Optimisation De La Stérilisation Des Conserves De Poisson Par La Mise Ne Place De La Démarche Six Sigma DMAIC

The highly competitive economic environment has prompted companies to improve their industrial performance. In this context, an agrifood company seeks to improve the performance of its production resources as well as the quality system through the implementation of continuous improvement projects. The object of this work is the presentation of the results of the process of the improvement of industrial performance by the implementation of the Six Sigma approach on a process of sterilization of canned fish. To this end, the deployment of this project has made it possible to reduce the sterilizing value by 30% in order to improve the organoleptic qualities of the product. Also, the total duration of the heat treatments has been reduced by 20%, thus allowing a possible increase in productivity

Caractérisation et étude comparative de deux races de pigeon de chair du Maroc

oai:ojs.pkp.sfu.ca:article/26Deux races de pigeon de chair du Maroc appelées Beldi et Mgandi sont décrites en vue d'une standardisation. L'identification qualitative des deux races est basée sur la description des caractères phénotypiques. L'aspect quantitatif est étudié par l'analyse des performances de reproduction des deux races: prolificité, éclosabilité, productivité, taux de viabilité des descendants et poids de ces derniers à l'âge d'abattage (un mois) et à l'âge adulte (quatre mois). L'étude comparative des diverses variables quantitatives, effectuée par analyse de variance à un et à deux facteurs, a révélé des différences hautement significatives entre les deux races. La race Beldi s'avère la plus prolifique avec une moyenne annuelle de 18 oeufs par couple et la plus productive en pigeonneaux de chair soit environ 16 pigeonneaux annuels par couple par rapport à la race Mgandi. Cette dernière se caractérise par une meilleure production en poids de ses descendants

Blood lead, cadmium and mercury among children from urban, industrial and rural areas of Fez Boulemane Region (Morocco): Relevant factors and early renal effects

Objectives: To describe blood lead (Pb-B), cadmium (Cd-B) and mercury (Hg-B) levels in children living in urban, industrial and rural areas in Fez city (north of Morocco) and to identify the determinants and some renal effects of exposure. Material and Methods: The study was conducted from June 2007 to January 2008 in 209 school children (113 girls, 96 boys), aged 6-12 years, from urban, industrial and rural areas in Fez city. Interview and questionnaires data were obtained. Blood and urinary samples were analyzed. Results: The mean of blood lead levels (Pb-B) in our population was 55.53 μg/l (range: 7.5-231.1 μg/l). Children from the urban area had higher blood lead levels (BLLs) mean (82.36 μg/l) than children from industrial and rural areas (48.23 and 35.99 μg/l, respectively); with no significant difference between boys and girls. BLLs were associated with traffic intensity, passive smoking and infancy in the urban area. The mean of blood cadmium levels (BCLs) was 0.22 μg/l (range: 0.06-0.68 μg/l), with no difference between various areas. Rural boys had higher BCLs mean than rural girls, but no gender influence was noticed in the other areas. BCLs were associated with the number of cigarettes smoked at children's homes. The blood mercury levels (BMLs) mean was 0.49 μg/l (range: 0.01-5.31 μg/l). The BMLs mean was higher in urban and industrial areas than in the rural area with no gender-related difference. BMLs were associated with amalgam fillings and infancy in the urban area. About 8% of the children had BLLs ≥ 100 μg/l particularly in the urban area, microalbuminuria and a decrease in height were noticed in girls from the inner city of Fez and that can be related to high BLLs (89.45 μg/l). Conclusions: There is a need to control and regulate potential sources of contamination by these trace elements in children; particularly for lead

Metabolic Syndrome and Menopause are correlated in Moroccan women population

Background: Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of metabolic risk factors for type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases. Physiological variations occurring in women during menopause are thought to be a predisposing factor for the metabolic syndrome. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its individual components according to menopausal status in a sample of Moroccan women. Methods: We analyzed data of 653 women aged 19 years and older. We used the recently published joint interim statement criteria to classify subjects as having metabolic syndrome. Results: Out of the total subjects, 262 (40.12%) were syndromic. The metabolic syndrome and abdominal obesity were more common in postmenopausal than in premenopausal women. The highest prevalence of metabolic syndrome was observed in menopausal transition especially among women aged 49-52 years (62.59%). During this period, half of women have at least three metabolic syndrome risk factors. Conclusion: Abdominal obesity associated with metabolic changes occurring in menopause was a risk factor for the development of metabolic syndrome in women. There is a need to adopt a healthy lifestyle to prevent weight gain in women. This can minimize the incidence of metabolic syndrome and its consequences as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases

Self-reported Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine among Moroccan Women with Breast Cancer

Abstract The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence, types, sociodemographic and clinical-related factors of complementary and alternative medicine use among Moroccan women with breast cancer. A cross-sectional study was carried out at the National Institute of Oncology in Rabat. 400 patients with breast cancer were recruited for face-to-face interviews. Data were collected using a questionnaire addressing personal/medical characteristics and the use of CAM therapies. 88.5% of women used at least one CAM therapy, 73.2% of them reported began to use CAM at the onset of breast cancer symptoms. Type of CAM commonly used were prayers, listening and/or reading the Koran and use of naturel products like honey or fenugreek. High education level was independent factors related to CAM use. Interventions should be focused on open communication and further researches are needed to explore the safety and the outcome of CAM use

Identification of the intestinal microbiota: Methods and applications to Moroccan studies

The gut microbiota (GM) is a complex microbial community that exerts a considerable influence on human health, and its accurate characterisation has become essential to understanding its roles and implications in various medical conditions. Recent technological advances have paved the way for analytical methods that can uncover this complex microbial community. For these reasons, this review describes the methods used by research teams to discover and understanding the impact of GM in our environment. This paper explores the first phase of collecting and preserving samples, highlighting the impact of storage methods on sample stability and the reliability microbiological analyses. Then, it examines various methods for analysing GM. This diversity of approaches adapted to the specific objectives of each study, whether to characterise diversity using metagenomics, quantify specific micro-organisms using real-time PCR, or use techniques based on microbial targets. These methodologies promise new perspectives for understanding the physiological impact of the microbiota. Finally, concrete examples from Moroccan studies illustrate the application of these techniques to the characterisation of GM. By providing practical advice, this article guides researchers in the judicious choice of methods adapted to their research objectives and budgetary constraints, thereby contributing to the advancement of knowledge about the GM

Knowledge and Public Awareness of Cancer Risk Factors and Determinants among Yemeni adults- A Community Based Cross-Sectional Study

Cancer is the second biggest cause of premature death after cardiovascular diseases. However, the majority of cancers are caused by risk factors that may be changed. Knowledge is frequently a component of the behavior modification process. Data on the target population’s level of knowledge is required. A cross-sectional survey about nine risk factors for cancer was conducted in four areas in Yemen. The data was analyzed using spss statistics (version20). Among the (571) subjects who took part in the research. The majority of respondents agreed that active smoking, alcohol consumptions are cancer risk factors and physical activity as a preventive factor for developing cancer. However, fewer respondents agreed that passive smoking, lack of fresh vegetables and fruits, sun overexposure, obesity, air pollution in cities and indoor smoke, physical inactivity are cancer risk factors. Participants’ responses were shown to have a strong relationship with their educational level, residency, and gender. The higher the educational level and whenever the gender was male and residency urban the higher the probability that respondents identified cancer risk factors including smoking and physical activity as a preventive factor (p<0.0005). The findings show that this community has little knowledge of prevalent cancer risk factors

Methods, tools, and techniques in toxicovigilance

Toxicovigilance is the active process of identifying and evaluating the toxic risks existing in a community, and evaluating the measures taken to reduce or eliminate them. The operation of toxicovigilance requires the use of methods, tools, and techniques. The objective of this article is to describe the organization of toxicovigilance, to identify their components, and to specify the methods, tools and techniques which are applied to them and are necessary for their operation. To achieve those goals, we based our study on a bibliographic synthesis, where some key references were selected, analysed, and summarised. The results of our study have shown that the performance of a toxicovigilance system requires the mastery and integration of methods, tools, and techniques by trained and experienced staff. Those methods, tools and techniques can be classified into six stages. The study also showed that the practice of toxicovigilance is one of the core tasks of a poison control centres. Our study has shown that Anti-poison and Pharmacovigilance center Morocco constitutes a real observatory in terms of toxicovigilance. It ensures a vigilance and alert function concerning different toxic groups

Blood lead, cadmium and mercury among children from urban, industrial and rural areas of Fez Boulemane Region (Morocco): Relevant factors and early renal effects

Objectives: To describe blood lead (Pb-B), cadmium (Cd-B) and mercury (Hg-B) levels in children living in urban, industrial and rural areas in Fez city (north of Morocco) and to identify the determinants and some renal effects of exposure. Material and Methods: The study was conducted from June 2007 to January 2008 in 209 school children (113 girls, 96 boys), aged 6-12 years, from urban, industrial and rural areas in Fez city. Interview and questionnaires data were obtained. Blood and urinary samples were analyzed. Results: The mean of blood lead levels (Pb-B) in our population was 55.53 μg/l (range: 7.5-231.1 μg/l). Children from the urban area had higher blood lead levels (BLLs) mean (82.36 μg/l) than children from industrial and rural areas (48.23 and 35.99 μg/l, respectively); with no significant difference between boys and girls. BLLs were associated with traffic intensity, passive smoking and infancy in the urban area. The mean of blood cadmium levels (BCLs) was 0.22 μg/l (range: 0.06-0.68 μg/l), with no difference between various areas. Rural boys had higher BCLs mean than rural girls, but no gender influence was noticed in the other areas. BCLs were associated with the number of cigarettes smoked at children's homes. The blood mercury levels (BMLs) mean was 0.49 μg/l (range: 0.01-5.31 μg/l). The BMLs mean was higher in urban and industrial areas than in the rural area with no gender-related difference. BMLs were associated with amalgam fillings and infancy in the urban area. About 8% of the children had BLLs ≥ 100 μg/l particularly in the urban area, microalbuminuria and a decrease in height were noticed in girls from the inner city of Fez and that can be related to high BLLs (89.45 μg/l). Conclusions: There is a need to control and regulate potential sources of contamination by these trace elements in children; particularly for lead