Art In West Africa Research Articles

Wrapped in Pride: Ghanaian Kente and African American Identity

Wrapped in Pride: Ghanaian Kente and African American Identity

Plasma sVCAM-1, antiretroviral therapy and mortality in HIV-1-infected West African adults.

We report the association between pre-antiretroviral therapy (pre-ART) soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) levels and long-term mortality in HIV-infected West African adults participating in a trial of early ART in West Africa (Temprano ANRS 12136 trial). The ART-naïve HIV-infected adults were randomly assigned to start ART immediately or defer ART until the WHO criteria were met. Participants who completed the trial follow-up were invited to participate in a post-trial phase (PTP). The PTP end-point was all-cause death. We used multivariable Cox proportional models to analyse the association between baseline sVCAM-1 and all-cause death, adjusting for ART strategy, sex, CD4 count, plasma HIV-1 RNA and peripheral blood mononuclear cell HIV-1 DNA levels. In all, 954 adults (77% women, median CD4 count of 387 cells/μL) were randomly assigned to start ART immediately (n=477) or to defer initiation of ART (n=477). They were followed for a median of 5.8years [interquartile range (IQR): 5.2-6.3]. In multivariable analysis, the risk of death was significantly associated with baseline sVCAM-1 [≥1458 vs. <1458ng/mL; adjusted hazard ratio = 2.86, 95%confidence interval (CI): 1.60-5.11]. The 6-year probability of death rates were 14.4% (95%CI: 9.1-22.6) and 9.4% (5.4-16.1) in patients with baseline sVCAM-1 ≥ 1458ng/mL randomized to deferred and immediate ART, respectively, and 3.8% (2.2-6.5) and 3.5% (1.9-6.3) in patients with baseline sVCAM-1 <1458ng/mL randomized to deferred and immediate ART. The median difference between pre-ART and 12-month sVCAM-1levels in patients randomized to immediate ART was -252 (IQR: -587 to -61). Pre-ART sVCAM-1levels were significantly associated with mortality, independently of whether ART was started immediately or deferred, but they significantly decreased after 12months of ART.

Association between cellular HIV-1 DNA level and mortality in HIV-1 infected African adults starting ART with high CD4 counts.

BackgroundHigh HIV-1 DNA levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were associated with a higher risk of severe morbidity and a faster decline in CD4 count in ART-naive patients. We report the association between HIV-1 DNA and mortality in HIV-infected adults in a trial of early ART in West Africa.MethodsIn the Temprano trial, HIV-infected adults were randomly assigned to start ART immediately or defer ART. After trial termination, HIV-1 DNA was measured in whole blood samples frozen at baseline. We analyzed the association between baseline PBMC HIV-1 DNA and long-term mortality.Findings2019 patients were followed for 9253 patient-years (median 4.9 years). At baseline, the median CD4 count was 462/mm3 [IQR 368–571], the median plasma HIV-1 RNA 4.7 log10 copies/ml [IQR 4.0–5.2], and the median HIV-1 DNA 2.9 log10 copies/million PBMC [IQR 2.5–3.3]. During follow-up, 86 participants died. In univariate analysis, the hazard ratio [HR] of death was 2.67 (95% CI, 1.68–4.22) for patients with HIV-1 DNA ≥3 log10 copies/million PBMC vs. others, and 2.10 (95% CI, 1.38–3.21) for patients with HIV-1 RNA ≥5 log10 copies/ml vs. others. In multivariate Cox regression analysis, HIV-1 DNA levels ≥3 log10 copies/million PBMC were strongly associated mortality (adjusted HR = 2.09, 95% CI 1.24–3.52, p= 0.005) while the association between baseline plasma HIV-1 RNA and mortality was not significant.InterpretationIn these African adults who started ART with high CD4 counts, HIV-1 DNA was a strong independent predictor of death. The HIV reservoir still plays a prognostic role in the early ART era.FundingThis trial was supported by the French National Agency for AIDS and viral hepatitis research (ANRS, Paris, France; Grants ANRS 12136, 12224 and 12253)

Association between Cellular HIV-1 DNA Level and Mortality in HIV-1 Infected African Adults Starting ART with High CD4 Counts

Background: High HIV-1 DNA levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were associated with a higher risk of severe morbidity and a faster decline in CD4 count in ART-naive patients. We report the association between HIV-1 DNA and mortality in HIV-infected adults in a trial of early ART in West Africa. Methods: In the Temprano trial, HIV-infected adults were randomly assigned to start ART immediately or defer ART. After trial termination, HIV-1 DNA was measured in whole blood samples frozen at baseline. We analyzed the association between baseline PBMC HIV-1 DNA and long-term mortality. Results: 2,019 patients were followed for 9,253 patient-years (median 4.9 years). At baseline, the median CD4 count was 462/mm3 [IQR 368-571], the median plasma HIV-1 RNA 4.7 log10 copies/ml [IQR 4.0-5.2], and the median HIV-1 DNA 2.9log10 copies/million PBMC [IQR 2.5-3.3]. During follow-up, 86 participants died. In univariate analysis, the hazard ratio [HR] of death was 2.67 (95% CI, 1.68-4.22) for patients with HIV-1 DNA ≥3 log10 copies/million PBMC vs. others, and 2.10 (95% CI, 1.38-3.21) for patients with HIV-1 RNA ≥5 log10 copies/ml vs. others. In multivariate Cox regression analysis, HIV-1 DNA levels ≥3 log10 copies/million PBMC were strongly associated mortality (adjusted HR = 2.09, 95% CI 1.24-3.52, p = 0.005) while the association between baseline plasma HIV-1 RNA and mortality was not significant. Conclusions: In these African adults who started ART with high CD4 counts, HIV-1 DNA was a strong independent predictor of death. The HIV reservoir still plays a prognostic role in the early ART era. Trial Registration: Clinical Trials.gov (NCT00495651). Funding Statement: This trial was supported by grants from the French National Agency for AIDS and viral hepatitis research (ANRS, Paris, France; Grants ANRS 12136, ANRS 12224, ANRS 12253. Declaration of Interests: All authors report no conflict of interest. Ethics Approval Statement: The Temprano protocol, which included the post-trial phase, was approved by the Cote d'Ivoire National Ethics Committee for Health Research.

When Linguists and Speakers Do Not Agree: The Endangered Grammar of Verbal Art in West Africa

Across Africa, linguistic techniques that are closely associated with traditional genres are vulnerable to changes in traditional habits, and often become extinct long before the language is recognized as endangered. Their loss accounts for the discrepancy between professional linguist's assessment and the speakers’ perception of the vitality of the language. The study discusses an array of endangered storytelling strategies accumulated by Wan (Mande; Côte d'Ivoire) in response to the needs of traditional narrative performance. Such strategies include morphosyntactic means that allow the storyteller to manage a complex narrative without resorting to explicit lexical encoding or multiplying the number of sentences.

THE WAY IT LOOKS: CONTEXTUALIZING EARLY PAINTINGS IN TRADITIONAL ART OF PREGOLD COAST ERA

Documentation of paintings in the history of African art in regions south of the Sahara is rare. It is rather common reading of wood sculpture and other three dimensional works as the main stay of African art. However art in West Africa is rife with paint. This paper studies six forms of painting found within pre Gold Coast traditional art by ethnographic, historical and descriptive research. These are mural, body, fabric, hearth &amp; bed, stool and sculpture painting. Observing through the philosophical lens of Contextualism, the authors recognise it as the most appropriate way of looking at this traditional art, since its attributes seem to facilitate the best means of experiencing understanding and evaluating this art as against other philosophical proffers.

Reliability of anthropometric measures in a longitudinal cohort of patients initiating ART in West Africa

BackgroundAnthropometric measurements are a non invasive, inexpensive, and suitable method for evaluating the nutritional status in population studies with relatively large sample sizes. However, anthropometric techniques are prone to errors that could arise, for example, from the inadequate training of personnel. Despite these concerns, anthropometrical measurement error is seldom assessed in cohort studies. We describe the reliability and challenges associated with measurement of longitudinal anthropometric data in a cohort of West African HIV+ adults .MethodsIn a cohort of patients initiating antiretroviral treatment in Mali, we evaluated nutritional status using anthropometric measurements(weight, height, mid-upper arm circumference, waist circumference and triceps skinfold). Observers with no prior experience in the field of anthropometry were trained to perform anthropometrical measurements. To assess the intra- and inter-observer variability of the measurements taken in the course of the study, two sub-studies were carried out: one at the beginning and one at the end of the prospective study. Twelve patients were measured twice on two consecutive days by the same observer on both study occasions. The technical error of measurement (TEM) (absolute and relative value), and the coefficient of reliability (R) were calculated and compared across reliability studies.ResultsAccording to the R and relative TEM, inter-observer reliabilities were only acceptable for height and weight. In terms of intra-observer precision, while the first and second anthropometrists demonstrated better reliability than the third, only height and weight measurements were reliable. Looking at total TEM, we observed that while measurements remained stable between studies for height and weight, circumferences and skinfolds lost precision from one occasion to the next.ConclusionsHeight and weight were the most reliable measurements under the study's conditions. Circumferences and skinfolds demonstrated less reliability and lost precision over time, probably as a result of insufficient supervision over the entire length of the study. Our results underline the importance of a careful observer's selection, good initial preparation, as well as the necessity of ongoing training and supervision over the entire course of a longitudinal nutritional study. Failure to do so could have major repercussions on data reliability and jeopardize its utilization.

Oversea Education and Arts of West Africa

Oversea Education and Arts of West Africa

Colonialism's Clothing: Africa, France, and the Deployment of Fashion

July 01 2009 Colonialism's Clothing: Africa, France, and the Deployment of Fashion Victoria L. Rovine Victoria L. Rovine Victoria L. Rovine holds a joint appointment as Associate Professor in the School of Art and Art History and the Center for African Studies at the University of Florida. Her book, Bogolan: Shaping Culture through Cloth in Contemporary Mali (Indiana University Press, 2008), explores the changing incarnations of textiles, fashion, and art in West Africa and the Diaspora. Her current research is focused on the exchanges between African and European cultures via dress and fashion design. Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Author and Article Information Victoria L. Rovine Victoria L. Rovine holds a joint appointment as Associate Professor in the School of Art and Art History and the Center for African Studies at the University of Florida. Her book, Bogolan: Shaping Culture through Cloth in Contemporary Mali (Indiana University Press, 2008), explores the changing incarnations of textiles, fashion, and art in West Africa and the Diaspora. Her current research is focused on the exchanges between African and European cultures via dress and fashion design. Online ISSN: 1531-4790 Print ISSN: 0747-9360 © 2009 Massachusetts Institute of Technology2009 Design Issues (2009) 25 (3): 44–61. https://doi.org/10.1162/desi.2009.25.3.44 Cite Icon Cite Permissions Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Views Icon Views Article contents Figures & tables Video Audio Supplementary Data Peer Review Search Site Citation Victoria L. Rovine; Colonialism's Clothing: Africa, France, and the Deployment of Fashion. Design Issues 2009; 25 (3): 44–61. doi: https://doi.org/10.1162/desi.2009.25.3.44 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentAll JournalsDesign Issues Search Advanced Search This content is only available as a PDF. © 2009 Massachusetts Institute of Technology2009 Article PDF first page preview Close Modal You do not currently have access to this content.

The Mande Blacksmiths: Knowledge, Power, and Art in West Africa

Preface Note on Orthography Acknowledgments I. Blacksmiths in Mande Society The Mande Social System The Nyamakala Special Professionals Nyamakala and the Smiths' Ambiguous Status II. The Mande Smiths as Craftsmen Techniques Products Articulation III. Smiths and the Shape of Civilized Space The Principles of Medicine and Sorcery A Hierarchy of Practitioners Rainmaking Divination Doctoring Amulets and Secret Devices Social Instrumentality Circumcision The Relative Roles of Blacksmiths and Hunters IV. The Blacksmiths' Sculpture The Character of Sculpture and the Other Roles of Smiths The Smiths' Iron Art Tamaw: Spear Blades Fitinew: Iron Lamps Negemusow and Negesotigiw: Iron Women and Iron Horse Masters Komokunw: The Power Masks of the Mande Smiths V. The Mande Smiths as Men of Means The Problem of Explanations The Unity of Enterprise The Resolution of Movement The Contradiction of Position The Responsibility of Artists Notes Bibliography Index

The Mande Blacksmiths: Knowledge, Power, and Art in West Africa

The Mande Blacksmiths: Knowledge, Power, and Art in West Africa

The Mande Blacksmiths: Knowledge, Power, and Art in West Africa

The Mande Blacksmiths: Knowledge, Power, and Art in West Africa

The Mande Blacksmiths. Knowledge, Power, and Art in West Africa

The Mande Blacksmiths. Knowledge, Power, and Art in West Africa

THE MANDE BLACKSMITHS: KNOWLEDGE, POWER, AND ART IN WEST AFRICA. (Traditional Arts of Africa series). Patrick R. McNaughton

<i>THE MANDE BLACKSMITHS: KNOWLEDGE, POWER, AND ART IN WEST AFRICA. (Traditional Arts of Africa series)</i>. Patrick R. McNaughton

The Mande blacksmiths: knowledge, power, and art in West Africa

Preface Note on Orthography Acknowledgments I. Blacksmiths in Mande Society The Mande Social System The Nyamakala Special Professionals Nyamakala and the Smiths' Ambiguous Status II. The Mande Smiths as Craftsmen Techniques Products Articulation III. Smiths and the Shape of Civilized Space The Principles of Medicine and Sorcery A Hierarchy of Practitioners Rainmaking Divination Doctoring Amulets and Secret Devices Social Instrumentality Circumcision The Relative Roles of Blacksmiths and Hunters IV. The Blacksmiths' Sculpture The Character of Sculpture and the Other Roles of Smiths The Smiths' Iron Art Tamaw: Spear Blades Fitinew: Iron Lamps Negemusow and Negesotigiw: Iron Women and Iron Horse Masters Komokunw: The Power Masks of the Mande Smiths V. The Mande Smiths as Men of Means The Problem of Explanations The Unity of Enterprise The Resolution of Movement The Contradiction of Position The Responsibility of Artists Notes Bibliography Index

African Borderland Sculpture

African Borderland Sculpture

Islam and Tribal Art in West Africa

Islam and Tribal Art in West Africa

ISLAMIC STUDIES

Journal Article ISLAMIC STUDIES Get access Islam and Tribal Art in West Africa (African Studies Series, no. 11). By RENÉ A. BRAVMANN. New York. Cambridge University Press, 1974. xiii+190 pages, 83 illustrations, 4 maps. $13.95. L.C No. 73-77262 DOUGLAS FRASER DOUGLAS FRASER Department of Art History, Columbia University Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Journal of the American Academy of Religion, Volume XLIV, Issue 1, March 1976, Page 178, https://doi.org/10.1093/jaarel/XLIV.1.178 Published: 01 March 1976

Islam and Tribal Art in West Africa

Islam and Tribal Art in West Africa

Islam and Tribal Art in West Africa

Islam and Tribal Art in West Africa