Evaluation of air pollution by heavy metals on bab El Oued zone of Algiers

The present study consists in analyzing the quality of the air in the capital. LVS pump (low volume sampler) was used for the collection of the samples in the district of Bab El Oued in Algiers characterized by the presence of a hospital and an incinerator of medical and different other waste as well as a strong density of traffic cars. The aerosols were taken at height of 3 m of the ground in total suspended particulate (TSP) mode. The samples have been analyzed by EDXRF (energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence). The experimental results show that the daily content of TSP are above limit of the target value 50 μg/m3. The TSP are respon-sible for the transport of toxic heavy metals such as Cd, Pb, Cr and N

Rare predicted loss-of-function variants of type I IFN immunity genes are associated with life-threatening COVID-19

Background: We previously reported that impaired type I IFN activity, due to inborn errors of TLR3- and TLR7-dependent type I interferon (IFN) immunity or to autoantibodies against type I IFN, account for 15–20% of cases of life-threatening COVID-19 in unvaccinated patients. Therefore, the determinants of life-threatening COVID-19 remain to be identified in ~ 80% of cases. Methods: We report here a genome-wide rare variant burden association analysis in 3269 unvaccinated patients with life-threatening COVID-19, and 1373 unvaccinated SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals without pneumonia. Among the 928 patients tested for autoantibodies against type I IFN, a quarter (234) were positive and were excluded. Results: No gene reached genome-wide significance. Under a recessive model, the most significant gene with at-risk variants was TLR7, with an OR of 27.68 (95%CI 1.5–528.7, P = 1.1 × 10−4) for biochemically loss-of-function (bLOF) variants. We replicated the enrichment in rare predicted LOF (pLOF) variants at 13 influenza susceptibility loci involved in TLR3-dependent type I IFN immunity (OR = 3.70[95%CI 1.3–8.2], P = 2.1 × 10−4). This enrichment was further strengthened by (1) adding the recently reported TYK2 and TLR7 COVID-19 loci, particularly under a recessive model (OR = 19.65[95%CI 2.1–2635.4], P = 3.4 × 10−3), and (2) considering as pLOF branchpoint variants with potentially strong impacts on splicing among the 15 loci (OR = 4.40[9%CI 2.3–8.4], P = 7.7 × 10−8). Finally, the patients with pLOF/bLOF variants at these 15 loci were significantly younger (mean age [SD] = 43.3 [20.3] years) than the other patients (56.0 [17.3] years; P = 1.68 × 10−5). Conclusions: Rare variants of TLR3- and TLR7-dependent type I IFN immunity genes can underlie life-threatening COVID-19, particularly with recessive inheritance, in patients under 60 years old

Calpaines, protéine kinase C et développement du tissu musculaire

International audienc

Structural transformation in Al-51 at% Zn eutectoid alloy observed in internal friction

International audienc

Selenium content in wheat and estimation of the selenium daily intake in different regions of Algeria

In this work, we have measured the selenium content in wheat produced locally in eight different regions of Algeria from east to west, and we have established the annual consumption of selenium for five socio-professional categories. Instrumental neutron activation analysis is used. The selenium levels in wheat samples varied from 21 (Tiaret) to 153 mu g/kg (Khroub), with a mean value about 52 mu g/kg. The mean of selenium daily consumption from ingestion of wheat per person in the eight regions varied from 32 to 52 mu g/day which is close to the minimal FAO recommendation