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Copyright of Cahiers d'Études Africaines is the property of Editions EHESS and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The Mauritanian written press has gone through several stages during its historical journey and has not been isolated from the political situation of the country, but has been subject to its perception of what His Majesty should be, since its appearance during the French colonization of the country, and after the creation of the national state in the sixties of the last century, passing through the period of the military regime before the declaration of political and media pluralism in the country in 1991 and the consequent dilution of the journalistic field, where the door was opened wide to excessive leniency in obtaining a press license, as well as some major obstacles, such as lack of funding, training and harassment of journalists. However, this did not prevent this press from playing at that time the role of watchdog over the executive power by awakening public opinion on the conduct of public affairs and by revealing many hidden social and political problems that the public opinion would not have been aware without the pioneering role of this written press. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines three interrelated factors outside of formal provision of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in sub-Saharan Africa that have undermined TVET systems. The first is the process, pace, and levels of industrialisation, which has had a direct effect on TVET provision: low numbers of well-paying jobs requiring technical expertise. This has an indirect effect, which is the second crucial factor: lack of economic development and change in labour markets. There are very few jobs that would be considered 'middle class' or 'mid-level' in wealthy countries. Most people are in survivalist work. An international consensus since the 2000s on palliative approaches to development which address the effects but not the causes of the lack of economic development in Africa has resulted in mass poor quality provision of education--the third factor. Education systems are rapidly expanding and achievement levels rising, in the context of very little possibility of labour market rewards for most people, and substantial labour market rewards confined mainly to graduates. This reinforces deeply embedded cultural preferences for general education, which originate in the type of education systems established by colonial powers, as well as the relationships between educational credentials and elite jobs.

The training of teachers of West Africa is carried out by the Academy of Rouen (France) and organized around an annual training plan approved by the AEFE. Each trainer only supervises twenty teachers for 5 days. Teachers from eight countries (Mauritania, Cape Verde, Senegal, Gambia, Mali, Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire and Burkina Faso), come to Dakar for a week. We have been asked four times tn Dakar (Senegal) to provide training for teachers of West Africa. It is all about being trained in order to resolve reading difficulties for students using our scientific research. This paper presents the theoretical framework of phonological awareness and letter names and the 0 phase and the beginning of Phase 1 of our research. We use these predictors as remedial reading difficulties among students aged 8 to 11 years. We present the first results.

Copyright of Acta Politica Polonica is the property of Wydawnictwo Naukowe Uniwersytetu Szczecinskiego / University of Szczecin Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper calculates a human Wellbeing Composite Index (WCI) for 42 countries, belonging to the European Economic Space, North Africa and the Middle East, as an alternative to the shortcomings of other well-known measures of socio-economic development (i.e. Gross Domestic Product per head and Human Development Index). To attain this goal, different data envelopment analysis (DEA) models are used as an aggregation tool for seven selected socio-economic variables which correspond to the following wellbeing dimensions: income per capita, environmental burden of disease, income inequality, gender gap, education, life expectancy at birth and government effectiveness. The use of DEA allows avoiding the subjectivity that would be involved in the exogenous determination of weights for the variables included in WCI. The aim is to establish a complete ranking of all countries in the sample, using a three-step process, with the last step consisting in the use of a model that combines DEA and compromise programming, and permits to obtain a set of common weights for all countries in the analysis. The results highlight the distance that still separates Southern Mediterranean countries from the benchmark levels established by some European countries, and also point to the main weaknesses in individual countries' performance. Nordic countries, plus Switzerland, top the list of best performers, while Mauritania, Libya and Syria appear at the bottom.

"Talibe" children are children sent to Quranic schools (daaras), where they are completely dependent on a master, known as a marabout. This is a very common system of education in formerly French-speaking countries in West Africa. In the last 10 years or so, numerous cases of violence towards "talibe" children have been reported in the media. This paper presents an analysis of the risk factors involved in the physical violence perpetrated by the marabouts towards these children. It is based on a study carried out in Mauritania. Using a probit model, this study has revealed that there are three main risk factors for this violence: the age of the children, their relationships with their families, and the number of children attending the school. In conclusion, a change in the rules for regulating daaras and criminalising violent marabouts is necessary. (Contains 2 tables.)

Different Learning Paradigms can be presented by different educators as a result of utilizing several types of Information and Communication Technologies in the Learning Process. The three abstract Learning Delivery Models are: "Traditional", "Distance", and "Hybrid Learning". Hybrid Learning attempts to maintain the best of Traditional Learning, and provides the hopes and objectives of Distance Learning in a model that maintains the "Learning Process" on the right road. Hybrid Learning shall be making use of different technologies available, exactly as does Distance Learning. Research that has focused on adopting Intelligent Technologies in Classrooms is not widely presented and deployed. Besides, the widespread of Web 2.0 resulted in the appearance of the acronym (e-Learning 2.0). E-Learning 2.0 is supposed to make use of different Web 2.0 capabilities. Web 2.0 is a big resource that changed the way everyone around thinks about and accesses the Internet, and greatly will touch the coming generations, the generations to which we are currently presenting education. This paper presents a proposed pedagogical and technical framework to empower classroom lectures with intelligent and Web 2.0 technologies that hopefully will enhance the learning process in learning institutions. Adaptive Lecture as a concept tends to help instructors providing more personalized lectures through utilizing Intelligent and Web 2.0 technologies. The growing number of students that is hardly met by the growing number of instructors is a challenge. In order not to let this challenge affect the performance of the lecture, it became important to utilize Web 2.0 technologies in the "formative assessments" within classroom. Moreover, in order to powerfully reach students, their data shall be gathered and further analyzed to make them feel more "Lecture Personalization" and get deeply "involved" with the lecture activities. Intelligent features can play an important role in achieving this task. (Contains 9 figures and 1 table.)

Climate change, environmental degradation, and descent-based slavery are prevailing issues in Mauritania. The relationship between the three phenomena has rarely elicited investigation, in part due to the perception that chattel slavery is an institution of the past. Despite being the last country in the world to decree its abolition in 1981, Mauritania is alleged to have one of the highest incidences of slavery in the world today. This study explores the nexus between climate change and slavery in Mauritania. The paper seeks to elucidate how the environmental interactions of the Sahel have transformed slavery's manifestation in this multiethnic northwest African republic for more than a millennium. The author contributes to the rich literature on slavery in Mauritania by arguing that in the twenty-first century, the nexus converges on the issue of development, and that the prevalence of slavery degrades the country's precarious environment and contributes to its underdevelopment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper relocates the study of contemporary Islamic law from state judiciaries and reformist polemics to the learning circles of late colonial Sudan. It focuses on the careers of two Mālikī jurists: ʿUthmān b. Ḥasanayn Barrī al-Jaʿalī (d. 1960) and Abū Ṭāhir Ḥasan Fāy al-Bijāwī (d. 1984). Hardly indifferent to the pressures of modernity, each attempted to resuscitate a Mālikī school beset by colonial reforms from above and revisionist critiques from below. A Sufi, political advisor, and traditionalist, al-Jaʿalī composed an homage to the "slavish imitation" of Mālikī jurists (taqlīd) that nevertheless admitted the intervention and frequent rebuke of its author. al-Bijāwī did the opposite, employing his expertise in ḥadīth to recast demands for dissolving legal schools (madhhab s) in a clever justification of Mālikī doctrine. Together they highlight examples of internal reform, as well as the significance of Africa's jurists, that remain understudied in the contemporary history of Islamic law. Less the dissolution of the madhhab than its resilience, they attest to the ways in which Mālikī scholars continued to defend the classical legal tradition long after its presumed demise at the hands of modernity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structural breaks have attracted considerable attention recently, especially in light of the financial crisis, Great Recession, the COVID-19 pandemic, and war. While structural breaks pose significant econometric challenges, machine learning provides an incisive tool for detecting and quantifying breaks. The current paper presents a unified framework for analyzing breaks; and it implements that framework to test for and quantify changes in precipitation in Mauritania over 1919–1997. These tests detect a decline of one third in mean rainfall, starting around 1970. Because water is a scarce resource in Mauritania, this decline—with adverse consequences on food production—has potential economic and policy consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, gender-biased discourse has been one of the most studied phenomena in critical discourse analysis. In the Muslim and Arab contexts, most studies show that the depiction of women in textbooks is declining. This paper looks at the representation of women in the Mauritanian context by analysing four secondary school English textbooks. Because textbooks can be a site for cultural and political discourse, the study seeks to find out whether the Mauritanian government's Pedagogic Institute's goal of achieving equality between all components of the Mauritanian society is achieved for women in the textbooks. The study tries to explain gender bias by referring to societal views as well government policies regarding women. Bias against women is investigated using Norman Fairclough's Three-Dimensional Model. The results of the study have shown biased portrayal of women in the textbooks. Men's representation dominates women's in most activities while women are more frequently represented only in domestic activities. It was further shown that, although government policies seem to support women's empowerment, society's views of women remain stereotypical which might explain their representation. More equal representationneeds to be sought so that textbook content goes in line with the government's policies of empowering women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Hassi Abyad kaolin deposit is in the southern part of Mauritania, around 45 km east of the town of M'Bout. Hassi Abyad lies in the middle of the Mauritanides Shield, which consists of deformed and metamorphosed Precambrian and Paleozoic formations. Complementary geological, mineralogical, and geochemical studies have been carried out to help answer questions linked to the origin of these kaolin and to determine the potential suitability for different industrial applications. The mineralogical compositions showed that Hassi Abyad kaolin is mainly composed of kaolinite (61–96%) and other minerals such as chlorite, illite, muscovite, cronstedtite, quartz, rutile, magnetite, laumontite, and gibbsite. The average chemical composition of the kaolin samples is 35.84% Al₂O₃, 45.27% SiO₂, and 14.19% LOI. Other oxides occur in low concentrations (less than1%). The higher chemical indices of alteration CIA (99.5%) and CIW (99.6%) indicate that this kaolin deposit underwent a high degree of alteration during the process of kaolinization of the source rock. The absence of high temperature minerals such as pyrite, topaz and dickite, and the presence of high Ce + Y + La and Cr + Nb contents signifies that the development and evolution of this deposit are affiliated with supergene processes. This kaolin is derived from a lateritic material, proving that they are the source rock of this deposit. The geochemical and mineralogical characteristics indicate that Hassi Abyad kaolin is applicable in ceramics, paper, cosmetics, pharmaceutics, bricks making, and pottery. • Hassi Abyad kaolin is composed of kaolinite, quartz, chlorite, illite and gibbsite. • Lacking high temperature minerals, high Ce, Y, La, Cr, Nb indicate supergene origin. • High CIA and CIW indicate that the deposit formed underwent high alteration degree. • The deposit is applicable for ceramics, paper, pharmaceutics, bricks, and pottery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Saharan dust storms are major events that occur normally in the summer and affect the air quality in various regions of the world. In particular, Saharan regions in Morocco and Mauritania actively contribute to dust storms. The Saharan outbreak that took place between 14 and 19 of June 2020 was one of the most severe Saharan dust storms in recent years. This paper investigates the PM10 emissions and concentrations during the 4 days of the dust storm in the region of Western Sahara of Morocco and Mauritania and the transport of the PM10 from the area of study to the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico using Hybrid Single‐Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory Model (HYSPLIT) software with PM10 emission model and cluster analysis. We also analyse the effect of the transported PM10 particles on the concentration level in the Southern parts of the United States and the Martinique islands. The results showed that the average PM10 concentration below the altitude of 100 m during the dust storm was higher than 100 μg/m3 in most of the regions such as Dakhla in Morocco, Nouakchott, Adrar and Tiris Zemmour in Mauritania. This is confirmed by Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) values between 0.7 and 1 retrieved by MODIS‐Aqua for those areas. Furthermore, PM10 particles transported across the Atlantic Ocean affected the concentrations observed in the Caribbean Basin, where hourly PM10 reached 372 μg/m3 and the dust top layer was found between 4 and 4.5 km above ground level. In addition, HYSPLIT cluster analysis results revealed several PM10 particle source areas in Western Sahara such as Bir Anzerane in Morocco, Nouakchott and Tichit in Mauritania that contributed to the increase of PM10 concentrations to an Unhealthy level in the Texas and Florida States in the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Arab Policy / Siyasat Arabiya is the property of Arab Center for Research & Policy Studies and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Strategy & Development Review is the property of Strategy & Development Review and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Cervical cancer related to high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) is the second female cancer in Mauritania (Northwest Sahelian Africa). We assessed the distribution of HPV genotypes in Mauritanian women with high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN2/3) or invasive cervical cancer (ICC). A prospective study was conducted in the Centre Hospitalier National, Nouakchott, Mauritania, to collect cervical biopsies among women suspected of CIN2/3 or cancer. HPV DNA detection and genotyping were carried out from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded biopsies using multiplex PCR (Human Papillomavirus Genotyping Real-Time PCR Kit, Bioperfectus Technologies Co., Taizhou, China). Fifty biopsies were included from women (mean age: 56.7 years) suffering from CIN2/3 (28.0%) and ICC (72.0%) which corresponded to 32 (64.0%) squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) and 4 (8.0%) adenocarcinomas (ADC). HPV DNA detection was successful in 47 (94.0%) samples. The most prevalent HR-HPV genotypes were HPV-45 (40.4%), HPV-16 (38.3%), HPV-39 and HPV-52 (23.4%), HPV-33 (17.0%), HPV-18 (14.9%), HPV-35 (4.2%), and HPV-56 (2.1%). The majority (93.6%) of HPV-positive biopsies contained at least one HPV type covered by the 9-valent Gardasil-9® vaccine, and 40.9% were infected by multiple vaccine HPV genotypes. To eradicate cervical cancer in Mauritania, prophylactic HPV vaccination must be combined with primary molecular screening of cervical HR-HPV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of International Journal of Islamic Marketing is the property of International Islamic Marketing Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The present article intends to contribute to the research on the kalām ("theology") in Mauritania. So far, this particular Islamic science has received little attention of Islamic studies outside Mauritania. Around a dozen Mauritanian and non-Mauritanian commentaries on the highly popular didactic poem Iḍāʾat ad-duǧunna of al-Maqqarī – until today part of the education curriculum in the cultural area of the Western Sahara – provide the basis of the present paper which is divided in two parts: Part one presents some characteristic features of Mauritanian literature and the status of ʿilm al-kalām in Mauritania. Part two deals with the Iḍāʾa and its (Mauritanian) commentaries. Some selected key verses of the Iḍāʾa and their interpretation by various commentators are discussed here. Particular attention is paid to autobiographical notes and the elaboration on some special terms (for example tauḥīd, ʿilm, auwal wāǧib). Further topics addressed include the dialogue between al-Ǧubbāʾī and al-Ašʿarī and the report on Ibn Barraǧān's prediction of the conquest of Jerusalem from the crusaders by the Muslims in the year 583 H. Since many Mauritanian manuscripts about kalām have not been edited to the present day, even an approximate overview on the Mauritanian kalām literature is still out of sight. However, the investigation of the Mauritanian ʿilm al-kalām as a subbranch of studies on later kalām since the seventeenth century promises to provide highly relevant and intriguing insights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose |!|#8211; The purpose of this paper is to argue that the direct application of an imported model of human resource management (HRM) is seldom successful. The dissemination and transfer of management practices of European firms to their counterparts in the Maghreb cannot simply be cloned. Indeed, in order to gain legitimacy, internalization of HRM practices of multinationals implemented in the Maghreb must include elements of contingency (culture, religion, etc.). The paper asks: does hybridization have an impact on employee commitment? Does it have an effect upon turnover? Design/methodology/approach |!|#8211; In total, 187 executives operating within 40 subsidiaries of multinational companies in the Maghreb and employed in HRM positions participated in the survey. Respective hypotheses connected with hybrid models were supported using structural equation modelling procedures. Findings |!|#8211; The results show that hybridization of HRM practices increases an employee|!|#39;s commitment and reduces the intention to quit. Research limitations/implications |!|#8211; The present study is limited in particular by the perceptual and self-report nature of the data assembled. Practical implications |!|#8211; Multinational companies|!|#39; image operating in the Maghreb may be enhanced through hybrid HRM practices. Hybrid HRM practices will open new avenues for a Mediterranean collaboration. Originality/value |!|#8211; This paper advances the state of HRM research in the Maghreb and provides a unique empirical investigation on the consequences of the internationalization of HRM practices in the Maghreb. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay examines the guerrilla war fought between the Polisario Front, representing the Western Saharan natives, and the Kingdom of Morocco, as well as Mauritania. Even today, the aforementioned guerrilla war provides many lessons regarding desert counter-insurgency (COIN) operations. Besides reviewing the necessary activities for conducting a successful guerrilla war, this paper will delineate the most efficient methods for defending against one. This is the first COIN operation for the Moroccan government in which it has taken an unusual approach in standing up against the guerrillas. It has achieved long-standing results by the restructuring of its tactics and the units stationed in the Western Saharan region as well as by the construction of a system of fortifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on empirical ethnographic research conducted in three resettled areas in Nouakchott (Mauritania), our paper aims to enrich the debate on land formalization, attempting to understand the effects of slum upgrading programs and the titling process. In a context of securing land tenure as upheld by international institutions, the paper questions the implementation of these titling programs, which aim to deliver secure tenure and, more broadly, achieve economic development. It appeals for an analysis of how poor people react to titling policies in a context of highly complex relationships between formal and informal land status. Our case studies show that formal deeds do not necessarily lead to secure tenure. For the impoverished households who have withstood resettlements, these titling practices can be seen as a way to improve their livelihoods or, on the contrary, as breeding grounds for new forms of vulnerability. Moreover, these elements can also be perceived as triggers for encroachments between the State and the law and, at times, a reason to claim new rights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) are important disease vectors, information on their biodiversity in Mauritania is scarce and very dispersed in the literature. Data from the scientific literature gathered in the country from 1948 to 2016 were collected and analyzed. Overall 51 culicid species comprising 17 Anopheles spp., 14 Aedes spp., 18 Culex spp. and two Mansonia spp. have been described in Mauritania among which Anopheles arabiensis, Aedes vexans, Culex poicilipes and Culex antennatus are of epidemiological significance. Anopheles arabiensis is widely distributed throughout the country and its geographic distribution has increased northwards in recent years, shifting its northern limit form 17°32′N in the 1960s to 18°47′N today. Its presence in the central region of Tagant highlights the great ecological plasticity of the species. Conversely, the distribution of Anopheles gambiae (s.s.) and Anopheles melas has shrunk compared to that of the 1960s. Anopheles rhodesiensis and An. d’thali are mainly confined in the mountainous areas (alt. 200–700 m), whereas Anopheles pharoensis is widely distributed in the Senegal River basin. Culex poicilipes and Cx. antenattus were naturally found infected with Rift valley fever virus in central and northern Mauritania following the Rift valley outbreaks of 1998 and 2012. Recently, Ae. aegypti emerged in Nouakchott and is probably responsible for dengue fever episodes of 2015. This paper provides a concise and up-to-date overview of the existing literature on mosquito species known to occur in Mauritania and highlights areas where future studies should fill a gap in knowledge about vector biodiversity. It aims to help ongoing and future research on mosquitoes particularly in the field of medical entomology to inform evidence-based decision-making for vector control and management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-metallic raw materials are largely unexplored in many African countries. In an attempt to reduce this knowledge gap, kaolin occurrences in three promising regions of southern Mauritania were examined. The aim of the paper is to describe the occurrences and characterize the material in terms of mineralogy and potential technical use in the ceramics industry. The kaolins are geologically associated with various sedimentary rock units in either the Coastal Basin (Kaédi), the Mauritanide Belt (Hassi Abyad) or the Taoudeni Basin (Néma). Geochemical data show Al2O3 contents of between 9% and 38% (corresponding to 23-96% kaolinite). Samples from the Hassi Abyad and Kaédi regions have greater kaolinite contents on average and were further investigated mineralogically. The kaolin from the Néma region contained less kaolinite (<50 mass%). The region is also less accessible and hence is not considered further in this study. X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence and infrared spectroscopy confirmed the geochemically calculated kaolinite contents of the kaolins and identified quartz, anatase and goethite as the remaining major mineral constituents. The degree of structural disorder of the kaolinites (determined by infrared spectroscopy) is generally greater in the Kaédi occurrences than at Hassi Abyad. Ceramic tests proved that all of these kaolin raw materials might be used for the production of ceramics, and some may even be used for fine ceramics. From an economic point of view, the Hassi Abyad deposit is interesting in terms of its quality and reserves, aspects that will be addressed in detail in a follow-up study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective of this study was therefore to analyze the rational use of medicines in public and private not-for-profit health facilities, in five health districts in Mauritania. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study to assess the rational use of medicines. We used the standard indicators derived from the methodologies of the World Health Organization (WHO) and International Network for Rational Use of Drugs (INRUD). Data were prospectively collected from 1050 prescriptions/patients, in thirty-one public and private not-for-profit health posts/centers in 5 health districts. The data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. P value less than 0.05 at 95% confidence interval considered for significance of relationships for associations in statistical test. Results: The average number of medicines per prescription was 2.21; 83.1% (1931/2325) of medicines were prescribed by generic name, but only 54% (1253/2325) were on the National Essential Medicine List (NEML). Antibiotics were prescribed in 62.4% (655/1050) of the consultations, and injectable medicines were prescribed in 15.6% (164/1050) of the consultations. The average consultation time was 16.32 minutes, and the average dispensing time was 97 seconds. Dispensed medicines were correctly labeled, and 83% (871/1050) of patients met the correct administration schedule. The NEML, and the "restricted NEML" for 76 commonly-used medicines, were available in all surveyed health facilities, but the National Therapeutic Guidelines were available in only 60.26% of them. Conclusion: Our findings indicate a possible excess of antibiotics prescriptions, and a likely lack of knowledge of the National Therapeutic Guidelines. There is a need to investigate in more detail the prescription patterns versus disease-specific therapeutic guidelines, and to qualitatively investigate the factors that contribute to the observed irrational prescribing. Moreover, training local staff in the rational use of medicines seems important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 2004, the processing of the iron oxide–copper–gold (IOCG) ore of Guelb Moghrein, Akjoujt, Mauritania, has resulted in the generation of approximately 40 million tons of mine tailings. The storage of these tailings poses significant environmental challenges particularly to surface and underground water resources. To address this issue, we propose an approach involving both mineralurgical and environmental characterization. Our mineralogical analysis reveals that the TSF tailings consist of sulfides and iron oxides associated with a silico-carbonated matrix. This mineralogical analysis also shows that the TSF tailings consist of secondary minerals, resulting from sulfides oxidation. Furthermore, our findings indicate that the chemical analysis of the TSF tailings contains potential toxic elements (PTEs) such as Cu, As, Co, Ni, Sb, and Se. Regarding the environmental characterization of the tailings, conducted through acid-based accounting (ABA) static tests, we demonstrate that leaching from the tailings generates a contaminated neutral drainage (CND). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Humania del Sur: Revista de Estudios Latinoamericanos, Africanos y Asiáticos is the property of Humania del Sur. Estudios Latinoamericanos Africanos y Asiaticos and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Malaria has become a major public health problem in Mauritania since the 1990s, with an average of 181,000 cases per year and 2,233,066 persons at risk during 1995-2012. This paper provides the first publicly available overview of malaria incidence and distribution in Mauritania. Information on the burden and malaria species distribution is critical for guiding national efforts in malaria control. As the incidence of malaria changes over time, regular updates of epidemiological data are necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the occurrence of iron (Fe) in the catchment area water in Derwiche from Hodh El Chargui in Mauritania. The study area was monitored during January and August. The occurrence of Fe in the groundwater showed significant spatial and temporal fluctuations. The relationship between Fe and some physicochemical parameters was also analyzed statistically using Pearson's correlation matrix. Firstly, the results suggested that the concentration of Fe was influenced by the dissolution of iron minerals. Secondly, the results show that the pH value was an important factor that influenced the Fe concentrations in the groundwater. The Water Quality Index (WQI) method was used to evaluate the suitability for human consumption. The results show that WQI is strongly influenced by Fe indicating that Fe removal would contribute to excellent well water. The Treatability Index (TI) is used to assess water quality. TI confirms the results obtained by the WQI. However, TI also shows that the pH is a parameter to be optimized for possible potabilization. These results show that there would be a close relationship between the recorded Fe levels and the pH. TI confirms the results obtained by Pearson's correlation matrix. Therefore, the presence of high Fe concentrations in groundwater in the study area could have a natural origin. The results recommended that different treatment techniques should be employed to purify groundwater before consumption. The primary focus should be cascaded toward Fe contamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study employs a logistic regression model to offer an in-depth understanding of disparities in the access to essential urban services, specifically focusing on electricity and Internet services, in Nouakchott, Mauritania. Through a comprehensive analysis of demographic, geographic, and socioeconomic data, we identify key determinants of access to these utilities. Our findings reveal that the geographic location within the city, particularly in the western regions, and home ownership, significantly bolster the likelihood of having electricity. Conversely, women are found to be disadvantaged in this regard. For Internet access, income level and education, particularly at the Bachelor's level, emerged as significant predictors. This research not only sheds light on the intricate landscape of service provision in Nouakchott but also offers actionable insights for equitable development. These results empower both policymakers and citizens, marking a step toward transforming Nouakchott into a smarter, more inclusive urban environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species, Microbuthus saharicus sp. n., is described from the inland deserts of Mauritania; it represents the first exception to the general coastal distribution observed in the species of this genus. With this new description, the total number of known species in Africa is increased to five. The disrupted peri-Saharan pattern of distribution presented by the group is however confirmed. Some comments are also added on the biogeography and ecology of the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is endemic in Southern Mauritania where recurrent outbreaks have been constantly observed since the 1980's. The present study is the first to assess CCHFV antibodies and RNA in humans. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted using 263 humans and 1380 domestic animals serum samples, and 282 tick specimens of Hyalomma genus collected from 54 settings in 12 provinces across Mauritania. Antibodies targeting CCHF viral nucleoprotein were detected in animal and human sera using double-antigen ELISA. CCHFV specific RNA was detected in human and animal sera as well as tick supernatants using a CCHFV real time RT-PCR kit. Individual characteristics of sampled hosts were collected at the same time and data were geo-referenced. Satellite data of several environmental and climatic factors, were downloaded from publicly available datasets, and combined with data on livestock mobility, animal and human density, road accessibility and individual characteristics to identify possible risk factors for CCHFV spatial distribution. To this end, multivariate logistic models were developed for each host category (human, small and large ruminants). Results: The overall CCHFV antibody prevalence was 11.8% [95% CI: 8.4–16.3] in humans (17.9% in 2020 and 5.4% in 2021; p = 0.0017) and 33.1% (95% CI: 30.1–36.3) in livestock. CCHFV-specific antibodies were detected in 91 (18.1%) out of 502 sheep, 43 (9.0%) out of 477 goats, 144 (90.5%) out of 161 dromedaries and 179 (74.6%) out of 240 cattle. CCHFV RNA was detected in only 2 (0.7%) sera out of 263 animals herders samples from Hodh El Gharbi province and in 32 (11.3%) out of 282 Hyalomma ticks. In humans as well as in animals, seropositivity was not associated with sex or age groups. The multivariate analysis determined the role of different environmental, climatic and anthropic factors in the spatial distribution of the disease with animal mobility and age being identified as risk factors. Conclusion: Results of the present study demonstrate the potential risk of CCHF for human population in Mauritania primarily those living in rural areas in close vicinity with animals. Future studies should prioritize an integrative human and veterinary approach for better understanding and managing Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the past four decades, recurrent outbreaks of various arthropod-borne viruses have been reported in Mauritania. This review aims to consolidate the current knowledge on the epidemiology of the major arboviruses circulating in Mauritania. Online databases including PubMed and Web of Science were used to retrieve relevant published studies. The results showed that numerous arboviral outbreaks of variable magnitude occurred in almost all 13 regions of Mauritania, with Rift Valley fever (RVF), Crimean–Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF), and dengue (DEN) being the most common infections. Other arboviruses causing yellow fever (YF), chikungunya (CHIK), o'nyong-nyong (ONN), Semliki Forest (SF), West Nile fever (WNF), Bagaza (BAG), Wesselsbron (WSL), and Ngari (NRI) diseases have also been found circulating in humans and/or livestock in Mauritania. The average case fatality rates of CCHF and RVF were 28.7% and 21.1%, respectively. RVF outbreaks have often occurred after unusually heavy rainfalls, while CCHF epidemics have mostly been reported during the dry season. The central and southeastern regions of the country have carried the highest burden of RVF and CCHF. Sheep, cattle, and camels are the main animal reservoirs for the RVF and CCHF viruses. Culex antennatus and Cx. poicilipes mosquitoes and Hyalomma dromedarii, H. rufipes, and Rhipicephalus everesti ticks are the main vectors of these viruses. DEN outbreaks occurred mainly in the urban settings, including in Nouakchott, the capital city, and Aedes aegypti is likely the main mosquito vector. Therefore, there is a need to implement an integrated management strategy for the prevention and control of arboviral diseases based on sensitizing the high-risk occupational groups, such as slaughterhouse workers, shepherds, and butchers for zoonotic diseases, reinforcing vector surveillance and control, introducing rapid point-of-care diagnosis of arboviruses in high-risk areas, and improving the capacities to respond rapidly when the first signs of disease outbreak are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reciprocal effects between sediment texture and seagrass density are assumed to play an important role in the dynamics and stability of intertidal-coastal ecosystems. However, this feedback relationship has been difficult to study empirically on an ecosystem scale, so that knowledge is mainly based on theoretical models and small-scale (experimental) studies. In this paper we apply a non-recursive structural equation model (SEM) to empirically investigate, at large spatial scale, the mutual dependence between seagrass ( Zostera noltii) density and sediment texture, on the pristine, seagrass-dominated, intertidal mudflats of the Banc d'Arguin, Mauritania. The non-recursive SEM allows consistent estimation and testing of a direct feedback between sediment and seagrass whilst statistically controlling for the effects of nutrients and abiotic stress. The resulting model is consistent with the hypothesized negative feedback: grain size decreases with seagrass density, whereas fine grain size has a negative impact on seagrass density because it decreases pore water exchange which leads to hypoxic sediment conditions. Another finding is that seagrass density increases with sediment organic material content up to a threshold level beyond which it levels off. In combination with decreasing grain size, accumulation of organic matter creates hypoxic sediment conditions which lead to the production of toxic hydrogen sulfide which slows down seagrass growth. The negative feedback loop implies that intertidal Z. noltii modifies its own environment, thus controlling its growing conditions. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to demonstrate a direct negative feedback relationship in ecosystems by means of a non-recursive SEM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the south-west of Mauritania, the present provinces of Brakna and Trarza stem from the history of the pre-colonial emirates of the same names. This paper quotes the few but various data at our disposal concerning the landscape history and vegetation and climate evolution during the last centuries. We propose a diachronic approach of this area, to identify the part of the heritage in the current landscape and usefully enlighten environmental and development issues. We can thus identify the main features of the precolonial landscapes of this region as well as the historical roots of the production systems and put into perspective their recent evolutions. Beyond its historical interest, this knowledge can also be one of the grounds of the current environmental approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]