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- Dambach, Peter, et al.
(författare)
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Using high spatial resolution remote sensing for risk mapping of malaria occurrence in the Nouna district, Burkina Faso
- 2009
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Ingår i: Global Health Action. - : Co-action publishing. - 1654-9716 .- 1654-9880. ; 2, s. 149-155
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction: Malaria control measures such as early diagnosis and treatment, intermittent treatment of pregnant women, impregnated bed nets, indoor spraying and larval control measures are difficult to target specifically because of imprecise estimates of risk at a small-scale level. Ways of estimating local risks for malaria are therefore important.Methods: A high-resolution satellite view from the SPOT 5 satellite during 2008 was used to generate a land cover classification in the malaria endemic lowland of North-Western Burkina Faso. For the area of a complete satellite view of 60 x 60 km, a supervised land cover classification was carried out. Ten classes were built and correlated to land cover types known for acting as Anopheles mosquito breeding sites.Results: According to known correlations of Anopheles larvae presence and surface water-related land cover, cultivated areas in the riverine vicinity of Kossi River were shown to be one of the most favourable sites for Anopheles production. Similar conditions prevail in the South of the study region, where clayey soils and higher precipitations benefit the occurrence of surface water. Besides pools, which are often directly detectable, rice fields and occasionally flooded crops represent most appropriate habitats. On the other hand, forests, elevated regions on porous soils, grasslands and the dryer, sandy soils in the north-western part turned out to deliver fewer mosquito breeding opportunities.Conclusions: Potential high and low risks for malaria at the village level can be differentiated from satellite data. While much remains to be done in terms of establishing correlations between remotely sensed risks and malaria disease patterns, this is a potentially useful approach which could lead to more focused disease control programmes.
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| 2. |
- Sié, Laurent, 1975-, et al.
(författare)
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Passion and Expertise Knowledge Transfer
- 2009
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Ingår i: Journal of Knowledge Management. - : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 1367-3270 .- 1758-7484. ; 13:4, s. 175-186
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to argue that experts' degree of passion for, and attachment to their expertise knowledge facilitates knowledge acquisition and its transfer. Design/methodology/approach – The article draws on case study methodology. Twenty experts within the petrol industry were interviewed with a view to examining the motivators and inhibitors of transferring their expertise knowledge to freshly recruited engineers. Findings – It seems to emerge that the more passionate an expert is the more intent they will on seeing thrive and diffuse to others. Assuming that expertise is dialogical, that is, the process of transferring is at the same a process of acquiring it. The two processes are conflated. Research limitations/implications – The main limitation of the study is that it relies on an in-depth case study within a specific, scientific industry. How relevant are the findings remains to be studied. Practical implications – To the extent that passion is an intrinsic motive and since it is not amenable to management control and intervention (“expertise cannot be managed!”), attempts at managing it may be counter-productive. If curiosity and passion are the main drivers behind transferring (and pursuing intellectually challenging tasks) are the mainspring, managers are faced with providing context that stimulates such drives, not necessarily resorting to monetary rewards. Originality/value – The originality of this study is to emphasize the significance of passion in the process of transferring and acquiring knowledge.
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| 3. |
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| 4. |
- Yamamoto, Shelby, et al.
(författare)
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Cooking fuels and the push for cleaner alternatives : a case study from Burkina Faso
- 2009
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Ingår i: Global Health Action. - : Co-Action Publishing. - 1654-9716 .- 1654-9880. ; 2, s. 156-164
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction: More than 95% of the population in Burkina Faso uses some form of solid biomass fuel. When these fuels are burned in traditional, inefficient stoves, pollutant levels within and outside the home can be very high. This can have important consequences for both health and climate change. Thus, the push to switch to cleaner burning fuels is advantageous. However, there are several considerations that need to be taken into account when considering the use and promotion of different fuel types.Objective: In the setting of the semi-urban area of Nouna, Burkina Faso, we examine the common fuel types used (wood, charcoal and liquid petroleum gas (LPG)) in terms of consumption, energy, availability, air pollution and climate change.Results and conclusion: Although biomass solid fuel does offer some advantages over LPG, the disadvantages make this option much less desirable. Lower energy efficiencies, higher pollutant emission levels, the associated health consequences and climate change effects favour the choice of LPG over solid biomass fuel use. Further studies specific to Burkina Faso, which are lacking in this region, should also be undertaken in this area to better inform policy decisions.
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