Microbial Bioremediation of Petroleum Hydrocarbon– Contaminated Marine Environments

Petroleum pollution has become a serious environmental problem, which can cause harmful damage to the environment and human health. This pollutant is introduced into the environment from both natural and anthropogenic sources. Various physicochemical and biological treatments were developed for the cleanup of contaminated environments. However, bioremediation is based on the metabolic capabilities of microorganisms, and it is considered as the most basic and reliable way to eliminate contaminants, particularly petroleum and its recalcitrant compounds. It is more effective alternative comparing to classical remediation techniques. A high diversity of potential hydrocarbon degrader’s microorganisms was reported, and bacteria constitute the most abundant group, which has been well studied for hydrocarbon degradation. Several bioremediation approaches through bioaugmentation or/and biostimulation have been successfully applied. The interest on the optimizing of different parameters to achieve successful bioremediation technologies has been increased. In this chapter, we summarize the diversity and the hydrocarbon degradation potential of microorganism involved in the remediation of contaminated environments. We also present an overview of the efficient bioremediation strategies used for the decontamination of polluted marine environments

FDI and Growth in the MENA countries: Are the GCC countries Different?

This paper examines the relationship between Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region for the period 1985-2009. The empirical evidence is based on an endoeneity-robust Generalised Method of Moments. Results show that the effect of FDI on per capita income in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries is positive but negative in Non-GCC countries. Results also reveal that in contrast to the GCC countries, the financial openness policy in the Non-GCC countries have reduced the benefits of FDI on growth, this finding is explained by the fact that most of the Non-GCC countries that have engaged in the process of financial reforms have poor quality of institutions. These results are confirmed with both annual data and five year average data

Genomic characterization of a polyvalent hydrocarbonoclastic bacterium Pseudomonas sp. strain BUN14

Bioremediation offers a viable alternative for the reduction of contaminants from the environment, particularly petroleum and its recalcitrant derivatives. In this study, the ability of a strain of Pseudomonas BUN14 to degrade crude oil, pristane and dioxin compounds, and to produce biosurfactants, was investigated. BUN14 is a halotolerant strain isolated from polluted sediment recovered from the refinery harbor on the Bizerte coast, north Tunisia and capable of producing surfactants. The strain BUN14 was assembled into 22 contigs of 4,898,053 bp with a mean GC content of 62.4%. Whole genome phylogeny and comparative genome analyses showed that strain BUN14 could be affiliated with two validly described Pseudomonas Type Strains, P. kunmingensis DSM 25974T and P. chloritidismutans AW-1T. The current study, however, revealed that the two Type Strains are probably conspecific and, given the priority of the latter, we proposed that P. kunmingensis DSM 25974 is a heteronym of P. chloritidismutans AW-1T. Using GC-FID analysis, we determined that BUN14 was able to use a range of hydrocarbons (crude oil, pristane, dibenzofuran, dibenzothiophene, naphthalene) as a sole carbon source. Genome analysis of BUN14 revealed the presence of a large repertoire of proteins (154) related to xenobiotic biodegradation and metabolism. Thus, 44 proteins were linked to the pathways for complete degradation of benzoate and naphthalene. The annotation of conserved functional domains led to the detection of putative genes encoding enzymes of the rhamnolipid biosynthesis pathway. Overall, the polyvalent hydrocarbon degradation capacity of BUN14 makes it a promising candidate for application in the bioremediation of polluted saline environments

Facial cellulitis revealing choreo-acanthocytosis: A case report

We report a 62 year-old-man with facial cellulitis revealing choreo-acanthocytosis (ChAc). He showed chorea that started 20 years ago. The orofacial dyskinisia with tongue and cheek biting resulted in facial cellulitis. The peripheral blood smear revealed acanthocytosis of 25%. The overall of chorea, orofacial dyskinetic disorder, peripheral neuropathy, disturbed behavior, acanthocytosis and the atrophy of caudate nuclei was suggestive of a diagnosis of ChAc. To our knowledge no similar cases of facial cellulitis revealing choreo-acanthocytosis  (ChAc) were found in a review of the literature.Key words: Choreo-acanthocytosis, facial cellulitis, dyskinetic movement

Ultrasound Modality in the Evaluation and Management of Gallbladder Polyps

Gallbladder polyps (GBP) are defined as developed masses inside the wall of the gallbladder; most of them (90%) are nontumor lesions. Abdominal ultrasound is the main and the first line radiological modality for their diagnosis and their risk lamination. We conducted a 12 year retrospective study between 2009 and 2020, which included patients who had preoperative transabdominal ultrasonography showing gallbladder polyps and had undergone cholecystectomy, and for whom postoperative pathology results were available, as well as patients who had at least one polyp discovered on the histopathological exam and who were not determined preoperatively. A total of 70 patients were identified. Preoperative diagnosis of vesicular polyp by ultrasound was carried in 82.9% of patients. The number of ultrasounds performed per person was 1.2 ± 0.47. The polyps’ size in mm was on average 6.14 ± 2.6 with extremes between 3 and 13 mm. On anatomopathological examination, a polyp was objectified in 33.3% of cases. In our series, abdominal ultrasound had a low sensitivity at 36.4%. We aim to provide the accuracy of abdominal ultrasound for the diagnosis of GBP, as a low-cost modality, and to evaluate the concordance of preoperative ultrasound imaging with postoperative pathology

The genome of Alcaligenes aquatilis strain BU33N: Insights into hydrocarbon degradation capacity

Environmental contamination with hydrocarbons though natural and anthropogenic activities is a serious threat to biodiversity and human health. Microbial bioremediation is considered as the effective means of treating such contamination. This study describes a biosurfactant producing bacterium capable of utilizing crude oil and various hydrocarbons as the sole carbon source. Strain BU33N was isolated from hydrocarbon polluted sediments from the Bizerte coast (northern Tunisia) and was identified as Alcaligenes aquatilis on the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. When grown on crude oil and phenanthrene as sole carbon and energy sources, isolate BU33N was able to degrade ~86%, ~56% and 70% of TERHc, n-alkanes and phenanthrene, respectively. The draft genome sequence of the A. aquatilis strain BU33N was assembled into one scaffold of 3,838,299 bp (G+C content of 56.1%). Annotation of the BU33N genome resulted in 3,506 protein-coding genes and 56 rRNA genes. A large repertoire of genes related to the metabolism of aromatic compounds including genes encoding enzymes involved in the complete degradation of benzoate were identified. Also genes associated with resistance to heavy metals such as copper tolerance and cobalt-zinc-cadmium resistance were identified in BU33N. This work provides insight into the genomic basis of biodegradation capabilities and bioremediation/detoxification potential of A. aquatilis BU33N

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

theoretical and experimental study of neutralization dialysis for salines water desalination

Le vif intérêt et les nombreuses recherches qui portent de nos jours sur les membranes viennent de leurs applications dans le dessalement et l'adoucissement des eaux. En général, ces procédés membranaires sont plus efficaces, plus économiques, et écologiquement plus propres. Néanmoins, les techniques membranaires restent parfois plus onéreuses en investissement et/ou en entretien que certaines techniques conventionnelles, ce qui a sans doute limité la généralisation de leurs applications à très grandes échelles. Nous nous sommes alors proposés de contribuer à l'étude d'un procédé anciennement introduit, en l'occurrence la dialyse de neutralisation, afin de le valoriser et d'examiner certains principaux paramètres qui peuvent influencer son fonctionnement. L'application visée est le dessalement d'une eau de surface réelle qui provient du Nord de l'Afrique ou de certaines régions de la Tunisie comme la région de Skhira. Ainsi, nous allons simuler ce procédé par un système formé par une cellule pouvant inclure une membrane échangeuse d'anions et une autre échangeuse de cations formant ainsi trois compartiments contenant une solution basique, de l'eau à déminéraliser et une solution acide. Le premier chapitre est consacré à une synthèse bibliographique sur les membranes échangeuses d'ions, sur ses principales applications ainsi que sur ses différentes méthodes de modélisation et ses phénomènes de transport. Cette analyse bibliographique va nous permettre d'avoir une idée claire sur le fonctionnement d'une opération de dialyse de neutralisation. En plus d'une cellule à trois compartiments, il faut un montage expérimental pour assurer la circulation des solutions et les opérations de mises en route. Dans le second chapitre, nous avons travaillé avec une cellule de laboratoire pour optimiser l'opération de dialyse de neutralisation sur une eau reconstituée. Nous avons ainsi réalisé un plan d'expérience où l'influence de chaque paramètre a été examinée. Ensuite, dans le troisième chapitre, nous avons développé un modèle théorique de transfert de matière, basé sur les équations de Nernst-Planck, pour décrire le fonctionnement d'une telle opération. Enfin, dans le quatrième chapitre, nous avons mis en place le premier pilote de dialyse de neutralisation afin de le tester toujours avec une eau reconstituée ensuite sur une eau réelle. Suite à ça, nous évaluerons les performances de ce procédé pour de telles applicationsThe deep interest and the numerous researches that concern nowadays in the membranes comes from their applications in the water desalination. Generally, these membranes process are more effective, more economic, and ecologically more appropriate. Nevertheless, theses process remain sometimes more expensive in investment and/or in maintenance than certain conventional techniques. We then suggested contributing to the study of a process formerly introduced, in this particular case the dialysis of neutralization, in order to examinate certain main parameters which can influence the operating process. The aimed application is the desalination of real surface water which comes from the North of Africa or certain regions of Tunisia as region of Skhira. So, we are going to feign this process by a system formed by a cell which can include a cation and anion exchange membranes forming three compartments containing an alkaline solution, some water to be demineralized and an acidic solution. The first chapter is dedicated to a bibliographical synthesis on ions-exchange membranes, on its main applications as well as on its various methods of modelling and its phenomena of transport. This bibliographical analysis is going to allow us to have a clear idea on the functioning of an operation of neutralization dialysis. In the second chapter, we worked with a cell of laboratory to optimize the operation of neutralization dialysis on a reconstituted water. We so realized a factorial Design where the influence of every parameter was examined. Then, in the third chapter, we developed a theoretical model of ions transfer, based on the equations of Nernst-Planck, to describe the functioning of such an operation. Finally, in the fourth chapter, we set up the first pilot (driver) of dialysis of neutralization to test it always with a water reconstituted then on a real surface water. Further to that, we shall estimate the performances of this process for such application