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Abstract In malaria endemic countries, non-falciparum species are often mixed with Plasmodium falciparum in patients with uncomplicated malaria, and their contribution to malaria severity and death is poorly studied. This study assesses the contribution of non-falciparum species to malaria severity in three regions of Senegal with the highest malaria incidence. We analysed 617 blood samples obtained between 2015 and 2021 from confirmed malaria patients at health facilities in Kedougou, Kolda and Tambacounda in Senegal. Plasmodium species composition was determined by PCR and their distribution were analysed according to age and disease severity, and the relative risk of developing severe malaria. Overall, 94.8% of samples contained P. falciparum either as single or mixed with other species. Non-falciparum P. ovale, P. vivax and P. malariae species were detected in 60.12, 13.61 and 1.62% of samples, respectively. Severe malaria was primarily due to P. falciparum, but co-infection with P. vivax led to a 1.63-fold significant (p = 0.05) increased risk of developing severe malaria, contrasting with the non-significant reduced risk (OR = 0.78; CI 95: 0.55–1.11; p = 0.16) associated with P. ovale infections. Children aged

Purpose: Vascularized nerve grafts (VNGs) have been proposed as encouraging alternatives to conventional nerve grafting; however, there is ongoing debate regarding the clinical advantages of the approach compared with standard grafting. This review aims to gather and analyze reported cases of upper extremity nerve repair using VNGs documented in the published literature. Methods: In accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane were searched. Inclusion criteria for this review included the following: (1) human subjects or cadaveric studies, (2) describing a vascularized nerve grafting procedure or suggesting a nerve and vascular supply for a potential vascularized nerve graft, and (3) upper extremity nerve repair in clinical studies. Results: Data were extracted from 45 clinical studies. Of 535 patients, the most common injury pattern was root avulsion and rupture (88.7%). The most utilized VNG was the ulnar nerve (72.8%), followed by nerve to long head of triceps (8.8%) and sural nerve (8.2%); most common recipients were median (57.6%), axillary (12.5%), and musculocutaneous nerves (11.9%). Between patients who had medical research council scale scores, 69% had functional (M3 and above) motor and 72.7% sensory (S3

Drought stress is considered a limiting factor during the early growth stages of sorghum. An experiment was conducted under field conditions during the fall seasons of 2017 and 2018. The objective was to improve the growth of sorghum seedlings and their chemical properties to tolerate drought stress. Three variables were investigated: first factor cultivars (Inqath, Rabeh, and Buhoth70), second factor seed priming (primed and unprimed seed). Seeds were primed by soaking for 12 hours in a solution containing 300 mg L−1 + 70 mg L−1 of gibberellic (GA3) and salicylic (SA) acids, respectively, and third factor drought stress represented by the irrigation intervals (irrigation every 2, 4, and 6 days) through calculated quantities to deliver moisture content to the field capacity (100%) at each irrigation. A randomized complete block design with four replications was used. The results showed that cultivars varied in their ability to tolerate drought stress, and seed priming improved their performance to tolerate drought stress compared to unprimed seed in both seasons by giving the highest values of plant height, leaf area, dry seedling weight, and content of chlorophyll, carbohydrate, and proline in leaves. Reducing irrigation intervals led to an increase in the values of the traits studied, except proline content in leaves, which increased as long as irrigation intervals increased. The interaction between priming treatments and irrigation intervals was significant for most of the studied traits. It can be concluded that priming has improved seed performance's ability to tolerate drought stress compared to unprimed seed.

The Senegalese peanut basin presents different types of agroforestry parks. The present study aims to characterize the woody species of two types of parks following a rainfall gradient. 185 vegetation surveys measuring 50 m x 25 m, or 1250 m2, were carried out, including 104 in Kahi and 81 in Mérina. The results show a specific richness of 40 species distributed in 37 genera belonging to 20 families in the Cordyla pinnata parks and 22 species in 20 genera belonging to 12 families in the Faidherbia albida parks. The density of woody trees is almost three times greater in the North in the Faidherbia parks compared to the South in the Cordyla parks. The stand regeneration rate is very high and exceeds 95% regardless of the type of park. The specific importance of regeneration in Mérina Dakhar is dominated by Annona senegalensis (44.85%) and in the Kahi zone by Guiera senegalensis (47.38%). The horizontal structure presents a bimodal distribution for the Cordyla pinnata park where individuals with diameters of 20-40 cm and 70-80 cm dominate; and a bell-shaped distribution for the park with Faidherbia albida where individuals 30-60 cm in diameter dominate. The anthropization index is higher in the North with 83.03% in the Mérina zone compared to the South with 43.79% in the Kahi zone. The study shows an aging of the parks with the presence of mainly adult individuals. The practice of RNA could promote regeneration.

Objectives: In low malaria transmission areas, the elimination of the disease has been hampered partly by the existence of a reservoir of subpatent Plasmodium falciparum infections within communities. This reservoir, often undetected, serves as a source of parasites and contributes to ongoing transmission and clinical malaria cases. Methods: This study, spanning a period of 9 years from June 2014 to December 2022, examined individual variations and long-term subpatent P. falciparum carriage in two matched cohorts of 44 individuals each living in Dielmo village in the Sudanian area of Senegal. Biannual blood samples, collected in June/July and December of each year, underwent P. falciparum diagnosis by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. QGIS and R analytical tools were used to map infections, assess the occurrence and clustering of subpatent and clinical P. falciparum infections, and determine the risk of infection in the vicinity of asymptomatic P. falciparum carriers. Results: The point frequency and long-term P. falciparum carriage were significantly higher among the quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) positive cohort compared to the negative cohort across the 16 cross-sectional surveys analyzed in this study (19.76% vs 10.99%, P-value

Le climat et la fauche influencent la production fourragère au Sahel. Cependant, l’effet combiné de ces paramètres reste à évaluer. Cette étude vise à évaluer l’effet conjoint de la pluviométrie et des pratiques de fauche sur la quantité et la qualité des fourrages. Des échantillons de phytomasse ont été prélevés au cours et à la fin de la saison des pluies 2021 par coupe intégrale sur 68 parcelles : 20 parcelles avec différents régimes hydriques et 48 parcelles avec différentes quantités d’eau combinées à différentes hauteurs et périodes de fauche. Les valeurs de la phytomasse sèche étaient respectivement comprise entre 2 932,2 ± 1 672,1 et 6 383,6 ± 2 962,6 kg/ha, 2 397,7 ± 6 263,4 et 15 059,2 ± 9 782,9 kg/ha pour les traitements de régime hydrique et du cumul de phytomasse fauchée. Le taux de cellulose brute (en % de Matière sèche) était compris entre 5,5 ± 0,9 % et 6,4 ± 1,2 %. La matière azotée digestible a varié entre 21,8 ± 67,96 et 67,2 ± 15,8 %. Quelle que soit la quantité d’eau reçue, des quantités et qualités équivalentes de fourrages ont été produites par les parcelles non fauchées et celles fauchées au début du cycle de développement des espèces. Pour une fauche à 0 ou 5 cm au-dessus du sol, la quantité de phytomasse était la même. Les parcelles fauchées au stade de fructification des espèces ont produit des fourrages composés de jeunes plantes en quantités plus faibles et de bonne qualité. La quantité et la qualité de fourrage herbacé en fin de saison des pluies ont surtout été influencées par le stade phénologique. Les programmes de gestion des ressources fourragères devront privilégier des périodes et hauteurs de coupe permettant une couverture optimale du sol afin de réduire les risques d’érosion.

Abstract Having a geolocated list of all facilities in a country – a “master facility list” (MFL) – can provide critical inputs for health program planning and implementation. To the best of our knowledge, Senegal has never had a centralized MFL, though many data sources currently exist within the broader Senegalese data landscape that could be leveraged and consolidated into a single database – a critical first step toward building a full MFL. We collated 12,965 facility observations from 16 separate datasets and lists in Senegal, and applied matching algorithms, manual checking and revisions as needed, and verification processes to identify unique facilities and triangulate corresponding GPS coordinates. Our resulting consolidated facility list has a total of 4,685 facilities, with 2,423 having at least one set of GPS coordinates. Developing approaches to leverage existing data toward future MFL establishment can help bridge data demands and inform more targeted approaches for completing a full facility census based on areas and facility types with the lowest coverage. Going forward, it is crucial to ensure routine updates of current facility lists, and to strengthen government-led mechanisms around such data collection demands and the need for timely data for health decision-making.

Background: The surveillance of respiratory pathogens in rural areas of West Africa has, to date, largely been focussed on symptoms. In this prospective study conducted prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, we aimed to assess the asymptomatic prevalence of respiratory pathogen carriage in a group of individuals living in a rural area of Senegalese. Methods: Longitudinal follow up was performed through monthly nasopharyngeal swabbing during the dry season and weekly swabbing during the rainy season. We enrolled 15 individuals from the village of Ndiop. A total of 368 nasopharyngeal swabs were collected over a one-year period. We investigated the prevalence of 18 respiratory viruses and eight respiratory bacteria in different age groups using singleplex and multiplex PCR. Results: In total, 19.56% of the samples (72/368) were positive for respiratory viruses and 13.60% of the samples (50/368) were positive for respiratory bacteria. Coronaviruses (19/72, 26.39%), adenoviruses (17/72, 23.61%), rhinoviruses (14/72, 19.44%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (17/50, 34%), and Moraxella catarrhalis (15/50, 30%) were the most frequently detected viruses. Interestingly, the carriage of respiratory pathogens was shown to be more frequent during the rainy season, as pluviometry was shown to be positively associated with the occurrence of respiratory viruses such as influenza (P = .0078, r2 =.523) and RSV (P = .0055, r2 =.554). Conclusions: Our results show a non-negligible circulation of respiratory pathogens in a rural area in Senegal (West Africa) with an underestimated proportion of asymptomatic individuals. This study highlights the fact that the circulation of viruses and bacteria in the community has been overlooked.

ABSTRACT Soil fertility management is essential to sustain agricultural production in smallholder farming systems. An experiment was carried out to assess the viability of the combined use of compost and inorganic fertilizers as an alternative to conventional inorganic fertilization under greenhouse conditions. The 10 treatments, arranged in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with six replications, consisted of a control, conventional mineral fertilization (150 kg NPK ha−1), composts added to the soil alone (2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10 t ha−1), and their combination with 50% of recommended rate of inorganic fertilizers (75 kg NPK ha−1). Application of 7.5 t ha−1 of compost and 50% of the recommended dose of inorganic fertilizer (75 kg NPK ha−1) gave the significantly highest seed yield, corresponding to a 30% increase over NPK‐fertilized plants. The combined application of 2.5 or 10 t ha−1 compost with 75 kg NPK ha−1 increased plant height by 38% compared with the NPK treatment. Additionally, stem diameter increased by 53% when 5 t ha−1 of compost and 75 kg NPK ha−1 were mixed. As expected, control plants produced the most nodules (108), 85% more than inorganic fertilization. Plants fertilized with 7.5 or 10 t ha−1 of compost and 75 kg NPK ha−1 produced 17% more pods, seeds per pod, and seeds per plant than NPK treatments. However, fertilization treatments had no significant effects on cowpea fresh and dry biomass or SPAD values. The results reveal that combining compost with inorganic fertilizer reduced synthetic fertilization by 50%, while producing growth and yields comparable to, or even higher than, recommended inorganic fertilization. This experiment demonstrated that integrated soil fertility management can be used as an alternative to the use of inorganic fertilizers in cowpea cultivation.

Improving sorghum adoption rates by developing adapted varieties that meet end-user preferences is a major challenge in West Africa. In this study, a participatory rural appraisal was undertaken to identify the main sorghum production constraints, farmers’ preferred variety traits and their perceptions on sorghum grain mold. The study was conducted in four representative rural communities located in the main sorghum producing area of Senegal. A total of 260 farmers were interviewed and data were collected through focus group discussions and individual questionnaires. Our results indicated that Striga, insects, poor soil fertility and drought are the major sorghum producing constraints in Senegal. Grain mold was identified as the second most important sorghum disease after the damping-off. Discoloration on grain surface was the most important criteria farmers used to recognize the disease. The most important sorghum traits farmers desired in improved varieties are medium to short plant maturity cycle, medium plant height, large open or semi-compact panicle, big and white grain, and adaptation to local growing conditions. The results showed that the sorghum cropping system is dominated by male farmers who mainly grow local landraces. These results will provide updated recommendations for the breeding products profile to meet end-user preferences in Senegal.

Participation in a study abroad program to Zambia with intentional intercultural activities embedded in the course curriculum has been shown to enhance cultural competence as measured by the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI®) (Krishnan, Masters, Holgate, Wang & Calahan, 2017). The purpose of this study was to assess whether a new program to India, developed using a. similar model, was effective in increasing student intercultural competence and to compare student outcomes with the previous program to evaluate possible differences in outcomes related to the destination country. Participants included 21 students who participated in the SLHS in India study abroad program, and 20 students who have not travelled abroad. Quantitative data included a pre- and post-program administration of the IDI® for both groups. Qualitative data included pre-departure and final reflection papers completed by participants in the intervention group. Results indicated a significant increase in intercultural competence in the intervention group and no change in score in the control group participants. The increase in group score is similar to increases seen in students who had travelled to Zambia. Results indicate that an intensive, service learning study abroad program can be a mechanism for students to enhance intercultural competence, possibly regardless of destination country.

Abstract In 2019 and 2020, we investigated the individual and combined effects of two biofertilizers (manure tea and bioinoculant) and one humic acid (HA) product on cannabis biochemical and physiological parameters and soil CO2 evolution under outdoor conditions. Our hypothesis was that HA would increase the microbial activity in the biofertilizers and synergy of both compounds would promote better plant performance and stimulate soil microbial activity. In 2020, the individual and combined application of biofertilizers and HA increased cannabis height, chlorophyll content, photosynthetic efficiency, aboveground biomass, and bucked biomass by 105, 52, 43, 122, and 117%, respectively. Impacts were greater under suboptimal growing conditions caused by planting delay experienced in 2020. In 2019, planting date occurred in-between the most favorable period and chlorophyll content and photosynthetic efficiency were the only parameters influenced by the application of biostimulants. The discrepancies between the two growing seasons reinforce the evidence of other studies that biostimulants efficacy is maximized under stress conditions. This study could not conclusively confirm that the combined use of biofertilizer + HA is a superior practice since affected plant parameters did not differ from application of the compounds singly. Similarly, only one biofertilizer + HA treatment increased soil microbial activity. More research is needed to define optimum rates and combinations of biofertilizer and stimulants for cannabis.

Abstract Agroforestry plays a pivotal role in mitigating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and addressing the challenges posed by climate change. While carbon sequestration efforts have primarily centred on forests, it is imperative to acknowledge the contribution that non-forest ecosystems, such as agroforestry, can offer. This study investigated the influence of agroforestry systems on the variation of biomass carbon stocks in the Sahelo-Sudanian and Sudanian regions of the Senegalese Groundnut basin. Three primary agroforestry systems were studied: silvopastoral, agrisilvicultural, and agrosilvopastoral. Forty-six (46) 100 m × 100 m plots were sampled, within which 1 × 1 m2 subplots were used to sample understory biomass across three agroforestry systems in the two climatic zones. Analysis of variance was performed to assess the influence of agroforestry systems and climatic zones on biomass carbon stocks. The findings showed that in the Sahelo-Sudanian region, the agrisilvicultural system exhibited the highest AGC + BGC stocks, averaging 43.42 ± 21.61 tCha−1. In contrast, the silvopastoral system showed significantly higher AGC + BGC stocks, which amounted to 36.33 ± 12.27 tCha−1 in the Sudanian region. On the other hand, understory carbon stocks were significantly higher (p

Background: Small rodents and insectivores are potential reservoirs of many pathogens transmissible to humans, such as bacteria, parasites and viruses responsible for epidemics in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in West Africa. Few studies on small mammal species in West Africa are available. Our previous findings from a study investigating emerging pathogens in two localities in Mali has determined the prevalence of pathogens in small mammals (rodents and insectivores). We used the data collected from this small mammal population with different eco-climatic characteristics to test hypothesis that small mammal distribution in different eco-climatic settings could explain the diversity and frequency of pathogens they carry. Methods: Sessions of trapping were carried out in December 2016 in Faladjè and Bougouni with “Besançon tous services” (BTS) wire mesh traps baited with peanut butter and/or onion. All animals captured were identified morphologically. Results: Out of 123 small rodents and insectivores captured over 674 trap-nights, 75 (60.97%) were from Faladjè and 48 (39.02%) from Bougouni. Of these, six species of small rodents belonged to the family Muridae (Mastomys erythroleucus, Mastomys natalensis, Rattus rattus, Praomys daltoni, Gerbilliscus gambianus, Taterillus gracilis) and two species of insectivores associated with the genus Crocidura spp. belonged to the family Soricidae and Erinaceidae (Crocidura cf olivieri and Atelerix cf albiventris), respectively. There is low species diversity within these two areas, but the variation in relative abundance is significant (binomial test, p ˂ 0.05) between Faladjè and Bougouni. Mastomys erythroleucus was the most dominant species (57.33%, 43/75) in Faladjè, while R. rattus dominated (37.5%,18/48) in Bougouni. Conclusions: These two species of small mammals potentially involved in the transmission of bacteria, parasites and pathogenic viruses to humans are differently present in two distinct eco-climatic areas in Mali.

Using secondary data has many advantages, but there are also many limitations, including the lack of relevant information. This article draws on a previous study that used secondary data to investigate substance use in young, elite athletes. Three types of missing data appeared: missing data, lack of information about the data collection process, and unavailable data. Other concerns were also highlighted, such as coverage and sampling errors. The impacts of secondary data on scientific research results can be divided into unavoidable changes and researchers' choices. The research question should guide the option to use secondary data, and it is essential to assess the level of constraint that will result from it early on. Additionally, along with the quality of information available, consistency in questionnaires is vital for broadening the scope and ensuring research progress.

This study describes students' development of components of intercultural competence after completing a cultural diversity course and compares degrees of intercultural competence between a face-to-face course and an equivalent online section of the same course. Analysis of final written reflections from students demonstrate that students gained a deeper awareness of their lack of knowledge related to culture. The analysis also reveals that students in the online version of the course demonstrated higher degrees of intercultural openness and cultural self-awareness than did those in the face-to-face context. Findings from this study contribute significantly to the research on intercultural competence and the teaching of cultural diversity courses.

Abstract Dwarfism is a useful trait in many crop plants because it contributes to improved lodging resistance and harvest index. The mutant allele dw3‐ref (dwarf3‐reference) of sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is characterized by an 882 bp tandem duplication in the fifth exon of the gene that is unstable and reverts to wild‐type at a frequency greater than 0.001 in many genetic backgrounds. The goal of this research was to identify stable alleles of dw3 (dwarf3) that could be backcrossed into elite parent lines to improve height stability of the crop. To discover new alleles of dw3, a panel consisting mostly of sorghum conversion lines (SC‐lines) was screened by polymerase chain reaction for the 882 bp tandem duplication in the fifth exon of dw3‐ref. Sanger sequencing was used to characterize the DNA sequence of this fragment in genotypes that did not contain the 882 bp tandem duplication. Sequence analysis identified three indel mutations, including an 82 bp deletion, a 6 bp duplication, and a 15 bp deletion in this region of the gene. Field trials of the donor genotypes with these new alleles indicated no wild‐type revertants of dw3‐sd3 (dwarf3‐stable dwarf), dw3‐sd4, and dw3‐sd5. These alleles were backcrossed into Tx430. Field trials of backcross progeny (BC2F4) with the dw3‐sd3, dw3‐sd4, and dw3‐sd5 alleles indicated no revertants. The plant height and flowering time characteristics of the backcross progeny were similar or slightly shorter and earlier than the recurrent parent. These findings demonstrate that dw3‐sd3, dw3‐sd4, and dw3‐sd5 alleles will be useful in breeding for the stable dwarf trait.

Treponematoses encompass a group of chronic and debilitating bacterial diseases transmitted sexually or by direct contact and attributed to Treponema pallidum. Despite being documented since as far back as 1963, the epidemiology of treponematoses in wild primates has remained an uninvestigated territory due to the inherent challenges associated with conducting examinations and obtaining invasive biological samples from wild animals. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the presence of treponemal infections in the critically endangered Western chimpanzees in Senegal, utilizing an innovative non-invasive stool serology method. We provide compelling evidence of the existence of anti-Treponema-specific antibodies in 13 out of 29 individual chimpanzees. Our study also underscores the significant potential of stool serology as a valuable non-invasive tool for monitoring and surveilling crucial emerging diseases in wild animals. We recognize two major implications: (1) the imperative need to assess the risks of treponematosis in Western chimpanzee populations and (2) the necessity to monitor and manage this disease following a holistic One Health approach.

Balancing the immune response after solid organ transplantation (SOT) and vascularized composite allotransplantation (VCA) remains an ongoing clinical challenge. While immunosuppressants can effectively reduce acute rejection rates following transplant surgery, some patients still experience recurrent acute rejection episodes, which in turn may progress to chronic rejection. Furthermore, these immunosuppressive regimens are associated with an increased risk of malignancies and metabolic disorders. Despite significant advancements in the field, these IS related side effects persist as clinical hurdles, emphasizing the need for innovative therapeutic strategies to improve transplant survival and longevity. Cellular therapy, a novel therapeutic approach, has emerged as a potential pathway to promote immune tolerance while minimizing systemic side-effects of standard IS regiments. Various cell types, including chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T), mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), regulatory myeloid cells (RMCs) and regulatory T cells (Tregs), offer unique immunomodulatory properties that may help achieve improved outcomes in transplant patients. This review aims to elucidate the role of cellular therapies, particularly MSCs, T cells, Tregs, RMCs, macrophages, and dendritic cells in SOT and VCA. We explore the immunological features of each cell type, their capacity for immune regulation, and the prospective advantages and obstacles linked to their application in transplant patients. An in-depth outline of the current state of the technology may help SOT and VCA providers refine their perioperative treatment strategies while laying the foundation for further trials that investigate cellular therapeutics in transplantation surgery.