Modeling Subjective Symptoms Related to Micro-Hydrargyrism in a Population of Moroccan Dentists

BACKGROUND፡ The ability of mercury to deposit throughout the body and alter a wide range of molecular and cellular pathways results in a polymorphic and complex clinical phenotype with over 250 possible symptoms. However, some of them are recurrently cited as evoking chronic mercury poisoning. In this light, dentists users of dental amalgams are chronically exposed to mercury so that in-depth epidemiological investigations and adapted statistical methods are required to highlight adverse effects of this exposure.METHODS: In order to study the health impact of the occupational mercury exposure in a population of liberal dentists practicing in two Moroccan regions, a list of eighteen subjective symptoms commonly associated with micro-hydrargyrism was drawn up. Then, seven statisctical models adapted to count data were fitted. Finally, three methods were used to compare their relative performance in order to choose the most appropriate one.RESULTS: The adopted logical path, from the response variable selection till models’ comparison, led us to lean towards quasi- Poisson regression as the best way to predict the number of symptoms declared by dentists according to mercury exposure.CONCLUSIONS: Interpretation of the selected model allowed us to conclude that the reduction of dental amalgam use allows the reduction of subjective symptoms related to mercury exposure

Refrigeration for preservation of the Moroccan date: Situation and physical analysis of the quality

La production des dattes au Maroc, estimée à près de cent mille tonnes par année favorable, contribue à la génération des revenus, à hauteur de 40 à 60 % pour près de 2 millions de la population oasienne. Cependant, cette production dattière est exposée à des contraintes liées aux bonnes pratiques de récolte, de traitements post-récolte, de conservation et de stockage. Cette étude consiste en un diagnostic (basé sur des enquêtes) des conditions de traitement et de stockage des dattes dans 5 entrepôts frigorifiques installés dans les oasis du Sud-est Marocain. Ces enquêtes ont été complétées par un suivi, au cours du stockage, de la qualité et du taux de déshydratation de deux principales variétés nobles de dattes: Majhoul et Boufeggous. Les résultats des enquêtes ont montré que la capacité de stockage de la majorité des entrepôts est de l’ordre de 400 tonnes. Le traitement des dattes se fait en plusieurs étapes dont les plus importantes sont la fumigation à la phosphine (PH3) pendant 3 à 5 jours à température ambiante et le triage des dattes en trois catégories, en fonction de leur calibre et de la présence de défauts. Après ces traitements, les dattes sont stockées, toutes variétés confondues, dans la même chambre froide à une température variant de 0 à 4°C pendant une période allant de 1 à 10 mois. Les chambres de stockage ne sont pas équipées d’humidificateurs, ce qui ne permet pas une maîtrise de l’humidité relative. Les défauts majeurs observés au cours du stockage sont l’apparition des taches glucosées à l’intérieur de l’épiderme des fruits (57 % en moyenne) et le détachement de l’épicarpe des dattes (20 % en moyenne). La cinétique de déshydratation a montré une similitude entre les variétés avec une moyenne respective, de la perte en eau, de 6,5 % pour la variété Majhoul et 7 % pour la variété Boufeggous après 12 mois du stockage. Mots clés : Maroc, datte, stockage frigorifique, qualité, déshydratation The production of date palm in Morocco, estimated at around one hundred thousand tons per year, contributes to the generation of income, 40 to 60 %, for nearly 2 million of the oasis population. However, this date palm production is exposed to constraints related to good harvesting practices, post-harvest treatments, conservation and storage. This study consists of a diagnosis (based on surveys) of date processing and storage conditions in five cold storage units located in the oases of South-East of Morocco. These surveys were supplemented by monitoring the quality and dehydration rate of two main varieties of date-palm fruits: Majhoul and Boufeggous. Survey results showed that the storage capacity of the majority of cold storage units is about 400 tons. The date-palm fruits are processed in several stages; the most important of which are fumigation with phosphine (PH3) for 3 to 5 days at room temperature and manual sorting of dates into three categories according to their size and the presence of defects. After these treatments, all varieties of dates are stored in the same cold room at a temperature of 0 to 4°C for a period of 1 to 10 months. The storage rooms are not equipped with humidifiers which do not allow a control of the relative humidity. The major defects observed during storage are the appearance of glucose spots inside the fruit epidermis (57 % on average) and the detachment of the date-palm fruit wall (20 % on average). The kinetics of dehydration showed a similarity between the varieties with a respective average of 6.5 % for the Majhoul and 7 % for Boufeggous, after 12 months of storage. Key-Words: Morocco, date, cold storage, quality, dehydration. &nbsp

Benefits of Argan Oil on Human Health—May 4–6 2017, Errachidia, Morocco

The First International Symposium "The beneficial effects of argan oil on human health" is part of the dynamics of research and development programs on argan oil, which prompts Morocco to deploy various strategies, programs and plans for the protection and preservation of the argan tree and of its know-how that is linked to the production of argan oil. The economy associated with Argan oil concerns different sectors: agriculture, agro-industry, health and wellbeing…The first international symposium was organized on 4, 5 and 6 May in Errachidia (Tafilalet, Morocco) on the theme "The beneficial effects of argan oil on human health" by the Research Team ‘Biology, Environment and Health’ (Univ. Moulay Ismaïl, FSTE) in partnership with the Moroccan Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Its objective was to allow researchers and experts, farmers / producers, technical institutes, decision-makers and elected representatives, to exchange about the results of research on argan oil, in the valorisation of its substances and on their chemical and biological properties.A large call for contributions helped to harvest about a hundred contributions presented in the form of lectures (10), oral communications (22) or posters (66). The various contributions, resulting from research and R & D projects, from actions of institutions, laboratories, non-governmental organizations, international and national projects, were entirely or partially dedicated to the importance of argan oil as food with benefits to human health. People from Morocco, and North Africa (Tunisia, Algeria), Europa (France, Spain) and USA attended the meeting.The holding of this congress in the city of Errachidia, capital of the Tafilalet region, was an opportunity for exchanges and contacts between Moroccan researchers and the international scientific community. The presence of renowned speakers nationally and internationally recognized honored and enriched this event. The purpose of this meeting was to provide a valuable opportunity for participants to exhibit and discuss their research and introduce new technologies. The themes addressed current international issues and raise awareness of the uses and perspectives of research on the beneficial effects of argan oil.Below, you will find the abstracts grouped as invited presentations, oral presentations and poster presentations.n/

Identification of the intestinal microbiota: Methods and applications to Moroccan studies

The gut microbiota (GM) is a complex microbial community that exerts a considerable influence on human health, and its accurate characterisation has become essential to understanding its roles and implications in various medical conditions. Recent technological advances have paved the way for analytical methods that can uncover this complex microbial community. For these reasons, this review describes the methods used by research teams to discover and understanding the impact of GM in our environment. This paper explores the first phase of collecting and preserving samples, highlighting the impact of storage methods on sample stability and the reliability microbiological analyses. Then, it examines various methods for analysing GM. This diversity of approaches adapted to the specific objectives of each study, whether to characterise diversity using metagenomics, quantify specific micro-organisms using real-time PCR, or use techniques based on microbial targets. These methodologies promise new perspectives for understanding the physiological impact of the microbiota. Finally, concrete examples from Moroccan studies illustrate the application of these techniques to the characterisation of GM. By providing practical advice, this article guides researchers in the judicious choice of methods adapted to their research objectives and budgetary constraints, thereby contributing to the advancement of knowledge about the GM

Refrigeration for preservation of the Moroccan date: Situation and physical analysis of the quality

The production of date palm in Morocco, estimated at around one hundred thousand tons per year, contributes to the generation of income, 40 to 60%, for nearly 2 million of the oasis population. However, this date palm production is exposed to constraints related to good harvesting practices, post-harvest treatments, conservation and storage. This study consists of a diagnosis (based on surveys) of date processing and storage conditions in five cold storage units located in the oases of Southern-East of Morocco. These surveys were supplemented by monitoring the deterioration in the quality and dehydration rate of two main noble varieties of date-palm fruits: Majhoul and Boufeggous. Survey results showed that the storage capacity of the majority of cold storage units is 400 tons. The date-palm fruits are processed in several stages; the most important of which are fumigation with phosphine (PH3) for 3 to 5 days at room temperature and manual sorting of dates into three categories according to their size and the presence of defects. After these treatments, dates are stored, all varieties, in the same cold room at a temperature of 0 to 4 °C for a period of 1 to 10 months. The storage rooms are not equipped with humidifiers which do not allow a control of the relative humidity. The major defects observed during storage are the appearance of glucose spots inside the fruit epidermis (57% on average) and the detachment of the date-palm fruit wall (20% on average). The kinetics of dehydration showed a similarity between the varieties with a respective average of 6.5% for the Majhoul and 7% for Boufeggous after 12 months of storage

Argan Oil as an Effective Nutri-Therapeutic Agent in Metabolic Syndrome: A Preclinical Study

The present study aims at examining the effects of argan oil on the three main cardiovascular risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome (hypertension, insulin resistance and obesity) and on one of its main complications, neuropathic pain. Male Sprague-Dawley rats had free access to a drinking solution containing 10% d-glucose or tap water for 12 weeks. The effect of argan oil was compared to that of corn oil given daily by gavage during 12 weeks in glucose-fed rats. Glucose-fed rats showed increases in systolic blood pressure, epididymal fat, plasma levels of triglycerides, leptin, glucose and insulin, insulin resistance, tactile and cold allodynia in association with a rise in superoxide anion production and NADPH oxidase activity in the thoracic aorta, epididymal fat and gastrocnemius muscle. Glucose-fed rats also showed rises in B1 receptor protein expression in aorta and gastrocnemius muscle. Argan oil prevented or significantly reduced all those anomalies with an induction in plasma adiponectin levels. In contrast, the same treatment with corn oil had a positive impact only on triglycerides, leptin, adiponectin and insulin resistance. These data are the first to suggest that argan oil is an effective nutri-therapeutic agent to prevent the cardiovascular risk factors and complications associated with metabolic syndrome

Exposition au mercure et état de santé des médecins dentistes de deux régions du centre du Maroc: enquête transversale descriptive

Introduction: l´exposition au mercure est un problème de santé publique mondialement reconnu. Si les intoxications aiguës ou subaiguës par ce métal font l´objet d´un consensus diagnostique, l´impact d´une exposition chronique à de faibles doses est encore sujet à débat. En dentisterie, le mercure est utilisé pour la réalisation des amalgames dentaires. De ce fait, les professionnels de la médecine dentaire et spécialement des médecins dentistes représentent une population exposée à ce facteur de risque. Dans ce contexte, une enquête épidémiologique descriptive, transversale et exhaustive a été réalisée afin d´évaluer cette exposition chez les médecins dentistes dans deux régions du centre du Maroc. Parallèlement, leur état de santé globale a été relevé afin de juger de la pertinence d´une enquête étiologique ultérieure pour étudier l´impact probable de l´exposition à ce facteur de risque. Méthodes: la présente étude a été réalisée par le biais d´un questionnaire auto-renseigné par les participants. L´exposition professionnelle des médecins dentistes a été évaluée en déterminant la fréquence d´utilisation de l´amalgame dentaire. Les différentes sources de mercure qui modulent la pollution de fond ou qui provoquent des pics d´exposition et qui sont en rapport avec l´environnement ou les habitudes du travail ont aussi été étudiés. Les sources d´exposition non professionnelle prises en compte sont le tabagisme, la vaccination, la consommation de poisson et la présence des amalgames dentaire en bouche. Enfin, l´état de santé des praticiens recrutés dans l´étude a été sondé globalement en se basant sur leurs déclarations. Résultats: Cent quatre vingt douze (192) médecins dentistes ont été recrutés dans cette étude. Parmi lesquels, 76,04% déclarent utiliser l´amalgame dans leur pratique avec une fréquence variable. De plus, plusieurs sources de surexposition en rapport avec les conditions ou les habitudes du travail ont été mises en évidence. La principale source d´exposition non professionnelle dans notre population est en rapport avec la présence des amalgames dentaires en bouche (63,45%). Les plaintes sanitaires exprimées par les participants concernaient en chef de file les problèmes neuropsychologiques et ce chez 46,35% de la population. En prenant en compte la neurotoxicité reconnue du mercure, une étude étiologique s´avère parfaitement justifiable dans notre contexte. Conclusion: l´exposition au mercure chez les médecins dentistes des régions étudiées est réelle. Des mesures de prévention sont à promouvoir. La réalisation d´une recherche étiologique pour juger l´impact de cette exposition est parfaitement indiquée

Factors Associated with COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance in Morocco: Applying the Health Belief Model

To identify factors that influenced Moroccans’ intention to get a COVID-19 vaccine, a cross-sectional survey among a Moroccan sample was conducted based on Health Belief Model constructs. Participants’ sociodemographic characteristics, perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived barriers, perceived benefits, self-efficacy, cues to action, and intention to receive vaccine data were collected and analyzed using a structural equation model (SEM). The survey was completed by 3800 individuals; 57.2% were men, 44.5% were aged 30 to 44, and 44.6% were married. After controlling for confounders, being a woman and having a chronic disease were associated with higher acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine. The strongest predictor for the intention of receiving a vaccine was participants who were married. Most of the HBM constructs were shown to be significantly associated with vaccine acceptance. Susceptibility and Benefits were the strongest predictors of acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine (standardized path coefficient, SPC = 0.23), followed by Severity (SPC = 0.22). Conversely, given the negative correlation between barriers and intention (SPC = −0.08), it is necessary to maintain a high level of transparency regarding the vaccines’ safety. Our study provides guidance for an implementation of vaccination strategies, intending to bolster the overall COVID-19 immunization program