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In contemporary Senegal, gender violence is pervasive, and it has become challenging to speak about it. Female suffering is normalized and viewed as part of womanhood. Language and Islam are often manipulated to justify the oppression of women. Échange Inégal: Goor Dongue, a short film directed by Khady Touré, uses parody to reverse gender roles in Senegal and profiles a society where girls are the preferred gender and where women are polyandrous and occupy all positions of power at home and in public. This inversion disrupts gender norms and transfers gender-based suffering from bodies associated with subordination (women) to bodies associated with dominance (men). This article argues that the film uses parody to make female suffering legible on male bodies to criticize the current gender inequalities in Senegal. The patriarchal manipulations of language and religion are central to the analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we synthesized a range of spinel ferrite ZnxMg1-xFe2O4 (x = 0, 0.3) forms using the sol-gel method. Additionally, polypyrrole nanosphere supported by magnesium and zinc ferrites (ZnxMg1-xFe2O4@PPy) were synthesized through in-situ polymerisation. The surfaces of ZnxMg1-xFe2O4 (x = 0, 0.3) and ZnxMg1-xFe2O4@PPy were subjected to spectroscopic analysis. The data obtained from X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed the formation of Zn-Mg spinel ferrite. The electrochemical analysis results demonstrated that the Zn0.3Mg0.7Fe2O4@PPy nanocomposites exhibited enhanced redox activity and a higher current intensity. This study highlights the development of hybrid Zn0.3Mg0.7Fe2O4@PPy type nanospheres with substantial and effective electrochemical properties, which could be a suitable option for industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Piezoelectric thin films are particularly difficult to model at the grain scale. Moreover, this problem is sparsely experimentally documented due to the lack of adequate methods. Here, an original methodology is proposed to study the behavior of single grains during in situ biasing. Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 films have been evaluated thanks to an in situ biasing x-ray diffraction technique performed on a synchrotron source with a sub-micronic x-ray beam. Small capacitors have been biased with DC voltage between 0 and ±20 V and at each step of bias a set of spotty Debye rings have been recorded. By selecting an appropriate region of interest, the evolution of a single grain peak has been followed. The fine analysis of these peaks allows to calculate the effective piezoelectric coefficient d33,eff, the proportion of each domain variants, the tetragonality inside each grain, as well as their evolution during the electrical biasing. A higher heterogeneity in samples with morphotropic phase boundary composition is observed. This study contributes to a better understanding of the local behaviors in piezo/ferroelectric polycrystalline films and in the improvement of their performance for different applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adoption of hybrid and distance learning modes, supported by pedagogical and digital innovations, has favored the availability of large volumes of learning traces, resulting from learners' interactions with digital learning environments and services. These traces represent the digital footprints in the form of actions such as logging on, navigating, passing, scoring, etc., throughout their learning process. With the practice of Learning Analytics (LA), these traces are exploited using several different approaches, to foster learners' success. However, educational organizations very often engage in the massive collection of both relevant and irrelevant traces, requiring significant resources (time, material, etc.) and making the preparation and analysis phases linked to these data complex. In this paper, we propose the adoption of a learning object-oriented instructional design methodology with a structured approach to learning outcomes and learning paths, enabling better LA practice for monitoring learners' progression, participation, and performance. This approach allows for the collection of relevant traces, optimal preparation, and effective analysis of learning traces, to take better advantage of the benefits of LA to improve and adapt learning processes. This also makes it possible to better measure the impact of instructional design in LA practice and vice versa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The membrane is a central component in the commercialization of vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFB), with Nafion being the preferred material for those membranes. Nafion suffers however from high vanadium crossover and high cost, thus limiting its wider commercial application in VRFB. To address this, studies have focused on sulfonated polyether ether ketone (SPEEK) as an alternative material. This work presents an economic study on the production costs of 3D printed SPEEK (3D‐SPEEK) membranes for VRFB, with multiple production scenarios evaluated. This analysis relies on the performances of 3D‐SPEEK membranes prepared in our laboratory, which have shown higher Coulombic efficiency and lower vanadium ions diffusion than Nafion membranes. Results from the economic analysis revealed that the cost of the 3D‐SPEEK membrane varies from 567.77 to 79.35 €/m2 depending on the production scheme and scale used. Production costs lower than commercial Nafion membranes are achieved when a large production scheme is used. Further analysis shows that 3D‐SPEEK membranes might even be cheaper than conventional SPEEK membranes if their printing time is reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A human resource base that ensures appropriate deployment of staff to emergencies, addressing different shock events in emergencies, without disrupting continuity of service is germane to a successful response. Consequently, the WHO Health Emergencies programme in the African Region, in collaboration with Africa Centre for Disease Control (ACDC) launched the African Volunteer Health Corps (AVoHC) and Strengthening and Utilization of Response Group for Emergencies (SURGE), an initiative aimed at ensuring a pool of timely responders. We explored the willingness of WHO staff to work in emergencies. A call for expression of interest to be part of the Elite Emergency Experts (Triple E) was published on 5th July 2022 via email and was open for 5 weeks. The responses were analyzed using simple descriptive statistics and presented with graphic illustrations. A total of 1253 WHO staff, from all the six WHO regions, cutting across all cadre, applied to the call. The applicants had various trainings and experiences in emergency and have responded to mostly disease outbreaks. Two-third of the applicants were males. This paper did not explore reasons for the willingness to work in emergencies. However, contrary to fears expressed in literature that health workers would not want to work in emergencies with potential for infections, the applicants have worked mostly in infectious emergencies. Literature identified some themes on factors that could impact on willingness of health workers to work in emergencies. These include concerns for the safety of the responders and impact of partners, child and elderly care, as well as other family obligations, which emergency planners must consider in planning emergency response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to compare twice-daily versus once-daily administration of intravaginal PGE2 for induction of labor at term. Efficacy, safety, and patient satisfaction were evaluated. For this single-center, randomized, comparative, open-label, two-arm, and parallel study, pregnant women with term singleton live pregnancies ≥ 37 weeks of gestation, medical indications for induction of labor, and Bishop score ≤ 6 were randomized to either the control group (induction of labor with PGE2 gel with repeat dose after 24 h) or the experimental group (repeat dose after 12 h). The primary outcome was induction-to-delivery interval time. Secondary outcomes were maternal and neonatal outcomes and patient satisfaction. In total, 246 women were randomized to the control (n = 121) or experimental groups (n = 125). The mean time for initiation of induction to delivery was 9.4 h shorter in the experimental group compared to controls (p = 0.007). For control vs experimental, there were no differences in tachysystole (19/121, 15.7 % vs 21/124, 16.9 %, respectively; p = 0.79), cesarean section rate (18/121, 14.9 % vs 28/124, 22.6 % respectively; p = 0.12), or other main obstetrical or neonatal outcomes. Patients in the experimental group reported higher satisfaction with their induction (48/96, 50 % with once-daily vs 60/86, 69.8 % with twice-daily; p = 0.010). Among women admitted for induction of labor at term, closer interval of vaginal PGE2 administration was associated with a significantly shorter induction-to-delivery time without increasing maternal or neonatal morbidity. Furthermore, the reduction in induction time was associated with improved patient experience of delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To inform the conservation of the Regionally Critically Endangered West African lion, we studied lion population size and social structure in Niokolo Koba National Park (NKNP), Senegal. Calling station and camera trap surveys were conducted and opportunistic lion observations were documented from 2015 to 2020. The average lion density was calculated as 0.50 lion/100 km² and the population size was estimated as 28-56 individuals. Average lion group size was 2.1 ± 1.45 lions (range 1-8 lions). There were no significant differences between observations of single individuals (43%), groups of two (22%), three (19%), four (4%) and more than four (5%) individual lions (X² = 30.021, p-value = 0.06452). Sex ratio showed a ratio of male:female of 1:1.1 to 1:2.8. About 13.59% of the lion population was composed of cubs while, respectively, 81.22% and 5.17% were adults and subadults. Based on the analysis of activity patterns, lions in NKNP are mainly nocturno-crepuscular (18:00-01:00) and matutinal (06:00-08:00). Lion population size and density are still low in NKNP compared to earlier estimates from the same area, in the late 1990s. We therefore conclude that the conservation of lions in NKNP must be further improved to safeguard this population in the long term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since ancient times, mathematics has displayed a high level of creativity and impressive dynamism. However, in teaching/learning programs, they appear as relics to be displayed within the walls of the school. To break with this archaism, Statistics has emerged as the part of mathematics that can shed light on its dynamism and societal roots. Here, too, computational, and theoretical aspects have left little room for a clear understanding of the concepts studied. The aim of this article is to show, through the epistemological study of the notion of standard deviation, how the study of the evolution of concepts can help us understand their meaning and serve as a resource for their teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report an imported Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever case in Senegal. The patient received PCR confirmation of virus infection 10 days after symptom onset. We identified 46 patient contacts in Senegal; 87.7% were healthcare professionals. Strengthening border crossing and community surveillance systems can help reduce the risks of infectious disease transmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studying the behaviour and trophic preferences of mosquitoes is an important step in understanding the exposure of vertebrate hosts to vector-borne diseases. In the case of human malaria, transmission increases when mosquitoes feed more on humans than on other animals. Therefore, understanding the spatio-temporal dynamics of vectors and their feeding preferences is essential for improving vector control measures. In this study, we investigated the feeding behaviour of Anopheles mosquitoes at two sites in the Sudanian areas of Senegal where transmission is low following the implementation of vector control measures. Blood-fed mosquitoes were collected monthly from July to November 2022 by pyrethrum spray catches in sleeping rooms of almost all houses in Dielmo and Ndiop villages, and blood meals were identified as from human, bovine, ovine, equine and chicken by ELISA. Species from the An. gambiae complex were identified by PCR. The types and numbers of potential domestic animal hosts were recorded in each village. The Human Blood Index (HBI) and the Manly Selection Ratio (MSR) were calculated to determine whether hosts were selected in proportion to their abundance. Spatio-temporal variation in HBI was examined using the Moran's index. A total of 1251 endophilic Anopheles females were collected in 115 bedrooms, including 864 blood fed females of 6 species. An. arabiensis and An. funestus were predominant in Dielmo and Ndiop, respectively. Of the 864 blood meals tested, 853 gave a single host positive result mainly on bovine, equine, human, ovine and chicken in decreasing order in both villages. Overall, these hosts were not selected in proportion to their abundance. The human host was under-selected, highlighting a marked zoophily for the vectors. Over time and space, the HBI were low with no obvious trend, with higher and lower values observed in each of the five months at different points in each village. These results highlight the zoophilic and exophagic behaviour of malaria vectors. This behaviour is likely to be a consequence of the distribution and use of LLINs in both villages and may increase risk of residual outdoor transmission. This underlines the need to study the feeding host profile of outdoor resting populations and how domestic animals may influence malaria epidemiology in order to tailor effective malaria vector control strategies in the two villages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dominant intrusion detection models in internet of things industrial internet of things cybersecurity use network-based datasets. The Modbus protocol is one of the most often targeted protocols and cyberattacks against IoT/IIoT devices have grown to be a major threat in recent years. Due to the intricacy of the protocol and the quick evolution of cyber threats, detecting these attacks using conventional techniques might be difficult. This paper proposes an architecture that consistently outperforms the state-of-the-art methods of performing intrusion Detection that includes binary classification of whether an intrusion occurred or not and multi-class classification that classifies the different types of attacks using an embedding layer in a neural network to model the register values. The best accuracy results were obtained with a convolutional neural network, with an accuracy of 98.91% in the Modbus Binary dataset, a fully connected neural network with an accuracy of 98.06% in the multi-class classification of the Modbus dataset, and long short-term memory neural networks with an accuracy of 99.97%, 99.7%, and 80.20% in Binary, multi-class, and multi-class sub-categories, respectively which conclude that the proposed architecture performs consistently better than the control NN. Three NN are designed with and without the proposed architecture. All experiments performed in this paper conclude that the proposed architecture performs consistently better than the control NN. This paper shows that a NN with an embedding function can effectively be used to model whether an attack occurred on a device and the class of attack that occurred. This network can be utilized in the future to lessen DoS attacks and other types of network attacks. The network will be able to protect itself against a lot of damage if attacks can be predicted either before they occur or at the same moment they are launched. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studying the behaviour and trophic preferences of mosquitoes is an important step in understanding the exposure of vertebrate hosts to vector-borne diseases. In the case of human malaria, transmission increases when mosquitoes feed more on humans than on other animals. Therefore, understanding the spatio-temporal dynamics of vectors and their feeding preferences is essential for improving vector control measures. In this study, we investigated the feeding behaviour of Anopheles mosquitoes at two sites in the Sudanian areas of Senegal where transmission is low following the implementation of vector control measures. Blood-fed mosquitoes were collected monthly from July to November 2022 by pyrethrum spray catches in sleeping rooms of almost all houses in Dielmo and Ndiop villages, and blood meals were identified as from human, bovine, ovine, equine and chicken by ELISA. Species from the An. gambiae complex were identified by PCR. The types and numbers of potential domestic animal hosts were recorded in each village. The Human Blood Index (HBI) and the Manly Selection Ratio (MSR) were calculated to determine whether hosts were selected in proportion to their abundance. Spatio-temporal variation in HBI was examined using the Moran's index. A total of 1251 endophilic Anopheles females were collected in 115 bedrooms, including 864 blood fed females of 6 species. An. arabiensis and An. funestus were predominant in Dielmo and Ndiop, respectively. Of the 864 blood meals tested, 853 gave a single host positive result mainly on bovine, equine, human, ovine and chicken in decreasing order in both villages. Overall, these hosts were not selected in proportion to their abundance. The human host was under-selected, highlighting a marked zoophily for the vectors. Over time and space, the HBI were low with no obvious trend, with higher and lower values observed in each of the five months at different points in each village. These results highlight the zoophilic and exophagic behaviour of malaria vectors. This behaviour is likely to be a consequence of the distribution and use of LLINs in both villages and may increase risk of residual outdoor transmission. This underlines the need to study the feeding host profile of outdoor resting populations and how domestic animals may influence malaria epidemiology in order to tailor effective malaria vector control strategies in the two villages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends immediate and exclusive breastfeeding in order to reduce malnutrition and neonatal mortality. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) and to identify its associated factors among mothers of children aged 6 to 12 months in Kaolack. Method: we conducted a crosssectional descriptive and analytical study. The study was conducted from July 8th, 2020 to February 8th, 2021. Multivariate analysis was performed using the logistic regression model. The target population consisted of mothers of children aged 6 to 12 months residing in the city of Kaolack and met during vaccination sessions. Results: a total of 400 women were enrolled in the study. Among them, 51.8% practiced EBF according to the WHO recommendations. The average age of mothers was 27.42 years; 56.3% were housewives and 82.7% have done at least 4 antenatal care (ANC). Logistic regression showed an association between EBF and the following factors: age < 25 years (OR=2.03 CI 95% [1.23-3.36]), receiving advice on EBF during ANCs (OR=2.92 CI 95% [1.70-5.01]), receiving advice on EBF during postnatal care (PNC) (OR=4.33 CI 95% [2.51-7.45]), the permanent presence of mother with her baby (OR=3.97 CI 95% [1.99-7.91]), and a good knowledge of EBF (OR=4.54 CI 95% [1.96- 10.51]). Conclusion: these modifiable factors can help improve the practice of EBF in the city of Kaolack. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low birth weight (LBW) is defined as a birth weight <2500 g at birth, regardless of the term of pregnancy. The objective of this study was to evaluate the height and weight development of LBW infants from 0 to 9 months of corrected age (CA) in Senegal. This was a prospective, descriptive, and analytical cohort follow-up of up to 9 months of CA including all live newborns of LBW hospitalized and followed up from 1 August 2019 to 31 May 2020. World Health Organization growth charts were used to assess height and weight growth. During the study, 136 LBW newborns were included. The mean gestational age was 32 weeks of amenorrhea. At discharge, 46 children (33.82%) were exclusively breastfed. At birth, the mean weight was 1487 g (3rd–10th percentile) and the mean height was 41.52 cm (10th–25th percentile). At 9 months of CA, the mean weight was 8119 g (median) and the mean height was 74 cm (median). The children had achieved satisfactory growth in weight (84%) and height (89%). At 9 months of CA, 27% of the children were behind in one of the four areas of psychomotor development. At the end of 9 months of CA, height and weight were normal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A spectrofluorimetric method was developed to determine residues of two β-blockers, atenolol (AT) and bisoprolol fumarate (BF), in Senegal's natural waters. The electronic absorption and fluorescence spectral properties of both β-blockers were investigated in several organic solvent mixtures [e.g., MeOH/H2O (60/40 v/v), cyclodextrins (β-cyclodextrin, HP-β-CD], and in the presence of surfactants (SDS, Triton X, Tween 80). After optimization, satisfactory analytical figures of merit were obtained for the determination of both β-blockers: concentration linear dynamic range of over one to two orders of magnitude, limits of detection (LODs) from 1.3 to 5.4 ng/ml for BF and from 1.2 to 3.7 ng/ml for AT, limits of quantification (LOQs) from 4.5 to 18.1 ng/ml for BF and from 4.0 to 12.5 ng/ml for AT. Relative standard deviations (RSDs) were between 2.1 and 5.3 %, according to the β-blockers. The spectrofluorimetric method was applied to the analysis of fortified river water and wastewater (effluent) collected in Senegal and France and spiked with both β-blockers. It yielded good recovery values, from 93.3 to 107.8 % for AT and from 97.4 to 108.9 % for BF. Our results demonstrated the simplicity, rapidity, and sensitivity of the spectrofluorimetric method to quantify residues of β-blockers in environmental waters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The aim of the study is to identify the epidemiological, diagnostic, therapeutic, and evolutionary characteristics of patients admitted for blunt abdominal trauma (BAT) in a level 3 children's hospital. Subjects and Methods: It was a retrospective and descriptive study on a series of 105 cases of BAT recorded over 8 years. The data were collected from patients' files. The analysis was done on Excel 2016. Several parameters were studied: frequency, age, sex, cause of trauma, circumstances, mechanism, mode of transportation, admission time, medical history, symptoms and signs, laboratory findings, radiological findings, injury assessment, associated injuries, type of treatment, and evolutionary modalities. Results: The frequency was 13.1 cases/year. The mean age was 6.6 years. The sex ratio was 3.56. Road traffic accidents were the most frequent cause (54.3%). Abdominal tenderness (88.6%) was the most common physical sign. Associated lesions were found in 40% of cases. Abdominal sonography (85.7%) was the most common imaging tool followed by an abdominal computed tomography scan (34.4%). The liver was the most affected organ (24.7%) and contusion was the most frequent lesion (65.4%). The majority of patients had received nonoperative treatment (93.3%). The average length of hospitalization was 5.6 days. The outcome in all cases was favorable. No mortality was reported. Conclusions: BAT in children is common in boys under the age of 10. They are caused by road accidents. Physical examination combined with abdominal ultrasound is very important in the therapeutic decision, which in most cases is a conservative one. Morbidity and mortality are almost nil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rainfall is an important variable to be able to monitor and forecast across Africa, due to its impact on agriculture, food security, climate‐related diseases and public health. Numerical weather models (NWMs) are an important component of this work, due to their complete spatial coverage, high resolution and ability to forecast into the future. In this study, the spatio‐temporal skill of short‐term forecasts of rainfall across Africa from 2016 through 2018 is evaluated. Specifically, the European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) and the National Centers for Environmental Prediction‐Global Forecast System (NCEP‐GFS) forecast models are verified by Rainfall Estimates 2.0 (RFE2) and African Rainfall Climatology Version 2 (ARC2), which are fused products of satellite and in situ observations and are commonly used in analysis of African rainfall. Model rainfall forecasts show good consistency with the satellite rainfall observations in spatial distribution over Africa on the seasonal timescale. Evaluation metrics of daily and weekly forecasts show high spatial and seasonal variations over the African continent, including a strong link to the location of the inter‐tropical convergence zone (ITCZ) and topographically enhanced precipitation. The rainfall forecasts at 1 week aggregation time are improved against daily forecasts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The best quality of PV energy into the grid is now problematic that is why this paper focuses on the design and implementation of a robust Proportional Integral Derivative based on Artificial Neural Network (ANN-PID). This technique used to ensure the regulation of the Boost Converter (BC) output voltage and the Three Phase Inverter (3 PI) output currents of a photovoltaic solar system (PVS) connected to the grid. The mathematical model of the DC bus and the 3-PI is presented. Applications under Matlab/Simulink justify the efficiency of the neural regulator. In comparison with the conventional one, the proposed method presents the best follow-up of the DC link voltage reference and a maximum overshoot of 3.16 %. In addition, despite the long time put in transient mode, the proposed method keeps better robustness and ensures an injection of current of a total harmonic distortion (THD) of 0.96 % against 2.18 % of the classical PID regulator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants have evolved a number of defense mechanisms to protect themselves against biotic stresses. Each cell, tissue, and organ is able to perceive and fight off attackers using a combination of chemical and physical defense mechanisms. Root cells employ similar defense response patterning. They develop immune responses upon pathogen attack and release a variety of compounds able to defend the root proper as well as the entire plant body. Currently, one of the most effective mechanisms of root defense involves the root extracellular trap (RET) that is produced at the tip of the root. The RET consists of root cap–derived cells embedded in mucilaginous secretions containing cell wall–derived polysaccharides, defense-related (glyco)proteins, phytoalexins, histones, and extracellular DNA (eDNA). The RET network plays a central role in root immunity and fulfills biological functions similar to those performed by neutrophil extracellular traps in mammals. [Display omitted] • Root extracellular trap contains extracellular DNA, polysaccharides, and multiple defense molecules. • Root extracellular trap plays a fundamental role in root immunity. • Root extracellular trap performs similar functions as neutrophil extracellular trap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malaria is a public health problem in Senegal. As a result, a real program focused on prevention and treatment has been put in place to fight it. Despite the efforts made, the prevalence rate of malaria is still worrying. To have a prediction system that, once certain physicochemical information, will inform if we can or not attend to the development of anopheles larvae. Our work consisted of collecting data on mosquito breeding sites, processing, and analyzing them in order to predict the physicochemical conditions for the development of Anopheles larvae. Larval control is an alternative to reduce the prevalence rate of malaria. We retain logistic regression as an algorithm and water electrical conductivity, water turbidity, temperature, and dissolved oxygen as determinant parameters. The learning and prediction system set up on the basis of the determining parameters and logistic regression worked. The predictions will be improved by further training our system with field data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a new coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2. The first case was discovered in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, raising concerns about the emergence of a new coronavirus that poses a significant public health risk. The objective of this study, based on data collected and sequenced at the Institut de Recherche en Santé, de Surveillance Epidémiologique et de Formations (IRESSEF), is to characterize the pandemic evolution, establish a relationship between the different strains in each wave, and finally determine the phylodynamic evolution of the pandemic, utilizing microreact simulations. The study shows that SARS-CoV-2 strains have evolved over time and the variability of the virus is characterized by sequencing during each wave, as is its contagiousness (the speed at which it spreads). The pandemic has spread at a rate of 44.34 cases/week during the first wave. Twelve weeks later it has risen to 185.33 cases/week during the second wave. Twenty-three weeks into the pandemic, the numbers have reached 681.77 cases/week during the third wave. During the fourth wave, the rate of infection was found to decrease slightly at 646 cases/week between early December 2021 and mid-January 2022. Data collected during this study also provided us with a geographical distribution of COVID-19, indicating that the epidemic started in Dakar before spreading inland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFB) will be essential in maximizing the large-scale use of renewable energy after achieving technical maturity. But as the test cells needed to conduct VRFB research are very expensive, the cost factor can prevent participation of developing countries in critical research. To address such issue, this work presents a novel low-cost design for laboratory VRFB cell yielding good performances. This design relies on sturdy ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) end plates with flow channels to provide the strength needed to seal other components while properly distributing electrolyte. This simpler design uses a reduced number of components compared to traditional cells, thus resulting in easier manufacturing and assembly while keeping costs low. This novel design approach achieved performances that are comparable to a commercial VRFB test cell in various testing conditions, but at roughly a third of the cost. Performances have been further improved by 3D printing end plates with optimized flow channels, with the added benefit of avoiding the complexity and costs of computer numerical control (CNC) milling. This novel design approach can thus be useful to many researchers in developing countries for their VRFB test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ion exchange membranes used in Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries (VRFB) must combine high proton conductivity with low vanadium ion permeability, something of a hurdle since these two types of ions move mainly through the membrane's hydrophilic regions. A novel approach to address this hurdle is by 3D printing sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) membranes which are then coated with dopamine. 3D printing makes it possible to manufacture precise and regular structures, while sulfonation ensures the attachment of SO 3 H groups in well-structured spaces of the membrane, thus promoting the transport of protons. Coating the membrane with polydopamine reduce the permeation of vanadium ions while enhancing chemical stability of the membrane. The 3D-SPEEK/PDA membranes therefore exhibited good properties against Nafion211, Fap450 and conventional SPEEK membranes. Moreover, the optimal application of a PDA coating on the 3D-SPEEK support membrane yielded cell performance (CE: ∼100%) at 100 mA·cm−2 higher than the commercial membranes Nafion211 and Fap450 (CE: ∼ 94% and 98%, respectively), as well as conventional SPEEK (CE: ∼97%). Meanwhile, the single cell assembled with the 3D-printed membrane exhibits a lower self-discharge rate and a more robust cyclic stability, thus demonstrating the great prospects of this 3D-SPEEK/PDA membrane for use in VRFB applications. • A 3D-SPEEK/PDA membrane is fabricated via 3D printing. • Better separation of hydrophilic/hydrophobic microphase of SPEEK. • The 3D-SPEEK/PDA membrane shows higher ion selectivity compared to the Nafion211, Fap450 and SPEEK membranes. • A vanadium redox flow battery assembled with a 3D-SPEEK/PDA membrane shows impressive cycle life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a study of the impact of Pb excess content on electrical performance of lead zirconate titanate (PbZr0.52Ti0.48O3, PZT) thin-film capacitors. High Pb excess eliminates the ZrOx interface layer between the PZT and the electrode but also reduces the breakdown field, while the linear dielectric character of the capacitor response increases with Pb excess. The chemical sensitivity of hard x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy with in situ bias provides direct evidence of a polar but the non-ferroelectric PbOx phase in the bulk of the sol-gel film. The phase has a distinct core level signature and is consistent with the dielectric response at low field, which becomes more ferroelectric at higher field, as well as the lower remanent polarization and breakdown field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let k ≥ 2 . A generalization of the well-known Fibonacci sequence is the k-Fibonacci sequence. For this sequence, the first k terms are 0 , ... , 0 , 1 and each term afterwards is the sum of the preceding k terms. In this paper, we find all k-Fibonacci which are product of two Fermat numbers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kaposi's disease is rare in children. We report a mucocutaneous form revealing a co-infection HIV-viral hepatitis B associated with a Lutz-Lewandowski verruciform epidermodysplasia on sickle cell AC. This is a 14 year old boy received in a context of general deterioration. He had angiomatous plaques on the face, the mucous surface of the upper eyelid of the left eye, the trunk, the back and the limbs. His face had pityriasiform, finely scaly papular lesions suggestive of Lutz-Lewandowski's verruciform epidermodysplasia. Complementary examinations showed hypochromic microcytic anemia, positive retroviral serology and Hbs antigen. He was sickle cell type AC. Both HIV serology and Hbs antigen testing were positive in the mother. He was put on triple antiretroviral therapy and the course was unfavorable with death after 3 weeks of hospitalization. Our observation describes a rare case of childhood Kaposi's disease, revealing HIV-viral Hepatitis B co-infection associated with Lutz-Lewandowski's verruciform epidermodysplasia on AC sickle cell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFB) are among the most promising approaches to efficiently store renewable energies. In such battery type, Nafion is commonly used as membrane material but suffers from high vanadium crossover and cost. These drawbacks negatively influence the widespread commercial application of VRFBs. Alternative membrane materials with high performance and low cost are thus being developed to address these shortfalls. Among those, possible materials for the VRFB membrane is sulfonated polyether ether ketone (SPEEK), which recently attracted considerable attention due to its low cost, combined with mechanical and chemical stability, and ease of preparation. This review summarizes the research activities related to the development of SPEEK-based membranes for VRFB applications and gives an overview of the properties of PEEK and its sulfonated form. A critical analysis on the challenges of SPEEK-based membranes is also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: congenital diaphragmatic hernia has been rarely reported in Africa. It can manifests early or late. Prognosis mainly depends on associated malformations. The purpose of this study is to report our experience in the Albert Royer National Children's Hospital, Dakar, Senegal. Methods: we conducted a retrospective study of patients treated for congenital diaphragmatic hernia between January 2010 and December 2019. Results: twelve patients were enrolled, with an average age of 8.9 months. Bochdalek hernias were detected in 10 patients. The most common symptoms were respiratory symptoms (83.3%), followed by digestive symptoms (41.6%). Thoraco-abdominalX-ray was used to make a diagnosis in all patients. Three patients underwent preoperative stabilization. All patients underwent laparotomy. Hernia sac was found in 10 patients, and 50% of patients had a defect measuring between 5 and 10 cm. The postoperative course was simple in 10 patients; a polymalformed patient died. Conclusion: congenital diaphragmatic hernia is a reality in our environment; it most often manifests beyond the neonatal period. Prognosis is generally good in our context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For k ≥ 2, consider the k -Fibonacci sequence (F(k) n )n≥2−k having initial conditions 0, . . ., 0, 1 (k terms) and each term afterwards is the sum of the preceding k terms. Some well-known sequences are special cases of this generalization. The Fibonacci sequence is a special case of (F(k) n )n≥2−k with k = 2 and Tribonacci sequence is (F(k) n )n≥2−k with k = 3. In this paper, we use Baker’s method to show that 4, 16, 64, 208, 976, and 1936 are all k -Fibonacci numbers of the form (3a ± 1)(3b ± 1), where a and b are nonnegative integers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effective conservation of mammals on the brink of extinction requires an integrated socio-ecological approach, yet the updated ecological knowledge of species remains fundamental. This study brings spatiotemporal behaviour, population structure, age-specific survival rates, and population size estimate of the Western Derby eland (WDE) in the Niokolo Koba National Park (NKNP), Senegal, investigated during dry seasons 2017 and 2018. WDE was strongly localised in the core area of NKNP (< 5%), active throughout the day with the highest peak in the hottest daytime, with a mean group size 7.6 ± SE 8.9. The adult sex ratio was female-biased and showed low annual adult male survival rates. The population consisted of high proportion of juveniles, whilst adults did not exceed 40%. The estimated population density was 0.138 WDE/km2 (± 0.0102) and estimated size 195 WDE in NKNP (CI95 from 54 to 708 individuals). Findings highlighted that the WDE population has potential to expand in the NKNP, due to an underutilized capacity. The age-specific vital rates indicate adult males as the most vulnerable; suggesting either an increase in the large predators' population, livestock encroachment pressure, and/or poaching. Findings imply that targeted monitoring with science-based interpretation may bring forward strong conservation solutions to the protected area management decision-makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The aim is to identify the epidemiological, diagnostic, therapeutic, evolutionary aspects, and risk factors related to the occurrence of this condition. Subjects and Methods: It was a retrospective and descriptive study of a series of 26 cases of fibromatosis colli collected over a period of 3 years (from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2019). We studied the following parameters: frequency, age, sex, delay of consultation, motive of consultation, gravidity, parity, type of delivery, notion of birth trauma, birth weight, examination findings, ultrasound results, type of treatment, and evolutionary modalities. The data were collected from patients' files. The analysis was done on Excel 2016. Results: The frequency was 6.5 cases/year. The mean age was 2.1 months. The average delay of consultation was 6.3 weeks. A notion of obstetrical trauma was found in 16 cases (61.5%). Primiparity was noted in 15 cases (57.5%). Associated torticollis was noted in 03 cases. Cervical ultrasonography was performed in all cases (n = 26/26) enabling diagnostic confirmation. Surveillance was the main treatment (84.6%). After a mean follow-up of 20.8 months, evolution was favorable in the majority of patients. The average time of complete regression of the mass was 3.8 months. Conclusions: Rare condition of the newborn and infant for which the diagnosis is clinical and the confirmation is based on ultrasound. The management is simple and based on surveillance. The evolution is most often toward spontaneous regression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To improve the care and treatment of HIV-exposed children, early infant diagnosis (EID) using dried blood spot (DBS) sampling has been performed in Senegal since 2007, making molecular diagnosis accessible for patients living in decentralized settings. This study aimed to determine the evolution of the HIV transmission rate in children from 2008 to 2015 and to analyze associated factors, particularly the mother’s treatment status and/or child’s prophylaxis status and the feeding mode. Methods: The data were analyzed using EID reports from the reference laboratory. Information related to sociodemographic characteristics, HIV profiles, the mother’s treatment status, the child’s prophylaxis status, and the feeding mode was included. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed. Results: During the study period, a total of 5418 samples (5020 DBS and 398 buffy coat) from 168 primary prevention of HIV mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) intervention sites in Senegal were tested. The samples were collected from 4443 children with a median age of 8 weeks (1–140 weeks) and a sex ratio (M/F) of 1.1 (2309/2095). One-third (35.2%; N = 1564) of the children were tested before 6 weeks of age. Twenty percent (N = 885) underwent molecular diagnostic testing more than once. An increased number of mothers receiving treatment (57.4%; N = 2550) and children receiving prophylaxis (52.1%; N = 2315) for protection against HIV infection during breastfeeding was found over the study period. The transmission rate decreased from 14.8% (95% confidence interval (CI): 11.4–18.3) in 2008 to 4.1% (95% CI: 2.5–7.5) in 2015 (p < 0.001). However, multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that independent predictors of HIV mother-to-child transmission included lack of mother’s treatment (adjusted odd ratio (aOR) = 3.8, 95% CI: 1.9–7.7; p˂0.001), lack of child’s prophylaxis (aOR = 7.8, 95% CI: 1.7–35.7; p = 0.009), infant age at diagnosis (aOR = 2.2, 95% CI: 1.1–4.3 for ≤6 weeks versus 12–24 weeks; p = 0.025) and protective effect of breastfeeding on ART against formula feeding (aOR = 0.4, 95% CI: 0.2, 0.7; p = 0.005). Conclusion: This study demonstrates the effectiveness of PMTCT interventions in Senegal but indicates also that increased efforts should be continued to reduce the MTCT rate to less than 2%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blotiella currorii (Hook.) R.M.Tryon. (Dennstaedtiaceae), Dicranopteris linearis (Burm.F.) Underw. (Gleicheniaceae), and Aleuritopteris farinosa (Forssk.) Fée (Pteridaceae) are reported for the first time in the flora of Senegal. They represent not only three more species but also two new families, Dennstaedtiaceae and Gleicheniaceae, for Senegal. Data on species, morphology, taxonomy, ecology, and geographic distribution are included. These three species were found in the interstices of the cliff of the 100-m Dindefelo Falls, which is in Kedougou region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In Namibia, as in many malaria elimination settings, reactive case detection (RACD), or malaria testing and treatment around index cases, is a standard intervention. Reactive focal mass drug administration (rfMDA), or treatment without testing, and reactive focal vector control (RAVC) in the form of indoor residual spraying, are alternative or adjunctive interventions, but there are limited data regarding their community acceptability. Methods: A parent trial aimed to compare the effectiveness of rfMDA versus RACD, RAVC versus no RAVC, and rfMDA + RAVC versus RACD only. To assess acceptability of these interventions, a mixed-methods study was conducted using key informant interviews (KIIs) and focus group discussions (FGDs) in three rounds (pre-trial and in years 1 and 2 of the trial), and an endline survey. Results: In total, 17 KIIs, 49 FGDs were conducted with 449 people over three annual rounds of qualitative data collection. Pre-trial, community members more accurately predicted the level of community acceptability than key stakeholders. Throughout the trial, key participant motivators included: malaria risk perception, access to free community-based healthcare and IRS, and community education by respectful study teams. RACD or rfMDA were offered to 1372 and 8948 individuals in years 1 and 2, respectively, and refusal rates were low (< 2%). RAVC was offered to few households (n = 72) in year 1. In year 2, RAVC was offered to more households (n = 944) and refusals were < 1%. In the endline survey, 94.3% of 2147 respondents said they would participate in the same intervention again. Conclusions: Communities found both reactive focal interventions and their combination highly acceptable. Engaging communities and centering and incorporating their perspectives and experiences during design, implementation, and evaluation of this community-based intervention was critical for optimizing study engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of a study on the integration of modelling and simulation tools in mechanical design. Indeed, optimisation of the design process often uses modelling and simulation tools in mechanical design activities. Thus, to meet the needs of the labour market, training situations in this field use communication and information techniques. In particular, digital tools are used for the development of virtual models intended for sizing and optimisation, and/or validating the behaviour and performance of a system, component or process. However, their use in the teaching–learning activities of mechanical design gives rise to many problems. These problems are often related to the educational use of these tools, the ergonomics of their interfaces, and their appropriation by students. This research presents the main results of a quantitative study on the learning of mechanical design. A survey using a questionnaire was conducted among 67 first-year tertiary students enrolled in the University Diploma of Technology programme in Science and Industrial Techniques in Morocco. The results of the study identified a number of factors that promote the efficiency of student mechanical design learning using modelling and simulation tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is a contribution to the valorization of Typha Australis as building material. The aim of this article is to develop 100% vegetal insulation boards based on powder of typha leaves and gum arabic and starch binders. The comparison of the nature of the binder on the mechanical and thermal properties was carried out. The influence of binder content on the mechanical and thermal insulation properties of panels of typha-gum Arabic and typha-starch was examined too. The density is very small in the case of starch than in the case of gum arabic. The typha-gum arabic panel is 1.17 times more dense than that of typha-starch, for 33.33 % binder. The typha-starch board, for 50 % binder, showed a good compressive strength (1.05 MPa) and is 1.36 times stronger than the typha-gum arabic board. The best thermal conductivity is obtained with the typhastarch board (0.051 W.m-1.K-1) for 33.33 % binder. The thermal conductivity values are close to or lower than many of natural insulating materials. It was also concluded that the typha - gum arabic panels are more effusive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: the COVID-19 pandemic has pushed the world to implement drastic prevention methods based on limiting population movements that have an impact on public health policies, such as vaccination. The purpose of this work was to assess the effect of these preventive measures on routine immunization schedules in hospitals after the outbreak of this pandemic in Senegal. Methods: we conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study in the Vaccination Unit of the Abass NDAO hospital center in August 2020. We compared data from the Vaccination Unit over the period March-August of the last three years (2018, 2019 and 2020). The parameter studied was the number of vaccine doses administered in the different periods according to the expanded immunization program. Results: in April, the number of doses of vaccines given at 6 weeks was 36 in 2018, 29 in 2019 and 15 in 2020, reflecting a decrease of 50% compared to March. In July, the number of doses given was 40 in 2018, 35 in 2019 and 15 in 2020, reflecting a reduction of 42% compared to 2019. Conclusion: measures to combat this pandemic should not affect routine immunization programmes, especially in our resource-constrained country. It is essential to continue vaccination schedule for children and to identify children who have missed vaccine doses in order to implement catch-up vaccination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

La détermination de l'âge gestationnel (AG) repose sur la date des dernières règles (DDR), l'échographie précoce avant 12e semaine d'aménorrhée, l'électroencéphalogramme (EEG) ou les scores cliniques morphologiques ou neuro-morphologiques. Ces scores sont importants dans les pays sous-développés où la DDR est très souvent méconnue par la mère, le suivi obstétrical et l'échographie précoce non faits. Ainsi, l'utilisation de score comme le FINNSTROM semblerait plus accessible pour les professionnels de santé exerçant en salle de naissance. L'objectif général était d'évaluer la pertinence de ce score pour déterminer l'AG. Il s'agit d'une étude multicentrique (Dakar et Ouagadougou) incluant les nouveau-nés de moins de 3 jours de vie issus d'une grossesse avec DDR connue et/ou échographie précoce réalisée. Le score a été réalisé par deux examinateurs différents à savoir un pédiatre et un étudiant en spécialisation en pédiatrie. En cas de discordance, un 3e examinateur intervenait. La pertinence du score a été évaluée en déterminant la corrélation avec l'échographie et la DDR par le calcul du coefficient de corrélation (r) significatif avec un p < 0,05. Notre étude a porté sur un total de 95 nouveau-nés dont 19 recrutés à Ouagadougou et 76 à Dakar. Nous avons trouvé une corrélation satisfaisante pour la DDR (r = 0,798 ; p < 0,001) et pour l'échographie de datation (r = 0,869 ; p < 0,001). Au terme de notre étude nous pouvons affirmer que le score de FINNSTRÖM est pertinent pour déterminer l'AG. Ainsi, nous recommandons son utilisation en l'absence d'EEG, d'échographie précoce ou de méconnaissance de la DDR au niveau des différentes structures sanitaires périphériques. The determination of gestational age (GA) is based on the date of the last menstrual period, the early ultrasound before the 12th week of amenorrhea, or the clinical morphological scores. These scores are important in underdeveloped countries where the date of the last menstrual period is very often unknown by the mother, obstetric follow-up and early ultrasound not done. Thus, the use of score like FINNSTROM would seem more accessible for medical and paramedical practitioners exercising in a birth room. The general objective was to assess the relevance of this score to determine GA. This is a multicenter study (Dakar and Ouagadougou) including newborns less than 3 days of life stemming from a pregnancy with known date of the last menstrual period and/or early echography performed. The score was made by two different examiners namely a pediatrician and a pediatric specialist student. In case of discrepancy, a third examiner intervened. The relevance of the score was assessed by determining the correlation with ultrasound and the date of the last menstrual period by calculating the significant correlation coefficient (r) with P < 0.05. Our study included a total of 95 newborns, 19 recruited from Ouagadougou and 76 from Dakar. We found a good correlation for the date of the last menstrual period (r = 0.798, P < 0.001) and for dating ultrasound (r = 0.869, P < 0.001). At the end of our study we can say that the FINNSTRÖM score is relevant for determining GA. Thus, we recommend it use in the absence of early ultrasound or lack of knowledge of the date of the last menstrual period at the different peripheral health structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electromagnetic coupling between randomly distributed dipole antennas is analyzed statistically. The impedance matrix of a set of dipoles is first calculated with both the induced electromotive force (IEMF) technique and numerical electromagnetic code (NEC) simulator. Then, the input impedance of a surrounded dipole is assessed for any loading of the surrounding dipoles. Cumulative distributed functions for the mismatch of a surrounded dipole are given for different dipole densities and loadings of the surrounding dipoles. This statistical approach is proposed in the context of UHF radio frequency identification (RFID) use cases where tag antennas are concentrated in reduced volumes and the antenna group behavior should be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We analyze the effect of social preferences in a coordination game with Pareto-ranked equilibria. • We find that more inequality unambiguously yields a higher level of coordination success. • This result holds even for subjects whose payoffs remain unchanged. • Total payoff motivations seem to drive the positive relationship between inequality and coordination success. • Our data highlight that the order of treatment matters. In this paper, we use a laboratory experiment to analyze the effect of social preferences in a coordination game with Pareto-ranked equilibria. Inequality is increased by increasing the coordination payoffs of some subjects while the coordination payoffs of others remain unchanged. Theoretically, in this setting, inequality aversion may lead to a negative relationship between inequality and coordination success, while total payoff motivations lead to a positive relationship. Using a within-subject experimental design, we find that more inequality unambiguously yields a higher level of coordination success. Furthermore, this result holds even for subjects whose payoffs remain unchanged. Our results suggest that total payoff motivations drive the positive relationship between inequality and coordination success found in this experiment. Moreover, our data highlight that the order of treatment matters. Groups facing over time a reduction in inequalities reach the efficient outcome more often, over the entire experiment, compared to groups facing over time an increase in inequalities. This study thus contributes to understanding whether social preferences and variations in inequality affect the outcome of coordination problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The condensation of 2-furoic hydrazide and 4-dimethyl aminobenzaldehyde in ethanol yielded a yellow solid formulated as the title compound, C14 H15 N3 O2·H2O. The crystal packing is stabilized by intermolecular O(water)--H…O,N(carbohydrazide) and N--H…O(water) hydrogen bonds, which form a two-dimensional network along the bc plane. Additional C-- H…O interactions link the molecules into a three-dimensional network. The dihedral angle between the mean planes of the benzene and the furan ring is 34.47 (6)°. The carbohydrazide moiety, i.e., the C=N--N=C O fragment and the benzene ring are almost coplanar, with an angle of 6.75 (9)° between their mean planes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescent girls in West Africa are migrating in search of educational and livelihood opportunities. In Mali, early marriage (before the legal age of 16) is a common practice. This paper builds on prior research on female migration that focused on the direct influences of migration on marriage and explores the wider social impact of rising female migration in sending communities by examining direct and indirect effects and intended and unintended consequences. This study examines perceptions about migration among girls and their parents including how it influences marital timing, marriage preparations, marriage practices, and marital relations. Qualitative data were collected from 140 adolescent girls and 115 parents of adolescent girls in rural areas in focus group discussions (FGDs) (n = 31) and in-depth interviews (IDIs) (n = 41) to inform how girls' migration patterns might influence program recruitment strategies and content for an intervention aimed at addressing early marriage in Mali. Our findings concur with earlier studies that migration has direct effects on marriage because it allows girls to both avoid early marriage and prepare for marriage through the assembly of goods and wares to bring to their conjugal homes. Despite some of the perceived risks of migration on marriage, the indirect effects of migration include allowing girls to see different types of marriage practices and marital relationships between husbands and wives and potentially allowing migrant girls to exert more influence over the marital process compared to non-migrants. However, migration can expose girls to new ideas and alternatives that may be incongruent with cultural expectations for them once they return to their communities. This study suggests that migration is seen as an inevitable part of life for many adolescent girls in Mali. Girls who migrate may return to their villages with not only items or income that provide direct benefits to a marriage, but also viewpoints on the expectations for women and girls in their communities that indirectly influence marital relationships. Although this can be challenging for individual returned girls in terms of reintegration, these new expectations may, over time, lead to social changes that influence migrants and non-migrants. Program strategies and approaches must consider the possibility of migration as an important aspect of every adolescent girl's opportunity structure. The qualitative data suggests that certain skills are critical for adolescent girls. Programs should emphasize the acquisition of relevant skills such as communication, risk assessment, negotiation and money management in ways that are relevant for migrants and non-migrants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let E be a real normed linear space and E* its dual. In a recent work, Chidume et al. [ Chidume, C. E. and Idu, K. O., Approximation of zeros of bounded maximal monotone mappings, solutions of hammerstein integral equations and convex minimizations problems, Fixed Point Theory and Applications, 97 (2016)] introduced the new concepts of J-fixed points and J-pseudocontractive mappings and they shown that a mapping A : E → 2E* is monotone if and only if the map T : = (J - A) : E → 2E* is J-pseudocontractive, where J is the normalized duality mapping of E. It is our purpose in this work to introduce an algorithm for approximating J-fixed points of J-pseudocontractive mappings. Our results are applied to approximate zeros of monotone mappings in certain Banach spaces. The results obtained here, extend and unify some recent results in this direction for the class of maximal monotone mappings in uniformly smooth and strictly convex real Banach spaces. Our proof is of independent interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 2011, an increasing incidence of sexually transmitted infections and risky sexual practices has been reported among young adults in Canada. However, research on sexual risk behaviours of international students in North America is limited, despite an increasing number of students from abroad attending higher education institutions on this continent. This article shares research findings comparing the sexual practices of international and domestic students in five postsecondary institutions in three Canadian provinces (Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec). Two hundred forty-two international students and 1220 domestic students took part in the bilingual online and paper-based survey. Female international students were less likely to be sexually active than international male, domestic male, and domestic female students. International students were significantly less likely to partake in many risky sexual behaviours, such as inconsistent condom use and unplanned sex after consuming alcohol or drugs. However, male international students were more likely to report having multiple sexual partners than male domestic students. These findings are relevant to those who counsel and advise postsecondary students on Canadian campuses and for healthcare practitioners to better understand postsecondary students' sexual practices. Strategies to enhance sexual health and knowledge include targeted promotion of safe sexual practices and sexual education in postsecondary institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Hodgkin variant Richter syndrome (HvRS) is an infrequent complication occurring in 1% of lymphocytic lymphoma/chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients. We report a case of HvRS diagnosed in Sub-Saharan Africa. A 63-year-old patient was consulted for the investigation of an abdominal mass that had been evolving for 5 years prior to admission. His history revealed night sweats, 13% weight loss in 3 months and persistent pruritis. Examination revealed bilateral cervical axillary and inguinal macroadenopathies, painless abdominal distension, pruritic lesions and WHO 2 PS. The blood count showed anemia at 9.5 g/dL. Histology revealed a lymphomatous proliferation of diffuse architecture, nodular in places, with Hodgkin and Sternberg cells associated with small lymphocytes, histiocytes and eosinophilic polymorphs. Immunohistochemistry showed CD20, PAX5, BCL2, CD5, CD23 and MYC positivity; Ki67 at 10% and cyclin D1, BCL6 and CD10 negativity; CD30 positivity on Hodgkin and Sternberg cells that remained CD20 negative; difficulty interpreting CD15; EBV positivity (EBERs); and CD3 and CD5 positivity on reactive T cells. CD138 and kappa and lambda light chains were non-contributory. The extension work-up classified the patient as Ann Arbor stage III B with a Hasenclever score of 3/7. This case illustrates the difficulties in diagnosing HvRS in our countries, where the number of haematopathologists is insufficient and the technical facilities are limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In plant roots, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are the most prevalent microsymbionts, and thereby provide many key ecosystem services to natural and agricultural ecosystems. Despite AMF's significance for the environment and the economy, little is known about the mycorrhizal inoculum potential and diversity of AMF associated with orphan African cereal crops, specially fonio millet (Digitaria exilis stapf.) under field conditions. We hypothesized that the type of fonio millet agroecosystem influences the AMF density and distribution in soils. We therefore, assessed the inoculum potential, density and diversity of AMF spores and soil enzyme activities in five fonio millet agroecosystems belonging to three climatic zones (Sudanian, Sudano-Sahelian and Sudano-Guinean). By combining AMF spore identification from field-collected soils and trap culture, 20 species belonging to 8 genera (Acaulospora, Ambispora, Dendiscutata, Gigaspora, Glomus, Racocetra, Sclerocystis and Scutellospora) were identified. Glomus was the most represented genus with 8 species, followed by Gigaspora (5 species) and Acaulospora (2 species); the remaining genera were each represented by one species. Except for Ambispora which was not found in the Sudanian area, all genera occurred in the three climatic zones. The abundance and diversity of AMF species and FDA-hydrolytic and phosphatase activities varied between fonio millet agroecosystems as well as between climatic zones. Soil pH and soil texture were the variables that best explained the density and distribution of AMF spores. Our results contribute to paving the way towards the development of microbial engineering approaches for agronomic improvement of fonio millet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]