Akpovi Akoegninou

Notula Florae Beninsis, 13 - Biogeographical analysis of the vegetation in Benin

Abstract This paper is a contribution to the understanding of the West African phytogeography, and particularly the vegetation of Benin. We describe the major vegetation types in Benin using numerical analysis, analyse the chorological differentiation of the flora within them using a phytogeographical index and examine the relations between vegetation types, chorological categories and underlying ecological factors using cluster, correspondence and linear regression analyses. Twenty vegetation types grouped into four geographically separated groups are described and patterned along a south—north climatic gradient. We demonstrate the predictive value of vegetation type with regard to chorological categories and underlying ecological factors. Furthermore, we propose a phytochorological map that represents a synthesis reflecting the vegetation, chorological and climatic patterns in Benin.

Genetic Divergence in Northern Benin Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) Landraces as Revealed by Agromorphological Traits and Selection of Candidate Genotypes

Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is an important staple food crop in northern Benin. In order to assess its diversity in Benin, 142 accessions of landraces collected from Northern Benin were grown in Central Benin and characterised using 10 qualitative and 14 quantitative agromorphological traits. High variability among both qualitative and quantitative traits was observed. Grain yield (0.72–10.57 tons/ha), panicle weight (15–215.95 g), days to 50% flowering (57–200 days), and plant height (153.27–636.5 cm) were among traits that exhibited broader variability. Correlations between quantitative traits were determined. Grain yield for instance exhibited highly positive association with panicle weight (r = 0.901,  P = 0.000) and 100 seed weight (r = 0.247,  P = 0.000). UPGMA cluster analysis classified the 142 accessions into 89 morphotypes. Based on multivariate analysis, twenty promising sorghum genotypes were selected. Among them, AT41, AT14, and AT29 showed early maturity (57 to 66 days to 50% flowering), high grain yields (4.85 to 7.85 tons/ha), and shorter plant height (153.27 to 180.37 cm). The results obtained will help enhancing sorghum production and diversity and developing new varieties that will be better adapted to the current soil and climate conditions in Benin.

Semi-deciduous forest remnants in Benin: patterns and floristic characterisation

Abstract Patterns of semi—deciduous forest are investigated in Benin by means of phytosociological relevés and multivariate analyses. Species and family importance values are assessed for each forest type. The classifications and DCA ordination of 176 semi—deciduous forest relevés result in six forest types, patterned along climatic and edaphic gradients. The described forest types and their floristic composition (both at species and family levels) are comparable to those recognised in other parts of West Africa where the semi—deciduous forest is more continuous. The leading dominant families were Malvaceae, Fabaceae, Cannabaceae, Putranjivaceae, Ebenaceae and Moraceae. The Drypetes aframensis—Nesogordonia papaverifera forest type appears to be that in which the Cannabaceae, Malvaceae, Putranjivaceae and Violaceae are best represented. The record of many Upper Guinean endemic species in Benins forest islands provids strong evidence for past floristic connections of the Dahomey Gap with the West African rain forest zone.

Etude Phytochimique Et De Cytotoxicité De Quelques Plantes Utilisées Dans Le Traitement De La Stérilité Féminine Au Sud-Bénin

The aim of this present study is to help people suffering from cardiovascular diseases by designing and implementing a digital bracelet that allows keeping a record of cardiac behavior to generate a more optimal diagnosis of the patients current state and the evolution of the heart rate of the same patient. The research used the evolutionary methodology. This methodology consisted of three stages: specification, development, and validation. In this study, 95% reliability was used. The results obtained with the present study were favorable. In addition, the digital bracelet has an important acceptance both in the patients and in the doctors who attended the people with cardiovascular disease.The ideal, the spiritual and the most important element of motivational intelligence is cooperation. The idea is to focus on helping with motivational problems where the customer is not ready or willing to change or have a sense of ambivalence. It is certain that motivational intelligence is not a collection of techniques. This involves the attitude of the therapist, who does not assume absolute authoritarian attitude and is more of a partner, and rather is to investigate the clients problems with the exclusion of the attitude of giving instruction, moralistic recommendations. It is generally about support and more about creating a friendly interpersonal atmosphere that encourages cooperation. The therapists tone of wisdom is not acceptable, but rather the actual picture of the condition being extracted from the patient. This method is more like Socrates than university lecturer. The form of educare, mining is the most appropriate. The goal is to discover within yourself the motivation for change and its extraction. The article describes the motivational intelligence technique as a tool for social workers.The presented contribution attempts to introduce a phenomenologicalexistential analysis of experiencing beauty (aesthetic experience) through Heidegger’s approach to the examination of state-of-mind. It points out a topic which no doubt extremely interested Heidegger, but which he did not approach by the method he offered in Being and Time. The text thus attempts to reconstruct what Heidegger’s answer to the question “what is beauty?” might have sounded like in this period of his work. The offered analysis respects the original structure of the question regarding the state-of-mind and examines beauty from three viewpoints: 1) what beautiful objects have in common and what characterises them, 2) what characterises aesthetic experience, and finally, 3) what matters to us in an aesthetic experience. Thus it attempts to interpret beauty within Heidegger’s understanding of being and being-in-theworld before the “turn” in his thinking. The study points to the cognitive aspects of aesthetic experience in the sense of understanding beauty as the uncovering of being and the truth of the world.Communism is the ideology which aims at exterminating all religions as, it is believed, they are harmful to social life. Therefore, after the 2nd World War, under the arrangements between the allies, communists took control in Poland and started to gradually but systematically eliminate the influence of the Church and the Catholic religion on the society. Due to the confrontational attitude of the ruling party towards the Church, the relations between the Polish Episcopate and the communist authorities were dominated by the permanent, mainly ideological, conflicts. The breakthrough happened as late as in the 80s of 20th century. At that time, not only did the relations between the former enemies improve but they both started to work together towards the normalization and humanization of the relations between the communist regime and the Episcopate. The result was the participation of the representatives of the Episcopate in the behind-closed-doors negotiations in Magdalenka which happened before the deal between the government and a part of the Solidarity opposition was signed at “the round table”. The main aim of this publication is to present the role of the Episcopate in the process of the political changes in Poland. In the 80s, the Episcopate constituted a specific and unique social group which brought together hierarchs who had various attitudes towards the communist authorities. What caused the internal tensions and divisions within the Episcopate were the Church representatives making deals with the former oppressors as well as various attitudes of bishops towards the ruling party. On the basis of the secondary sources, the author of the publication will attempt to present the role of the Episcope in the moderation of the agreements which became the backbone of the political changes in Poland, i.e. the transformation of communism into post-communism.

Diversité floristique et caractérisation structurale de la réserve forestière de Ouoghi en zone soudanoguinéenne (Centre-Bénin)

This study examines the relationship between climate change and undernourishment and its negative impact on child health. The focus of this study is Palghar District (which was formed on August 1, 2014, in State of Maharashtra, India). This paper examines the efficacy of the role of healthy government initiatives and their awareness among people in overcoming the adverse effects of climate-change. The study is based on interviews with the District Collector, various government officials and anthropologists working in the area, as well as secondary data collected from the Palghar District Collectorate. As the data made available by the government were limited, the study is unable to supply extensive information about such aspects as the beneficiaries of various welfare schemes, project costs and cost analysis. Palghar district has reported 64 per 1000 child deaths and 44 per 1000 infant deaths between April and October, 2016. The researcher tried to find links between various potential variables and child mortality in this administrative region. The researcher hopes that by giving voice to a localised issue and discussing possible solutions for curbing the problem of child mortality due to undernourishment, it may be possible to find a long-term and comprehensive model for a solution for the same problem around the world.In modern conditions of globalization, the quality of static data of foreign economic relations of the country plays an important role in decision-making about the foreign economic sphere of the country. This is without their quality leading to wrong static analysis of the indicators of foreign economic relations and methods of evaluation. As a result, it is impossible for correct decision not to be made by the government. Also, there are questions about what are the important priorities in the development of foreign economic relations of the country. According to the analysis of static indicators of foreign economic relations of Syria before and during the crisis, we noted that there was a deterioration of all indicators of foreign economic relations due to armed conflict. This includes the increase in the external debt 2.75 times in 2014 compared with the period before the crisis, the decline in exports and imports, and the improvement of egovernment. In addition, work without high-quality cannot control foreign trade transactions.Liability of the custodian or custodian body for the damage caused by the persons totally divested from the ability to act due to mental disability is a kind of liability for the damage caused by the actions of the other person. In this case, his/her custodian or custodian body that is liable for his/her supervision shall be liable even for the damage caused by the person with mental disabilities. Obligation for supervision and care of the custodian or custodian body for the person with mental disabilities shall be the reason based on which they should respond in cases when the person with mental disabilities causes a damage to the third person. In order this kind of liability to come into consideration, in advance, there should be met some conditions as follows: 1. The damage is caused, 2. The damage is caused by the person that is incapable to judge and by the person who is under custody, 3. The damage has been caused since the custodian has not exercised adequately the supervision function as required according to the Law, decision of a body or any contract. These conditions should be fulfilled together in order that this kind of liability to come into consideration. Theoretical treatments regarding these kinds of liabilities, not in all cases, have brought the due clearance. In theoretical treatments of various authors that have treated this kind of liability there are presented dilemma which require a different analysis and approach in order that there to be identified some cases that have been left untreated until nowadays. Those authors, in their theoretical treatments, have ascertained that the custodian or custodian body shall be released from the liability for the damage caused by the person with mental disabilities or with mental slowdown development or any other circumstance according to which they could not judge his/her actions, if they can prove their innocence whether they have exercised adequately the supervision towards the person with mental disabilities or with mental slowdown development but the same authors have not given further explanations that who will be liable in such cases if the person with mental disabilities does not have economic conditions to make the compensation of the damage. This issue is regulated with legal framework of some countries treated in this paper. We have done this comparative analysis between the legal framework of these countries with the purpose of identifying the similarities and differences between them in regulating this liability. Even that there are some differences in legal determinations, we should say that Kosovo, Croatia, Serbia, Albania, France, Italy, Germany and Spain have approximately similar regulation regarding this liability since all these countries cover this kind of liability with their legal framework.This study is an effort to characterize the legal and social aspects of the polish regulations relating to the employment of people with disabilities in sheltered conditions. In Poland, the role of activation of the disabled in the protected labor market performs three types of operations: sheltered workshops, factories professional activity, and social co-operation. Authors discuss the formal requirements to obtain the status, specific rights, and the obligations of employers who are employing the establishment of protected or reinsured activity. The research included in the study was supplemented by an analysis of available statistical data based on the number of operators protected labor market and the number of disabled people employed in these workplaces.Starting from 1st May, 2004 countries of European Fifteen have gradually opened their labour markets for the new EU members, including the Poles. The first to take this step was Great Britain, Ireland and Sweden, the last - Germany and Austria. For the new EU citizens, emerging opportunities were connected with benefits and wide possibilities, but also with limitations and adaptation difficulties. They had to deal with the language barrier as much as the different culture, accepted behaviours, traditions, work culture and model of spending leisure time. Mentality of migrants – whether they were able or not to immerse into the “new” – had impact on finding themselves in another environment. Most of those, who left Poland did not plan to settle, they were leaving “for some time”, temporarily. Mentally, they were still connected with previous place of residence, more interested in environment left behind than new one. Such behaviour was not conducive to adaptation; on the contrary, it made adaptation harder. Migrants through listening to Polish radio, watching Polish television stations, using the Polish Internet portals and reading national press, separated themselves from the new environment. All of these was due to the assumption that engaging in new place has no point since their stay is only temporary. Their attitude to the kind of work and workplace was similar. Majority of migrants from the EU-8 countries was taking up secondary employment, regardless of educational background. Wages comparable with Polish were supposed to compensate depreciation on the labour market. A wide spectrum of adaptation problems of Polish migrants is an issue raised in reports prepared by specialized research institutions, the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Polish Community organisations.The system of support for women within the framework of the social policy of the Second Polish Republic included: the adequate regulations of work legislation, the rules of social insurance, the activities towards the maternity protection of the insured and, finally, social services directly or indirectly provided to women by the central as well as local governments. These activities were extensive and, in many cases, very modern. What is more, they were directed towards solving the most important social problems of women. However, rather than common, the scope of those activities was very limited and selective. Moreover, the implementation of those activities was not always in accordance with the plans and expectations of their authors. From the point of view of the existing social needs, the most advanced solutions were those which resulted from a privileged position of women in the work legislation and the system of health insurance. The problem of the insignificant influence always had its roots in the socio-professional structure of the country. Only women in employment or covered by the insurance could receive the benefits. For the rest the offer was no longer that beneficial.In a society genetically endowed with great cognitive potential, the paradigmatic failure of the post-communist education system divide young people into three categories: young elitists who join foreign universities and companies, well-prepared young people eager to study in their country and young NEETs. The increasing percentage of the latter ones is confirmed by the national results obtained in the PISA tests and high school dropout rates. No community in this world can be strong when the investment in education lacks. Non-aligned job policies to educational ones will give birth to worrying imbalances, highlighting the phenomenon of migration. Demographic decline and the lack of strategies to stimulate birth rate will increase the impossibility to ensure generational change within the active population and all these will lead to a block of the pension system. Romania, in the next 20 years will follow the model of the European countries, which face labor importation and the migration of non-European capital. Are there any solutions to counterbalance these trends? This is the question which, the whole rethink of theoretical-methodological analysis of some policies meant to give value to the huge Romanian qualitative human force, deprecated within the large globalization, is based on.The essay deals with the difficult relationship between fiscal responsibility and representation: it seems that the traditional rule “no taxation without representation” is less and less true, as the responsibility of the representatives, be they those of the national parliament or of the representative bodies of local institutions, is no longer a real guarantee. The case of the Italian system is significant: local taxes have been interpreted in a very singular way by the constitutional case law, as the representatives’ responsibility connected with local government levies is limited to the determining only of certain aspects of the fiscal phenomenon. One first goal is therefore to analyse the atypical fiscal and financial responsibility of local administrators. But a specific phenomenon of the Italian Regions with a special level of autonomy deserves attention. These special Regions have negotiated with the central government a specific regime: since the constitutional implementation process of 2009, they dispose of undeniably high percentages of their territories’ tax revenue. The profiles of derived finance have been eliminated and it has been decided to return to the self-financing model, understood as the prevailing allocation in a fixed share of tax revenues produced within the territory. The case of the special regional revenues of Trentino-Alto Adige is a peculiar one and it is specifically studied in this essay. This work discusses the question of representation regarding tax revenues in a different way, based on a particular type of relation between the wealthproducing context and the institutions.Today, internet plays an indisputable role as a means of communication, information flow, and as a point of meeting the needs of a growing number of people. The authors noted more and more important role that mass communication plays in social media. This article presents various definitions of the phenomenon and the proposed typology, and threats which entails using either incompetent social media today. This article is intended to facilitate the communication process for researchers, sociologists, media experts, and people interested in the study of the phenomenon of online communication.A change depending on the time of the flood wave moving in a stream using flood routing approach is examined. Flood routing of flood discharge along the river with their account and calculating the changes in the water level of flood protection structure size is determined to safety. The aim of this study, Sutculer flood event will be modeled by Genetic Expression Programing (GEP) method. The GEP method makes use of few hydrologic parameters such as inflow, outflow, and time. Simulation results indicate that the proposed a predictive model is an appropriate for the flood routing. Case study is presented to demonstrate that the GEP model is an alternative in implementation of the Muskingum model.

Diversité spatiotemporelle des ressources florales autour d’un rucher en zone de végétation de transition soudano-guinéenne au Bénin

Résumé La diversité spatiotemporelle des plantes en fleurs a été évaluée autour d’un rucher installé à Manigri (Bénin) à l’aide de relevés phénologiques mensuels de janvier à décembre 2007. Les 266 espèces de plantes en fleurs observées se composent de 196 herbacées et 70 ligneuses. Elles se répartissent en 189 genres et 70 familles. Les valeurs moyennes par relevé des paramètres de diversité floristique varient significativement d’une formation à une autre. La savane arborée représente la formation la plus diversifiée avec 148 espèces et 111 genres. Les thérophytes sont prédominantes (24-36%) dans les différentes formations végétales, à l’exception de la savane arbustive. La richesse spécifique des plantes en fleurs varie de 26 espèces en avril à 76 espèces en septembre. L’évolution de la richesse spécifique des plantes ligneuses et celle des plantes herbacées ont une corrélation linéaire négative et hautement significative. Trois facteurs climatiques (évapotranspiration, insolation, humidité relative) influencent de façon significative la variation dans la composition floristique mensuelle des plantes en fleurs.