Abdou Moumouni University

About: Abdou Moumouni University is a education organization based out in Niamey, Niamey, Niger. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Agriculture. The organization has 796 authors who have published 808 publications receiving 17478 citations. The organization is also known as: University of Niamey & Abdou Moumouni Dioffo University.

Les oasis du Sahara algérien, entre excédents hydriques et salinité. L’exemple de l’oasis de Ouargla

Abstract: Parler d'excedents d'eau en milieu desertique peut paraitre aberrant a premiere vue. C'est pourtant une realite qui est vecue, depuis de nombreuses annees deja, dans une grande partie des oasis du Sahara algerien. Ce probleme est devenu aujourd’hui une veritable menace pour l’environnement et les consequences s'en font ressentir aussi bien en agglomeration qu’en peripherie des zones habitees. L’accroissement des rejets d’eaux usees urbaines et d’eaux de drainage agricole a entraine des remontees importantes des eaux des nappes superficielles dans la plupart des agglomerations urbaines du Sahara algerien. Ces remontees ont favorise la degradation des conditions environnementales et ont fortement perturbe les equilibres naturels dans les oasis sahariennes, deja fragilisees par des conditions climatiques extremes et par des caracteristiques topographiques qui ne facilitent pas l’evacuation des eaux excedentaires. Les oasis du Sahara algerien sont en effet, pour la plupart, installees dans des cuvettes sedimentaires. Ces oasis qui, auparavant, avaient fonctionne comme des systemes hydrauliques bien equilibres, souffrent aujourd’hui d’exces d’eau. Cette etude decrit a travers un cas particulier, celui de Ouargla, l’une des plus importantes oasis du Sahara algerien, ce phenomene d’excedents hydriques en mettant en evidence ses consequences, en particulier sur la salinisation des sols de l’oasis. Les resultats des analyses physico-chimiques effectuees ont montre que les conductivites electriques des differents sols de la cuvette de Ouargla sont excessivement elevees, pouvant atteindre 5 000 mS•m-1 dans les horizons de surface en saison estivale. Cette sur-salinisation est principalement influencee, non seulement par des contextes geologique et climatique defavorables, mais aussi par une tres forte salinite de la nappe superficielle dont la conductivite electrique depasse 7 000 mS•m-1.

Erratum to: Notomelia and related neural tube defects in a baby born in Niger: case report and literature review

Abstract: Notomelia associated with neural tube defects are rare diseases. A baby was born in Niger with multiple congenital embryonic malformations on the posterior midline. The most rostral malformation was an accessory limb (polymelia) at the level of the lumbar vertebrae composed of two long bones, a foot and three toes. Accessory male genitalia were present at the base of this malformed accessory limb which had no apparent motor or sensory innervation. The second malformation was a sacral vestigial appendage with an adjacent dermal sinus opening onto the posterior midline and extending internally to the dura through a defect of the vertebral arches. From the published literature and this particular case, we conclude that notomelia is a rare clinical sequela of a neural tube defect (NTD) and is correctly classified as a dysraphic appendage. The recent occurrence of three similar cases in the same ethnic group from Niger, three from consanguineous parents, suggests that genetic factors are likely to contribute significantly to the genesis of this syndrome, consistent with a recent report that mutation of the bovine NHLRC2 gene resulting in a V311A substitution at a highly conserved locus in the NHLRC2 protein is, when homozygous, causally associated with several forms of polymelia including notomelia, with heteropagus conjoined twinning and with other NTD-related embryonic malformations. Detailed genome-wide studies of children with dysraphic appendages are indicated.

Les plantes médicinales utilisées dans le traitement des diarrhées au Niger. Etude ethnobotanique

Abstract: Au Niger, quelques enquetes sur les plantes medicinales ont ete realisees par differents chercheurs au cours des missions ethnobotaniques et ethnographiques. Les donnees concernant l’utilisation des plantes medicinales contre les diarrhees sont extraites a partir des documents publies et ou rapports de recherche concernant les differentes enquetes ethno-medicinales conduites au Niger pour synthese et analyse. Au total, 98 especes de plantes appartenant a 34 familles sont recensees etre utilisees par la population nigerienne pour traiter les diarrhees et dysenteries. Combretacee (14/34), Cesalpiniacee (11/34), Mimosacee (10/34) et Fabacee (9/34) sont les familles botaniques des especes de plante les plus utilisees. 10 especes de plantes identifiees ont un usage tres frequent. En conclusion, cette synthese des plantes medicinales rapportees dans plusieurs revues a travers differentes etudes ethno-medicinales conduites au Niger ont permis d’apporter des precisions supplementaires sur l’usage medicinale de certaines plantes dans le cadre du traitement des diarrhees.

Eats Shoots and Leaves: Adding Local Understanding to the Discussion of Famine Food Resources in Niger

Abstract: During my time as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Niger, my colleagues and I1 were often amused by reporter's descriptions of people "eating leaves off of the trees" as indications of the dire conditions in Niger. This was amusing to us because, as well fed Americans, "leaves off of the trees" was one of our favorite Nigerien dishes and was something routinely eaten, sold and enjoyed in both urban and rural Niger regardless of the state of food security. To imply that eating leaves was a sign of a state of emergency seemed like sensationalism, if not just poor fact checking. A few years later when I began my dissertation on the traditional uses of plants in Niger, I was surprised to find some of the same ideas repeated in scientific literature. When I discussed this with my co-author, Mr. Dan Guimbo, he was surprised that something so important to Nigerien culture and nutrition could be seen as an indicator of bad times. So we began to investigate both the literature on the subject of famine foods and the loca...

Measurement of Interleukin-6 in Cerebrospinal Fluid for the Diagnosis of Bacterial Meningitis.

Abstract: Objective It is assessed whether the measurement of interleukin-6 in the cerebrospinal fluid can serve as a biomarker for the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis. Methodology Cerebrospinal fluid was obtained from 152 patients aged 0-15 years suspected of having meningitis. These patients were classified into the following groups: Bacterial meningitis (n = 85), aseptic meningitis (n = 35) and non-meningitis/control (n = 32) based on leukocyte count and bacterial identification by culture and molecular biology. Interleukin-6 concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results This study found a significant difference of the mean cerebrospinal fluid interleukin-6 level (p≤0.01) between patients with bacterial meningitis (3,538.69±2,560.78 pg mL -1) and patients with aseptic meningitis (332.51±470.69 pg mL -1) or those of the control group (205.83±79.39 pg mL -1). There was also a significant difference of the mean cerebrospinal fluid interleukin-6 level between patients with aseptic meningitis and those of the control group. Interleukin-6 had the highest area under the ROC curve: 0.94 (95% confidence interval: 0.901-0.979) compared to that of cerebrospinal fluid glucose and total protein. At a cut-off value of 1,065.96 pg mL -1, interleukin-6 had a sensitivity of 76.2% and specificity of 100%. Conclusion Interleukin-6 is a potential biomarker for the differential diagnosis of meningitis.