Physicochemical characteristics and pollen spectrum of some north-east Algerian honeys.

The qualities of seventeen honey samples harvested from the North-East areas of Algeria were evaluated by determining the pollen spectrum, pollen number quantity and physicochemical attributes. Pollen analysis can therefore be useful to determine the geographical and botanical origin of honeys. The following determinations were carried out: pH, density, acidity (free, lactone and total), moisture, electrical conductivity,  hydroxymethylfurfural, diastase activity, apparent sucrose, and proteins.The results obtained in the present study show the variability of chemical composition of the honey samples. It proved that nine natural honeys are of blossoming origin; suitable for consumption and that one (T5 conferred Bougous) can be used with fine dietetics, it is very rich in pollen which is regarded as protein source. The remainder, eight honeys, were not in conformity with the International Regulatory Standards, their sugar contents (Sucrose) and hydroxymethylfurfural exceeded the InternationalRegulatory Standards Review by the International Honey Commission, this was probably due to use of syrup for the over-feeding the bees during the spring. The sample Bouhachana (G1) had high water content (more than 20%), low density and electrical conductivity higher than 5 μS/cm, which makes it likely to undergo fermentation and degradation. Honeys of Guerguour (T1), Boutheldja (T2) and Bouhadjar (T3) had pH lower than the European standards concerning the quality control of the foodstuffs (exp. honey). These samples are fragile; so we cannot preserve them for a long period. The palynological analysis (qualitative and quantitative) of the harvested samples in the area, showed the absence of a honey obtained from only one melliferous plant. All honeys are polyfloral exits of theseveral plant species visited by the worker bees during their blossoming periods. Three families are the most represented in the groups of pollen of accompaniment (the secondary pollen ranged between 16-45%) and the pollen considered as rare (minor pollen 3-15%) in the counted total number of the pollen grains in 10 grams of honey. These forager honey families are: Myrtaceae presented by the Eucalyptus, Papilionaceae presented by Hedysarum coronarium which is a forager plant characterized by a very vast surface of development, and Rosaceae represented byorchard and forest species.The pollen grain number counted in honeys is very significant (between 80 000 and 24 832 000pollen grain), what makes it possible to classify the samples analyzed among the categories rich in pollen

Algebraic treatment of the confluent Natanzon potentials

Using the so(2,1) Lie algebra and the Baker, Campbell and Hausdorff formulas, the Green's function for the class of the confluent Natanzon potentials is constructed straightforwardly. The bound-state energy spectrum is then determined. Eventually, the three-dimensional harmonic potential, the three-dimensional Coulomb potential and the Morse potential may all be considered as particular cases.Comment: 9 page

Contribution à l’étude microbiologique des eaux de l’oued Medjerda dans l’extrême Est Algérien : Souk Ahras

La Medjerda constitue l’un des plus importants oueds de l’Est algérien. Les analyses de la flore microbienne des eaux procurées de six stations pendant les périodes humides et sèches de l’année 2009 ont montré que la notion de saison a une influence certaine sur la concentration en germes. Malgré la forte charge en bactéries indicatrices de la  contamination fécale (germes totaux, coliformes fécaux, streptocoques fécaux et Clostridium sulfito-réducteurs), les germes pathogènes du genre Salmonella n'ont pas été détectés. L'existence éventuelle de ces germes à l'état viable mais non cultivable constituerait un risque particulier du fait que les bactéries survivant à cet état ne sont pas détectables par les  techniques de culture classique. Par ailleurs, les levures et les moisissures sont présentes dans tous les sites étudiés, ce qui rejoint nos conclusions concernant les germes précédemment étudiés. Nos résultats montrent une dégradation importante dans la qualité des eaux de l’oued Medjerda notamment dans les sites 3 (cité Zarouria) et 4 (cité hospitalière).Mots clés : Oued Medjerda – Eau – Environnement – Pollution - Qualité microbiologique.Medjerda is one of the most important oueds in eastern Algeria. During the late wet and dry periods of the year 2009, the microbiological water quality of six stations was studied and showed that the concept of season has some effects on increasing concentration of germs during the dry season compared to the wet season. Despite the heavy load of faecal indicator bacteria (Plate Count, fecal coliforms, faecal streptococci and sulphite-reducing Clostridium), pathogens of Salmonella genus were not detected. The probable existence of these organisms in a viable state but non- cultivable constitutes a particular risk because the bacteria surviving in this state are not detectable by conventional culture techniques. Moreover, the yeasts and molds are present in all sites which join our conclusions regarding the seeds previously studied. The results show a significant impairment of Medjerda water quality especially in sites 3(Zarouria street) and 4 (Hospital street).Keywords : Oued Medjerda – Water – Environment – Pollution - Microbiological quality

HIV infection en route to endogenization: two cases

International audienceThe long-term spontaneous evolution of humans and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is not well characterized; many vertebrate species, including humans, exhibit remnants of other retroviruses in their genomes that question such possible endogenization of HIV. We investigated two HIV-infected patients with no HIV-related disease and no detection with routine tests of plasma HIV RNA or cell-associated HIV DNA. We used Sanger and deep sequencing to retrieve HIV DNA sequences integrated in the human genome and tested the host humoral and cellular immune responses. We noticed that viruses from both patients were inactivated by the high prevalence of the transformation of tryptophan codons into stop codons (25% overall (3–100% per gene) and 24% overall (0–50% per gene)). In contrast, the humoral and/or cellular responses were strong for one patient and moderate for the other, indicating that a productive infection occurred at one stage of the infection. We speculate that the stimulation of APOBEC, the enzyme group that exchanges G for A in viral nucleic acids and is usually inhibited by the HIV protein Vif, has been amplified and made effective from the initial stage of the infection. Furthermore, we propose that a cure for HIV may occur through HIV endogenization in humans, as observed for many other retroviruses in mammals, rather than clearance of all traces of HIV from human cells, which defines viral eradication

Adaptative mechanism of the equilibrative nucleoside transporter 1 (ENT-1) and blood adenosine levels in elite freedivers

International audienc