Etude physico-chimique de deux variétés de figuier de barbarie ('Achefri' et 'Amouslem') du Sud marocain

This work concerns the morphological characterization of fruits of two cultivars of prickly pear; Achefri and Amouslem widely present in two regions of southern Morocco; Arbaa Sahel and Asgherkiss. The study of the interaction between cultivar and the site shows in both localities that Opuntia has specific adaptations to their environment. Some parameters such as color, weight and diameter of the fruit, the weight of the pulp and sugar content showed a significant difference between the cultivars of the two studied sites.Ce travail concerne la caractérisation morphologique, des fruits de deux cultivars de figuier de barbarie; Achefri et Amouslem largement présents dans deux régions du Sud marocain; Arbaâ Sahel et Asgherkiss. L’étude de l’interaction entre le cultivar et le site montre dans les deux localités que les Opuntia présentent des adaptations propres à leur environnement. Certains paramètres tels que la couleur, le poids et le diamètre du fruit, le poids de la pulpe et sa teneur en sucres présentent une différence significative entre les cultivars des deux sites étudiés

Molecular characterization of a Moroccan isolate of Tomato yellow leaf curl Sardinia virus and differentiation of the Tomato yellow leaf curl virus complex by the polymerase chain reaction

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to identify an isolate of Tomato yellow leaf curl Sardinia virus (TYLCSV) from southwestern Morocco and to detect the members of the Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) complex. Thirty-five tomato samples with typical TYLCV symptoms were collected from infected tomato fields in the Souss-Massa region. PCR was performed with a general primer pair based on the coat protein (Cp) gene of the TYLCV complex, as well as with specific primer pairs for TYLCV and TYLCSV. Of the 35 samples tested, 29 generated a viral DNA product with the general primer pair, 29 samples gave a viral DNA product with the TYLCV-specific primers, and of these, 9 also gave a product with the TYLCSV primer pair; 6 samples did not give any PCR product with either primer pair. The full-length genome of TYLCSV was amplified with overlapping primers at the unique NcoI site in the TYLCSV genome (GenBank accession number X61153). The full-length genome of the TYLCSV isolate from Morocco is 2,777 nucleotides long (accession number AY702650) and is almost identical (97% nucleotide identity) to a TYLCSV isolate from Murcia, Spain (accession number Z25751). A PCR-based diagnostic method was developed to distinguish between TYLCV and TYLCSV in Morocco. To diagnose the TYLCV/TYLCSV complex a general primer pair was designed that anneals to a conserved region of the Cp gene. To diagnose TYLCSV exclusively, two primer pairs were designed to anneal specifically to the replication-associated protein gene (Rep) of TYLCSV from Morocco. To detect TYLCV exclusively, a primer pair previously described to amplify the intergenic region (IR) of TYLCV was used. The PCR primers were tested for their effectiveness using DNA clones of the TYLCSV from Morocco and of the TYLCV from the Dominican Republic. PCR using these primers offers a rapid means to detect the TYLCV complex and to distinguish between the two TYLCV species present in Morocco

Analysis of cellular and soluble profiles in QuantiFERON nonconverters, converters, and reverters in the Gambia.

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading cause of death from a single infectious agent worldwide. The immune system is capable of clearing the pathogen before establishment of latent infection but the mechanisms for this are not yet understood. METHODS: This study analysed highly exposed household contacts (HHC) of TB index cases who were categorised according to QuantiFERON (QFT) results at recruitment and 6 months. Seventeen (17) QFT nonconverters, 14 QFT converters, 18 QFT reverters and 18 latent TB infection (LTBI) were analysed. Supernatants generated following QFT stimulation at both time-points were analysed using a 64-plex cytokine array. Flow cytometry was performed on QFT converters and nonconverters at baseline only. RESULTS: Interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-5, IL-13, APRIL, IL-17A, IP-10, MIP-1ß, sIL-6rb, OPN, and sTNFR2 were all significantly higher in the QFT converters compared with nonconverters at baseline. Levels of interferon-α2 (IFN-α2) and IL-2 were significantly lower in QFT reverters compared with nonconverters at baseline. Analysis of Ag-specific IL-2 levels resulted in an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.93 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.84-1.00) for QFT converters compared to nonconverters and an AUC of 0.80 (0.65-0.95) for QFT reverters compared with LTBI. Purified protein derivative (PPD)-specific CD4 + CD26 + IFN-γ + cells were significantly increased (P = .0007) in QFT nonconverters compared with QFT converters at baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Our results provide insight into the underlying mechanisms of resistance to sustained Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection

Caractérisations chimique, botanique et microbiologique du sol des dunes littorales du Souss-Massa

Des analyses chimique, botanique et microbiologique du sol sont menées sur trois sites dunaires de la région littorale du Souss-Massa: embouchure de l'Oued Souss (S1), Lamzar (S2) et Ait Melloul (S3). L'analyse chimique a montré que les trois sols présentent des caractères identiques à savoir, un pH proche de la neutralité et une teneur faible en éléments nutritifs. La population végétale de ces dunes, de faible diversité, est dominée par deux légumineuses (Retama monosperma et Ononis natrix) et une graminée (Schismus barbatus). Le recouvrement végétal global est plus important dans le site de Lamzar (>50%). La microflore totale est bien représentée dans les trois sols notamment dans le site de Lamzar (S2). Cette flore est composée de bactéries, champignons et actinomycètes. Ces derniers constituent environ 50% de la population microbienne. Les microorganismes symbiotiques (champignons endomycorhiziens et rhizobiums) sont également présents, en particulier, dans le site de Lamzar. La richesse du sol de Lamzar en micro-organismes est probablement due à la stabilité de ce site. Ceci montre que la végétation influence la répartition de ces micro-organismes. La présence des champignons endomycorhiziens et des rhizobiums est, sans doute, à la base de l'amélioration de la croissance des plantes se développant dans ces dunes

Phytochemical study of prickly pear from southern Morocco

This work concerns the phytochemical study of the prickly pear pulp’s fruits of two opuntia cultivars; Achefri and Amouslem widely present in two regions of southern Morocco; Arbaa Sahel and Asgherkis that are different in their altitude and annual rainfall. The results of the phytochemical study show that the levels of antioxidants have a non-significant difference between the fruits of the two sites (comparing Amouslem and Achefri in the same site, on the one hand, for the differences due to the variety or cultivar, on the other hand between Amouslem and Achefri from the two sites to show the site effect)