Relics of eclogite facies assemblages in the Ceara Central Domain, NW Borborema Province, NE Brazil: Implications for the assembly of West Gondwana

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Adaptive, convergent origins of the pygmy phenotype in African rainforest hunter-gatherers

Tropical rainforest hunter-gatherer populations worldwide share the pygmy phenotype, or small human body size. The evolutionary history of this phenotype is largely unknown. Here we studied DNA from the Batwa, a rainforest hunter-gatherer population from east central Africa, to identify regions of the Batwa genome that underlie the pygmy phenotype. We then performed population genomic analyses to study the evolution of these regions, including comparisons with the Baka, a west central African rainforest hunter-gatherer population. We conclude that the pygmy phenotype likely arose due to positive natural selection and that it arose possibly multiple times within Africa. These results support longstanding anthropological hypotheses that small body size confers an important selective advantage for human rainforest hunter-gatherers.

Southern, Central, & Eastern Africa, 1655 (Raster Image)

This layer is a georeferenced raster image of the historic paper map entitled: Basse Aethiopie, qui comprend les Royaume de Congo, coste, et pays des Cafres, empires du Monomatapa, Monoemugi : la coste deça le Cap Negre est tirée en partie de Samuel Blommaert ; en dela, avecq l'Isle de Madagascar, de Sanuto ; le dedans du pays, d'autres, par N. Sanson. I. Somer Pruthenus Sculp. It was published by Chez Pierre Mariette in 1655. Scale [ca. 1:11,250,000]. Covers portions of Southern, Central, and Eastern Africa. Map in French.The image inside the map neatline is georeferenced to the surface of the earth and fit to the Africa Sinusoidal projected coordinate system. All map collar and inset information is also available as part of the raster image, including any inset maps, profiles, statistical tables, directories, text, illustrations, index maps, legends, or other information associated with the principal map. This map shows features such as drainage, cities and other human settlements, territorial boundaries, shoreline features, and more. Relief shown pictorially.This layer is part of a selection of digitally scanned and georeferenced historic maps from the Harvard Map Collection. These maps typically portray both natural and manmade features. The selection represents a range of originators, ground condition dates, scales, and map purposes.

Southern, Central, & Eastern Africa, ca. 1730 (Raster Image)

This layer is a georeferenced raster image of the historic paper map entitled: Carte de l'Afrique meridionale : ou pays entre la ligne & le cap de Bonne Esperance et l'isle de Madagascar, par la veuve de Nicolas Visscher avec privilege. It was published by Chez Henry de Leth, Marchand de l'Estampes près de la Boursse ca. 1730. Scale [ca. 1:12,250,000]. Covers portions of Southern, Central, and Eastern Africa. Map in French and Dutch.The image inside the map neatline is georeferenced to the surface of the earth and fit to the Africa Sinusoidal projected coordinate system. All map collar and inset information is also available as part of the raster image, including any inset maps, profiles, statistical tables, directories, text, illustrations, index maps, legends, or other information associated with the principal map. This map shows features such as drainage, cities and other human settlements, territorial boundaries, shoreline features, and more. Relief shown pictorially. Includes notes and insets: [Cabo de Bon Esperanca], Elevation du port et Mont Table au Cap de Bonne Esperance and Plan du port et Mont Table au Cap de Bonne Esperance.This layer is part of a selection of digitally scanned and georeferenced historic maps from the Harvard Map Collection. These maps typically portray both natural and manmade features. The selection represents a range of originators, ground condition dates, scales, and map purposes.

Mineralogical (bulk rock and clay fraction) and stable isotope composition (d13C, d18O) of Aptian deposits of the Bir Oum Ali succession, central Tunisia

Alternations between siliciclastic, carbonate and evaporitic sedimentary systems, as recorded in the Aptian mixed succession of southern Tunisia, reflect profound palaeoceanographic and palaeoclimatic changes in this area of the southern Tethyan margin. The evolution from Urgonian-type carbonates (Berrani Formation, lower Aptian) at the base of the series, to intervals dominated by gypsum or detrital deposits in the remainder of the Aptian is thought to result from the interplay between climate change and tectonic activity that affected North Africa. Based on the evolution of clay mineral assemblages, the early Aptian is interpreted as having been dominated by slightly humid conditions, since smectitic minerals are observed. Near the early to late Aptian boundary, the onset of a gypsiferous sedimentation is associated with the appearance of palygorskite and sepiolite, which supports the installation of arid conditions in this area of the southern Tethyan margin. The evaporitic sedimentation may have also been promoted by the peculiar tectonic setting of the Bir Oum Ali area during the Aptian, where local subsidence may have been tectonically enhanced linked to the opening of northern and central Atlantic. Stress associated with the west and central African rift systems may have triggered the development of NW-SE, hemi-graben structures. Uplifted areas may have constituted potential new sources for clastic material that has been subsequently deposited during the late Aptian. Chemostratigraphic (d13C) correlation of the Bir Oum Ali succession with other peri-Tethyan regions complements biostratigraphic findings, and indicates that a potential expression of the Oceanic Anoxic Event (OAE) 1a may be preserved in this area of Tunisia. Although the characteristic negative spike at the base of this event is not recognized in the present study, a subsequent, large positive excursion with d13C values is of similar amplitude and absolute values to that reported from other peri-Tethyan regions, thus supporting the identification of isotopic segments C4-C7 of the OAE1a. The absence of the negative spike may be linked to either non preservation or non deposition: the OAE1a occurred in a global transgressive context, and since the Bir Oum Ali region was located in the innermost part of the southern Tethyan margin during most of the Aptian, stratigraphic hiatuses may have been longer than in other regions of the Tethys. This emphasizes the importance of integrating several stratigraphic disciplines (bio-, chemo- and sequence stratigraphy) when performing long-distance correlation.

Terecô: uma tradição negro-brasileira

Esta pesquisa tem por objetivo fazer um estudo sobre uma tradição negro-Brasileira denominada de Terecô que existe no estado do Maranhão, especificamente na comunidade Santo Inácio, localizada no município de Pedro do Rosário (Baixada Maranhense). Não busco neste trabalho definir o que é o Terecô, mas o que faz o Terecô, tentando demonstrar a heterogeneidade e flexibilidade, características da tradição centro-africana, presentes também no Terecô. Tais características são dinâmicas, agregadoras e vitais para a preservação, continuidade e deslocamento desta tradição e não algo desagregador, pobre e inerte. Tomando como base a definição de reposição cultural negra Brasileira de Muniz Sodré haverá, inicialmente, uma breve revisão histórica sobre o processo de entrada de Africanos escravizados no Maranhão. Além disso, haverá uma apresentação geral doTerecô. Em seguida, debruço-me sobre a comunidade estudada: o Terecô que é brincado por aquela gente e a festa tradicional no terreiro. Por fim, um breve relato sobre a perseguição e o preconceito, por parte do Estado e da sociedade, em relação aos Terecozeiros, devido ao seu caráter flexível e heterogêneo. Por causa destas características, alguns intelectuais e estudiosos das tradições negras Brasileiras consideram o Terecô como sendo menos puro e menos africano.

乍得西南部中新生代火山作用与盆地演化

Located in the Central and West African, Chad, which is not well geological explored, is characterized by Mesozoic- Cenozoic intra-continental rift basins. The boreholes exposed that, during Mesozoic-Cenozoic times, volcanic activities were intense in these basins, but study on volcanic rocks is very weak, especially on those embedded in rift basins, and so far systematic and detailed work has still no carried out. Based on the project of China National Oil and Gas Exploration and Development Corporation, “The analysis of reservoir condition and the evaluation of exploration targets of seven basins in block H in Chad”, and the cooperative project between Institute of Geology and Geophysics, CAS and CNPC International (Chad) Co. Ltd., “Chronology and geochemistry studies on Mesozoic-Cenozoic volcanic rocks from southwestern Chad Basins”, systematic geochronology, geochemistry and Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic geochemistry studies on volcanic rocks from southwestern Chad basins have been done in the thesis for the first time. Detailed geochronological study using whole-rock K-Ar and Ar-Ar methods shows the mainly eruption ages of these volcanic rocks are Late Cretaceous- Paleogene. Volcanic rocks in the well Nere-1 and Figuier-1 from Doba basin are products of the Late Cretaceous which majority of the K-Ar (Ar-Ar) ages fall in the interval 95-75 Ma, whereas volcanic rocks in the well Ronier-1 from Bongor Basin and the Well Acacia-1 from Lake Chad Basin formed in the Paleogene which the ages concentrated in 66-52Ma. Two main periods of volcanic activity can be recognized in the study area, namely, the Late Cretaceous period and the Paleogene period. Volcanic activities have a general trend of south to north migration, but this may be only a local expression, and farther future studies should be carried on. Petrology study exhibits these volcanic rocks from southwestern Chad basins are mainly tholeiitic basalt. Major- and trace elements as well as Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic geochemistry studies show that the late Cretaceous and the Paleogene basalts have a definitely genetic relationship, and magmas which the basalts in southwestern Chad basins derived from were produced by fractional crystallization of olivine and clinopyroxene and had not do suffered from crustal contamination. These basalts are prominently enriched light rare earth elements (LREE), large-ion lithophile elements (LILE) and high field strength elements (HFSE) and depleted compatible elements. They have positive Ba, Pb, Sr, Nb, Ta, Zr, Hf anomalies and negative Th, U, P,Y anomalies. It is possible that the basalts from southwestern Chad basins mainly formed by mixing of depleted mantle (DM) and enriched mantle (EMⅡ) sources. The late Cretaceous basalts have higher (87Sr/86Sr)i ratios than the Paleogene basalts’, whereas have lower (143Nd/144Nd)i ratios than the latter, showing a significant temporal evolution. The mantle sources of the Late Cretaceous basalts may have more enriched mantle(EMⅡ) compositions, whereas those of the Paleogene basalts are relatively more asthenospheric mantle (DM) components. The mantle components with temporal change observed in basalts from Chad basins were probably correlated with the asthenospheric mantle upwelling and lithospheric thinning in Central and Western Africa since Mesozoic. Mesozoic- Cenozoic Volcanism in Chad basins probably is a product of intra- plate extensional stress regime, corresponded to the tectonic setting of the whole West and Central African during Cretaceous. Volcanism is closely correlated with rifting. As time passed from early period to late, the basaltic magma of Chad basins, characterized with shallower genetic depth, higher density and smaller viscosity, probably indicates the gradual strengthening evolution of the rifting. In the initial rife stage, volcanic activities are absent in the study area. Volcanic activities are basiccally corresponded with the strong extensional period of Chad basins, and the eruption of basalts was slightly lagged behind the extensional period. In the post-rift stage (30-0Ma), these basins shifted to the thermal sag phase, volcanic activities in the study area significantly decreased and then terminated.

苏丹被动裂谷盆地的油气成藏机理和成藏模式

The research area of this paper covers the maximum exploration projects of CNPC, including Blocks 1/2/4 and Block 6 of the Muglad basin and the Melut basin in Bocks 3/7 in Sudan. Based on the study of the evolution history of the Central African Shear Zone (CASZ), structural styles and filling characteristics of the rift basins, it is put forward that the rift basins in Sudan are typical passive rift basins undergoing the strike-slip, extension, compression and inversion since the Cretaceous. The three-stage rift basins overlapped obliquely. The extension and rifting during the Early Cretaceous is 50-70% of the total extension. The features of the passive rift basins decided that there is a single sedimentary cycle and one set of active source rocks within the middle. Influenced by the three-stage rifting and low thermal gradient, hydrocarbon generation and charging took place very late, and the oil pool formation mechanism is very unique from the Lower Cretaceous rift sequences to the Paleogene. The reservoir-seal assemblages are very complicated in time and space. The sealing capacity of cap rocks was controlled by the CASZ. In general the oils become heavier towards the CASZ and lighter far away. The oil biodegradation is the reason causing the high total acid number. The determination of effective reservoir depth ensures that all discovered fields up to now are high-production fields. The propagation and growth of boundary faults in the rift basins can be divided into a simple fault propagation pattern and a fault growth-linkage pattern. It is firstly found that the linkage of boundary fault segments controls the formation of petroleum systems. Three methods have been established to outline petroleum systems. And a new classification scheme of rift-type petroleum system has been put forward: pre-rift, syn-rift (including passive and active) and post-rift petroleum systems. This scheme will be very important for the further exploration of rift basins. This paper firstly established the formation models of oil pools for the passive rift basins in Sudan: the coupling of accommodation zones and main plays for the formation of giant fields. The overlapping of late rifting broke the anticlines to be several fault-blocks. This process determined that anti-fault blocks are the main traptypes in the cretaceous sequences and anticlines in the Paleogene. This can explain why the traptypes are different between the Muglad and Mefut basins, and will provide theoretic guidance for the exploration strategy. The established formation mechanism and models in this paper have had great potential guidance and promotion for the exploration in Sudan, and resulted in significant economic and social benefit. A giant field of 500 million tons oil in place was found 2003. The cost in Blocks 3/7 is only 0.25

Prescribing Practices and Polypharmacy in Kitovu Hospital, Uganda.

This audit of prescribing practices explores recent trends at Kitovu Hospital, Uganda. The average number of drugs prescribed per patient was 2.89 ± 0.11, of which 1.79±0.09 were generics and 0.69±0.06 antibiotics. No injections were prescribed. Patient essential drug knowledge was 100% while the adequacy of labelling was 0%. The number of drugs prescribed correlated positively with patient age, was greater for female patients, similar for doctors and clinical officers but greater in medical (3.30±0.15, n=50) than surgical (2.48±0.13, n=50) outpatient clinics. The mean consultation time was 6.56 min and 10.25 min per patient in medical and surgical outpatient clinics respectively. The patient essential knowledge indicators were greatly improved but only modest reduction in polypharmacy was evident compared to the Ugandan Pharmaceutical Sector national survey of 2002. Antibiotic prescription was high and generic prescribing was found to be low. Policy changes are required to enhance rational drug use in the health sector in Uganda.

Aortic and Tricuspid Endocarditis in Hemodialysis Patient with Systemic and Pulmonary Embolism

This is a case report of a 43-year-old Caucasian male with end-stage renal disease being treated with hemodialysis and infective endocarditis in the aortic and tricuspid valves. The clinical presentation was dominated by neurologic impairment with cerebral embolism and hemorrhagic components. A thoracoabdominal computerized tomography scan revealed septic pulmonary embolus. The patient underwent empirical antibiotherapy with ceftriaxone, gentamicin and vancomycin, and the therapy was changed to flucloxacilin and gentamicin after the isolation of S. aureus in blood cultures. The multidisciplinary team determined that the patient should undergo valve replacement after the stabilization of the intracranial hemorrhage; however, on the 8th day of hospitalization, the patient entered cardiac arrest due to a massive septic pulmonary embolism and died. Despite the risk of aggravation of the hemorrhagic cerebral lesion, early surgical intervention should be considered in high-risk patients.

Vers une intégration écologique des technologies de l’information et de la communication en éducation en Afrique du Centre et de l’Ouest : une approche culturelle

Dans un monde de plus en plus interconnecté où le développement nécessite une participation active à la société de l’information, où les différentes cultures rentrent davantage en contact entre elles et où les biens culturels sont devenus des biens de consommation, les minorités culturelles mondiales intégrant les technologies de l’information et de la communication (TIC) se retrouvent marginalisées face à la menace d’hégémonie culturelle des réseaux de l’information par les cultures dominantes de certains pays développés. Pour qu’une culture prenne sa place dans la société de l’information, il revient en premier lieu à ses institutions éducatives de former leurs apprenants dans un contexte culturel qui leur est propre et de valoriser et d’encourager la production et l’utilisation de contenu endogène. C’est dans le cadre de cette problématique que la présente recherche s’est donnée comme premier objectif de faire le bilan du contenu culturel accédé et diffusé par les TIC dans des écoles de pays africains dits en développement ; pour ensuite, comme deuxième objectif, de décrire les barrières à une intégration des TIC qui favoriserait la promotion culturelle en ligne dans ces écoles ; et finalement, comme troisième objectif, d’identifier des stratégies pragmatiques favorisant une intégration écologique des TIC dans ces écoles, c’est-à-dire, une intégration durable, adaptée au contexte local et favorisant la pleine participation des enseignants et des élèves. Pour y parvenir, nous avons adopté une approche méthodologique essentiellement descriptive et qualitative. Nous avons réalisé des entrevues avec 168 enseignants et 230 élèves de 34 écoles pionnières TIC situées dans cinq pays d’Afrique de l’Ouest et du Centre, que nous avons traitées selon une analyse de contenu spécifique à chaque objectif. L’adoption des stratégies décrites dans nos résultats permettrait aux écoles étudiées de surmonter, en partie, la multitude de barrières auxquelles elles font face et de favoriser l’intégration écologique des TIC. Une telle intégration est nécessaire à l’atteinte d’une société de l’information plus équitable et à l’éventuelle réduction du fossé numérique séparant les « info-riches » des « info-pauvres ».

Proceso de Internacionalización y aproximación a la logística de servicios: TELMEX COLOMBIA

Telmex es una organización que inicia su operación como empresa estatal mexicana con bajos niveles de eficiencia, posterior a su privatización tomó un nuevo rumbo en sus procesos internos, llevándola a generar modelos de negocio diferenciados y enfocados a la prestación de servicios de telecomunicación a la vanguardia. A partir de la búsqueda de nuevos horizontes la compañía logra tener presencia en la mayoría de los países del continente americano operando bajo la marca de “Telmex Internacional”, y a su vez, con sus respectivas subsidiarias en cada uno de los diferentes países, con el objetivo de satisfacer las necesidades locales con mayor efectividad. Con el apoyo de los diferentes acercamientos teóricos se busca identificar los patrones que le permitieron a Telmex llegar a posicionarse como una compañía líder en el sector de las telecomunicaciones en Latinoamérica y específicamente en Colombia, manteniéndose en un mercado competitivo mediante la oferta de servicios de empaquetamiento ajustados a las necesidades de los clientes.

Breeding distribution and population decline of globally threatened Grey-necked Picathartes Picathartes oreas in Mbam Minkom Mountain Forest, southern Cameroon

The Grey-necked Picathartes Picathartes oreas, considered 'Vulnerable', is an enigmatic ground-dwelling bird endemic to the central African equatorial rainforest and belongs to a family of only two species. Its distribution extends to the two Endemic Bird Areas within Cameroon (Guinea Congo forest biome and Cameroon mountain arc) and its population is thought to be in decline throughout its range due to increasing habitat fragmentation and disturbance. During March-April 2003 and June and October 2007 we surveyed Grey-necked Picathartes in the north-western region of the Mbam Minkom Mountain Forest. In January-March 2006 we surveyed the entire mountain range and found go breeding and 24 potential breeding sites, mostly located on the western slopes. From the complete survey, we estimated the population at 44 breeding individuals. Populations were highest in the north-west region but had apparently declined from 40 breeding individuals in 2003 to 20 in 2007. This region accounted for 41% of the entire population on the mountain range during the 2006 survey. The Mbam Minkom/Kala Important Bird Area was designated based on the presence of Grey-necked Picathartes but is under high pressure of imminent destruction from agricultural encroachment and illegal timber exploitation. These results have important implications for decision making in delimiting forest boundaries and core areas for protection in the development of management plans. We suggest possible remedial actions, appropriate repeatable methods for future monitoring and opportunities for community involvement in the management and conservation of the site.

Muslime in Ruanda – von Marginalisierung zu Integration /// Arbeitspapiere / Institut für Ethnologie und Afrikastudien ; 74

Zwischen April und Juni 1994 wurden in dem kleinen zentralafrikanischen Land Ruanda ca. 800.000 Menschen ermordet worden. Die Mehrzahl der Opfer waren Tutsi, aber auch viele Hutu verloren ihr Leben. Nahezu jede internationale und nationale Organisation versagte im Angesicht des Ausmaßes der Tragödie. Auch die in Ruanda sehr einflussreiche katholische Kirche konnte oder wollte die Massaker nicht beenden. Einzig die in der ruandischen Geschichte bis zum Genozid immer marginalisierten Muslime verweigerten in der Mehrzahl eine Teilnahme an den Massakern. Warum es zu diesem Verhalten kam, steht als Ausgangsfrage zu Beginn der Untersuchung. Im Folgenden gliedert sich die Arbeit in drei Teile – Geschichte des Islam bis 1994, Verhalten der Muslime im Völkermord von 1994 und die Veränderungen in den zehn Jahren nach dem Genozid. Die Arbeit, welche sich auf die Ergebnisse einer zweimonatigen Feldforschung und einige ältere Arbeiten zum Thema stützt, macht deutlich, dass die Geschichte der ruandischen Muslime bis 1994 durch eine kontinuierliche Marginalisierung gekennzeichnet war. Als nach dem Völkermord das außergewöhnliche Verhalten der ruandischen Muslime langsam deutlich wurde, änderte sich bei vielen Menschen und auch bei offiziellen Stellen auch die Einstellung gegenüber Muslimen.

An Insight Into Cervical Cancer Screening and Treatment Capacity in Sub Saharan Africa.

OBJECTIVE Approximately 85% of cervical cancer cases and deaths occur in resource-constrained countries where best practices for prevention, particularly for women with HIV infection, still need to be developed. The aim of this study was to assess cervical cancer prevention capacity in select HIV clinics located in resource-constrained countries. MATERIALS AND METHODS A cross-sectional survey of sub-Saharan African sites of 4 National Institutes of Health-funded HIV/AIDS networks was conducted. Sites were surveyed on the availability of cervical cancer screening and treatment among women with HIV infection and without HIV infection. Descriptive statistics and χ or Fisher exact test were used as appropriate. RESULTS Fifty-one (65%) of 78 sites responded. Access to cervical cancer screening was reported by 49 sites (96%). Of these sites, 39 (80%) performed screening on-site. Central African sites were less likely to have screening on-site (p = .02) versus other areas. Visual inspection with acetic acid and Pap testing were the most commonly available on-site screening methods at 31 (79%) and 26 (67%) sites, respectively. High-risk HPV testing was available at 29% of sites with visual inspection with acetic acid and 50% of sites with Pap testing. Cryotherapy and radical hysterectomy were the most commonly available on-site treatment methods for premalignant and malignant lesions at 29 (74%) and 18 (46%) sites, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Despite limited resources, most sites surveyed had the capacity to perform cervical cancer screening and treatment. The existing infrastructure of HIV clinical and research sites may provide the ideal framework for scale-up of cervical cancer prevention in resource-constrained countries with a high burden of cervical dysplasia.