Bulk etch rate measurements and calibrations of CR39 and Makrofol nuclear track detectors

We developed a new method for determining the bulk etch rate velocity based on both cone height and base diameter measurements of the etched tracks. This method is applied here for the calibration of CR39 and Makrofol nuclear track detectors exposed to 158 A GeV In^{49+} and Pb^{82+} ions, respectively. For CR39 the peaks corresponding to indium ions and their different fragments are well separated from Z/beta = 7 to 49: the detection threshold is at REL ~ 50 MeV cm^2 g^{-1}, corresponding to a nuclear fragment with Z/beta = 7. The calibration of Makrofol with Pb^{82+} ions has shown all peaks due to lead ions and their fragments from Z/beta ~ 51 to 83 (charge pickup). The detection threshold of Makrofol is at REL ~ 2700 MeV cm^2 g^{-1}, corresponding to a nuclear fragment with Z/beta = 51.Comment: 4 pages, 6 eps figures. Talk given at the 24th ICNTS, Bologna, Italy (1-5 Sept. 2008

Role des jeunes dans la preservation dupatrimoine culturel immateriel ;le cas des musiques et danses traditionnelles

La Journée Internationale des Musées dont le thème cette année est : « Les musées et les jeunes », nous offre l’agréable occasion d’échanger avec de jeunes scolaires sur la question de la valorisation du patrimoine culturel immatériel. Cette initiative du Musée de la Musique est à saluer ; car si je ne m’abuse, c’est l’une des rares occasions que le service chargé de la protection et de la valorisation du patrimoine culturel a pour s’entretenir de cette question avec les scolaires. Que toute l’équipe du Musée de la Musique en soit remerciée ! Les remerciements vont également à l’endroit de toutes celles et de tous ceux qui ont fait le déplacement de ce soir. La jeunesse, comme on a coutume de le dire « constitue l’avenir de la nation. » C’est à elle que reviendra le témoin de conduire, dans un futur proche, le destin de la nation. Dès lors se pose la question de savoir quelle éducation inculquer à cette jeunesse dans un monde globalisé. Comme l’a dit un célèbre historien burkinabé, en l’occurrence le Pr. Joseph KI-ZERBO, « Pour savoir où l’on va, il faut d’abord savoir d’où l’on vient. » Cette affirmation pour dire que le passé et tout ce qui lui est rattaché est fondamental dans la connaissance du présent et dans la projection de l’avenir. Pour cela, la jeunesse doit être éduquée aux valeurs fondamentales et cardinales de nos sociétés. C’est pourquoi, la jeunesse doit connaître son patrimoine culturel.Qu’est-ce que le patrimoine culturel et comment les jeunes peuvent-ils s’impliquer dans sa préservation ? Voici les questions autours desquelles s’articulera notre intervention

Evaluation of synthetic repellents on mosquito nets in experimental huts against insecticide-resistant Anopheles gambiae and Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes.

Owing to the development of pyrethroid resistance in Anopheles gambiae, there is a need to develop chemical alternatives for use on mosquito nets. Synthetic insect repellents are widely used for personal protection as skin or clothing applications. The efficacy of repellent-treated nets (RTN) was evaluated in experimental huts in Côte d'Ivoire against pyrethroid-resistant populations of An. gambiae and Culex quinquefasciatus. The repellents tested were DEET (N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide) at 7.9 g/m2 and two formulations of ethyl butylacetylaminopropionate (IR3535) at 7.6 g/m2 and 7.3 g/m2. Over 45 nights there was a 74-82% reduction in the number of An. gambiae entering the huts containing RTNs but no significant reduction in entry of C. quinquefasciatus. There was a 63-64% reduction in the proportion of An. gambiae blood feeding but no reduction in the proportion of C. quinquefasciatus blood feeding in huts with RTNs. An unexpected result was the 69-76% mortality of An. gambiae and 51-61% mortality of C. quinquefasciatus in huts containing RTNs. Treated filter paper bioassays in WHO test kits confirmed that confined contact with DEET induces mortality. The DEET-based product provided better and longer protection; tunnel test bioassays confirmed that residual activity lasted for up to 6 weeks. Application of repellents to nets warrants further investigation and development

Impact of Rising World Rice Prices on Poverty and Inequality in Burkina Faso

Between January 2006 and April 2008, the prices of most of the agricultural products considerably rose in international markets. Empirical studies show that this spike in world food prices has increased the number of poor households in developing countries, but the magnitude is not the same in all countries. This paper assesses the impact of rising rice price on poverty and income inequality in Burkina Faso. We use a methodology based on the concept of compensating variation combined with the net benefit ratio (NBR) developed by Deaton (1989) and living standard survey (QUIBB, 2003). The results show that higher rice prices have a negative impact on income and poverty in the regions with a large proportion of households who are net buyers of rice. The poverty rate increases by 2.2 to 2.9 percentage points depending on the assumptions. The increase in poverty increase is higher in urban areas than in rural areas. Rising rice prices also increase income inequality. Income inequality particularly increases in urban areas and in relatively rich regions, but it decreases in poor regions with an important proportion of rice producers