STR-based genetic structure of the Berber population of Bejaia (Northern Algeria) and its relationships to various ethnic groups

Patterns of genetic variation in human populations have been described for decades. However, North Africa has received little attention and Algeria, in particular, is poorly studied, Here we genotyped a Berber-speaking population from Algeria using 15 short tandem repeat (STR) loci D8S1179, D21S11, D7S820, CSF1PO, D3S1358, TH01, D13S317, D16S539, D2S1338, D19S433, vWA, TPOX, D18S51, D5S818 and FGA from the commercially available AmpF/STR Identifiler kit. Altogether 150 unrelated North Algerian individuals were sampled across 10 administrative regions or towns from the Bejaia Wilaya (administrative district). We found that all of the STR loci met Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium expectations, after Bonferroni correction and that the Berber-speaking population of Bejaia presented a high level of observed heterozygosity for the 15 STR system (>0.7). Genetic parameters of forensic interest such as combined power of discrimination (PD) and combined probability of exclusion (PE) showed values higher than 0.999, suggesting that this set of STRs can be used for forensic studies. Our results were also compared to those published for 42 other human populations analyzed with the same set. We found that the Bejaia sample clustered with several North African populations but that some geographically close populations, including the Berber-speaking Mozabite from Algeria were closer to Near-Eastern populations. While we were able to detect some genetic structure among samples, we found that it was not correlated to language (Berber-speaking versus Arab-speaking) or to geography (east versus west). In other words, no significant genetic differences were found between the Berber-speaking and the Arab-speaking populations of North Africa. The genetic closeness of European, North African and Near-Eastern populations suggest that North Africa should be integrated in models aiming at reconstructing the demographic history of Europe. Similarly, the genetic proximity with sub-Saharan Africa is a reminder of the links that connect all African regions.Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Laboratoire d'Excellence (LABEX) entitled TULIP: (ANR-10-LABX-41)

Les valeurs véhiculées par le texte littéraire comme objet de transposition : pour une cohérence didactique

L’enseignement du français au lycée marocain se base sur des œuvres littéraires intégrales. Les dernières Orientations pédagogiques de 2007 privilégient le contenu littéraire et culturel, à travers l’entrée par les valeurs. Or, après une expérience de deux décennies, il s’avère que ce choix pose une double difficulté pour l’apprenant : la langue et la culture. La présente réflexion explore les valeurs véhiculées par les œuvres au programme actuel de français au tronc commun du lycée en optant pour une méthodologie descriptive qui consiste à examiner les œuvres au programme et analyser les indices qui renseignent sur les valeurs

Recycling waste by manufacturing biomaterial for environmental engineering: Application to dye removal

Financiado para publicación en acceso aberto: Universidade de Vigo/CISUGThere are several disposal and governance difficulties due to rapid bio-waste growth. Therefore, recycling and repurposing them for environmental purposes is garnering increasing attention. Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) followed by phosphoric acid activation was used in this investigation to synthesize a novel activated hydrochar (AHPP) from pomegranate peels. X-Ray Diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, Scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Brunauer, Emmett and Teller (BET) surface area analysis and Barrett- Joyner-Halenda (BJH) pore size distribution, and pH of zero charge were exploited to define the characteristics of AHPP, which was then used to assess the uptake of Basic Red 46 (BR46) dye in the batch mode. Isothermal and kinetic investigations were accomplished with pH = 6, 0.5 g.L−1 of adsorbent, 400 rpm at 298 K upon 60 min. The Freundlich model accurately presented the equilibrium curves with an adsorption capacity of 998.95 mg g−1, while the PSO kinetic model adequately corresponded to the experimental data. Furthermore, thermodynamic data disclosed that the process was spontaneous, endothermic, and linked to a growing disorder at the adsorbent- adsorbate interface. Lastly, the reuse investigation using HCl ascertained that AHPP might be recycled ten times, whereas a probable adsorption mechanism was proffered. Overall, it is possible to conclude that activated hydrochar generated from pomegranate peels as cost-effective waste could be employed as an alternative sorbent in dining substantial effluents retaining BR46Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación | Ref. PID2020-113667GBI0

GATA4 molecular screening and assessment of environmental risk factors in a Moroccan cohort with tetralogy of Fallot

Background: Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is the most common cyanotic congenital heart defect (CHD) with an incidence of 1/3600 live births. This disorder was associated with mutations in the transcription factors involved in cardiogenesis, like Nk2 homeobox5 (NKX2-5), GATA binding protein4 (GATA4) and T-BOX1 (TBX1). GATA4 contributes particularly to heart looping and differentiation of the second heart field.Objectives: The aim of this study was to screen a Moroccan cohort with tetralogy of Fallot for GATA4 mutations, and to assess environmental risk factors that could be involved in the occurrence of this disorder.Methods: Thirty-one non-syndromic TOF patients, enrolled between 5th April 2014 and 18th June 2015, were screened for GATA4 mutations using direct sequencing of GATA4 coding exons. Statistical assessment of different risk factors, which is a retrospective study, was carried out using Chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests. Results: We identified seven exonic variants in nine patients (two missense and five synonymous variants); in addition of eight intronic variants. Assessment of environmental risk factors shows significant association of maternal passive smoking with TOF in the Moroccan population.Conclusion: The present study allowed, for the first time, the molecular and environmental characterisation of Moroccan TOF population. Our findings emphasise particularly the strong association of passive smoking with the emergence of tetralogy of Fallot.Keywords: Tetralogy of Fallot, GATA4, molecular screening, risk factors

Management of undiagnosed pheochromocytoma with acute appendicitis

The authors reported and discussed management a case of undiagnosed pheochromocytoma suspected because the catastrophic hemodynamic changes in a patient with an acute appendicitis

Persistance du 5ème arc aortique associé à une interruption de l’arche aortique

Les auteurs rapportent un cas de persistance du 5ème arc aortique associé à une interruption totale de l'arche aortique. Ce cas clinique montre le piège diagnostic posé par la persistance du 5ème arc aortique et son effet bénéfique hémodynamique. Le tableau clinique était trompeur en préopératoire en raison de la persistance des pouls fémoraux et des signes cliniques d'un shunt gauche-droite via un large canal artériel. Le diagnostic a été redressé en peropératoire grâce au monitorage de la pression artérielle par un cathéter placé dans l'artère fémorale

Syndrome CHARGE avec tétralogie de Fallot: à propos d’un cas

Le syndrome CHARGE est caractérisé par un large polymorphisme clinique associant colobome, anomalies cardiaques, atrésie de choanes, retard staturo-pondéral et de développement, anomalies génitales, anomalies des oreilles ainsi que d'autres anomalies. Les auteurs rapportent le cas d'un syndrome CHARGE diagnostiqué lors du bilan d'une tétralogie de Fallot chez un nourrisson de 22 mois. Les différentes manifestations cliniques de ce syndrome sont rapportées ainsi que les critères diagnostiques

Early results for active infective endocarditis

Introduction: Cardiac surgery is frequently needed during active phase of infective endocarditis (IE). The purpose of this study was to analyze the immediate and late results and determine the risk factors for death.Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 101 patients with IE operated in the active phase. The mean age was 40.5 ± 12.5 years. 16 patients (15.8%) were diagnosed with prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE). 81 (80.9%) were in NYHA functional class III-IV. Blood cultures were positive in only 24 cases (23.9%).Results: in-hospital mortality rate was 17.9% (18 cases). Multivariate analysis indentified five determinant predictor factors: congestive heart failure (CHF), renal insufficiency, high Euroscore, prolonged cardiopulmonary bypass time (> 120 min) and long ICU stay. The median follow-up period was 4.2 (2-6.5) years. Overall survival rate for all patients who survived surgery was 97% at 5 years and 91% at 10 years.Conclusion: Despite high in-hospital mortality rate, when patients receive operation early in the active phase of their illness, late outcome may be good.Keywords: Infective endocarditis, valvular surgery, active phas