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This paper examines the construction of imperial landscapes in the borderlands of eastern Africa in the early twentieth century. Recent literature has emphasized the haphazard, contingent, and often hybrid nature of mapping imperial frontiers and colonial governance in eastern Africa. This paper looks at the role of photography in the mapping of the Kenya-Somali frontier through the rich photographic archive of colonial official, Sir Geoffrey Archer. Archer documented his cartographic surveys through multiple media – diaries, maps, photographs – that provide a unique lens through which to explore the role of visual culture in contestations over territoriality, mobility, and sovereignty. While this photographic archive visualized imperial frontier landscapes and documented the work of cartographic surveys, it also revealed the dependency on local intermediaries, through their labour, geographic knowledge, and spatial practices. Photography-as-cartography demonstrated both the productive work of photography and the ambivalent presence of colonized peoples in the mapping of imperial frontiers, revealing the social lives of the borderlands and capturing fugitive meanings, bodies, and landscapes. • Role of photography in imperial cartography and conquest of eastern Africa. • Visualization of imperial frontiers and imaginations through photography. • Role of and dependencies on local labour and intermediaries. • Somali geographic knowledge and the social lives of borderlands. • Sovereign gaze subverted by subaltern stowaway presences and fugitive landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sandy soils cover approximately 900 million ha worldwide particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. There are extensive areas of sandy soils under cultivation, but the soil fertility is often low and dependent on the levels of soil organic carbon (SOC). Here, we review SOC levels of sandy soils across the world using pedon databases, data from literature, and three detailed case studies. Pedons were selected from five major databases and the pedons had a minimum of 850 g sand kg-1 in the top 30 cm. Sandy soils occur in all climates and several soil orders (mainly Alfisols, Entisols, Inceptisols, Spodosols, Ultisols). Soil organic carbon was highest in sandy soils of the temperate and cold zones (mean 19 g kg-1), and lowest in soils of the arid zone (< 5 g kg-1). The SOC concentrations was highest when mean annual precipitation was between 700 and 1300 mm, and SOC was lower when annual temperatures were higher. Sandy soils under forest had on average 23 g SOC kg-1 whereas the soils under prairie had on average 7 g SOC kg-1. Spodosols had the highest SOC concentrations, and SOC was lowest in Aridisols. The average A-horizon thickness of sandy soils was 17 cm, and it was thickest in Mollisols, and thinnest in Inceptisols. The thickness of the A-horizon is important since most of the SOC of sandy soils is found in the A-horizon. Over 32,000 papers have been published on sandy soils since 1914, and in the past 10 years, some 1000-1800 papers are annually published on sandy soils. We extracted papers since the early 1990s, and grouped them by continent, land cover, soil order, and focus of the research. Three soil-forming processes have been extensively studied in relation to SOC and sandy soils: podzolization, humification, and melanization. Several studies found that SOC increases when sandy soils were fertilized, but sandy soils become more water repellent with an increase in SOC and a decrease in pH. From published literature, it was found that SOC was high in sandy soils under forest (≤ 90 g kg-1) and grassland (≤ 187 g kg-1), and low in sandy soils under agriculture (≤ 38 g kg-1) or under shrub (≤ 36 g kg-1). Lastly, we present case studies from Southern Africa, Western Europe, and North America. Sandy soils cover about 273 million ha in Africa, and SOC rarely exceeds 10 g SOC kg-1 in the top 30 cm. The plaggen soils of Western Europe have high SOC (up to 66 g kg-1) due to the long-term additions of sod, litter, manure, and sea sand to increase the soil fertility. In the Wisconsin Central Sand Plains, SOC stocks in soils under agriculture were high (60 Mg ha-1) compared to the soils under forest (15 Mg ha-1) and grassland (25 Mg ha-1). Available water capacity increased with an increase in SOC. From this review, we conclude that sandy soils are found throughout the world, and the sandy soils in the temperate and cold zones have the highest SOC levels. In sandy soils, soil organic carbon increased the cation exchange capacity and lowered the bulk density. Soil organic carbon levels can be significantly increased in sandy soils under agriculture when amendments are made in combination with irrigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Countries in the East African region have for decades been synonymous with natural disasters, conflicts and severe environmental degradation. About 10 million out of the 65.6 million displaced persons globally are found in this region. This paper presents an empirical analysis of environmental impacts caused by forced displacements in five East African countries. Contrary to a widely-held opinion, there is sufficient anecdotal and empirical evidence depicting environmental damage caused by refugees and/or Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). A spatial analysis of current and former refugee and/or IDP camps in these five countries suggests the formation of “deforestation clusters” with concentrations of camps that compound environmental impacts. Technological advancements such as remote sensing capabilities can provide the means for assessing and implementing environmental protection measures. This paper recommends environmental care in humanitarian settings be considered an integral part of the Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and climate change/variability agenda, based on cost- and responsibility-sharing, employing technology, and incorporating appropriate monitoring tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unavailability of clean water caused by population growth, increased industrial activities, and global climate change is a major challenge in many communities. A number of desalination technologies including distillation, reverse osmosis and electrodialysis, have been used to supplement the available water resources. However, these technologies are energy intensive and demand a significant financial commitment. Capacitive deionization (CDI) is an emerging desalination technology which is promising to provide water at a reasonable cost, especially in societies with limited incomes such as those in Africa. The opportunities for CDI to provide clean water to the African population are discussed in this paper. These opportunities include electrosorption at low potential, low energy consumption, large quantities of agricultural wastes for the production of electrode materials, high sunshine irradiation throughout the year, suitability for disinfection and defluoridation and its applications in the removal of heavy metals and emerging pollutants. Due to the existence of numerous enabling conditions, the analysis from this paper demonstrates that CDI can be a dependable method to provide clean water in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This paper proposes and describes an interesting and potentially powerful means to validate large-scale biocontrol agent impacts during a Classical biological control (CBC) programme. • The methodology derives the beneficiaries' farmers from the dispersal of parasitoids at a landscape level. • The methodology was applied to the endoparasitoid Fopius arisanus release to control fruit fly Bactrocera dorsalis in Africa. • The study's outcome is appropriate for agriculture stakeholders and development partners to evaluate the benefits of CBC programme. Following the invasion of Africa by the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis , Classical biological control (CBC) has been exploited as a safer alternative for its suppression by the introduction and release of the koinobiont endoparasitoid, Fopius arisanus. Although the parasitoids have been released in several African countries, the extent of their dispersal and the resulting extent in benefits to fruit growers have not yet been elucidated. This paper proposes an innovative, multi-level CBC impact analysis that combines cellular automata (CA) and ecological niche models to estimate parasitoid dispersal ranges and the range of farmers who benefit from it. Firstly, we provided a generic, systematic methodological approach using CA rules incorporated into species distribution. Secondly, the model was used to estimate the dispersal range of the parasitoid, based on the life history and bioecology of the host insect (fruit fly) and the parasitoid. Finally, the parasitoid dispersal coverage was mapped across fruit crops attacked by the target fruit fly, and the number of households that benefited from the parasitoids release programme was extracted from the area of the dispersal. The data was projected across all countries where the parasitoid has been released and validated. In Kenya, the model showed that F. arisanus had covered a total area of 50.34 km2 from the initial point of open field release; and at the continental scale, the model predicted that the parasitoid had covered a total area of 229.97 km2. The model estimated that 351,855 and 3,731,330 households had directly benefited from the release of F. arisanus between 2013 and 2018 in Kenya and at the continental level, respectively. The study's outcome is appropriate for providing feedback information on the impact of CBC to government and development partners to assist in making informed decisions on technological interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Convergence of the environmental indicators has been one of the significant research areas for researchers since the study of Strazicich and List (2003) was published. Earlier papers have concentrated on investigating the existence of the convergence of indicators of the environment by using carbon emissions as a pollution indicator. However, some researchers have criticized the use of carbon emission as a one-dimensional indicator and proposed using ecological footprint as a more comprehensive indicator. The primary aim of this paper is to examine whether stochastic convergence of ecological footprint exists in 49 African countries from 1973 to 2018 by employing a battery of traditional stationarity methods and a newly proposed stationary method with smooth shifts and a combination of p-values. The empirical results show that panel findings of the conventional stationarity test with no structural shifts reveal that ecological footprint follows a stationary process. In contrast, panel findings of the traditional stationarity method with sharp and smooth changes and the newly developed stationary method with smooth shifts and a combination of p-values reveal that ecological footprint follows a non-stationary process. Moreover, the majority of individual results show that the ecological footprint follows a convergent pattern in 38 African countries, whereas it follows a divergent pattern in the remainder. Therefore, the main finding indicates the stochastic convergence of ecological footprint in African countries is validated. The policy outcomes of the empirical results are given in the body of the paper. • Convergence of ecological footprint in African countries was investigated. • A battery of traditional stationarity methods was employed. • A recently proposed stationarity method with smooth shifts and p-values was also employed. • EF converges in 38 of the 49 sampled countries. • The policy implications of the results were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dogs and cats have a close association with humans providing companionship; however, pets are reservoirs of zoonotic pathogens such as Toxocara. Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati are small intestinal nematodes found in canids and felids, respectively. Infected pets shed thousands of eggs resulting in environmental contamination. Toxocara can infect a wide variety of paratenic hosts including humans, rodents, pigs and chickens. Paratenic hosts become infected by ingestion of the infective eggs containing the third stage larvae or ingestion of dormant larvae in animal tissues. Infected humans may develop visceral larval migrans or ocular toxocariasis. Regular anthelmintic treatment and restricted movement of dogs and cats are recommended to control Toxocara environmental contamination. This paper reviews the prevalence and risk factors of Toxocara in dogs and cats in Africa; and pet owners' awareness of canine zoonotic helminths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Human toxocariasis occurs worldwide and is caused by nematodes of the species of the genus Toxocara. Infection occurs by the ingestion of eggs and is usually asymptomatic or oligosymptomatic. However, severe manifestations occur. The burden of disease and its public health impact remain ill-defined. The aim of this review was to summarize all available data on the seroprevalence of toxocariasis on the African continent and factors associated with seropositivity. Methods: Twenty-seven original papers published between 1991 and 2017 were identified that provided data suitable for this review. Case-control studies were included and the seroprevalence in the (healthy) control group was used as a surrogate parameter. Results: Antibodies against Toxocara spp. were found to be frequent in most populations and regions in Africa with the exception of two publications, one from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and one from Djibouti, where all participants were seronegative. The highest proportion of participants with antibodies was found on the island of La Réunion with 359 out 387 study participants being positive (92.8%). Factors associated with seropositivity were reported across studies, including--among others--older age, contact with soil via geophagia, agricultural activity or playing with soil, contact with animals, especially dogs, and low socio-economic status, defined as absence of water supply or poor housing. Three Egyptian studies found male gender to be associated with toxocariasis, whereas in La Réunion females were at increased risk. Conclusions: Exposure to toxocariasis seems to be very frequent and common in large parts of the African continent. However, no data are available for most countries. The public health impact of human toxocariasis and the frequency of severe manifestations remain unclear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extended spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) are a group of enzymes that can hydrolyze a variety of β-lactams including fourth generation cephalosporins and compromise the efficacy of all β-lactams, except cephamycins and carbapenems. In the worldwide, the ESBL group of enzymes are found widely and causes a severe infection on human health which leads to various diseases. This review primarily focusses on analyzing the prevalence and drug resistance patterns in the African continent. From the earlier reported data shown only the minimal amount of surveillance information's has been summarized with respect to antimicrobial resistance on ESBLs producing Enterobacteriaceae both in hospital and community settings. To bring the present scenario in limelight, the present study explores the prevalence of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae in various countries in Africa and specifically, to identify most common ESBL genes in hospital and community. The observation was initiated with the exhaustive literature search using PubMed and other databases to broaden the study from the earlier investigations in the African countries concerned about the prevalence rate of ESBL producing Enterobacteriacea e. Further, this study was extended to review various hypothesis of the hydrolytic mechanism, which was detailed by several authors performed earlier through computational approaches. Interestingly, the ESBLs class A and D were found to be common classes in Africa, with the gene CTX-M-15 being most prevalent. Notably, the present review highlights the prevalence on individual countries in Africa and it is extremely significant to prevent the dissemination of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceaea. Hence, this review on surveillance will be the benchmark to enhance the research on antimicrobial resistance patterns for all classes and genes. Furthermore, explored in-sights in this paper will be helpful for the further investigations to develop quicker, cost effective, and reliable diagnostic strategies and new effective therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Arabic language has several dialects across the twenty-two Arabic-speaking countries in Asia and Africa. Arabic Dialect Identification (ADI) is still a challenging task due to the well-recognized complexity and variations of Arabic dialects. It is noteworthy that Arabic dialects share the majority of tokens. The state-of-the-art solutions have been built upon various machine learning approaches. However, they commonly treat all words equally-likely and thus ignores the importance of dialectal words in response to a given dialect. In this paper, we propose a three-stage neural approach to learn the dialectal semantic representation from a given corpus. Specifically, we first aim to capture the dialect-relevant information, which is then used to model the dialectal vector representation. The goal is to filter away the shared words between dialects to reduce the noisy information fused to the fully connected layer. We introduce two variants, including LSTM-based and Transformer-based. Finally, we empirically evaluate the performance of the proposed solution by a comparative study on real benchmark datasets, including MADAR, NADI, and QADI. Our extensive experiments show that it consistently achieves state-of-the-art performance. Due to the well-recognized challenging of ADI, the improvement margins can be deemed considerable. The code is available on GitHub. 1 1 The code is available: https://github.com/amurtadha/arabic-dialect-identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diverse lagoons and coastal lakes along the east coast of South Africa occupy incised valleys that were flooded during the rise and subsequent stabilisation of relative sea-level during the Holocene. Sedimentary deposits contained within these waterbodies provide an opportunity to investigate complex hydrological and sedimentological processes, and examine sea-level controls governing system geomorphic evolution. In this paper, we combine diatom and sulfur isotope analyses from two sediment cores extracted from the northern sub-basins of Lake St Lucia, a large shallow estuarine lake that is today largely isolated from direct ocean influence behind a Holocene-Pleistocene barrier complex. Analyses allow the reconstruction of hydrological changes associated with the geomorphic development of the system over the mid-to late Holocene. The sedimentary sequences indicate that St Lucia was a shallow, partially enclosed estuary/embayment dominated by strong tidal flows prior to ∼6200 cal. BP. Infilling was initiated when sea-level rise slowed and stabilised around present day levels, resulting in the accumulation of fine-grained sediment behind an emergent proto-barrier. Diatom assemblages, dominated by marine benthic and epiphytic species, reveal a system structured by marine water influx and characterised by marsh and tidal flat habitats until ∼4550 cal. BP. A shift in the biological community at ∼4550 cal. BP is linked to the development of a back-barrier water body that supported a brackish community. Marine planktonics and enrichments in δ 34 S suggest recurrent, large-scale barrier inundation events during this time, coincident with a mid-Holocene sea-level highstand. Periodic marine incursions associated with episodes of enhanced storminess and overwash remained prevalent until ∼1200 cal. BP, when further barrier construction ultimately isolated the northern basins from the ocean. This study provides the first reconstruction of the palaeohydrological environment at Lake St Lucia and highlights the long-term geomorphic controls that have shaped the recent evolution and natural dynamics of the system. Unlike most coastal lake systems, this system is particularly effective as an archive of geomorphological change. Systems driven by back-barrier modifications, such as Lake St Lucia, highlight how geomorphological changes driven by sediment-supply, climate and sea level can be distributed unevenly over several isolated back-barrier basins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proliferation of woody plants has been observed on rangelands globally and has significant impacts on subsistence livestock production. However, adaptation strategies to such environmental changes remain largely unexamined. This paper investigates pastoralists' adaptations to such environmental changes in the Borana zone of southern Ethiopia by integrating pastoralists' ecological knowledge, surveys of plant species composition, and census data on livestock holdings. The results indicated that a proliferation of woody plants and corresponding decline in herbaceous species would have negative impact on forage values for cattle and sheep, whereas goats would remain relatively unaffected, and camels would benefit. While census data showed declines in household herd size from 2000 to 2014, pastoralists have been adapting to the proliferation of woody plants by doubling their goat holdings, and wealthier households are investing in camels. These changes in livestock holdings based on indigenous ecological knowledge will mitigate the negative impacts of vegetation shifts on livestock production, and facilitate adaptive environmental management in the pastoral systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar drying is one of the most efficient and cost-effective, renewable, and sustainable technologies to conserve agricultural products in Asian and sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. This review paper presents the different types of solar dryers that are widely used in Africa and Asia. In addition, the pre-eminent effects of their use on product quality, as well as their economic, environmental, and social impacts, are highlighted. Since financial, external, and structural factors play a key role in the adoption and scaling of solar dryers, this paper also discusses the impact of these factors on the effectiveness of solar drying technologies in selected Asian and SSA countries. Image 1 • An application of solar dryers in Asian and SSA countries is reviewed. • Solar dryers of different types or designs are available, depending on the respective requirements. • Solar drying has positive impacts on quality as well as economic, environmental, and social aspects. • Financial and technical efforts are required to promote an adoption of solar dryers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An important literature examines the determinants of environmental concern within and across countries. The debate on whether affluence explains variations in environmental concern remains unsettled. An increasing number of studies acknowledge the importance of individual level characteristics as predictors of environmental concern. In this paper, we examine the relationship between perceived socioeconomic status and environmental concern among residents of less developed and developed countries. Our results show that in both less developed and developed countries, individual perceptions about their socioeconomic status are positively correlated with environmental concern. Specifically, aside from choosing environmental protection over economic growth and job creation, we find that people who perceive themselves as belonging to the working class, lower middle, upper middle and upper class are significantly more willing to make income sacrifices to prevent environmental pollution than those who believe they are in the lower class. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water is a notoriously slippery commodity in contemporary African cities, prone to governance shifts, price fluctuations, and unequal and intermittent accessibility. Many of these present-day problems have significant historical components. The colonial experiences that created urban water systems varied considerably across the African continent, with important differences between British and French cities. This paper compares colonial urban planning and water provision in British East Africa's Dar es Salaam and Nairobi and French West Africa's Dakar and Niamey. In spite of differences in colonial urban planning ideology, we see striking similarities in the urban waterscapes of these four cities. Both the British and the French colonial governments emphasized shared public standpipes as the preferred water delivery method for African neighborhoods, though the level of provision was quite different. European neighborhoods received household water taps in all case study cities. For French and British colonial planners in African cities, water was more than just an urban service that was provided differently to various population groups. Water served as a tool of commerce, pacification, and boundary mediation, ultimately embodying larger colonial ideas of superiority and empire. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Boardgames pervasive in Iron Age southern Africa. • Boardgames played a vital role in education, skills development and relaxation. • Boardgames were played across class, age, and gender categories. • Meanings and names of boardgames in southern Africa different to that of other regions of the Indian Ocean. What games did the inhabitants of ancient southern Africa play to enrich their lives during the Iron Age (500–1900 CE)? We address this question by drawing from archaeological fingerprints of board games (tsoro / mufuvha) documented at farmer and forager sites in different parts of southern Africa. The typology of games and their spatial locations in the archaeology were compared with historical and contemporary gaming in selected African communities to map continuity and change in social significance temporally and spatially. Within limitations imposed by a lack of well-resolved chronologies for the material remains of board games, the comparison provided a platform to make inferences about how and why the games were played in the everyday life of Iron Age communities. Based on the strong correlation between the ethnographic and archaeological data, the conclusion of the paper is that board games were played for edutainment, skills development, gambling, and social engineering. However, this is tentative and opens possibilities for further research into the role of indigenous games in the development of ancient southern African communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been estimated that over 28 million tonnes of plastics end up in water bodies annually. These plastics degrade into microplastics (MPs), which along with microbeads and MPs from other sources such as wastewater treatment plants continue to threaten the aquatic system. At such small sizes, and corresponding larger surface areas per unit mass/volume, MPs exhibit enhanced capacity for absorbing and desorbing toxic chemicals/additives. Therefore, MPs can serve as vectors through which additives as well as other persistent, bio-accumulative, and toxic chemicals can enter the food chain. Additives are a significant component of most plastic products with some identified as hazardous to health and the environment. One group of additives that has continued to attract interest is organophosphate esters (OPEs), which are used both as flame retardants and plasticizers. Some of these OPEs are suspected carcinogens and endocrine disruptors and have been reported to exert serious toxic effects on freshwater biota. Separate studies on the presence and fate in the freshwater environment of these additives and MPs have emerged recently. However, no studies exist that examine the extent to which plastics additives such as OPEs in sediments are sorbed to MPs as opposed to the sediment itself. This has potentially important implications for the bioavailability of such additives and studies to examine this are recommended. This paper reviews critically the current state-of-knowledge on MPs in freshwater sediments, methods for their analysis, as well as their occurrence, temporal trends, and risks to the freshwater aquatic environment. Moreover, to facilitate the study of additives associated with MPs that have been extracted from sediments, we consider the possible effect of MP isolation methods on the determination of concentrations of associated additives like OPEs. • Techniques for measurement of microplastics (MPs) in freshwater sediments reviewed. • Spatial and temporal trends in MPs in freshwater sediments identified. • Little known about MPs in freshwater sediments from Africa. • MPs role as conduits of contaminants in freshwater environments poorly understood. • Comparing bioavailability of OPEs bound to sediment particles and MPs is a priority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a review of synthetic polymer (notably plastic) wastes profiles in Africa, their current management status, and better options. Data revealed that of the approximated 86.14 million metric tonnes and 31.5 million metric tonnes of primary polymers and plastics, respectively, and an estimated 230 million metric tonnes of plastic components imported between 1990 and 2017, about 17 million metric tonnes are mismanaged. Leading African nations on the plastic wastes generator table in increasing order are Tunisia (6.9%), Morocco (9.6%), Algeria (11.2%), South Africa (11.6%), Nigeria (16.9%), and the chief is Egypt (18.4%). The volume of plastic wastes generated in Africa directly correlates with her increasing population status, however, the current treatment options have major drawbacks (high energy and technological input, high demand for space, and creation of obnoxious by-products). Ineffective regulations, poor monitoring, and slow adoption of veritable practices by governments are responsible for the steady increase in plastic volume in the African landscapes and environments. In Nigeria, only about 9% and 12% of the total generated wastes are recycled and incinerated. The remainder bulk is either discarded into waste dumps (and a few available landfills) or natural environments. There is a paucity of standard plastic biodegradative work by African scientists, and only a few works show detection of competent synthetic plastic degrading microbes globally. Asides from the ills of possible omission of core degraders, there is a need for researchers to follow standard degradation procedures to arrive at efficient, reproducible, and generally accepted outcomes utilizable on a larger scale. Thus, metagenomic search on the vast African urban and rural plastisphere is the best isolation option. • Data shows population correlates with plastic demands and waste output. • The proper elimination of accumulating waste is a public service prerogative. • Degradative data from Africa are mostly culture-dependent, with limitations. • Researchers need pioneer localized metagenomic studies for plastic degraders. • Recycle and reuse efforts to reduce virgin plastic importations should be adopted. This study highlights the volume and dangers of plastic wastes in the African continent, a pointer to the lack of government and agency policies to utilize more eco-friendly methods to eliminate the waste and curb their continued threats. This review article suggests microbial degradation and other alternative solutions for plastic waste volume reduction in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The prevalence of epilepsy in Africa is 11.29 per 1 000 population, resulting in 3, 367, 000 affected individuals. • The number of patients who could benefit from epilepsy surgery and those who actually receive it is widening yearly. • Based on the results of our survey, we identified 3 levels of care for ES in African countries, a first level that uses ES with invasive presurgical evaluation, a second level that uses ES but without invasive presurgical evaluation, and a third level that does not use ES. • Southern Africa is the only African country using an invasive presurgical assessment protocol, but without Stereo EEG. Epilepsy is an important public health problem representing 0.6% of the global burden of disease that particularly impacts people living in the lowest income countries where epilepsy incidence may be 10 fold more than in the developed world. The battery of treatments designed to counteract the clinical manifestations of this disease are various and range from a wide spectrum of antiseizure medication and specific diets, to surgical techniques for resection of the epileptogenic focus. The aim of our study was to describe the State of the art of Epilepsy Surgery (ES) in Africa and examine ways to deal with the high surgical treatment gap. In an observational study, we prospectively disseminated questionnaires via email or directly administered to main epileptologists and neurologists involved in epilepsy care, in key African countries. We also conducted a literature search using PubMed, Google scholar on ES in all the African countries. We received responses from the majority of African countries, which allowed us to identify 3 levels of care for ES in African countries, a first level that uses ES with invasive presurgical evaluation, a second level that uses ES but without invasive presurgical evaluation, and a third level that does not use ES, and we summarized these results on a map. This paper studied the availability of ES as a treatment modality in several African countries. We aimed to establish optimal pathways for initiating ES with noninvasive Electroencephalography and readily available investigations. This could be achieved through collaboration with epilepsy programs in developed countries directly or by using telemedicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women with HIV bear a significant burden of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) related cervical disease, and a have a higher risk of dying from cervical cancer should it occur. WLH have increased acquisition of HPV and decreased clearance, leading to persistent HPV infection: a risk for cervical cancer. The greatest burden of HIV in women occurs in sub-Saharan Africa where diagnostic and treatment services for cervical disease are limited. This paper will describe the epidemiology of HPV related cervical disease in women living with HIV (WLH) and the efforts to treat precursor lesions in HIV treatment programs supported by the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By mid-September 2020, over 1.33 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and 32 thousand deaths had been reported in Africa. Global research on COVID-19 went 'viral' with a record 3487 research contributions comprising of 2062 journal papers and 1425 preprints published within the first three months following the outbreak of COVID-19. Surprisingly, the silence of the African research community has been unprecedented – contributing a paltry 0.6% (22 contributions), a figure nearly matched by Colombia (18 publications). Until now, a comprehensive perspective on the reasons for this subdued research response, and COVID-19 themes critical to Africa has been missing. We posit that while a milieu of factors accounts for this silence, unprecedented research opportunities exist to support COVID-19 decision and policy formulation in Africa. The subdued response reflects weak research systems, characterized by deep-rooted challenges, including severe lack of research expertise, funding, and infrastructure, coupled with poor working conditions. Hence, Africa's contribution to research on infectious diseases, including COVID-19, remains weak. Perceptions and attitudes among researchers and policy-makers on COVID-19, and the role of science in decision and policy-making also exist. Moreover, COVID-19 and earlier severe acute respiratory syndromes are considered as 'imported diseases' originating from outside Africa. Thus, notions may exist that the control methods will come from outside Africa through 'technology-transfer' or 'capacity-building'. Yet local COVID-19 research is needed to address knowledge gaps, including; (1) potential novel transmission of SARS-CoV-2, (2) adaption of generic COVID-19 control measures to suit African settings, (3) occurrence and persistence of SARS-CoV-2 in solid waste, wastewaters, on-site sanitation systems, and drinking water, and (4) the 'human factor' including the role of gender, perceptions, myths, attitudes, and religious beliefs in the transmission and control of COVID-19. Therefore, there is a need to: (1) strengthen local research capacity and evaluation systems, (2) consider biosafety and ethical issues, (3) initiate cross-disciplinary research and global collaboration on COVID-19, and (4) integrate science communication in COVID-19 programs. Image 1 • COVID-19 infections in Africa continue to rise, with over 1 million confirmed cases. • Current COVID-19 control and potential novel transmission pose challenges in Africa. • Surprisingly, Africa's research response to COVID-19 is subdued and unprecedented. • Weak research, lack of expertise, perceptions and attitudes account for the silence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ever since parthenium weed (Parthenium hysterophorus L.) first left its native range more than two centuries ago, this noxious herb has now invaded 46 countries and territories. The weed has expanded its range from a couple of islands in 18th Century through 11 minor and eight major introductions around the world. Segmented regression analyses confirmed introductions and revealed that the weed has spread fastest in developing countries, especially after the 1950s in Asia and Africa. A review of historical records, research papers and reports suggests that while border traffic (36%) and unchecked imports (seeds 16%, other commodities 17%) have resulted in the majority of international introductions, local spread has been achieved through multiple pathways, including roads and vehicles, by water and wind, through contaminated seed feed lots and floral bouquets. The high proportion of adjacent counties (51%) and oversea islands (5%) over the unknown origins (32%) or directly from the native range (12%) reveal a steady and predictable international spread pattern. Prevention of spread by management was first practised in Australia, then followed by other five countries. Containment barriers were set up, legislation on biosecurity imposed, and management plans based on early detection and eradication were executed; and these measures have been effective. Awareness within international research groups is raising, however, insufficient coordination between invaded countries has occurred to date, with policies yet to be formalised and executed to prevent the spread and impact of this weed. Image 1 • An invasion history of parthenium weed over two centuries, fastest in Asia and Africa. • Steps of exotic expansion by eight major populations outside Americas. • Traffic and contaminated product helped in most spread at international and local scale. • Scope of containment, legislation, and management policies in six leading countries. • Awareness is the key in international coordination and future cooperation to prevent spread. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper assesses the relationship between greenhouse gas emissions, fossil energy use and economic development, arguing that human development is not responsible for carbon dioxide emissions. To address the mechanism through which the latter relationship operates, a recursive system of three equations is estimated. The empirical results for a sample of 41 Sub-Saharan African countries observed over the period from 1990 to 2013 support our reasoning. Specifically, contrary to causality analyses which imply economic growth causing pollution, our recursive analysis indicates that greenhouse gas emissions are direct consequences of fossil energy use. Thus, economic growth is not to blame for carbon dioxide emissions. In terms of environmental policy for African countries, this study encourages efforts towards less polluting and renewable energies supply as well as investments in energy efficient technologies. • Human development requires energy, even so at early stages of economic development. • In SSA, increasing fossil energy use coincides with decreasing renewable energy use. • The CO 2 emissions, energy and development relationship as a recursive mechanism. • Economic growth and human well-being are not to blame for GHG emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The carbon-emission transfer between two representative developing economies - China and Africa - behind the international trade has aroused quite a few controversies, which have not been fully estimated and understood yet. In this paper, the Multiregional Input-Output (MRIO) method is applied to the participants of Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) from the global perspective to reveal the roles both China and Africa have played in the global supply chain as either the original emitter or the final consumer, and to depict the evolution pattern of carbon transfer via Sino-Africa trade from the year 2000–2015. The findings are as follows: 1) China has played the role of net exporter of embodied carbon-emission in Sino-Africa trade, for the amount of emitted carbon China had born yet resulted by consumption in Africa well surpassed that vice versa. 2) Compared to the carbon-emission flows embodied in EU-Africa and US-Africa trades, China has shouldered more carbon-emission derived from Africa's consumption. 3) The sectoral contribution and intensities of embodied carbon-emission correspond to the trading pattern between China and Africa, which stems from the two parties' comparative advantages and economic complementarity. 4) The intensities of embodied carbon-emission on both sides are declining towards a rosy prospect, which indicates an improving carbon-emission efficiency of both economies. From a global perspective, both China and Africa play a positive part in carbon-emission reduction. The results in this study can facilitate low-carbon and high-efficiency trading link between the two economies. • Historical trend of embodied carbon transfer between China-Africa Forum participants is explored. • Carbon-emission in China related to Africa's consumption well surpassed that vice versa. • Sino-Africa trade has relieved the carbon-emission pressure on Africa's economic development. • Sectoral contribution of embodied carbon-emission reflects the complementarity between China and Africa. • Embodied carbon-emission intensities of both China and Africa have declined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Copperbelt is one of the richest copper deposits in the world and has been an important primary metal source for Central African cultures for over a millennium. The technology underlying this exploitation and the trade networks through which copper was exchanged, however, have not yet received much attention in archaeological research. This paper presents the first geochemical dataset for archaeological copper currencies in Central and Southern Africa: croisette ingots. Chemical and lead isotope analysis have been carried out for 45 precolonial copper artefacts with the aim of illuminating their provenance and production technology. The results show that highly pure copper with very low trace element content was produced, indicating the selection, beneficiation and smelting of specific Copperbelt ores. The variable croisette compositions and shapes reflected in burial assemblages support their suggested use as currencies over a large area. This study offers a highly novel contribution to provenance research in Central and Southern Africa, shedding new light on the broader trade networks associated with copper provisioning in these regions. The exploitation of a range of ore sources throughout the 2nd millennium CE has been identified, with a marked shift around the mid-15th century CE largely correlating to croisette typologies. Furthermore, these different geochemical copper signatures can be tentatively related to different Copperbelt zones. Combining these results with archaeological and historical evidence for regional copper production and consumption, this study provides a framework for the future study of copper production and exchange systems in the wider Central and Southern African region. Image 1 • First geochemical dataset for Central and Southern African copper currencies. • Copperbelt is the main source of copper at Upemba archaeological sites. • Varying relation between ingot typologies and ore deposits exploited through time. • Framework for copper production and exchange studies in Central and Southern Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tobacco smoking prevalence remains low in many African countries. However, growing economies and the increased presence of multinational tobacco companies in the African Region have the potential to contribute to increasing tobacco use rates in the future. This paper used data from the 2014 Global Progress Report on implementation of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), as well as the 2015 WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic, to describe the status of tobacco control and prevention efforts in countries in the WHO African Region relative to the provisions of the WHO FCTC and MPOWER package. Among the 23 countries in the African Region analyzed, there are large variations in the overall WHO FCTC implementation rates, ranging from 9% in Sierra Leone to 78% in Kenya. The analysis of MPOWER implementation status indicates that opportunities exist for the African countries to enhance compliance with WHO recommended best practices for monitoring tobacco use, protecting people from tobacco smoke, offering help to quit tobacco use, warning about the dangers of tobacco, enforcing bans on tobacco advertising and promotion, and raising taxes on tobacco products. If tobacco control interventions are successfully implemented, African nations could avert a tobacco-related epidemic, including premature death, disability, and the associated economic, development, and societal costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]