European Scientific Journal (European Scientific Institute)
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Interface Homme-serpents en zone tropicale sahélienne (Burkina Faso, Afrique de l’Ouest)
Get PDFL’intensification des activités anthropiques et l’expansion démographique détruisent les habitats des serpents, affectant ainsi leur diversité et leur abondance. Cela a pour conséquence, la diminution ou la perte de la biodiversité. Au Burkina Faso, les travaux sur le peuplement des serpents sont très fragmentaires, et datent des années 1980. Afin de déterminer le rôle des serpents dans les écosystèmes des zones urbaines et périphériques et de promouvoir la gestion durable de l’herpétofaune, un inventaire herpétologique, et des enquêtes ont été conduits au Burkina Faso de Octobre à Décembre 2022 dans la ville de Ouagadougou et les zones péri-urbaines. Cette étude a permis de recenser 29 espèces d’Ophidiens, reparties en 24 genres et 08 familles. Pour ce qui est de l’interface Homme-serpent, les résultats montrent que, les agriculteurs constituent la couche socio-professionnelle la plus exposée aux morsures de serpents, avec un pic de morsure observée entre juin et août. Les parties du corps les plus exposéees enregistrés, étaient les pieds, les jambes, les mains et les bras. Au cours de la période d’étude, 34 individus étaient victimes de morsures de serpents dont 07 cas de décès enregistrés. Les résultats ont également révélé que les espèces telles que : Echis ocellatus, Crotalus cerastes, Gongylophis colubrinus, Afronatrix anoscopus et Naja nigricolis sont utilisées dans les thérapies traditionnelles et le mysticisme. Ces résultats constituent une importante base de données sur les serpents du Burkina Faso, et serviront de repère pour la mise en place des stratégies de sensibilisation pour la conservation des serpents.
The ongoing human activities and demographic expansion are degrading snake habitats, affecting their diversity and abundance. As a result, this leads to biodiversity decline or loss. In Burkina Faso, studies on the snake community are very limited, and date back to the 1980s. In order to update the data on snakes, we have conducted a herpetological inventory and survey in Burkina Faso from October to December 2022 in the city of Ouagadougou and peri-urban areas. Snakes were captured using traps and manual collection. In total, 29 species of snakes, divided into 24 genera and 08 families, were recorded. The results of surveys showed that farmers were mostly exposed to snake bites, and a high rate of bites was reported between June and August. From our findings, feet, legs, hands and arms were often bitten. During the study period, an average of 34 individuals were victims of snake bites, and 07 deaths were reported. The results also revealed that species, such as Echis ocellatus, Crotalus cerastes, Gongylophis colubrinus, Afronatrix anoscopus and Naja nigricolis are used in traditional therapeutics and mysticism. These results constitute an important database for Burkina Faso, and can serve as a benchmark for the implementation of awareness-raising strategies for the conservation of snakes
University Students‘ Perceptions of a CLIL-Based Model in Teaching Aviation English Listening Skills
Get PDFThe study investigates university students’ perceptions of using a Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) approach to teach Aviation English listening skills. The integration of content knowledge with language acquisition has gained momentum in English for Specific Purposes (ESP), particularly in aviation training contexts where comprehension of authentic radio communication is critical. A mixed-methods design was employed involving 60 undergraduate aviation students at Georgian Aviation University. Data were collected via a perception questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. Results indicate that the majority of students viewed the CLIL-based approach positively, citing improved comprehension, contextual vocabulary acquisition, and increased engagement. However, some challenges, such as cognitive overload and unfamiliar terminology, were also reported. These findings suggest that CLIL holds promise for Aviation English instruction, provided that pedagogical scaffolding and appropriate materials are in place
Gouvernance territoriale et performance des services de santé: perspectives pour les Groupements Sanitaires Territoriaux au Maroc
Get PDFCet article analyse les conditions de réussite des Groupements Sanitaires Territoriaux (GST) au Maroc, une innovation visant à décentraliser et intégrer les services de santé. S’appuyant sur le management public, les théories de la gouvernance et le cadre du Triple Aim, l’étude explore les leviers d’une gouvernance territoriale performante. La méthodologie repose sur une revue de littérature, une analyse comparative des réformes au Canada, en Espagne et en France, ainsi que sur l’examen des textes législatifs marocains (BO 7151, 7213) et des rapports institutionnels (OMS, HCP). Les résultats identifient comme facteurs clés : une territorialisation basée sur les besoins populationnels, une autonomie locale effective, des outils de pilotage (tableaux de bord, contractualisation) et un renforcement des capacités managériales, malgré des défis liés à la centralisation et aux disparités régionales. L’article préconise une gouvernance multi-niveaux agile, favorisant coordination, responsabilisation et expérimentation. Des recherches empiriques, notamment sur le pilote de Tanger-Tétouan-Al Hoceima, sont nécessaires pour évaluer l’impact des GST sur l’équité et la performance des services de santé.
This article examines the conditions for the success of Territorial Healthcare Groups (GSTs) in Morocco, an innovative initiative aimed at decentralizing and integrating healthcare services. Drawing on public management, governance theories, and the Triple Aim framework, the study explores the levers for effective territorial governance. The methodology combines a literature review, a comparative analysis of healthcare reforms in Canada, Spain, and France, and an examination of Moroccan legislative texts (BO 7151, 7213) and institutional reports (WHO, HCP). The findings highlight key success factors: territorialization based on population needs, effective local autonomy, management tools such as dashboards and contractual agreements, and strengthened managerial capacities, despite challenges posed by historical centralization and regional disparities. The article advocates for agile, multi-level governance that promotes coordination, accountability, and experimentation. Further empirical research, particularly on the Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima pilot, is essential to assess the GSTs’ impact on equity and healthcare service performance
Employing IT Service Management to Accelerate Digital Government Transformation in Saudi Arabia: A Vision 2030 Perspective
Get PDFSaudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 has placed digital transformation at the center of its government modernization agenda, with information technology positioned as a vital enabler of efficient and citizen-focused services. The objective of this study is to examine the role of IT Service Management (ITSM) in supporting this transformation, identifying both the progress achieved and the challenges that remain. A mixed-methods approach was adopted, including a survey of 80 government IT managers, interviews with key stakeholders, and a case study of a digital service platform. Findings indicate that while several public agencies have successfully implemented ITSM practices, contributing to enhanced service availability and improved citizen satisfaction, challenges persist in the form of skill shortages, outdated systems, and organizational resistance to change. Successful experiences, such as the Absher platform, underscore the importance of leadership commitment, staff training, and alignment with national objectives. Although this study demonstrates that ITSM has emerged as a critical enabler of the Kingdom’s digital government initiatives, it also highlights the need for sustained investment in leadership development, capacity building, and change management to ensure the full realization of Vision 2030 goals. As Saudi Arabia embarks on this complex and multifaceted journey, the findings suggest that continuous monitoring, institutional learning, and adaptive strategies will be essential to consolidating the benefits of ITSM within the broader framework of national transformation
Feeding on exudates and leaves of cassava cultivars with varying cyanogenic Potentials: Implications for the Biology of Typhlodromalus aripo, a key biocontrol agent of cassava green mite in Africa
Get PDFThe predatory mite Typhlodromalus aripo, a key biological control agent of the cassava green mite in Africa, is known to feed on cassava exudates and, in the absence of prey, directly on cassava leaves. While cassava cultivars differ greatly in cyanogenic potential (CNP), the consequences of feeding on exudates and leaves from cultivars with different CNP levels for T. aripo biology remain unknown. We conducted laboratory experiments to evaluate several life history parameters of T. aripo on exudates and leaf discs of three cassava cultivars – TME1 (low CNP), TMS91934 (moderate CNP), and TMS82/00661 (high CNP). T. aripo completed its development on exudates of all three cultivars, being faster with higher survival on exudate of TMS82/00661 (6.8 days, 68.2%) compared with TME1 (7.9 days, 53.8%) and TMS91934 (8.2 days, 56.8%). None of the exudates supported oviposition, although adult female survivorship was highest on TMS82/00661. T. aripo was unable to develop beyond the deutonymph stage on the leaf discs of all three cassava cultivars. However, juvenile and adult longevity were greater on TME1 compared with the two other cultivars. Exudates were free of cyanogenic glycosides with similar amino acid concentrations; however, sugar content was twice as high in exudates of TMS8200661 compared with the other cultivars. These findings highlight the importance of cassava exudate quality for predator persistence and biological control success
Motherhood, Career Aspirations, and Life Goals: Exploring Young Women’s Attitudes as a Factor in the Declining Fertility Rate in Sri Lanka
Get PDFThe fertility rate in Sri Lanka has gradually declined over the last few decades. While existing literature has explored motherhood and career aspirations, few studies examine these dynamics among university students in Sri Lanka. This study aims to explore how young Sri Lankan female undergraduates perceive motherhood in relation to their career aspirations and life goals, offering a contextually grounded perspective in a Southern setting. The study adopted a mixed-method approach comprising a survey followed by in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. The sample comprised 300 female undergraduates from the Arts, Management, and Science faculties at the University of Colombo, including both first-year and final-year students. The study employed a pseudo-longitudinal design to compare differences in perceptions and attitudes toward motherhood across academic disciplines and stages of study. Findings indicate that the value placed on motherhood varies by discipline, with Arts and Management students generally prioritising it more than those in Science. Attitudes also shift between first-year and final-year students, as academic exposure and evolving career aspirations influence the timing and conditions under which motherhood is considered. Career goals, financial stability, and lifestyle preferences emerged as key factors shaping reproductive decisions, while concerns about balancing work and family persist across the sample. The study highlights the complex interplay between societal expectations, personal values, and professional ambitions in shaping young women’s reproductive choices in Sri Lanka. In conclusion, undergraduate perceptions of motherhood are shaped by disciplinary identity and socio-economic positioning, often leading to delayed motherhood due to anticipated role conflicts and financial constraints. Supportive policies, flexible work environments, and community-level interventions are essential to empower young women to navigate career and family while making informed reproductive choices
Quality Management Practices and Performance: The Perspective of Public Healthcare Institutions in Kenya
Get PDFThe global economy's transformations have prompted public healthcare institutions in Kenya to adopt strategies to expand their markets, improve customer satisfaction, and enhance operational efficiency globally. The county government of Tharaka Nithi and the Kenyan national government have implemented initiatives to enhance public healthcare facilities, but their performance remains below the required standards. According to The World Health Organization reports Kenya's public healthcare institutions provided 75% unsatisfactory services to customers, while their services remained at 6.6% from 2017 to 2020. Therefore, the current study investigates the effect of quality management practices on the performance of public healthcare institutions in Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya. Specifically, the study examined the effect of customer focus and continuous improvement on the performance of public healthcare institutions in Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya. The study used Scorecard, Six Sigma theories as well as the upper echelon theory. The study embraced descriptive research design. The target population was eight hundred and eighty-three employees of public healthcare institutions in Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya. Stratified random sampling techniques were used as a sampling technique to select 275 respondents that were determined scientifically through a formula. Primary data was collected using a structured self-administered questionnaire. A pilot test of twenty-eight respondents was conducted. The study instrument's reliability and validity were evaluated using Cronbach's alpha coefficient, with a threshold of 0.7 or higher. The collected data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, which were presented in the form of tables, charts, and graphs. The findings were that strengthening customer focus (p<0.05), continuous improvement (p<0.05) and top management commitment (p<0.05) can contribute towards a significant improvement in the performance of public healthcare institutions in Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya. The study concluded that total quality management practices are significant enablers of the organizational performance of an institution. The study recommended that employees working with public healthcare institutions in Tharaka Nithi County should be motivated to address customer inquiries promptly to improve the level of efficiency and effectiveness. The operational managers and all other heads of the functional areas in the public healthcare institutions in Tharaka Nithi County design their processes effectively for effective decision-making. Employees should be encouraged to use errors reported as the basis for further improvement in processes. 
Questions négatives hautes en français : une analyse sémantico-pragmatique du biais et de la confirmation
Get PDFCette étude examine les propriétés sémantiques et pragmatiques des questions négatives hautes (High Negated Questions – HNQs) en français, caractérisées par une négation externe et un biais épistémique implicite. Contrairement aux questions polaires classiques, les HNQs favorisent les réponses affirmatives, traduisant l’attente d’un alignement épistémique entre locuteur et interlocuteur. À partir d’une approche combinant analyse théorique et expérimentation, une étude menée auprès de locuteurs natifs montre que la félicité des HNQs dépend fortement du contexte discursif. Les résultats révèlent que les HNQs formelles, sont perçues comme plus naturelles dans des contextes institutionnels, tandis que les variantes informelles, sont préférées dans des interactions spontanées. Ces observations confirment les modèles de la négation externe (Romero & Han, 2004 ; Goodhue, 2022) et des dynamiques d’alignement épistémique (Farkas & Roelofsen, 2017), montrant que les HNQs ne sont pas de simples interrogatives, mais des outils structurants du discours. Cette recherche apporte ainsi un éclairage nouveau sur les mécanismes de biais et de confirmation dans l’interaction en français.
This study examines the semantic and pragmatic properties of High Negated Questions (HNQs) in French, characterized by external negation and an implicit epistemic bias. Unlike standard polar questions, HNQs favor affirmative responses, reflecting the speaker’s expectation of epistemic alignment with the interlocutor. Combining theoretical analysis and empirical experimentation, a study conducted with native speakers shows that the felicity of HNQs is highly dependent on discourse context. The results reveal that formal HNQs, constructed with structures, are perceived as more natural in institutional settings, whereas informal variants are preferred in spontaneous interactions. These findings confirm the models of external negation (Romero & Han, 2004; Goodhue, 2022) and epistemic alignment dynamics (Farkas & Roelofsen, 2017), demonstrating that HNQs are not merely neutral interrogatives but rather discourse-structuring tools. This research thus provides new insights into the mechanisms of bias and confirmation in French interaction
Liens ethniques transfrontaliers et activités illicites : une étude de leur interrelation aux frontières Nord et Sud Cameroun
Get PDF Véritables espaces d’interactions et de transactions protéiformes, les frontières Nord et SUD Cameroun sont caractérisées par une forte mobilité de personnes et de biens. Ils sont à cet effet, le carrefour d’activités licites et illicites. La présente réflexion examine les activités illicites qui y prévalent à l’épreuve des continuités ethniques transfrontalières qui les structurent. Elle repose sur la conjecture principale que, ces liens ethniques transfrontaliers jouent un rôle significatif dans la fluidification des activités illicites qui s’y opèrent. A partir d’un dispositif théorico-méthodologique articulé autour du transnationalisme comme grille théorique, des entretiens et observations ont également été menés au sein de certaines localités frontalières des régions Nord et Sud du Cameroun. De celles-ci, il en ressort que, la configuration socio ethnique qui caractérise ces espaces respectifs gouverne la diversité d’activités qui y prennent corps. En effet, la triple territorialité des peuples Ekang dans le Sud (Cameroun-Gabon-Guinée Equatoriale) et Mboum dans la région du Nord (Cameroun-Tchad-RCA) s’est révélée pertinente à propos. A la suite, il se révèle que les activités illicites protéiformes qui y prennent corps reposent sur des acteurs aux procédés variés. Bien que l’on ne saurait totalement responsabiliser ces peuples frontaliers de l’illicite qui s’opère au sein de ces espaces, étant donné qu’il s’agisse d’un système composé d’une kyrielle d’acteurs hétérogènes, ceux-ci y jouent tout de même un rôle non négligeable. Ainsi, une meilleure gestion de ces derniers permettrait de réduire ce phénomène aux marges frontalières Nord et Sud Cameroun.
True spaces of protean interactions and transactions, the North and South Cameroon borders are characterized by high mobility of people and goods. They are for this purpose, the crossroads of legal and illegal activities. This reflection examines the illicit activities that prevail there in light of the cross-border ethnic continuities that structure them. It is based on the main conjecture that these cross-border ethnic links play a significant role in the fluidification of the illicit activities that take place there. From a theoretical-methodological device articulated around transnationalism as a theoretical grid, interviews and observations were also conducted in certain border localities in the North and South regions of Cameroon. From these, it emerges that the socio-ethnic configuration that characterizes these respective spaces governs the diversity of activities that take shape there. Indeed, the triple territoriality of the Ekang peoples in the South (Cameroon-Gabon-Equatorial Guinea) and Mboum in the Northern region (Cameroon-Chad-CAR) has proven relevant. Subsequently, it turns out that the protean illicit activities that take shape there are based on actors with varied processes. Although we cannot fully hold these border peoples responsible for the illicit that takes place within these spaces, given that it is a system composed of a host of heterogeneous actors, they still play a significant role. Thus, better management of the latter would make it possible to reduce this phenomenon on the northern and southern border margins of Cameroon
Water Safety and Hygienic Practices of Formal and Informal Food Outlets in Malawi
Get PDFAccess to potable water is one of the most important aspects of ensuring consumer safety in food production. Interventions to improve the quality of drinking water and ensuring hygienic practices provide significant benefits to health. However, the monitoring of water quality and maintaining good hygiene remains a challenge in public food outlets where contamination of water may cause the outbreak of disease. The study aimed at assessing the water safety and hygienic practices of formal and informal food outlets in Malawi Community-based cross-sectional study design was conducted in Nkhotakota district, Malawi. A stratified random sampling technique was adopted to select 384 participating food outlets to assess water safety and hygiene practices. Data were collected through interviews and observational checklists. The study revealed that 31% (n = 384) of the food outlets had poor hygienic practices and half of the food handlers in the food outlets (50%, n = 376) had no knowledge of water contaminations. Furthermore, it was found that 96.6% of the food outlets (n = 384) use untreated water. Based on the findings, it was concluded that water being used was not safe for drinking due to poor hygiene and lack of knowledge by food handlers. Due to poor hygiene and lack of knowledge by food handlers, the study recommends widening the scope of policies in food outlets to provide special periodic orientation sessions to food handlers on sanitation and hygiene followed by evaluation in their respective food outlets. Food outlet owners should take responsibility for ensuring that hygienic conditions are followed at their business premises