BackgroundSpatial epidemiology is useful but difficult to apply in developing countries due to the low availability of digitized maps and address systems, accurate population distributions, and computational tools. A community-based mapping approach was used to demonstrate that participatory geographic information system (PGIS) techniques can provide information helpful for health and community development.ResultsThe PGIS process allowed for the rapid determination of sectional (neighborhood) boundaries within the city of Bo, Sierra Leone. When combined with data about hospital laboratory visits, a catchment area for one hospital in Bo could be established. A survey of households from within the catchment area determined that the average population per household (about 6 individuals) was similar to that found in the 2004 census. However, we also found that the average house was inhabited by more than one household, for an average of 17.5 inhabitants per residential building, which is critical information to know when estimating population size using remote imagery that can detect and enumerate buildings.ConclusionsThe methods developed in this paper serve as a model for the involvement of communities in the generation of municipal maps and their application to community and health concerns.

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Oviposition, development and survivorship of Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) were evaluated on soybean and garden bean under laboratory conditions of 26.0 ± 0.5 °C, 70 – 80% RH and a photoperiod of 14:10 (L:D). B. tabaci deposited more eggs and survivorship of nymphs was significantly greater in a choice-test on soybean, Glycine max L. (Merr.) (Fabeles: Fabaceae), compared to the garden bean, Phaseolus vulgaris L. Overall developmental time from egg to adult eclosion was longer on garden bean than on soybean. Also, B. tabaci was more fecund and long-lived on soybean compared to garden bean. Demographic parameters calculated from life tables on the two bean species indicate that soybean is a better host plant for B. tabaci than garden bean.

It is important for hospitals and clinics across West Africa to increase their ability to diagnose, monitor, and treat type 2 diabetes in urban and rural areas.

Steam-distilled volatile oils from the leaves and flowers of Lantana camara L. were analysed by GC and GC-MS. The oils are characterized by a high percentage of sesquiterpenes. The main components detected are germacrene D (15.85%), β-caryophyllene (12.35%), α-humulene (9.31%) and germacrene-B (6.19%). 1,8-Cineole (4.61%), an oxygenated monoterpene is also reported. Experimental Plant Material and Extraction of VolatilesAerial parts of L. camara were collected from the campus of South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China, in August-September. Fresh leaves, flowers and thin branches were cut into 1-2 cm pieces, air-dried for 7 days at room temperature and steam-distilled for 5 h furnishing 0.13-0.2% (v/w) oils. The oils were dried over anhydrous Na 2 SO 4 and kept refrigerated until used. Analysis of the Essential OilsComponents of the volatile oil were separated on a Finnigan TRACE 2000 GC-MS instrument (FinniganSpectronex, USA), equipped with two fused-silica column (30 mm × 0.25 mm i.d.), coated with DB-1 (df = 0.25 µm); temperature programme, from 60°C (for 2 min) to 80°C at 3°C/min; 80-120°C at 6°C/min (held 0 min); 120-140°C at 3°C/min (held 0 min); then to 230°C at 10°C/min (held 0 min) and later, 240°C (held 1 min); injector temperature, 220°C; ion source temperature, 200°C; EI, 70 eV; carrier gas, He, 1 ml/min; injection volume, l µl; split, 1:20; mass range, 35-450 amu.