101 research outputs found
Prof. Thomas F. DeFrantz on Dancing a Black Social – an interview
No full textProf. Thomas DeFrantz on Dancing a Black Social and Re-Orientations, sharing insights from his prolific research into Black American dance past, present and future. Molloy interviewed the Professor on the 9th of May 2024, in person at SLIPPAGE lab, Northwestern University, Illinois, USA.Intro/outro music : drum-dance jam at the market stall of Burkinabe instrument-maker Issaka Compaore at the annual Africlap street festival August 2024, Toulouse, France.Interview and recordings by the author on a Zoom H1N field mic. Photography, editing and audio production by the author. Research-creation / fieldwork conducted in partial completion of a PhD at University College Cork and University of Toulouse, with the support of an ERASMUS+ mobility grant and the UCC Danijela Kulezic-Wilson scholarship.Prof. Thomas DeFrantz on Dancing a Black Social and Re-Orientations, sharing insights from his prolific research into Black American dance past, present and future. Molloy interviewed the Professor on the 9th of May 2024, in person at SLIPPAGE lab, Northwestern University, Illinois, USA.Intro/outro music : drum-dance jam at the market stall of Burkinabe instrument-maker Issaka Compaore at the annual Africlap street festival August 2024, Toulouse, France.Interview and recordings by the author on a Zoom H1N field mic. Photography, editing and audio production by the author. Research-creation / fieldwork conducted in partial completion of a PhD at University College Cork and University of Toulouse, with the support of an ERASMUS+ mobility grant and the UCC Danijela Kulezic-Wilson scholarship
Conservation et utilisation durable des ressources génétiques des mil, sorgho, niébé et sésame menacées de disparition au Niger
No full textAprès un rappel historique sur la construction du projet « Conservation et utilisation durable des ressources génétiques des mil, sorgho, niébé et sésame menacées de disparition au Niger », l’auteur nous fait une description de ce projet. Dans un premier temps, l’importance des quatre espèces est soulignée, puis suit un état des lieux en ce qui concerne la diversité de ces quatre cultures. Les menaces qui pèsent sur cette diversité sont décrites et l’auteur développe les conséquences de la perte de diversité génétique de ces espèces cultivées. Vient ensuite une présentation détaillée du projet : la finalité, les objectifs généraux et spécifiques, les résultats attendus selon les objectifs fixés. L’auteur termine par une réflexion sur la conservation in situ, en s’interrogeant sur les stratégies à adopter (quelle échelle géographique, quelle diversité prendre en considération,...) et sur leur durabilité.The author describes the genesis and content project of the “Sustainable preservation and utilization of endangered pear millet, sorghum, cowpea and sesame genetic resources in Niger”. He shows how these four crops are important for the country and presents their diversity in Niger. Then, threats and consequences of loss of genetic diversity for these crops are discussed. The author then describes the general and specific objectives, and the outcomes of the project. Finally, the author discusses several questions about in situ conservation: patterns and strategies be used (geographical scale and kind of diversity to be considered), and their sustainability
Mahamadé Savadogo et la construction d’un discours philosophique en langue nationale moore au Burkina Faso
No full textDans un contexte plurilingue caractérisant les pays africains comme le Burkina Faso, où la langue de transmission des connaissances est le français, comment rendre populaire la philosophie ? C’est autour de cette grande question que se développe tout le discours philosophique de Savadogo. L’auteur s’assigne pour tâche de construire une langue philosophique en moore, langue nationale au profit des masses désirant s’initier aux connaissances philosophiques. L’objectif du présent travail, c’est de saisir les caractéristiques du discours philosophique de Savadogo en privilégiant la perspective de Maingueneau (1995 ; 2005 ; 2019), Maingneneau et Cossutta (1995), Cossutta et Maingneneau (2019), en analyse du discours. L’étude démontre que le discours philosophique de Savadogo privilégie des activités énonciatives diverses et fonctionne comme un discours à visée métalinguistique, c’est à dire, un discours questionnant la langue elle-même.
Abstract
In a multilingual context characterizing African countries like Burkina Faso, where the language of transmission of knowledge remains French, how to make philosophy popular ? It is around this important question that all of Savadogo’s philosophical discourse develops. The ambition of the author is to build a philosophical language in moore local language for the benefit of peoples wishing to learn philosophical knowledege. The objective of this study is find the characteristics of Savadogo’s philosophical discourse by favoring the theorical perspective of Maingueneau (1995 ;2005 ; 2019), Maingneneau and Cossutta (1995), Cossutta and Maingneneau (2019) in discours analysis. The study demonstrates that Savadogo’s philosophical discourse favors various enunciative activities and functions as a discourse whith a metalinguistic aim, that is to say a discourse questionning the language itself
RLEP LAMP for the laboratory confirmation of leprosy: towards a point-of-care test
No full textAbstract Background Nucleic acid-based amplification tests (NAAT), above all (q)PCR, have been applied for the detection of Mycobacterium leprae in leprosy cases and household contacts with subclinical infection. However, their application in the field poses a range of technical challenges. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), as a promising point-of-care NAAT does not require sophisticated laboratory equipment, is easy to perform, and is applicable for decentralized diagnosis at the primary health care level. Among a range of gene targets, the M. leprae specific repetitive element RLEP is regarded as highly sensitive and specific for diagnostic applications. Methods Our group developed and validated a dry-reagent-based (DRB) RLEP LAMP, provided product specifications for customization of a ready-to-use kit (intended for commercial production) and compared it against the in-house prototype. The assays were optimized for application on a Genie® III portable fluorometer. For technical validation, 40 “must not detect RLEP” samples derived from RLEP qPCR negative exposed and non-exposed individuals, as well as from patients with other conditions and a set of closely related mycobacterial cultures, were tested together with 25 “must detect RLEP” samples derived from qPCR confirmed leprosy patients. For clinical validation, 150 RLEP qPCR tested samples were analyzed, consisting of the following categories: high-positive samples of multibacillary (MB) leprosy patients (> 10.000 bacilli/extract), medium-positive samples of MB leprosy patients (1.001–10.000 bacilli/extract), low-positive samples of MB leprosy patients (1–1.000 bacilli/extract), endemic controls and healthy non-exposed controls; each n = 30. Results Technical validation: both LAMP formats had a limit of detection of 1.000 RLEP copies, i.e. 43–27 bacilli, a sensitivity of 92% (in-house protocol)/100% (ready-to-use protocol) and a specificity of 100%. Reagents were stable for at least 1 year at 22 °C. Clinical validation: Both formats showed a negativity rate of 100% and a positivity rate of 100% for high-positive samples and 93–100% for medium positive samples, together with a positive predictive value of 100% and semi-quantitative results. The positivity rate for low-positive samples was 77% (in-house protocol)/43% (ready-to-use protocol) and differed significantly between both formats. Conclusions The ready-to-use RLEP DRB LAMP assay constitutes an ASSURED test ready for field-based evaluation trials aiming for routine diagnosis of leprosy at the primary health care level
Interplay between contract and public law in Ghana: Implications for major construction contracts and transparency
No full textThe relationship between infrastructure project owners and their contractors is generally governed by contract law. However, where the project owner is a State, there are often additional requirements from public law to be complied with. The challenges posed by the interplay between public law and private contractual relationships in such context have been highlighted by litigation concerning the effect of a constitutional requirement that any international business and economic transaction to which the Government of Ghana (GoG) is a party is not to become operational without parliamentary approval. Through analysis of five decisions of the Supreme Court of Ghana on the interpretation of this constitutional provision, this piece highlights the devastating consequences that inattention to public law could have on parties who contract with the GoG and its agencies. It also examines the extent to which the judicial interpretation of the constitutional requirement really furthers the interests of transparency and openness that it was intended to promote.This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced version of an article accepted for publication in Public Procurement Law Review following peer review. The definitive published version is available online on Westlaw UK or from Thomson Reuters DocDel service
J Infect Dis
No full textBackground.In 2010, Niger and other meningitis belt countries introduced a meningococcal serogroup A conjugate vaccine (MACV). We describe the epidemiology of bacterial meningitis in Niger from 2010 to 2018.Methods.Suspected and confirmed meningitis cases from January 1, 2010 to July 15, 2018 were obtained from national aggregate and laboratory surveillance. Cerebrospinal fluid specimens were analyzed by culture and/or polymerase chain reaction. Annual incidence was calculated as cases per 100 000 population. Selected isolates obtained during 2016\u20132017 were characterized by whole-genome sequencing.Results.Of the 21 142 suspected cases of meningitis, 5590 were confirmed: Neisseria meningitidis ([Nm] 85%), Streptococcus pneumoniae ([Sp] 13%), and Haemophilus influenzae ([Hi] 2%). No NmA cases occurred after 2011. Annual incidence per 100 000 population was more dynamic for Nm (0.06\u20137.71) than for Sp (0.18\u20130.70) and Hi (0.01\u20130.23). The predominant Nm serogroups varied over time (NmW in 2010\u20132011, NmC in 2015\u20132018, and both NmC and NmX in 2017\u20132018). Meningococcal meningitis incidence was highest in the regions of Niamey, Tillabery, Dosso, Tahoua, and Maradi. The NmW isolates were clonal complex (CC)11, NmX were CC181, and NmC were CC10217.Conclusions.After MACV introduction, we observed an absence of NmA, the emergence and continuing burden of NmC, and an increase in NmX. Niger\u2019s dynamic Nm serogroup distribution highlights the need for strong surveillance programs to inform vaccine policy.001/WHO_/World Health Organization/InternationalCC999999/ImCDC/Intramural CDC HHS/United States2021-01-15T00:00:00Z31671439PMC7808897896
Analysis of Plasmodium falciparum diversity in natural infections by deep sequencing.
No full textMalaria elimination strategies require surveillance of the parasite population for genetic changes that demand a public health response, such as new forms of drug resistance. Here we describe methods for the large-scale analysis of genetic variation in Plasmodium falciparum by deep sequencing of parasite DNA obtained from the blood of patients with malaria, either directly or after short-term culture. Analysis of 86,158 exonic single nucleotide polymorphisms that passed genotyping quality control in 227 samples from Africa, Asia and Oceania provides genome-wide estimates of allele frequency distribution, population structure and linkage disequilibrium. By comparing the genetic diversity of individual infections with that of the local parasite population, we derive a metric of within-host diversity that is related to the level of inbreeding in the population. An open-access web application has been established for the exploration of regional differences in allele frequency and of highly differentiated loci in the P. falciparum genome
Lancet Infect Dis
No full textBackgroundTo combat Neisseria meningitidis serogroup A epidemics in the meningitis belt of sub-Saharan Africa, a meningococcal serogroup A conjugate vaccine (MACV) has been progressively rolled out since 2010. We report the first meningitis epidemic in Niger since the nationwide introduction of MACV.MethodsWe compiled and analysed nationwide case-based meningitis surveillance data in Niger. Cases were confirmed by culture or direct real-time PCR, or both, of cerebrospinal fluid specimens, and whole-genome sequencing was used to characterise isolates. Information on vaccination campaigns was collected by the Niger Ministry of Health and WHO.FindingsFrom Jan 1 to June 30, 2015, 9367 suspected meningitis cases and 549 deaths were reported in Niger. Among 4301 cerebrospinal fluid specimens tested, 1603 (37\ub73%) were positive for a bacterial pathogen, including 1147 (71\ub75%) that were positive for N meningitidis serogroup C (NmC). Whole-genome sequencing of 77 NmC isolates revealed the strain to be ST-10217. Although vaccination campaigns were limited in scope because of a global vaccine shortage, 1\ub74 million people were vaccinated from March to June, 2015.InterpretationThis epidemic represents the largest global NmC outbreak so far and shows the continued threat of N meningitidis in sub-Saharan Africa. The risk of further regional expansion of this novel clone highlights the need for continued strengthening of case-based surveillance. The availability of an affordable, multivalent conjugate vaccine may be important in future epidemic response.CC999999/Intramural CDC HHS/United State
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