and compatibility—and evaluates the Data Trust and Forwarding Trust values of each node. Based on these metrics, the BS isolates “bad”, “misbehaving” or malicious nodes for a certain period, and put some nodes on probation. CENTERA increases the node's bad/probation level with repeated “bad” behavior, and decreases it otherwise. Then it uses a very efficient method to distribute the routing information to “good” nodes. Based on its target environment, and if required, CENTERA uses an authentication scheme suitable for severely constrained nodes, ranging from the symmetric RC5 for safe environments under close administration, to pairing-based cryptography (PBC) for hostile environments with a strong attacker model. We simulate CENTERA using TOSSIM and verify its correctness and show some energy calculations. PMID:25648712

Age assessment based on third molar mineralisation : An epidemiological-radiological study on a Central-European population.

Science.gov (United States)

Hofmann, Elisabeth; Robold, Matthias; Proff, Peter; Kirschneck, Christian

2017-03-01

The method published in 1973 by Demirjian et al. to assess age based on the mineralisation stage of permanent teeth is standard practice in forensic and orthodontic diagnostics. From age 14 onwards, however, this method is only applicable to third molars. No current epidemiological data on third molar mineralisation are available for Caucasian Central-Europeans. Thus, a method for assessing age in this population based on third molar mineralisation is presented, taking into account possible topographic and gender-specific differences. The study included 486 Caucasian Central-European orthodontic patients (9-24 years) with unaffected dental development. In an anonymized, randomized, and blinded manner, one orthopantomogram of each patient at either start, mid or end of treatment was visually analysed regarding the mineralisation stage of the third molars according to the method by Demirjian et al. Corresponding topographic and gender-specific point scores were determined and added to form a dental maturity score. Prediction equations for age assessment were derived by linear regression analysis with chronological age and checked for reliability within the study population. Mineralisation of the lower third molars was slower than mineralisation of the upper third molars, whereas no jaw-side-specific differences were detected. Gender-specific differences were relatively small, but girls reached mineralisation stage C earlier than boys, whereas boys showed an accelerated mineralisation between the ages of 15 and 16. The global equation generated by regression analysis (age = -1.103 + 0.268 × dental maturity score 18 + 28 + 38 + 48) is sufficiently accurate and reliable for clinical use. Age assessment only based on either maxilla or mandible also shows good prognostic reliability.

Central Bank Independence, Transparency and Accountability Indexes: a Survey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dumiter Florin Cornel

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Recently, the remarkable trend upon central bank independence and the efficient monetary policy were seriously highlighted in the monetary economics field. Starting from 1990s’ central bank independence was at the core of policy making and central banking problems, because of the widespread economical, political, personal and budgetary autonomy of the central bank. Nowadays, we can observe an increasing trend upon central bank transparency, for evaluating more accurate the central bank’s performances by the wide public, mass-media and financial markets. Consequently, a central bank must encompass a high degree of accountability and responsibility, because of the final liability in case of failure. In this paper we present, analyze and assess the construction of the most important indices regarding central bank independence, transparency and accountability in a chronological manner, presenting also the advantages and disadvantages of these indices related to actual practices of central banks. Moreover, we analyze the analytical results of the empirical testing of these indices with a considerable impact upon the developed and developing country group. In regard with the empirical results of different authors, we suggest the importance and the necessity for constructing an aggregate index for measuring central bank independence, transparency and accountability, based on de jure stipulations and the actual practices of the central banks.

Financial regulation and financial system architecture in Central Europe

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Scholtens, B

At the beginning of the transition, advice to Central European countries with respect to how to set up their financial systems was based on models used in western economies. This paper analyzes the experiences to set up a financial system in Central Europe. The experience in the first transition