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The accumulation of halogens and metals from roots to stems, leaves and grains of Oryza sativa rice plant collected in Northern Senegal (St Louis region) at the same stages of growth but at different salinity soil levels was investigated by measuring their elemental concentration by invasive instrumental techniques of neutron activation analysis and proton induced x-ray emission. The normalized elemental concentration of Na, Cl, K, (Cs, Rb, Sr, Sb, Ba Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Br, Rb, Sb was correlated with one of rare earth elements, La, Ce, Sm, Yb, Nd, Eu, Tb, Tm, and Lu) and the one of the heavy metals Hf, Ta and Th and to assess their subsequent distribution within the Oryza sativa rice plant in a particular salinity environment. The exploration of the experimental data was performed by applying machine learning techniques with Python to find their elemental correlations. This study shows that the accumulation of iron is highly correlated with the amount of rare earth elements and heavy metals investigated. We observe an inverse correlation between Fe and Cl concentrations in the roots and stems of the Oryza sativa rice plant, in which higher levels of Fe in the roots relative to stems correspond to lower levels of Cl. We also remark that there is no accumulation of rare earth elements in the root tissues of the different Oryza sativa rice plants studied. Whereas, in the stem, leaf, and grain organs there is a strong correlation between metal contents and rare earth elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sahelian transhumance is a type of socio-economic and environmental pastoral mobility. It involves the movement of herds from their terroir of origin (i.e., their original pastures) to one or more host terroir, followed by a return to the terroir of origin. According to certain pastoralists, the mobility of herds is planned to prevent environmental degradation, given the continuous dependence of these herds on their environment. However, these herds emit Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) in the areas they cross. Given that GHGs contribute to global warming, our long-term objective is to quantify the GHGs emitted by Sahelian herds. The determination of these herds' GHG emissions requires: (1) the artificial replication of the transhumance, and (2) precise knowledge of the space used during their transhumance. This article presents the design of an artificial replication of this transhumance through an agent-based model called MSTRANS. MSTRANS determines the space used by transhumant herds, based on the decision-making process of Sahelian transhumants. MSTRANS integrates a constrained multi-objective optimization problem and algorithms into an agent-based model. The constrained multi-objective optimization problem encapsulates the rationality and adaptability of pastoral strategies. Interactions between transhumants and their socio-economic network are modelled using algorithms and diffusion processes within the multi-objective optimization problem. The dynamics of pastoral resources are formalized at various spatio-temporal scales using equations that are integrated into the algorithms. The results of MSTRANS have been validated using GPS data collected from transhumant herds in Senegal. The MSTRANS results highlight the relevance of integrated models and constrained multi-objective optimization for modelling and monitoring the movement of transhumant herds in the Sahel. We can state that specialists in calculating greenhouse gas emissions now have a reproducible and reusable tool for determining the space occupied by transhumant herds in a Sahelian country. In addition, decision-makers, pastoralists, veterinarians and traders have a reproducible and reusable tool to help them make environmental and socio-economic decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying heavy metal and pesticide contaminants is an essential step in assessing the health indicators of rice cultivation and consumption in Africa. Information on the contaminant levels of the imported and cultivated rice consumed in Senegal seems lacking. In this study, we assessed heavy metals, pesticides, ash, and protein in rice using rice samples from India, Thailand, South America, Vietnam, and China. Arsenic, Pb, Cd, Ni, Cu, Mo, Co, Cr, and Al are usually found in the soils used for rice cultivation in northern Senegal. While the heavy metal levels measured in soils were above the threshold limit, only Pb, Cd, and Al were found in cultivated rice. In all the analyzed rice samples from each country, there were certain amounts of Pb, As Al, and Cd. The concentration ranges in the six countries were as follows: 0.635–1.165 mg kg−1 for Pb, 0.047–0.438 mg kg−1 for As, 2.22–95.54 mg kg−1 for Al, and 0.002–0.082 mg kg−1 for Cd. The protein content in cultivated rice in Senegal was 7.31 mg kg−1, while the average from the imported rice ranged between 6.42% and 7.32%. The humidity levels in imported rice ranged between 11.12% and 12.95%. The fat content for the rice from six countries ranged between 0.22% and 0.67%, and the ash content ranged between 0.23% and 0.48%. These results allowed for the determination of the carbohydrate concentration, which varied between 79.18% and 80.82%. Indeed, freshly harvested rice grains typically contain around 80% carbohydrates. We noticed the presence of pesticides in all rice samples. The levels of three pesticides (total Pyrethrin, Bensulfuron-methyl, Propanyl, and 2,4D) were found to be beyond their maximum residue limits (MRLs) from the Codex Alimentarius, whereas deltamethrin was found to be below its MRL. This study indicates the presence of heavy metals carcinogenic to humans (Al, As, Cd, and Pb). Additionally, this study reveals the presence of deltamethrin, which is classified as probably carcinogenic to humans (Group 1), and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, which is classified as possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the activity concentration of natural radionuclides (238U, 226Ra, 210Pb, 232Th, and 40K) in phosphogypsum were measured using a low-background digital gamma-ray spectrometer equipped with Broad Energy Germanium (BEGe) detector. The mean activity concentrations of 238U, 226Ra, 210Pb, and 232Th were found to be 88.5 ± 19.5 Bq kg−1, 879.6 ± 20.3 Bq kg−1, 755.4 ± 17.1 Bq kg−1, 4.5 ± 0.3 Bq kg−1, and below the detection limit respectively. The estimated radium equivalent activity was found to be higher than the world recommended value of 370 Bq kg−1 but is within the recommended limit of 2220 Bq kg−1 for the use of phosphogypsum in the construction of roads, bridges, and foundations of non-residential buildings. The total annual effective doses received by workers and members of the public were found to be lower than the annual limit of 1 mSv y−1, except for the scenario of a person living in a house built with building material containing phosphogypsum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. In this study, we aimed to determine the factors associated with hypertension, known poorly controlled hypertension, and newly diagnosed hypertension in 2015 to improve the prevention of this pathology in our country. Methods. This was a secondary analysis of the national WHO STEPwise survey database. It had a quantitative, descriptive, and analytical aim. The sampling was done in stratification in three stages of sampling. Statistical analysis was performed using Rstudio 4.0.2 software. It was a descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate analysis using binomial logistic regression for explanatory purposes. Results. The risk factors for being hypertensive among 18-70-year-olds in Senegal in 2015 were: having taken their blood pressure at least once in their life; having taken their cholesterol levels at least once in their life; having received advice to reduce salt consumption; having received advice on how to reduce the amount of sugar; having a lean body mass index; being overweight; being obese III; and being between 35-39 and 65-70 years old. The protective factors are: checking the salt content indicated on the labels; and consuming salt-rich dishes "often" compared to "never". The risk factors for being newly diagnosed with hypertension among 18-70-year-olds in Senegal in 2015 were: having a history of stroke; having a resting heart rate greater than 80 beats per minute; consuming palm oil; and having high fasting blood sugar. The protective factors are: having a high average number of meals eaten per week not prepared at home; checking the salt content indicated on the label; and being of female sex. The risk factors for being known to have poorly controlled hypertension among 18-70- year-olds in Senegal in 2015 were: judging their reduction in salt consumption as "very important"; and having received advice to reduce their salt consumption. The protective factors are: performing physical activity only when traveling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Negative stereotypes about Africa abound in American schools and in the media, making it virtually impossible for newly arrived African students, whether immigrants or refugees, to accomplish their goals of getting a quality education. African students arrive on American shores with vibrant hope and expectancy that their American education will surpass even their wildest dreams. However, once they have encountered the typical American school setting their hopes of getting this exalted education are quickly dashed. In this article, the author presents the findings of a study that examined the schooling experiences of recently arrived students from Africa. Findings reveal that schooling in America was not what these students expected, and the way they were received and perceived was demoralizing and denigrating. The relationship between the African and African American students at Jackson, the site of this study, was described as openly "hostile." Jackson High has about 2,000 students, 88% African American and about 200 newly arrived students from eight different countries on the continent of Africa.

In the current setting, marked by the major challenges of growing food demand and climate change impacts, the ability of sub-Saharan agriculture to meet population needs depends on the resilience and adaptation capacity of this system. Using agrobiodiversity to promote agricultural sustainability is a strategy that has garnered much attention lately. Research suggests that mixing species or varieties within crop fields could increase the yield and/or stability. This mixing is also geared towards the conservation of crop diversity while ensuring that the various associated products and services will be available at the farm level. Few recent research studies have highlighted the benefits of varietal mixtures for Africa. This lack of research is a concern, given that this continent is considered to be highly vulnerable to climate change. This study was carried out to test whether plots with varietal mixtures would outperform monovarietal plots in terms of yield and pathogen regulation under smallholder farming conditions in Senegal. Together with farmers, we conducted 30 experiments in which mixtures of early- and late-flowering pearl millet landraces were grown in these farmers' fields, while monitoring their low input management. We noted a significant positive effect of varietal mixtures on grain yield (mean gain of 63 ± 31.5 kg ha−1 for mixture plots, p = 0.046) with a relative yield total (RYT) averaging 1.87 ± 0.94. Both early- and late-flowering landraces benefited from mixtures, with a greater impact on late-flowering landraces. Higher fertility in terms of the seed number, percentage of fertile tillers and number of panicles per tiller, was documented in mixture plots. We did not find a significant effect of mixture on fodder, striga or weed infestation. In water and nutrient resource limiting conditions, such as in Sahelian agroecosystems, growing mixtures of early- and late-flowering landraces appeared to be an efficient way to increase productivity while ensuring agrobiodiversity conservation. Perhaps even more importantly, mixtures allowed farmers to harvest multiple products with different uses in an agrosocioecosystem context with constantly increasing land pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Primates can harbor parasites that could be pathogenic or not for humans and primates themselves. It is necessary to know the parasitological situation of the primates that are under surveillance in the park. Aim: To estimate the prevalence and diversity of gastrointestinal parasites, including zoonotic potential parasites, in baboons in the Niokolo-Koba National Park located in Senegal. Method: Fecal samples (n = 50) from two groups of baboons (A and B) were collected in October 2019. The samples were processed using the flotation technique and the modified Ritchie method. Slides were examined microscopically and the parasite identification was based on morphology, color, and parasite content. Results: A total of seven nematodes (Strongyloides sp., Trichirus sp., Ancylostoma sp., Mammo monogamus, Enterobius sp., Strongyloides stercoralis, Strongyle digestif), one cestode (Bertiella sp.), and one trematode (Fasciolopsis sp.) were identified. The overall prevalence was 78%, while the prevalence of poly-infected samples was 49%. The parasite with zoonotic potential, S. stercoralis, was identified in group B samples. Trichuris sp., which is common and pathogenic to humans and primates, was present with prevalence of 52% and of 32% in groups A and B, respectively. Conclusion: These results suggest that baboons are infested with zoonotic parasites and this situation could expose people working in this park to infection. Contact between humans and these baboons or their feces could expose them to infection with zoonotic parasites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To ensure continued food security and economic development in Africa, it is very important to address and adapt to climate change. Excessive dependence on rainfed agricultural production makes Africa more vulnerable to climate change effects. Weather information and services are essential for farmers to more effectively survive the increasing occurrence of extreme weather events due to climate change. Weather information is important for resource management in agricultural production and helps farmers plan their farming activities in advance. Machine Learning is one of the technologies used in agriculture for weather forecasting and crop disease detection among others. The objective of this study is to develop Machine Learning-based models adapted to the context of daily weather forecasting for Rainfall, Relative Humidity, and Maximum and Minimum Temperature in Senegal. In this study, we made a comparison of ten Machine Learning Regressors with our Ensemble Model. These models were evaluated based on Mean Absolute Error, Mean Squared Error, Root Mean Squared Error and Coefficient of Determination. The results show that the Ensemble Model performs better than the ten base models. The Ensemble Model results for each parameter are as follows; Relative Humidity: Mean Absolute Error was 4.0126, Mean Squared Error was 29.9885, Root Mean Squared Error was 5.4428 and Coefficient of Determination was 0.9335. For Minimum Temperature: Mean Absolute Error was 0.7908, Mean Squared Error was 1.1329, Root Mean Squared Error was 1.0515 and Coefficient of Determination was 0.9018. For Maximum Temperature: Mean Absolute Error was 1.2515, Mean Squared Error was 2.8038, Root Mean Squared Error was 1.6591 and Coefficient of Determination was 0.8205. For Rainfall: Mean Absolute Error was 0.2142, Mean Squared Error was 0.1681, Root Mean Squared Error was 0.4100 and Coefficient of Determination was 0.7733. From the present study, it has been observed that the Ensemble Model is a feasible model to be used for Rainfall, Relative Humidity, and Maximum and Minimum Temperature forecasting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding of climate aridity is an important step towards assessing the availability of water in a given area. This understanding requires an appropriate analysis allowing monitoring the spatio-temporal evolution of the parameters which act on the availability of water. In this study, we used annual rainfall and temperatures from 5 synoptic stations in the groundnut basin over the period 1965-2014. The study is essentially based on a quantitative and qualitative examination of the Lang, Martonne and hydrothermal indices. It is for us to extract information that can guide agricultural planning choices. The results obtained show that the groundnut basin actually experienced aridity phenomena during the study period. For the five regional stations, there are three degrees of aridity, namely semi-arid, arid and hyper-arid. In terms of duration and frequency, Louga stands out as the most affected and Kaolack the least affected by the aridity phenomenon. In terms of water balance, Fatick seems to be the most affected and Louga the least affected for the water deficit. In terms of heat balance, Louga stands out as the warmest and Thies the least hot. A comparison of the three indices has led to the conclusion that the Martonne aridity index remains very satisfactory for studies of a regional nature. These results thus highlight the great vulnerability of the area to drying up and global warming, especially from north to south. Indeed, an increasing decrease in precipitation and temperatures was observed during the period under review, which widened the gap between the amount of precipitation and the demand for water in agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Senegal, like the other Sahelian countries, remains an important livestock area, particularly for ruminants, with almost 36% of its livestock population was goat in 2016. The national herd increased from 2010 to 2016, from 3.32 to 3.54 million head of cattle, 5.6 to 6.68 million sheep and 4.8 to 5.7 million goats, i.e. annual growth rates of 1.1%, 3.2% and 3.13% respectively. Thus, due to diversification of local agricultural resources and the strengthening of goat breeding techniques in the Fatick area, a programme aiming to develop the local goat sector was set up in 2010. The programme focused on improving animal husbandry, providing new added values to goat products and structuring the goat sector. This study's aim is to better understand goat rearing systems in the area, in order to propose, together with the herders, ways of improving these systems, taking into account family and socio-cultural considerations. To better evaluate the diversity in different production systems, a survey of animal rearing practices was carried out. The survey involved 45 farmers in four localities. It revealed that the farmers were all agro-pastoralists practising a mixed farming system. The majority (93%) supplemented their animals with agricultural by-products, agro-forestry and kitchen leftovers. A multiple correspondence analysis identified three groups: cluster 1 (milk producers and processors into traditional curdled milk, selling animals for household needs), cluster 2 (milk processors into yoghurt and cheese) and cluster 3 (goat vendors in pastoral and the agro-pastoral system). The study of the objectives and contexts of goat farming in the Fatick will enable policy-makers to design strategies for the sustainable development of family goat farming in the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The study focused on knowledge attitudes and practices vis-à-vis smoking. It was carried out by the 2020 executive office of the Collective of Burkinabé Students in Health in Senegal on World No Tobacco Day 2020. The objective was initially to assess attitudes and practices in relation to smoking smoked by industrial cigarettes and shisha then knowledge of the anti-smoking law and the possibilities of weaning that exist in Senegal and finally to know the best attitude to fight against smoking. Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study for analytical purposes. The sampling technique was voluntary and data collection was self-administered and took place from Monday May 25th to Saturday May 30th, 2020 via electronic questionnaires. The self-administered data collection technique reduced prevarication and social desirability bias. However, the lack of preliminary calculation of a sample size makes inferences in the general population difficult. The sampling technique that was voluntary exposes itself to selfselection biases. Nevertheless, the study does suggest some very important aspects of smoking among young people. Results: This study shows that shisha is increasingly becoming the gateway to smoking among young people. It reveals that the health warnings on industrial cigarette packages are less and less dissuasive. It also shows that our study population believes that the two priority actions to be carried out to fight effectively against smoking in Senegal are on the one hand "to improve the offer of help for smoking cessation" and on the other hand "rigorously apply the punitive aspects of the anti-smoking law". Conclusion: Smoking is a global epidemic that increasingly affects young people. Tobacco control is multidimensional and requires perfect synchronization of the different actors and continuous assessment of the effectiveness of control and prevention methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small-scale affordable extruders create new opportunities for small enterprise food processors to manufacture nutritionally enhanced products. Still, consumer interest in these products needs to be assessed first. Affective tests with 296 consumers in Dakar, Senegal, evaluated five pearl millet flours: (a) conventional, compared to four instant-porridge flour products; (b) sifted; (c) wholegrain; (d) sifted with premix; (e) wholegrain with micronutrient premix and food-to-food fortified (FtFF). Willingness-to-pay (WTP) was elicited through experimental auctions under two treatments: firstly without information, then with information. Consumers liked FtFF (taste, aroma, appearance) but were indifferent to instant. They did not appreciate wholegrain flour (appearance) or premix (appearance, aroma and taste). Without information, consumers showed no differences in WTP. With information, consumers paid premiums for FtFF (27-30%) (both treatments), and premix (17%), instant (9%), and wholegrain (-10%) (one treatment). Costs of instant, wholegrain and premix products were lower than consumers' WTP, indicating potential profits, but not those of FtFF. There is a market for instant cereals in Senegal. Consumers require product information in order to compromise on some attributes to benefit from instant, fortified and wholegrain pearl millet products. Manufacture would be cost-effective, but FtFF costs need to be reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Worldwide, nearly 570,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year, with 85% of new cases in low- and middle-income countries. The African continent is home to 35 of 40 countries with the highest cervical cancer mortality rates. In 2014, a partnership involving a rural region of Senegal, West Africa, was facing cervical cancer screening service sustainability barriers and began adapting regional-level policy to address implementation challenges. Objective: This manuscript reports the findings of a systematic literature review describing the implementation of decentralized cervical cancer prevention services in Africa, relevant in context to the Senegal partnership. We report barriers and policy-relevant recommendations through Levesque's Patient-Centered Access to Healthcare Framework and discuss the impact of this information on the partnership's approach to shaping Senegal's regional cervical cancer screening policy. Methods: The systematic review search strategy comprised two complementary sub-searches. We conducted an initial search identifying 4272 articles, then applied inclusion criteria, and ultimately 19 studies were included. Data abstraction focused on implementation barriers categorized with the Levesque framework and by policy relevance. Results: Our findings identified specific demand-side (clients and community) and supply-side (health service-level) barriers to implementation of cervical cancer screening services. We identify the most commonly reported demand- and supply-side barriers and summarize salient policy recommendations discussed within the reviewed literature. Conclusions: Overall, there is a paucity of published literature regarding barriers to and best practices in implementation of cervical cancer screening services in rural Africa. Many articles in this literature review did describe findings with notable policy implications. The Senegal partnership has consulted this literature when faced with various similar barriers and has developed two principal initiatives to address contextual challenges. Other initiatives implementing cervical cancer visual screening services in decentralized areas may find this contextual reporting of a literature review helpful as a construct for identifying evidence for the purpose of guiding ongoing health service policy adaptation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Oesophageal atresia is a neonatal emergency surgery whose prognosis has improved significantly in industrialised countries in recent decades. In sub-Saharan Africa, this malformation is still responsible for a high morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study was to analyse the diagnostic difficulties and its impact on the prognosis of this malformation in our work environment.Patients and Methods: We conducted a retrospective study over 4 years on 49 patients diagnosed with esophageal atresia in the 2 Paediatric Surgery Departments in Dakar.Results: The average age was 4 days (0-10 days), 50% of them had a severe pneumonopathy. The average time of surgical management was 27 h (6-96 h). In the series, we noted 10 preoperative deaths. The average age at surgery was 5.7 days with a range of 1-18 days. The surgery mortality rate is 28 patients (72%) including 4 late deaths.Conclusion: The causes of death were mainly sepsis, cardiac decompensation and anastomotic leaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Characterization of magmatic, metamorphic, and mineralized metamorphic rock collected in southeastern Senegal in West Africa was performed based on elemental analysis by energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence. The rock classification scheme based on chemical composition was obtained by a combination of principal component analysis and hierarchical clustering techniques to discriminate magmatic, metamorphic, and mineralized metamorphic rock. An improved sensitivity of signal-to-noise ratio was obtained using a thin silver X-ray excitation source with several appropriate filters. Energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence was used to characterize the major oxides, and the results were compared to previous studies. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: Mass treatment with ivermectin controls onchocerciasis as a public health problem, but it was not known if it could also interrupt transmission and eliminate the parasite in endemic foci in Africa where vectors are highly efficient. A longitudinal study was undertaken in three hyperendemic foci in Mali and Senegal with 15 to 17 years of annual or six-monthly ivermectin treatment in order to assess residual levels of infection and transmission, and test whether treatment could be safely stopped. This article reports the results of the final evaluations up to 5 years after the last treatment. Methodology/Principal Findings: Skin snip surveys were undertaken in 131 villages where 29,753 people were examined and 492,600 blackflies were analyzed for the presence of Onchocerca volvulus larva using a specific DNA probe. There was a declining trend in infection and transmission levels after the last treatment. In two sites the prevalence of microfilaria and vector infectivity rate were zero 3 to 4 years after the last treatment. In the third site, where infection levels were comparatively high before stopping treatment, there was also a consistent decline in infection and transmission to very low levels 3 to 5 years after stopping treatment. All infection and transmission indicators were below postulated thresholds for elimination. Conclusion/Significance: The study has established the proof of principle that onchocerciasis elimination with ivermectin treatment is feasible in at least some endemic foci in Africa. The study results have been instrumental for the current evolution from onchocerciasis control to elimination in Africa. Author Summary: The control of onchocerciasis, or river blindness, is based on annual or six-monthly treatment with ivermectin of populations at risk. This has been effective in controlling the disease as a public health problem but it was not known whether it could also eliminate infection and transmission to the extent that treatment could be safely stopped. Many doubted that this was feasible in Africa. A study was undertaken in three hyperendemic onchocerciasis foci with seasonal transmission in Mali and Senegal where treatment has been given for 15 to 17 years. As a result of this treatment, infection and transmission levels had fallen everywhere below postulated thresholds for elimination. Treatment was therefore stopped in each focus. Follow-up evaluations up to 5 years after the last treatment showed no evidence of recrudescence after stopping treatment but instead a consistent decline in infection and transmission levels, reaching zero in two sites. The study has established the proof-of-principle that onchocerciasis elimination with ivermectin treatment is feasible in at least some endemic foci in Africa. The results of the study have greatly contributed to the current evolution from onchocerciasis control to elimination in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In Mali and Senegal, over 1% of women die giving birth in hospital. At some hospitals, over a third of infants are stillborn. Many deaths are due to substandard medical practices. Criterion-based clinical audits (CBCA) are increasingly used to measure and improve obstetrical care in resource-limited settings, but their measurement properties have not been formally evaluated. In 2011, we published a systematic review of obstetrical CBCA highlighting insufficient considerations of validity and reliability. The objective of this study is to develop an obstetrical CBCA adapted to the West African context and assess its reliability and validity. This work was conducted as a sub-study within a cluster randomized trial known as QUARITE. Methods: Criteria were selected based on extensive literature review and expert opinion. Early 2010, two auditors applied the CBCA to identical samples at 8 sites in Mali and Senegal (n = 185) to evaluate inter-rater reliability. In 2010-11, we conducted CBCA at 32 hospitals to assess construct validity (n = 633 patients). We correlated hospital characteristics (resource availability, facility perinatal and maternal mortality) with mean hospital CBCA scores. We used generalized estimating equations to assess whether patient CBCA scores were associated with perinatal mortality. Results: Results demonstrate substantial (ICC = 0.67, 95% CI 0.54; 0.76) to elevated inter-rater reliability (ICC = 0.84, 95% CI 0.77; 0.89) in Senegal and Mali, respectively. Resource availability positively correlated with mean hospital CBCA scores and maternal and perinatal mortality were inversely correlated with hospital CBCA scores. Poor CBCA scores, adjusted for hospital and patient characteristics, were significantly associated with perinatal mortality (OR 1.84, 95% CI 1.01-3.34). Conclusion: Our CBCA has substantial inter-rater reliability and there is compelling evidence of its validity as the tool performs according to theory. Trial registration: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN46950658 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Men who have sex with men (MSM) are at high risk for HIV in Senegal, with a prevalence of 21.5%. In December 2008, nine male HIV prevention workers were imprisoned for "acts against nature" prohibited by Senegalese law. This qualitative study assessed the impact of these arrests on HIV prevention efforts. A purposive sample of MSM in six regions of Senegal was recruited by network referral. 26 in-depth interviews (IDIs) and 6 focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted in July-August 2009. 14 key informants were also interviewed. All participants reported pervasive fear and hiding among MSM as a result of the December 2008 arrests and publicity. Service providers suspended HIV prevention work with MSM out of fear for their own safety. Those who continued to provide services noticed a sharp decline in MSM participation. An effective response to the HIV epidemic in Senegal should include active work to decrease enforcement of this law. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Antiretroviral therapy for HIV-2 infection is hampered by intrinsic resistance to many of the drugs used to treat HIV-1. Limited studies suggest that the integrase inhibitors (INIs) raltegravir and elvitegravir have potent activity against HIV- 2 in culture and in infected patients. There is a paucity of data on genotypic variation in HIV-2 integrase that might confer intrinsic or transmitted INI resistance. Methods: We PCR amplified and analyzed 122 HIV-2 integrase consensus sequences from 39 HIV-2-infected, INI-naive adults in Senegal, West Africa. We assessed genetic variation and canonical mutations known to confer INI-resistance in HIV-1. Results: No amino acid-altering mutations were detected at sites known to be pivotal for INI resistance in HIV-1 (integrase positions 143, 148 and 155). Polymorphisms at several other HIV-1 INI resistance-associated sites were detected at positions 72, 95, 125, 154, 165, 201, 203, and 263 of the HIV-2 integrase protein. Conclusion: Emerging genotypic and phenotypic data suggest that HIV-2 is susceptible to the new class of HIV integrase inhibitors. We hypothesize that intrinsic HIV-2 integrase variation at ''secondary'' HIV-1 INI-resistance sites may affect the genetic barrier to HIV-2 INI resistance. Further studies will be needed to assess INI efficacy as part of combination antiretroviral therapy in HIV-2-infected patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The efficacy of various antiretroviral (ARV) therapy regimens for human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2) infection remains unclear. HIV-2 is intrinsically resistant to the nonnucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors and to enfuvirtide and may also be less susceptible than HIV-1 to some protease inhibitors (PIs). However, the mutations in HIV-2 that confer ARV resistance are not well characterized. Methods: Twenty-three patients were studied as part of an ongoing prospective longitudinal cohort study of ARV therapy for HIV-2 infection in Senegal. Patients were treated with nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI)- and PI (indinavir)-based regimens. HIV-2 pol genes from these patients were genotyped, and themutations predictive of resistance in HIV-2 were assessed. Correlates of ARV resistance were analyzed. Results: Multiclass drug-resistance mutations (NRTI and PI) were detected in strains in 30% of patients; 52% had evidence of resistance to at least 1 ARV class. The reverse-transcriptase mutations M184V and K65R, which confer high-level resistance to lamivudine and emtricitabine in HIV-2, were found in strains from 43% and 9% of patients, respectively. The Q151M mutation, which confers multinucleoside resistance in HIV-2, emerged in strains from 9% of patients. HIV-1-associated thymidine analogue mutations (M41L, D67N, K70R, 210W, and T215Y/F) were not observed, with the exception of K70R, which was present together with K65R and Q151M in a strain from 1 patient. Eight patients had HIV-2 with PI mutations associated with indinavir resistance, including K7R, I54M, V62A, I82F, L90M, L99F; 4 patients had strains with multiple PI resistance-associated mutations. The duration of ARV therapy was positively associated with the development of drug resistance ( ). Nine (82%) Pp.02 of 11 patients with HIV-2 with detectable ARV resistance had undetectable plasma HIV-2 RNA loads (<1.4 log10 copies/mL), compared with 3 (25%) of 12 patients with HIV-2 with detectable ARV resistance (Pp.009). Patients with ARVresistant virus had higher plasma HIV-2 RNA loads, compared with those with non-ARV-resistant virus (median, 1.7 log10 copies/mL [range, <1.4 to 2.6 log10 copies/mL] vs. <1.4 log10 copies/mL [range, !1.4 to 1.6 log10 copies/mL]; Pp.003). Conclusions: HIV-2-infected individuals treated with ARV therapy in Senegal commonly have HIV-2mutations consistent with multiclass drug resistance. Additional clinical studies are required to improve the efficacy of primary and salvage treatment regimens for treating HIV-2 infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A survey in Senegal and Guinea Conakry established the presence and incidence of cassava mosaic virus disease (CMD) in both countries. CMD occurred in all the fields surveyed, although its incidence was higher in Senegal (83%) than in Guinea (64%). Populations of the whitefly vector, Bemisia tabaci, were low in both countries averaging 1.7 adults per shoot in Guinea and 3.2 in Senegal. Most infections were attributed to the use of infected cuttings, 86 and 83% in Senegal and Guinea, respectively, and there was no evidence of rapid current-season, whitefly-borne infection at any of the sampled locations. Disease severity was generally low in the two countries and averaged 2.5 in Guinea and 2.3 in Senegal. No plants with unusually severe CMD symptoms characteristic of the CMD pandemic in East and Central Africa were observed. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP)-based diagnostics revealed that African cassava mosaic virus (ACMV) is exclusively associated with CMD in both the countries. Neither East African cassava mosaic virus (EACMV), nor the recombinant Uganda variant (EACMV-UG2) was detected in any sample. These survey data indicate that CMD could be effectively controlled in both countries by phytosanitation, involving the use of CMD-free planting material and the removal of diseased plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying the particulate matter (PM) sources is an essential step to assess PM effects on human health and understand PM's behavior in a specific environment. Information about the composition of the organic or/and inorganic fraction of PM is usually used for source apportionment studies. In this study that took place in Dakar, Senegal, the identification of the sources of two PM fractions was performed by utilizing data on the elemental composition and elemental carbon content. Four PM sources were identified using positive matrix factorization (PMF): Industrial emissions, mineral dust, traffic emissions, and sea salt/secondary sulfates. To assess the effect of PM on human health the air quality index (AQI) was estimated. The highest values of AQI are approximately 497 and 488, in Yoff and Hlm, respectively. The spatial location of the sources was investigated using potential source contribution function (PSCF). PSCF plots revealed the high effect of transported dust from the desert regions to PM concentration in the sampling site. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first source apportionment study on PM fractions published for Dakar, Senegal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Trichinellosis is a neglected and emerging foodborne zoonosis in Africa. Trichinella infection occurs through the consumption of raw or undercooked infected meat and meat products. This study aimed to assess pigs' management practices and determine the exposure of pigs and warthogs to Trichinella spp. in the northern area of Senegal. Materials and Methods: Surveys and observations were carried out among 40 pig farmers to assess husbandry practices regarding Trichinella spp. life cycle. In addition, 201 pig meat juices and 83 warthog meat juices were extracted and tested for anti-Trichinella antibodies by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Most (97%) of farms practiced a traditional farming system with free-ranging of pigs in 85% of farms. Farms had local pig breed without housing and supplementary feeding. Some farmers (27.5%) used slaughter waste to feed pigs and farmers were not aware that free-range farming is a source of infection to Trichinella infection. They were also unaware that some pig diseases could be transmitted to humans. The seroprevalence of Trichinella infection was 10.9% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 6.6-15.2%) in pigs and 10.8% (95% CI: 4.16-17.52%) in warthogs with significantly higher seroprevalence in male (22.2%: 95% CI: 6.6-37.8%) compared to female (9.2%; 95% CI: 4.9-13.5%) (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The confirmation of exposure to Trichinella spp. in this area in pigs and warthogs shows a significant risk of transmission of this disease to humans if the farming conditions and the health surveillance system are not respected. However, control measures are needed to reduce any risk of transmission of Trichinella infection to humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The kidney's primary squamous cell carcinoma is a rare tumor, representing 0.5-0.8% of malignant renal tumors and 4% of upper urinary tract tumors. This pathology often occurs after a long past history of renal lithiasis and repeated untreated or poorly treated urinary tract infections. The delay in diagnosis resulting from an insidious symptomatology, without specific signs, often leads to a pejorative development, especially in poor countries. A seventy-nine-year-old Senegalese woman, with no past history of lithiasis nor recurrent urinary tract infection and urinary schistosomiasis, was received for a recurrent total hematuria associated with left lumbar pain. Clinical examination revealed a mobile tender left lumbar mass, with lumbar contact and renal sloshing. The left renal tumor's diagnosis was retained on clinical and scannographic arguments, justifying an enlarged left total nephrectomy, by laparotomy. The anatomopathological examination of the surgical sample made it possible to make the diagnosis of primary invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the left kidney and to find foci of carcinoma in-situ on squamous metaplasia in the calyxes. Unlike the typical case of primary squamous cell carcinoma of the kidney, our patient did not have a long past history of renal lithiasis nor untreated or poorly treated recurrent urinary tract infections and urinary schistosomiasis. Primary squamous cell carcinoma of the kidney may not be related to a past history of recurrent urinary tract infections and lithiasis, but to any other cause of squamous metaplasia of the urothelium. Surgery remains the best option for this entity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid emergence of COVID-19 could have direct and indirect impacts on food production systems and livelihoods of farmers. From the farming perspective, disruption of critical input availability, supply chains and labor, influence crop management. Disruptions to food systems can affect (a) planting area; and (b) crop yields. To quantify the impacts of COVID-19 on major cereal crop's production and their cascading impact on national economy and related policies. We used the calibrated crop simulation model (DSSAT suite) to project the impact of potential changes in planting area and grain yield of four major cereal crops (i.e., rice, maize, sorghum, and millet) in Senegal and Burkina Faso in terms of yield, total production, crop value and contribution to agricultural gross domestic product (GDP). Appropriate data (i.e., weather, soil, crop, and management practices) for the specific agroecological zones were used as an input in the model. The simulated yields for 2020 were then used to estimate crop production at country scale for the matrix of different scenarios of planting area and yield change (−15, −10, −5, 0, +5, +10%). Depending on the scenario, changes in total production of four cereals combined at country levels varied from 1.47 M tons to 2.47 M tons in Senegal and 4.51 M tons to 7.52 M tons in Burkina Faso. The economic value of all four cereals under different scenarios ranged from $771 Million (M) to $1292 M in Senegal and from $1251 M to $2098 M in Burkina Faso. These estimated total crop values under different scenarios were compared with total agricultural GDP of the country (in 2019 terms which was $3995 M in Senegal and $3957 M in Burkina Faso) to assess the economic impact of the pandemic on major cereal grain production. Based on the scenarios, the impact on total agricultural GDP can change −7% to +6% in Senegal and − 8% to +9% in Burkina Faso. Results obtained from this modeling exercise will be valuable to policymakers and end-to-end value chain practitioners to prepare and develop appropriate policies to cope or manage the impact of COVID-19 on food systems. [Display omitted] • COVID-19 can indirectly impact components of food production system due to disruptions in input supply chain and labor. • Changes in planting area and yield can impact total crop production, crop value and gross domestic product (GDP). • We used crop models to simulate yields, value of cereal crops in Senegal and Burkina Faso and their contributions to GDP. • Agricultural GDP varied from −7 to +6% in Senegal and − 8 to +9% in Burkina Faso based on change in planting area and yield. • Such projections can help researchers and policy makers to minimize the impacts of COVID-19 on food production systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]