bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
What Leads to Lead
Authors: Bowman James R. , Razi Afshin , Watson Shawna L. , Pearson Jeffrey M. , Hudson Parke W. , Patt Joshua C. , Ames S. Elizabeth , Leddy Lee R. , Khoury Joseph G. , Tubb Creighton C. , McGwin Gerald , Ponce Brent A.
Published: February 2018

Background:

Excessive radiation to health-care providers has been linked to risks of cancer and cataracts, but its negative effects can be substantially reduced by lead aprons, thyroid shields, and leaded glasses. Hospitals are required to provide education and proper personal protective equipment, yet discrepancies exist between recommendations and compliance. This article presents the results of a survey of U.S. orthopaedic surgery residents concerning attitudes toward radiation exposure and personal protective equipment behavior.

Methods:

An invitation to participate in a web-based, anonymous survey was distributed to 46 U.S. allopathic orthopaedic surgery residency programs (1,207 potential resident respondents). The survey was conceptually divided into the following areas: demographic characteristics, training and attitudes concerning occupational hazards, personal protective equipment provision and use, and general safety knowledge. Prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for the association between these characteristics and compliance with thyroid shield or lead gown wear.

Results:

In this study, 518 surveys were received, with 1 survey excluded because of insufficient response, leaving 517 surveys for analysis (42.8% response rate). Ninety-eight percent of residents believed that personal protective equipment should be provided by the hospital or residency program. However, provision of personal protective equipment was not universal, with 33.8% reporting none and 54.2% reporting provision of a gown and thyroid shield. The prevalence of leaded glasses usage was 21%. Poor lead gown compliance and thyroid shield wear were associated with difficulty finding the corresponding equipment: PR, 2.51 (95% CI, 1.75 to 3.62; p < 0.001) for poor lead gown compliance and PR, 2.14 (95% CI, 1.46 to 3.16; p < 0.0001) for poor thyroid shield wear. Not being provided with personal protective equipment was also significantly associated with low compliance with both lead gowns (PR, 1.47 [95% CI, 1.04 to 2.08]; p = 0.03) and thyroid shields (PR, 1.69 [95% CI, 1.18 to 2.41]; p = 0.004). Respondents from the Southeast, West, or Midwest had lower compliance with lead gown usage. Forgetting was the number 1 reason to not wear a lead apron (42%).

Conclusions:

Radiation exposure is associated with increased risk of serious health problems. Our findings identified that the availability of lead personal protective equipment leads to increased compliance among residents surveyed. In addition to yearly occupational hazard training specific to orthopaedic surgery, greater efforts by residency programs and hospitals are needed to improve access to lead personal protective equipment and compliance for orthopaedic residents.
The Role of Extracorporeal Shockwave Treatment in Musculoskeletal Disorders
Authors: Moya Daniel , Ramón Silvia , Schaden Wolfgang , Wang Ching-Jen , Guiloff Leonardo , Cheng Jai-Hong
Published: February 2018

➤ Increasing evidence suggests that extracorporeal shockwave treatment (ESWT) is safe and effective for treating several musculoskeletal disorders.

➤ Two types of technical principles are usually included in ESWT: focused ESWT (F-ESWT) and radial pressure waves (RPW). These 2 technologies differ with respect to their generation devices, physical characteristics, and mechanism of action but share several indications.

➤ Strong evidence supports the use of ESWT in calcifying tendinopathy of the shoulder and plantar fasciitis.

➤ The best evidence for the use of ESWT was obtained with low to medium energy levels for tendon disorders as well as with a high energy level for tendon calcification and bone pathologies in a comprehensive rehabilitation framework.
Computation of Relative Permeability From In-Situ Imaged Fluid Distributions at the Pore Scale
Authors: Zou S.. , Hussain F.. , Arns J.. , Guo Z.. , Arns C. H.
Published: February 2018

Image-based computations of relative permeability require a description of fluid distributions in the pore space. Recent advances in imaging technologies have made it possible to directly resolve actual fluid distributions at the pore scale, thus capturing a large field of view for arbitrary wetting conditions, which are numerically difficult to reproduce. In previous studies, fluid distributions were not imaged under in-situ conditions, which may cause the oil (nonwetting) phase to snap off. Consequently, computed oil relative permeability is underestimated, particularly at low oil saturations. This study extends our previous work by imaging fluid distributions under in-situ conditions as a basis for numerical computations.

In this study, we perform a steady-state flow test on a homogeneous outcrop sandstone (Bentheimer) core. First, the dry core is imaged in our microcomputed-chromatography (micro-CT) facility. Afterward, the core is fully saturated with 0.4 molar sodium iodide (NaI) solutions. The saturated core is then mounted in a specially designed flow cell that allows the flow experiment to be performed with the core mounted on the CT scanner. Afterward, a steady-state injection of oil and brine is performed at four different oil/water-injection ratios. For each injection ratio, steady-state pressure drop is noted, and in-situ fluid distributions are imaged under flow conditions. These imaged fluid distributions are used to compute image-based relative permeability, whereas the measured pressure drops are used to calculate experimental relative permeability.

Results demonstrate that imaging in-situ fluid distributions allows us to overcome significant limitations of our previous work: Namely, measured and computed oil relative permeability are in close agreement across the whole saturation range, and laboratory capillary end effects at the core outlet can be imaged, which allows us to apply a correction to the laboratory-measured data.
Investigation of the thermoviscous liquid flow in a plane channel with a narrowing
Authors: Nizamova A.D. , Kireev V.N. , Urmancheev S.F.
Published: February 2018

In this paper, the problem of the possibility of regulating hydraulic resistance due to local thermal action is considered. The flow of an incompressible liquid with a temperature dependence of the viscosity in a plane channel with a variable cross section and an inhomogeneous temperature field is investigated. The flow velocities profiles of a thermoviscous liquid for a narrowed channel are obtained numerically. Using the example of a thermoviscous liquid flow in a plane channel with a sharp expansion, it is shown that the temperature factor exerts a significant influence on the value of the local resistance coefficient for the variable channel cross-section.
Research of the thermal convection influence on the process of water-in-oil emulsion stratification
Authors: Iulmukhametova R.R. , Tukhbatova E.R. , Musin A.A. , Kovaleva L.A.
Published: February 2018

The results of numerical modeling of the effect of temperature on the dynamics of the water droplets’ sedimentation in a water-in-oil emulsion in the field of gravitational forces are presented in the article. The mathematical model is based on the system of equations of thermal convection in the Boussinesq approximation with the addition of the diffusion equation. The simulation was carried out in the open software platform OpenFOAM by the control volume method. Numerical calculations take into account the thermal convection of the emulsion system. It is shown that the convective flows arising in the liquid affect the process of stratification of the water-in-oil emulsion. To estimate the simulation results dimensionless parameters of Rayleigh and Archimedes were introduced.
Oxidation of Hydroxy- and Dihydroxybenzoic Acids Under the Udenfriend's Conditions. An HPLC Study
Authors: Kuzma Mónika , Kovács Nikoletta , Sziva Lilla , Maász Gábor , Avar Péter , Perjési Pál
Published: February 2018

Background:

Non-enzymatic hydroxylation of aromatic compounds to the respective phenolic derivatives is a possible metabolic pathway of xenobiotics. The formed metabolites can undergo consecutive oxidative reactions with free radicals to form potential toxic molecules.

Objective:

Development of HPLC methods to separate, identify and quantitate the main products formed from salicylic acid, 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid and 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid underin vitrohydroxylation conditions (Udenfriend's system).

Method:

An RP-HPLC-UV-Vis method was developed to separate salicylic acid and isomeric dihydroxybenzoic acids formed in the Udenfriend's system. Confirmation of structures of the oxidized products of salicylic acid, 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid and 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid was performed by HPLC-ESI-MS/MS method.

Results:

The HPLC-UV-Vis method was evaluated for a number of validation characteristics (selectivity, repeatability and intermediate precision, LOD, LOQ and calibration range). It was found that oxidation of salicylic acid resulted in the formation of 2,3- and 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acids. Furthermore, the hydroxylated metabolites can be further metabolized under the Udenfriend’s conditions.

Conclusion:

The results give evidence for possible involvement of the oxidized metabolites of salicylic acid in the development of biological action of salicylates at the site of inflammation, where high hydroxyl radical level can be detected.
Neurological Assessment Using a Quantitative Sensory Test in Patients with Chronic Unilateral Orofacial Pain
Authors: Salame Talal H , Blinkhorn Antony , Karami Zahra
Published: February 2018

Background:

Quantitative Sensory Testing (QST) has been used in clinical and experimental settings to establish sensory assessment for different types of pains, and may be a useful tool for the assessment of orofacial pain, but this premise needs to be tested.

Objective:

The aim of the study was to evaluate responses to thermal stimuli between painful and non-painful facial sites in subjects with orofacial pain using QST.

Methods:

A total of 60 participants (5o females: 28-83 years; 10 males: 44-81 years) with unilateral orofacial pain were recruited from the Orofacial Pain Clinic at the Pain Management and Research Centre, Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, Australia. The study followed the methods of limits of the German Research Network testing four modalities of thermal thresholds, the Warm Sensation, the Cold Sensation, the Heat Pain and the Cold Pain using a TSA-II Neurosensory Analyser. The results were compared to the results from the unaffected side of the same patient on the same area and a single t test statistical analysis was performed, where a p value of less than 0.05 was considered significant.

Results:

The Mean Difference for Cold Sensation between the pain side and the non-pain side was 0.48 °C ± 1.5 (t= 2.466, p=0.017), 0.68 °C ± 2.04 for Warm Sensation (t= -2.573, p= 0.013), 2.56 °C ± 2.74 for Cold Pain (t= 7.238, p<0.001) and -1.21 °C ± 2.59 for Hot Pain (t= -3.639, p=0.001).

Conclusion:

The study showed that QST methods using thermal stimuli could be used to evaluate sensory dysfunction in orofacial pain patients using the specific parameters of cool and warm sensation, and cold and hot pain.
A study on Consumer Reaction on Passenger Car Tyre Selection in Theni
Authors: Chitra S. , Malarvizhi M.
Published: February 2018

This research investigates the consumer reaction on passenger car tyre selection in Theni. This study understanding of consumer needs and wants. Finally I have given some views and suggestions to the company with which they can satisfy the consumer.
Medical Aid in developing countries: creative thinking and a new approach are needed
Authors: De Clercq A. , Meheus A.
Published: February 2018

Not available
The Rational Rebel: How Rational, How Rebellious? Some African Examples
Authors: Buytenhuys Rob
Published: February 2018

My aim in this article is to evaluate some general statements on civil violence, and more particularly on the purposefulness of collective action and on the alleged rationality that moves social actors launching rebellion. With the use of African examples, examples that are too seldom taken into account in theoretical explanations of violent conflict, it is shown that rationality in collective action can certainly not be dismissed out of hand, but that some caveats have to be entered into the argument: some African rebels, although acting rationaly, base themselves on completely erroneous information, while in other cases social actors consciously opt for life or a career as a rebel, but out of motives that anything but "revolutionary ".KEY WORDS: Civil violence, Rational choice theory, Africa South of the Sahara.
New private media in French-speaking West African Countries: Problems and Prospects
Authors: Frère Marie-Soleil
Published: February 2018

In this paper, we will try to take a closer look at the rise of the democratic transition in two French-speaking West African countries: Benin, often referred to as "the country where it all started", and Niger that can be considered as one of the weak copies of the Beninese model. In the first part of the paper, we will try to show how the democratic experiment took place in both countries and how private and government-owned media came to play an active role in all main political changes. In the second part, we will take a closer look at the role of the new private written press in the democratic transition and try to mention the main problems facing both the press and the democracy implementation. Eventually, we will mention the recent political events that occurred in Benin and Niger, showing that the democratic process has generated very different outcomes.KEYWORDS: Africa, Benin, Niger, democracy, press, mass-media, democratic transition
Legal Intervention in Planning Regulations: Cooper v Wandsworth in a West African Context
Authors: Mensah Kwadwo B.
Published: February 2018

One of the most important problems facing many West African cities in recent times is rapid and seemingly uncontrollable urbanization '. The enormous pressure which these developments have had on public systems in general - sanitation, sewage, housing, health care and transport, has forced many cities to think of innovative ways of handling these crisis. Planning departments with substantial expertise in urban problems, are being set up or are being re-organized to meet these new challenges. The powers that planning departments have, and their impact on the lives of ordinary citizens cannot be over-estimated. To prevent abuse of power and to make them responsive to the needs of citizens, several methods are used to control them. Judicial review of administrative actions is the legal method used to control many public bodies in English speaking West African countries. In this article, I shall argue that in spite of its strengths, there is a general tendency to use judicial review to protect common law values like individual proprietary rights against the claims of state institutions. In West Africa, because of the weakness of public institutions, the intervention of the law, while protecting important private rights may hamper administrative effectiveness. Anticipating the use of the leading English case, Cooper v Wandsworth2 in reviewing planning decisions in West Africa, I shall conclude that such a position may not only diminish administrative effectiveness, but it may also diminish property rights.KEY WORDS: Planning, Administrative Effectiveness, Common Law in West Africa, Cooper v Wandsworth, Statutory Interpretation.
Nationality in the Belgian Congo: Construction and Imagination
Authors: De Meester Tom
Published: February 2018

This article discusses nationality law in the Belgian Congo and analyses theoretical disputes in the contemporary legal literature concerning issues of nationality and racial segregation in colonial society. The Belgian nationality of the black inhabitants of the Congo region is depicted as mere rhetoric, since it did not protect them from racial segregation and severe discrimination. The minor importance of national boundaries in colonial society and the domination of social reality by a hegemonic racial idiom were reflected in an insufficient and inaccurate nationality law. Colonial law and regulations moreover, were built around racial categories the mutual boundaries of which were not clearly defined. KEY WORDS : Congo, colonial law, nationality law, racial domination, colonial discourse
The Daasanech of South-Western Ethiopia: Concepts around Prosperity and Misfortune
Authors: Houtteman Yvan
Published: February 2018

The question that is taken up in this lecture is how models which deal with prosperity and misfortune and with sickness and health are related to action-models of restoration and defence. I try to illuminate the connections between the experience of cosmos, body and social world, between rituals and the prosperity of the individual and his social group. Misfortune is always a consequence of a broken relationship between man and the social and cosmic order. As such, it can be seen as a "magical"punishment because of "wrong" behaviour. To restore health is to take away the punishment through appropriate action in which both the offender and the victim (or his social group) are involved. Starting from a short explication of the social, cosmic and bodily models, I concentrate on the concepts that deal with the causes of sickness and infertility and focus on some of the principles that shape the restauration-rituals.KEYWORDS: Daasanech, medical anthropology, rituals, body, cosmos
The Settlement of the Grassfields:Archeological Research in the West of Cameroon
Authors: Lavachery Philippe
Published: February 2018

Until recently the Grassfields (Western Cameroon), cradle of the Bantu languages, were an unknown zone from an archaeological point of view. The excavations of Shum Laka rock shelter offer the first chrono-cultural sequence for the area. After 20 millenniums of microlithic (Late Stone Age) traditions of hunter-gatherers, a new culture with macrolithic tools, pottery and arboriculture (Stone to Metal Age) slowly developed from 6000 BC onwards. Correlation with palaeo-climatic and historical linguistic data suggests that proto-Benue-Congo and, later, proto-Bantu speakers could have been involved in these industries. KEYWORDS: archeology, Cameroon, grassfields, proto-Bantu
Suggesting reconciliation at the hearings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission
Authors: Verdoolaege Annelies
Published: February 2018

The South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) took place under unique circumstances and in a very particular historical context. This article will explore how such a specific kind of reality gave rise to a specific kind of discourse, a so-called 'reconciliation discourse'. On the one hand, this discourse offered the apartheid victims a lot of opportunities regarding linguistic expression. On the other hand, though, this discourse was also regimented and limited to a certain extent. By means of fragments from the TRC victim testimonies, this article will deal with one aspect of this linguistic manipulation, namely the introduction of the concept of reconciliation. In the first part of the article, I will explain which linguistic methods were used during the TRC hearings in order to emphasize the notion of reconciliation in the narratives of the testifying victims. In doing so, a lot of attention will be paid to the concrete interaction between the testifiers and the TRC commissioners. In a second part, I will try to investigate why the construction of this specific reconciliation discourse was necessary in the South African context. We will see that, amongst others, also political considerations played a role in the control exercised over the discourse of the TRC victims. In this way, we will understand that the reconciliation discourse of the Commission was a reflection of a very ambiguous social attitude: this discourse had to reveal as much as possible about the apartheid past - and this in a manner as spontaneous, as transparent and as open as possible -, but it also had to be adapted to certain socio-political needs. This will tell us that also a quasi-judicial institution such as the TRC involves an inevitable interplay between language on the one hand and ideology and society on the other.Key Words: South Africa, Truth and Reconciliation Commission, victim testimonies, critical discourse analysis, reconciliation, apartheid
Highlights in the geological Research of central East Africa
Authors: Van den Haute Peter
Published: February 2018

The present paper offers a general view of the geological history of central East Africa. It is meant to inform persons involved in all kinds of African research about the physical background of this enormous continent. As the text is intended for people with no specific training in the earth sciences, an extensive introductory part has been dedicated to the general principles and methods of historical geology. The principle of superposition and the meaning of a major unconformity are shortly explained. Also the significance of fossils and of radiometric dating is elucidated with respect to the reconstruction of geological history. Further on a general outline is given of the great mountain belts of the African continent dating back from thé earliest geological times (Precambrian), followed by a more detailed discussion of these belts in central East Africa. As to the younger structures of this region, attention has been focused on the large elongated furrow known as the East African rift. The major characteristics of this important feature in the earth's crust are described and its genesis is briefly discussed. KEYWORDS : Central East Africa, geological structure, Precambrian, rift.
ETHIOPIA: FROM A CENTRALISED MONARCHY TO A FEDERAL REPUBLIC
Authors: Van der Beken Christophe
Published: February 2018

Although the Ethiopian state traces its roots back to the empire of Axum in the first centuries AD, the modern Ethiopian state took shape in the second half of the 19th century. During that period the territory of the Ethiopian empire expanded considerably. Several ethnic groups were incorporated into the empire and the foundations for a strong, centralised state were laid. Centralisation of authority in the hands of the emperor and a strategy of nation building that denied the ethnic diversity of Ethiopian society characterised the rule of Emperor Haile Selassie. At the same time, these elements contributed to its decline. Haile Selassie was ultimately deposed by a military committee in 1974. This announced the end of the Ethiopian monarchy and the transformation of the Ethiopian state, following the Marxist model. In spite of Marxist-Leninist attention to the 'nationalities issue', Ethiopia remained a centralised state, dominated by one ethnic identity. This gave rise to increasing resistance from various regional and ethnic liberation movements. The combined effort of these movements caused the fall of military rule in May 1991. The new regime, which was dominated by ethnically organised parties, initiated a radical transformation of the Ethiopian state structure that leads to the establishment of a federation in 1995.Key Words: Ethiopia, Political Development, Constitutional Development, State Structure
From “Patrimoine partagé” to “whose heritage”? Critical reflections on colonial built heritage in the city of Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Authors: Lagae Johan
Published: February 2018

This paper questions the binary structure of the notion “shared heritage”/ “patrimoine partagé” that has emerged in recent debates on built heritage in former colonial territories. In the discourses of, for instance, ICOMOS, the notion stands for a heritage “shared” by former “colonizers” and former “colonized”, both categories being considered – albeit often implicitly – as homogenous entities. In line with Stuart Hall, I will argue for an approach to colonial built heritage that takes up the more complex nature of the question “whose heritage?” By focusing on the remarkable colonial built architecture of the city of Lubumbashi, situated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, I will make a plea for re-thinking and re-positioning this legacy as a critical filter between colonial history and postcolonial memory, thus extending traditional standards of documenting built legacy through formal description and physical assessment that often isolate buildings from their urban as well as historical contexts (social, economic, cultural and/or political). Being influenced by the work of the Mémoires de Lubumbashi-group as well as recent scholarship in the field of architectural history informed by postcolonial studies, the approach on built heritage presented here is twofold. On the one hand, a plea is made to link the city’s urban form to colonial history by relating it to the cosmopolitan society that produced and experienced it. On the other hand, an approach is suggested that acknowledges how specific urban places and buildings in the city are currently being re-appropriated as “lieux de mémoire” by a variety of agents that do not necessarily (want to) share this heritage.Key words: Colonial Architecture, Built Heritage, Democratic Republic Congo, Lubumbashi
African Botanical Heritage for New Crop Development
Authors: Van Damme Patrick , Termote Céline
Published: February 2018

The African continent is rather poor in plant biodiversity when compared to other continents on and around the equator. Nevertheless, lots of useful plant species have been domesticated from Sub-Sahara Africa material. Ethnobotanical research offers the possibility to collect information on the use and utility of wild plant species from traditional peoples often living in or close to a challenging natural environment. This type of information then allows us to find new candidates for domestication and subsequent crop development for income generation and increased food security. The case of Gnetum africanum illustrates the practical implications of developing a lesser-known species, and highlights the institutional problems that go together with niche crop development. The latter are subsequently presented and discussed in extenso, and solutions proposed in a second part of this review text. Key words: Ethnobotany, Domestication, Non-timber Forest Product, Value Chain, Marketing
Governance, violence and the struggle for economic regulation in South Sudan: the case of Budi County (Eastern Equatoria)
Authors: Walraet Anne
Published: February 2018

This article analyses how Budi County in Eastern Equatoria State (South Sudan) was governed during the 1990s and up to mid-2007. Because its capital Chukudum was the SPLM/A headquarters almost throughout that period, it provides us with an interesting case from which to explore how the SPLM/A governed during the war and how this impacts on the post-war peace. One observation is that the war, besides a period of devastation and human suffering, was also a time of economic opportunities and social differentiation. For that reason this article will also explore livestock trade as a new mode of wealth appropriation and the changing nature of cattle raiding, and how this interferes with the struggle for regulatory power and governable “spaces”. This means that we comprehend the economy as a political terrain. At the same time we leave room for sociological perspectives, to complement the more restricted “competition for resources and gains” approach to conflict and violence. The article is written in three sections. In the first section we briefly clarify why in 1999 there was an uprising in Budi County against SPLM/A rule and why it engendered massive local support. In the second section we examine one of the most destructive manifestations of violence that affect Budi county: cattle raiding. We look at it from a perspective that has been under-researched in the eld: that of trans-border trade. In the last section we look at how, after the peace of 2005, newly appointed local government authorities are (re)claiming do- mains of state regulation that previously lay rmly in the hands of the military. Particular attention is given to the capacity of the local authorities to guarantee security and provide protection. Key words: governance, violent conflict, regulatory power, trans-border trade, South Sudan Eastern Equatoria
The lack of refugee burden-sharing in Tanzania: tragic effects
Authors: Morel Michèle
Published: February 2018

The United Republic of Tanzania has been and currently still is one of the most important host countries in the world for refugees. The majority of those refugees have been living in camps for many years and have no prospect of a durable solution of their situation via repatriation, integration or resettlement. As a result, Tanzania is confronted with protracted refugee situations. The purpose of this article is to answer the question who is responsible for the plight of these refugees. Tanzania’s national refugee policy since the 1960s is analysed, whereby a clear evolution can be observed from an ‘Open Door’ policy to a policy with heavy restrictions and the absence of local integration as a durable solution. However, it will be concluded that it is not Tanzania but the international community that is to be held responsible. There is a lack of international refugee burden-sharing, as evidenced by the lack of an international legal framework for durable solutions for refugees. A ‘common but differentiated responsibility’ should be the basis of international cooperation to solve protracted refugee situations such as those occurring in Tanzania. Key words: African Great Lakes region, protracted refugee situations, national policy
Adansonia digitata L. – A review of traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology
Authors: De Caluwé Emmy , Halamová Kateřina , Van Damme Patrick
Published: February 2018

Baobab (Adansonia digitata L., Malvaceae) is a multi-purpose tree species native to Africa. Its fruit pulp has very high vitamin C content (ffi ten times that of orange), and can be used in seasoning, as an appetizer and to make juices. Seeds contain appreciable quantities of crude protein, digestible carbohydrates and oil, whereas they have high levels of lysine, thiamine, Ca and Fe. They can be eaten fresh or dried, ground into flour and thus added to soups and stews. Processing eliminates a number of anti-nutritional factors present in the seed. Baobab leaves are superior in nutritional quality to fruit pulp, and contain significant levels of vitamin A. The leaves are a staple for many populations in Africa, and are eaten fresh or dried. Several plant parts have interesting anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and baobab has been used extensively since ancient times in traditional medicine. Key words: Baobab, Adansonia digitata L., traditional use, phytochemistry, pharmacology, amino acids, fatty acids, minerals, vitamins, anti-nutritional factors
Building the Rainbow Nation. A critical analysis of the role of architecture in materializing a post-apartheid South African identity
Authors: Raedt Kim
Published: February 2018

Soon after apartheid was abolished in 1994, the quest for a new, ‘authentic’ South African identity resulted in the emergence of the "Rainbow Nation" idea, picturing an equal, multicultural and reconciled society. As architecture is considered a crucial element in the promotion of this Rainbow identity, the country witnessed a remarkable "building boom" with its apogee roughly between 1998 and 2010. Huge investments have been made in state-driven projects which place the apartheid memory at the center of the architectural debate – mostly museums and memorials. However, the focus of this paper shall lie on another, less highlighted tendency in current architectural practice. This paper demonstrates that, through the construction of urban community services, South African architects attempt to materialize the Rainbow Nation in a way that might be closer to the everyday reality of society. Key words: architecture, post apartheid, Cape Town, South Africa, identity
Social impact and impoverishment risks of the Koga irrigation scheme, Blue Nile basin, Ethiopia
Authors: Eguavoen Irit , Tesfai Weyni
Published: February 2018

The Koga project is the first new large-scale irrigation scheme in the Blue Nile river basin since the 1970s and may thus serve as an example of the tremendous changes of landscape and livelihood that are accompanying current water development projects in Ethiopia. This article analyzes the impoverishment risks arising out of the development-induced relocation of households in Koga. Following the Impoverishment Risk and Reconstruction model, seven of eight impoverish- ment risks could be identified, namely temporal landlessness, homelessness, joblessness, social marginalization, loss of household assets, social disarticulation and food insecurity, though the majority of relocated households succeeded in moving to other rural areas and did not face the challenges caused by urbanization. The Koga project and the local municipality undertook activities to reverse the impoverishment risk for the relocated households, but focused on the recon- struction of material livelihood assets (land, houses and compensation). The extent of rural-urban migration as a result of the project was underestimated. Proactive activities by the affected households succeeded in reducing their risk of impoverishment if they were informed early enough about the irrigation project. Key words: development-induced displacement, impoverishment risk, irrigation, Ethiopia
Beyond vegetative propagation of indigenous fruit trees: case of Dacryodes edulis (G. Don) H. J. Lam and Allanblackia floribunda Oliv.
Authors: Asaah Ebenazar K. , Tchoundjeu Zac , Van Damme Patrick
Published: February 2018

Indigenous fruits/nuts of Africa’s humid tropics are increasingly being recognized for their contribution to food security, health (nutrition/medicine), income generation, employment and environmental benefits. However, cultivation of the trees yielding these fruits/nuts is constrained by lack of improved planting materials that are true-to-type and have a short enough juvenile phase to fruit production. In addition, information on both above and belowground growth attributes of these species is scarce. This paper presents an overview of the results of a doctoral research fo- cused on two African indigenous fruit tree species, i.e. Dacryodes edulis (G. Don) H. J. Lam (Burser- aceae) and Allanblackia oribunda Oliv. (Clusiaceae), which are currently under domestication. For D. edulis, the objective was to assess and compare the structural and ne rooting systems together with the above ground growth attributes of fruiting trees propagated either sexually or vegetatively. The research aim for A. oribunda was to shorten the long juvenile phase before first fruiting through grafting techniques. In summary, the results from the studies on D. edulis suggest that vegetative propagation of the species, reduces the long juvenile phase to fruiting and maintains trueness in the transfer of desirable traits over generations, it also results in trees that are apparently less competitive for below ground resources, have more stable root system, and are bigger in stature and higher in carbon sinks compared to trees of seed origin. In parallel, A. oribunda was shown to be amenable to grafting both under nursery and field (in situ) conditions. Furthermore, a grafted A. oribunda tree transplanted in the field in 2007, flowered and carried a single fruit to maturity after 4 years, thereby reducing the long juvenile period to first fruit production from about 10-12 years reported in literature to less than 5 years. The findings of this doctoral research are therefore pertinent to efforts towards indigenous fruit/nut tree domestication. However, research should be confirmed as it can be considered a pilot study, one that aims to obtain insights into the effect of vegetative propagation methods on above and below ground growth and development of improved planting materials of D. edulis and A. oribunda under domestication.Key words: carbon sequestration, cuttings, diversification, domestication, vegetative propagation
Town, village and bush: war and cultural landscapes in south-eastern Angola (1966-2002)
Authors: Brinkman Inge
Published: February 2018

In most of the literature on the subject, urban and rural areas are presented as real physical entities that are geographically determined. Obviously such an approach is important and necessary, but in this contribution I want to draw attention to ‘the urban’ and ‘the rural’ as ideas, as items of cultural landscape rather than as physical facts. This will result both in a history of ideas and a social history of the war in Angola as experienced by civilians from the south-eastern part of the country. The article is based on a case-study that deals with the history of south-east Angola, an area that was in a state of war from 1966 to 2002. In the course of the 1990s I spoke with immigrants from this region who were resident in Rundu, Northern Namibia, mostly as illegal refugees. In our conversations the immigrants explained how the categories ‘town’ and ‘country’ came into being during colonialism and what changes occurred after the war started. They argued that during the war agriculture in the countryside became well-nigh impossible and an opposition between ‘town’ and ‘bush’ came into being that could have lethal consequences for the civilian population living in the region. This case-study on south-east Angola shows the importance of a historical approach to categories such as ‘urbanity’ and ‘rurality’ as such categories may undergo relatively rapid change – in both discourse and practice. Key words: landscape (town, country and bush), war, south-east Angola
Norms, self-interest and effectiveness: explaining double standards in EU reactions to violations of democratic principles in Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Del Biondo Karen
Published: February 2018

Democracy promotion is often criticized for its double standards: in some countries, negative measures (public criticism, sanctions) are used, while in other countries there is a preference for positive measures (incentives, dialogue and capacity building). While such double standards have also been observed in European Union (EU) policies (Brummer, 2009; Warkotsch, 2008), few studies have thoroughly investigated the reasons for these double standards, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa.
HIV prevention for young people in Sub-Saharan Africa: effectiveness of interventions and areas for improvement. Evidence from Rwanda
Authors: Michielsen Kristien
Published: February 2018

These conclusions and recommendations mainly affect five parties: researchers, intervention managers, evaluators, funders and scientific journal editors. Given the absence of a vaccine or a cure, the focus remains on preventing HIV transmission. By analysing existing data on the determinants of the complex sexual behaviour of young people and their causal pathways, and by gathering additional information, researchers should make unprecedented efforts to develop alternative and more effective interventions. Accepting the complexity of sexual behaviour of young people, also means dealing with a considerable degree of uncertainty and flexibility. Intervention development, impleme tation and evaluation are to be considered inseparable: results of effectiveness evaluations should be considered of little use if no information is provided on the intervention or its implementation and vice versa. Since the evaluation should be an integral part of the intervention, intervention managers and evaluators need to work in close collaboration, without suspicion. Donors have to accept that a complex intervention cannot be designed beforehand, but requires a process approach that maps risky behaviours, dominant predictors, causal pathways and key stakeholders. This pre-intervention research should be considered a fundamental part of the intervention and donors should be aware that effectiveness depends on this phase, hence funding should be made available. In this process, reality, and not morality, should be at the forefront: young people should be approached as responsible individuals who are able to make their own decisions and need to be made competent to ensure their choice to (not) have sexual intercourse is made autonomous, without coercion or regret and with the necessary in-depth knowl- edge of risks. This requires a change in attitudes of all stakeholders involved. A complex intervention approach also means that the intervention is monitored and can be changed during its course, resulting in the need for flexible, mixed and triangulated evaluation approaches (“combination evaluation”) and flexible funding strategies. Scientific journals have the responsibility to make innovative approaches public, even though they might not be considered most rigorous by current scientific standards, as well as allow for elaborate reports on intervention development and implementation. We are convinced this can be done if all parties remain conscious of the ultimate objective; eradicating HIV among the important and vulnerable population of young people.
Airway function in healthy and chronic respiratory diseased. An observational cohort study in Rwanda
Authors: Musafiri Sanctus
Published: February 2018

This is the rst study which shows the prevalence of atopy, asthma and COPD in Rwanda. Asthma and COPD were respectively diagnosed in 8.9% and 4.5% of the participants. COPD was diagnosed in 9.6% of the subjects aged ≥ 45 years and was higher among current smokers (11.2%). Spirometric reference values in our study were nearly similar to those for black Americans by Hankinson. Considering the similarities of the Great Lake regions inhabitants, the reference equations obtained in Rwanda population can be used in neighbouring countries while waiting for further studies in the region.
Wolf in sheep’s clothing? The interpretation and application of the equality guarantee under the Ethiopian constitution
Authors: Bulto Takele Soboka
Published: February 2018

Constitutionally prohibited grounds of differentiation are normally allowed to command the deserved heightened degree of deference before they are set aside in the implementation of the equality guarantee which underpins the remainder of the ‘Bill of Rights.’ So, too, emphasis should be placed on the imperatives of walking the tight rope in reconciling and balancing competing interests that have a legitimate claim to equal attention in order that the equality guarantee is translated into practice. Nevertheless, the obiter dicta of the House of the Federation in the Benishagul Gumuz decision too easily dispensed with explicit constitutional prohibition of distinctions based on attributes such as language and ethnic origin and legitimated the use of the working language of a regional state as a criterion for candidacy in future elections. The driving motive appears to be to promote (the right to) the use of indigenous languages of each regional state as the official working language, a right that has been denied to the great majority of the nations, nationalities and peoples of the country. This paper explores the conceptual and normative underpinnings of the right to equality, in the light of which it argues that the House of the Federation has erroneously responded to one threat with another. The crux of the contention is that instead of devising ways that uphold every citizen’s right to the use of one’s language anywhere in the country, it takes away the same rights from the non-indigenes of the various regional states, thereby consigning them to the fate either of forced assimilation or permanent exclusion from elections in the path towards public office. Key words: equality, discrimination, language rights, Ethiopian constitution, Constitutional interpretation, Benishangul Gumuz, election, right to vote, ethnic federalism
Editorial
Authors: Bogaert Koen
Published: February 2018

To conclude, I want to refer briefly to the content of our next issue. Ray Bush’s article for example can be read with Žižek’s notion of objective violence hovering in the background. We also have three other interesting articles on a diverse range of topics: urbanization and its comparative elements, music as a point of social connection in the post-colonial city of Lisbon, and the Equality Guarantee under the Ethiopian Constitution. Also, we publish three reports based on recently completed doctoral research. Finally, AF is now also active on some of the main social media networks, Facebook, Twitter, and Academia.Edu, an academic social media networ
Teacher and learner beliefs and expectations about English language teaching and learning at a Mozambican university
Authors: Nhapulo Marcos Abilio
Published: February 2018

Recent studies have suggested that teacher and learner beliefs about second language instruction have a significant influence on language teaching and learning process and, consequently, on students’ achievements. However, in the Mozambican context, we still do not have studies focusing on learner and teacher beliefs about students and language proficiency, about teaching materials, about individual and cultural variations and beliefs about the learning process itself. Using ques- tionnaires and a focus group report, we look at the Mozambican linguistic profile, the learner and teacher beliefs and their influence in tertiary English Language Teaching (ELT) and learning. The results show that there is a need for creating an environment in which teachers’ and learners’ cultural background, beliefs and needs are considered so as to enable teachers to teach effectively, as well as enabling learners to achieve positive learning outcomes. Key words: beliefs, expectations, English Language Teaching, Mozambican students, Mozambique, second language learning
Quel régime politique pour les états Africains : le cas du Togo
Authors: Koupokpa Elisée Tikonimbé
Published: February 2018

As it is the case for most of the African countries, Togo is looking for a constitutional system that ts its political, social and cultural realities. The 1990s were considered as a period of democratic revival, and from those years onwards the constitutional organization was directed towards a parliamentary type of regime which was rightfully or wrongfully seen as an instrument whereby the head of state's powers were limited. However, the unfortunate result of this kinds of organization of the political powers leads to another constitutional system which is more likely to be presidential. Key words: political regime, parliamentary Regime, presidential regime, head of state, president of the republic, prime minister, counterbalance
De Congo Codes
Authors: Verdoolaege Annelies
Published: February 2018

Ik heb dit boek met zeer veel plezier en aandacht gelezen. De Congo Codes is een boek dat heel vlot leest en dat voor een blanke Afrikanist als ikzelf voortdurend momenten van herkenning oproept. Allemaal proberen we Congo, en bij uitbreiding het Afrikaanse conti- nent, te vatten en we staan ook wel open voor andere gebruiken en cultuuruitingen. Noch- tans maken velen van ons dezelfde fouten als Dirk-Jan Koch: we maken op een naïeve ma- nier foto’s in een Congolese stad, we ergeren ons aan corruptie zonder de sociaal-culturele context te kennen, en we veronderstellen dat etnische strubbelingen niet meer van deze tijd zijn. Steeds weer moeten we onthouden alles in een culturele context te zien en moeten we onszelf eraan herinneren begrip op te brengen voor een andere manier van redeneren. Een training in antropologie zou verplicht moeten zijn voor iedereen die naar Afrika gaat – diplomaat, academicus, bedrijfsleider of ontwikkelingswerker. Een terugkerend verhaal is ook dat Congo niet (of niet enkel) behoefte heeft aan geld; het verschil wordt gemaakt door structurele beslissingen en internationale afspraken, zoals het aanpakken van de wa- penhandel en de handel in con ictmineralen. Daarnaast is ook het werken met competente en bevlogen mensen noodzakelijk, zowel binnen de ngo-sector, diplomatieke diensten, de kunstensector, de journalistiek als de ambtenarij.