Ethnolinguistic Identity in Morocco

This study investigates and reports on the strong relation between language and ethnolinguistic identity in Morocco. The study examines and analyzes comments of both Berbers and Arabs’ reaction to the plan of promoting Arabic. Two communities of practice will emerge once they react to a plan aiming at promoting Arabic. The source of data for this study is the main online newspaper in Morocco, Hespress (hespress.com). The comments demonstrate that once Arabic and Berber are put together, the ethnicity associated with each language prevails. Data analysis shows that Language is a prominent index of ethnicity. It can create conflict and rivalry between the two main ethnic groups in Morocco. The results support the hypothesis, which claims that there is a strong link between language and ethnicity. The commentators were expressing their identities in a community of practice that is either defined by Berber or Arabic. Data analysis also shows that language can separate ethnic groups and can also be an essential factor in forming communities of practice. It is clear from the analysis that language separates these two groups, supporting the idea that language has a role in shaping these communities of practice and forming their identities

The Acquisition of Diminutives in Moroccan Heritage Speakers in France

This study addresses the acquisition of diminutive forms by Moroccan heritage speakers in France. Diminutive formation depends on stem modification. 15 Moroccan-French participants took part in this study. In a production experiment, participants were asked to form diminutives for 6 types of stems, since the stem type determines the diminutive pattern. The findings of this study show that the mean percentage of source-like use of the diminutive forms is 38%. The results revealed that just two patterns that were acquired by a significant number of participants: CCiCa and CCiCjCjəC. Diminutive forms that do not require complex processes are acquired by a significant number of participants and the percentage of source-like use is high as well. Irregular stems present difficulties to HS. Non-source like data is rule-governed as 69% of the non-source-like data shows the use of either initial consonant cluster or insertion of the glide, which means that participants produce rule-governed errors. The findings of this study also propose an implicational hierarchy for the acquisition pattern of diminutive forms. For example, if a learner only knows one diminutive pattern, it will be the [CCiCa] pattern. For instance, 27% of the participants acquire just one diminutive pattern and it is [CCiCa]

The Acquisition of Morphology in Moroccan Heritage Speakers in France

There are two major perspectives regarding heritage speakers’ (henceforth HS) ultimate attainment. Some researchers on HS in the U.S. conclude that HS have incomplete grammars (Benmamoun, Montrul & Polinsky, 2013). It is argued that heritage languages (henceforth HL) do not fully develop (Montrul, 2016), and they are not completely acquired because of shifting to a dominant language (Benmamoun et al., 2013). Other researchers argue that HS’ grammars are complete, but simply different as monolingual and HS experience different linguistic realities (Pascual y Cabo & Rothman, 2012). While there is abundant research on Arabic as a HL in the U.S., research on HS in Europe has been rather limited (Montrul, 2016). This dissertation focuses on Moroccan Arabic (henceforth MA) as a HL in France and aims at contributing to the understanding of the linguistic outcomes of the acquisition of Arabic as a HL in an immigrant context. The current study investigates the acquisition of nominal morphology and verbal-derivational patterns by Moroccan HS in France. Nominal morphology was represented by plural and diminutive formation, and verbal derivations were represented by four patterns. Nominal morphology gives insights into both concatenative and non-concatenative morphological processes. Verbal derivational processes are characterized by the use of non-concatenative morphological processes, and semantic notions such as causativeness and reciprocity are lexicalized within the MA verb-pattern system. The studied patterns are the basic (P1), causative (P2), medio-passive (P5), and reciprocal (P6). 15 Moroccan-French participants took part in this study. The data were gathered through three production experiments. Experiment 1 investigated the acquisition of 3 sound morphemes and 14 broken plurals. In experiment 2, participants were tested in diminutive formation, exemplified by the six types of diminutives, and experiment 3 examined the acquisition of verbal derivations. Experiment 1 revealed that participants’ plural system is mainly characterized by concatenative processes as just two sound plural morphemes were acquired by a significant number of participants. All the participants acquired the morpheme -at and 80% of the participants acquired the sound morpheme -in. Participants depend on overgeneralization and simplification of their plural system. The sound morphemes characterize the HL and were overgeneralized in broken plural targeted data. Additionally, the sound plural [-at] seems to be the underspecified default morpheme in the HL. The findings of experiment 2 show that the mean percentage of source-like use of diminutive forms is 38%. The results revealed that just two patterns were acquired by a significant number of participants: CCiCa and CCiCjCjəC. Diminutive forms that do not require complex processes are acquired by a significant number of participants and the percentage of source-like use is high as well. In this study, a brief analysis of diminutive derivational processes was given, and participants’ patterns of acquisition correspond to the suggested continuum of complexity. Irregular stems present difficulties to HS as complex processes are applied. Non-source like data is rule-governed as 69% of the non-source-like data shows the use of either initial consonant cluster or insertion of the glide /-j/, and these are the main processes characterizing diminutive processes. Additionally, the requirement of having two syllables was met. Participants tend to regularize diminutive formation and show a preference to the following processes: initial constant cluster and insertion of the palatal glide. Generally, HS’s variety is mainly characterized by two patterns. Experiment 3 reveals that the basic pattern (P1) was acquired by all the participants and 40% of the participants acquired the causative (P2). The medio-passive pattern (P5) and the reciprocal patterns (P6) were not acquired. ANOVA showed that there were statistically significant differences among the use of the four patterns. The main finding of this study is that semantic distinction realized by pattern alternation is neutralized in the HL. Specifically, the basic pattern (P1) and periphrastic constructions were used predominantly in P5 and P6 targeted data. It is likely that the basic pattern is used as a default morphological device because it unmarked. The three experiments demonstrate that participants omit irregularities and non-source like forms are rule governed. Less complex and less marked morphological structures characterize the HL. Specifically, morphological aspects thought to be acquired earlier in language development are the ones characterizing the HL. Additionally, the findings of the experiments propose implicational hierarchies for the acquisition of the studied morphological structures. Adopting overgeneralization in nominal morphology, and neutralization in verb patterns showed that HS speak a variety that is reanalyzed. Accordingly, HS in France have a distinct variety that was shaped by their linguistic experience. Their variety is different, reanalyzed and does not comprise all the patterns attested in the source language

Verb Derivation Patterns among Moroccan Arabic Heritage Speakers in France: Pedagogical Implications

This study investigates the acquisition of verb derivation patterns by 15 Moroccan Arabic heritage speakers in France. The patterns studied were the basic, causative, medio-passive, and reciprocal. The data were gathered through a production experiment. The main finding was that a semantic distinction realized by pattern alternation was neutralized in the heritage language. The basic pattern and periphrastic constructions were used predominantly in medio-passive and reciprocal target data. The basic pattern was acquired by all participants, while only 40% acquired the causative, although the phonological form of the causative pattern was modified in the heritage language. The medio-passive and reciprocal patterns were not acquired. There were significant differences between the four patterns. Less marked and more common morphological structures characterized the heritage language. Neutralization in verb patterns showed that participants spoke a variety of Arabic in which certain morphosyntactic forms were reanalyzed

Prolongation anormale d’un bloc fémoral analgésique: cas Clinique

La prolongation anormale d'un bloc nerveux peut être définie comme un dépassement du délai habituel de récupération sensitive ou motrice. A travers un cas clinique d'une prolongation anormale d'un bloc analgésique et une revue de la littérature, les auteurs discutent les facteurs de risque et les moyens de prévention de cette complication.Key words: Bloc nerveux fémoral, dexamethasone, prolongation anormal

Peri-partum cardiomyopathy in a pregnant woman at term revealed by acute pulmonary edema: what to do in front this catastrophic situation?

Peripartum Cardiomyopathy is insufficient congestive heart occurring in the last month of pregnancy and 5  months after delivery, in the absence of preexisting heart disease and identified etiology. This heart disease is associated with echocardiography systolic dysfunction and left ventricular dilatation. Its incidence ranges from 1/3000 to 1/15000, depending on the region, including much higher in some African countries, it particularlyconcern women over 30 years, multiparous and multiple pregnancies. The pathogenesis remains unclear, the prognosis is closely related to the complete recovery of cardiac function. We report through the clinical case of a woman aged 33 years admitted to the ICU for acute pulmonary edema of sudden onset of a term pregnancy and what to do before this critical situationKey words: Peri-partum, cardiomyopathy, acute pulmonary edem

Gene expression modulation is associated with gene amplification, supernumerary chromosomes and chromosome loss in antimony-resistant Leishmania infantum

Antimonials remain the first line drug against the protozoan parasite Leishmania but their efficacy is threatened by resistance. We carried out a RNA expression profiling analysis comparing an antimony-sensitive and -resistant (Sb2000.1) strain of Leishmania infantum using whole-genome 70-mer oligonucleotide microarrays. Several genes were differentially expressed between the two strains, several of which were found to be physically linked in the genome. MRPA, an ATP-binding cassette (ABC) gene known to be involved in antimony resistance, was overexpressed in the antimony-resistant mutant along with three other tandemly linked genes on chromosome 23. This four gene locus was flanked by 1.4 kb repeated sequences from which an extrachromosomal circular amplicon was generated in the resistant cells. Interestingly, gene expression modulation of entire chromosomes occurred in the antimony-resistant mutant. Southern blots analyses and comparative genomic hybridizations revealed that this was either due to the presence of supernumerary chromosomes or to the loss of one chromosome. Leishmania parasites with haploid chromosomes were viable. Changes in copy number for some of these chromosomes were confirmed in another antimony-resistant strain. Selection of a partial revertant line correlated antimomy resistance levels and the copy number of aneuploid chromosomes, suggesting a putative link between aneuploidy and drug resistance in Leishmania

Gene Expression Profiling and Molecular Characterization of Antimony Resistance in Leishmania amazonensis

Leishmania are unicellular microorganisms that can be transmitted to humans by the bite of sandflies. They cause a spectrum of diseases called leishmaniasis, which are classified as neglected tropical diseases by the World Health Organization. The treatment of leishmaniasis is based on the administration of antimony-containing drugs. These drugs have been used since 1947 and still constitute the mainstay for leishmaniasis treatment in several countries. One of the problems with these compounds is the emergence of resistance. Our work seeks to understand how these parasites become resistant to the drug. We studied antimony-resistant Leishmania amazonensis mutants. We analyzed gene expression at the whole genome level in antimony-resistant parasites and identified mechanisms used by Leishmania for resistance. This work could help us in developing new strategies for treatment in endemic countries where people are unresponsive to antimony-based chemotherapy. The identification of common mechanisms among different species of resistant parasites may also contribute to the development of diagnostic kits to identify and monitor the spread of resistance

Structural and morphological characterizations of glass based composites in thin films form

By using a low-cost sol gel method, neat and loaded phosphate glass containing Cr, Co, Ni, and Zn was synthesized and then placed on a silica glass substrate. Cr, Ni, Co, and Zn loading amounts were diluted inside the matrix using rates varying from 0 wt% to 16 wt% in order to study the impact of loading elements on glass characteristics. By using XRD and SEM, it was determined how loading factors affected the structural and morphological characteristics of glass thin layers. When the annealing temperature was maintained at 250 °C, X-ray diffractograms revealed that the deposited glass films had an amorphous nature, whilst also X-ray pattern results revealed that the loaded films had a low crystalline nature. Morphology studies indicated the homogeneity and the edge of crystallinity of the obtained thin films. All results were described in detail and they indicated that the films prepared in this study can be used in many nanotechnology applications