Alien marine species of Libya: first inventory and new records in El-Kouf National Park (Cyrenaica) and the neighbouring areas

The presence of marine alien species in El-Kouf National Park and the neighbouring areas was assessed using a compilation of available information and observations, a field survey conducted on October 2010 in the framework of the MedMPAnet project and results of further monitoring during June and September 2012. A total of 9 alien species were reported: the Rhodophyta Asparagopsis taxiformis (Delile) Trevisan de Saint-Léon, the Chlorophyta Caulerpa racemosa var. cylindracea (Sonder) Verlaque, Huisman & Boudouresque, the crab Percnon gibbesi (H. Milne-Edwards, 1853) and the fishes Fistularia commersonii Rüppell, 1838, Siganus luridus (Rüppell, 1829), Siganus rivulatus Forsskål, 1775, Pempheris vanicolensis Cuvier, 1831, Lagocephalus sceleratus (Gmelin, 1789) and Sphyraena flavicauda Rüppell, 1838. Several of them were until now unknown for the National Park. The list of alien marine species of Libya is updated and discussed. Until now 63 marine aliens species were recorded along the Libyan coasts. These include 3 Foraminifera, 3 Ochrophyta, 5 Rhodophyta, 5 Chlorophyta, 1 Magnoliophyta, 11 Arthropoda, 13 Mollusca, 1 Echinodermata and 21 Chordata. Among these Non Indigenous Species, 43 are known as established along the Libyan coast including 8 invasive, 11 casual, 6 questionable, 3 cryptogenic and 1 unknown. An in-depth study of the marine organisms would substantially increase the number of alien species occurring in Libya. Monitoring of marine assemblages of MPAs is a valuable opportunity to go further into the knowledge of native and introduced species

Arsenic concentrations in seagrass around the Mediterranean coast and seasonal variations

Arsenic’s occurrence in the environment could be due to human activities as well as to natural sources. In this study, Posidonia oceanica and Cymodocea nodosa are collected in 84 sites around the Mediterranean basin. In addition, both seagrass are collected monthly, in two sites (Calvi in Corsica and Salammbô in Tunisia). Arsenic concentrations in C. nodosa present seasonal variations in relation with spring phytoplankton blooms. For both species arsenic concentration is higher in the vicinity of geological sources (mining), lagoon outlets and industrial activities. Moreover, Mediterranean islands (Balearic, Sardinia, Corsica, Malta, Crete and Cyprus) and the Southern basin coastline exhibit lower concentrations in Arsenic than the rest of the Mediterranean basin. The wide spread distribution of these two species would encourage their use in a global monitoring network devoted to Arsenic contamination.peer-reviewe

Structure and electrical characterization of ZnO-Ag phosphate glasses

Silver zinc phosphate glasses with a composition (40 − x/2) P2O5 – (40 − x/2) Na2O–20ZnO–x AgNO3 (x = 5, 10 and 15 mol%) were prepared of the glasses via conventional melt-quenching technique. From the Raman spectrum, the structure of the glasses was analyzed. Conduction and relaxation mechanisms in these glasses were studied using impedance spectroscopy in a frequency range from 10 Hz to 13 MHz and a temperature range from 323 K to 623 K. The dependence of electrical data on frequency was analyzed in the framework of the Nyquist's plot and Jonscher’s power law. The semicircles observed in the plots indicate a double relaxation process. The studied materials exhibit a significant contribution of bulk and interfacial effect to electrical conduction and to non-Debye relaxation process. The dc conductivity (σdc) follows Arrhenius behavior with temperature. The ac and dc conductivities of the samples were found to increase with the increase in temperature. The conductivity variation for P2O5-Na2O-ZnO glasses doped with various concentrations of AgNO3 was explained by the presence of ionic contribution.The dielectric characterizations include measurements involving the variation of the dielectric constant as well as the dielectric loss with frequency. The dielectric studies show low values for the dielectric constant and loss at high frequencies. Dependence of the electrical modulus of the glasses on frequency and temperature presented a relaxation phenomenon. Keywords: Glasses, Impedance spectroscopy, Conduction, Dielectri

Infections par des virus transmissibles par le sang chez des hémophiles en Tunisie

International audienceIn this work, we proposed to evaluate prevalences of hepatitis B and C viruses and Parvovirus B19 among 70 Tunisian haemophiliacs treated with clotting factors imported from Europe and/or locally produced cryoprecipitate; among them 6 (8.6%) are known HIV positive patients. HBs antigen, anti-HBc antibodies and anti-Parvovirus B19 antibodies were detected in 7.1%, 52.9% and 91.8%, respectively. HCV prevalence, defined as positive ELISA with positive Immunoblot and/or PCR was 50.0%. Prevalences of these viral infections in haemophiliacs are higher than prevalences detected among general population and in the control group of the study. HCV infection is less frequent in haemophiliacs born after 1985, the year of introduction of the inactivation procedures in the production of coagulation factors concentrates; it decreases more considerably after 1994, date of introduction of systematic screening of HCV among blood donors. In contrast, despite the inactivation of the factors concentrates and the systematic screening of the blood donations against HBs antigen, since 1973, the risk of HBV infection contamination remains high in the Tunisian haemophiliacs. The introduction in 1995 of hepatitis B vaccination in the national schedule of new-born vaccination may resolve in the future the problem of HBV infection in haemophiliacs and in the other categories of the Tunisian population.Dans ce travail, nous nous sommes proposés d'évaluer les prévalences des infections par les virus des hépatites B et C et le parvovirus B19 chez 70 hémophiles tunisiens traités avec les facteurs de coagulation importés d'Europe et/ou le cryoprécipité fabriqué localement ; parmi eux six patients (8,6 %) sont connus VIH positifs. L'antigène HBs, les anticorps anti-HBc et les anticorps anti-Parvovirus B19 ont été retrouvés chez 7,1, 52,9 et 91,8 % des patients, respectivement. La prévalence de l'infection par le VHC, définie par un test Elisa positif avec Immunoblot et/ou PCR positifs, a été de 50,0 %. Les prévalences de ces infections virales sont plus élevées chez les hémophiles que dans la population générale et la population témoin admise dans ce travail. L'infection à VHC est plus faible chez les sujets hémophiles nés après 1985, date d'introduction des procédés d'inactivation virale dans la fabrication des concentrés de facteurs de coagulation. Elle est encore plus faible chez les patients nés après 1994, date d'introduction du dépistage systémique du VHC chez les donneurs de sang tunisiens. En revanche, malgré l'inactivation des concentrés de facteurs et le dépistage systématique des dons du sang vis-à-vis de l'AgHBs depuis 1973, un risque élevé de contamination par le VHB persiste chez les hémophiles tunisiens. L'introduction depuis 1995 de la vaccination anti-hépatite B dans le calendrier national de vaccination des nouveau-nés devrait prochainement résoudre le problème de l'infection à VHB aussi bien chez les hémophiles que chez d'autres catégories de la population tunisienne

Inequities in the deployment of COVID-19 vaccine in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region, 2020–2021

The WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) is characterised by a large range in routine immunisation coverage. We reviewed progress in access, deployment efforts, and use of COVID-19 vaccines in the EMR to identify bottlenecks and propose recommendations. We compiled and analysed data reported to WHO regarding the number of vaccines provided emergency use authorisation (EUA) in each country, the number of vaccine doses allocated and delivered by COVAX, the number of vaccine doses received bilaterally, the date of initiation of vaccination, vaccine usage rate and overall vaccination coverage. In June–July and October–November 2021, we conducted two rounds of a regional survey to assess vaccine acceptance and calculated the weighted proportion of individuals who would get vaccinated once a vaccine is available and recommended. We stratified the analysis according to four groups based on their participation status in COVAX, from the highest to lowest income, that is, (1) fully self-financing high-income countries (group 1), (2) fully self-financing upper middle-income countries (group 2), (3) Advance Market Commitment (AMC) countries not eligible to receive Gavi support (group 3) and (4) AMC countries eligible for Gavi support (group 4). As of 31 December 2021, the median number of vaccines provided with EUA was 6 for group 1, 11 for group 2, 8 for group 3 and 9 for group 4. On the same date, COVAX had delivered 179 793 310 doses to EMR countries. Vaccination started on 10 December 2020 in group 1, on 13 December 2020 in group 2, on 30 December 2020 in group 3 and on 20 January 2021 in group 4. The regional acceptance survey (first round) pointed to higher vaccine acceptance in group 1 (96%), than in others, including group 2 (73.9%), group 3 (78.8%) and group 4 (79.3%), with identical patterns in the second round (98%, 78%, 84% and 76%), respectively. Usage of vaccine allocated by COVAX to participating countries was 89% in group 1, 75% in group 2, 78% in group 3 and 42% in group 4. The full dose and partial dose coverage decreased with the income groups of countries, from 70% and 6% in group 1, to 43% and 8% in group 2, to 33% and 11% in group 3, and 20% and 8% in group 4. All 22 EMR countries introduced COVID-19 vaccines by 21 April 2021, but with major inequities in coverage. Additional efforts are needed to address the determinants of unequal vaccine coverage at all stages of the result chain to improve vaccine equity

Appraisal of the usefulness of operculum growth marks for ageing <i>Hexaplex trunculus</i> (Gastropoda: Muricidae): Comparison between surface striae and adventitious layers

<div><p></p><p>This study estimated the age of <i>Hexaplex trunculus</i> (Gastropoda: Muricidae) by analysing operculum growth marks. Surface striae and adventitious layers were counted in opercula of <i>H. trunculus</i> from the Ria Formosa Lagoon (southern Portugal) and from the Bizerte Lagoon (northern Tunisia), and in aquacultured individuals used for validation of the ageing technique. Operculum growth features were also compared between <i>H. trunculus</i> populations under contrasting environmental conditions (namely seawater temperature). Despite high inter-individual variability, all <i>H. trunculus</i> populations displayed a clear increasing trend in the number of striae and layers with increasing specimen size. The operculum marginal growth revealed that opercular deposition is not annual. Instead, a few growth marks are formed in the operculum each year, which was confirmed with reared specimens. In both ageing methods, considerable variation in the number of counts at a determined shell length indicates that operculum growth marks should be interpreted cautiously because they might not correspond accurately with individual age. Because of the subjectivity inherent to either method, counting striae and layers in opercula only provides rough age estimates of <i>H. trunculus</i>.</p> </div

Caracterização da utilização do BIM no Distrito Federal

Este estudo visa caracterizar, de forma pioneira, a utilização do BIM por construtoras atuantes no Distrito Federal. O seu objetivo é a obtenção de dados regionalizados que, quando comparados aos de âmbito nacional e estrangeiros, possam retratar a real situação local dessa tecnologia. Sua repetição periódica e replicação em outras localidades podem identificar tendências e peculiaridades, cujo conhecimento pode ensejar medidas que auxiliem na difusão do BIM. Esta pesquisa se fundamentou nas respostas obtidas em questionários eletrônicos enviados por e-mail para profissionais da construção civil do Distrito Federal. Em parte dos dados, foi aplicado o Relative Importance Index para se ponderar as frequências e os valores das respostas. Os resultados indicam uma baixa implementação e a predominância de usos superficiais. Na discussão são exploradas possíveis relações e consequências entre a adoção e o uso da tecnologia, suas dificuldades de implantação, expectativas futuras e características dos profissionais entrevistados e suas empresas