Molecular Identification of Mycobacterium Strains Responsible of Bovine Tuberculosis Cases in Bobo-Dioulasso Slaughterhouse, Burkina Faso

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is an endemic zoonosis significantly affects animal health in Burkina Faso. The primary causative agent is Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) complex, mainly M. bovis. Cattle are considered as natural reservoir of M. bovis. However, in Burkina Faso, the circulation of these strains remains poorly understood and documented. This study aimed to identify and characterize Mycobacterium strains from suspected carcasses during routine meat inspection at Bobo-Dioulasso refrigerated slaughterhouse. A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2021 to December 2022 on cases of seizures linked to suspected bovine tuberculosis. Microbiological and molecular analyzes were used for mycobacterial strain isolation and characterization. Out of 50 samples, 24% tested positive by microscopy and 12% by culture. Molecular analysis identified 6 strains of Mycobacteria, exclusively Mycobacterium bovis specifically the subspecies bovis (Mycobacterium bovis subsp bovis). In conclusion, M. bovis subsp bovis is the primary agent responsible for bovine tuberculosis in Bobo-Dioulasso. Continuous monitoring of mycobacterial strains is therefore necessary for the effective control of this pathology in the local cattle population.

Production and Characterization of Pozzolan with Raw Clay from Burkina Faso

Four raw deposits clayey materials in Burkina Faso have been characterized using X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy and ICP-AES to evaluate their suitability to be used as pozzolan in cement. The samples have been activated by thermal treatment at 730°C during 5 hours. The obtained metakaolin was investigated by means of complementary techniques for their use as pozzolan in building materials. Fineness, surface area and amorphousness of metakaolins were the dominant factors which influenced their pozzolan reactivity. The compressive strengths of blended specimens were slightly increased with metakaolins named MK1 and MK2 than the reference for the substitution of 20 - 25 wt%. This was due to the metakaolins’ pozzolan reactivity and their filler effects which promoted CSH formation and reduced pores in the specimens. MK1 and MK2 were suitable for replacement of Portland cement in the field of building materials.

Can Stand Density and Stem Stratification Be Indicators of Aboveground Biomass in Woody Plant Recruitment in Savannah

Stem density and size stratification of woody species are informative of vegetation conditions and its physiognomy in savannah whereas their variation influence woody population functioning. Current study endeavoured to evaluate the stand density and size variability of woody species related to aboveground biomass in a Sudanian savannah. Total height, stem diameter at breast height (dbh) ≥ 5 cm were measured in 30 plots of 50 m × 20 m laid in respect to vegetation type as bowal, shrubland and woodland. Species diversity, stem density, height and basal area were calculated and compared across sites and variation in stem dbh classes evaluated. Total aboveground biomass was estimated and thereafter linear relationships were established between stand density and aboveground biomass, and basal area. Results revealed three different sites with an overall 58 species identified through vegetation type including liana species (4 stems in bowal) with 18 genera and 42 families. Fabaceae Combretaceae, Anacardiaceae and Rubiaceae were dominant families. Small sized trees represented 72% of total stem density considered in structure with significant higher basal area, while large sized trees as 28% were scarcely distributed. More than 70% variation in biomass was due to stem density and basal area with a dominance of small trees. In conclusion increase size in tree community indicated increase in accumulated aboveground biomass as positive regeneration features. But, change in vegetation structure strongly influence negatively species ability to grow from lower to upper size class and later on, disrupt ecosystem functioning. Plant stem density and stratification could be considered as indicators of aboveground biomass fluctuating in regeneration monitoring.

On the Existence of Global Weak Solutions to 1D Sediment Transport Model

This paper is devoted to the study of the existence of weak solution in time with a periodic domain of sediment transport model. We consider a one-dimensional viscous sediment transport model which combines a viscous Shallow-Water system with a transport equation that describes the bottom evolution. The model studied does not take into account all the regularizing terms used by Roamba Brahima, Zongo Yacouba and Jean de Dieu Zabsonré (2017) and we use a better transport equation than that used by Zabsonré (2012).