Physico-Chemical and Bacteriological Qualities of Raw Milk from Collection Centers and Hawking Activity in the Rabat-Salé-Kenitra Region (Morocco)

The study aims to analyze the two circuits of the dairy chain: authorized and unauthorized, by studying the parameters influencing the physico-chemical and bacteriological quality of milk in both networks. Samples of raw milk (n=22), collected from nine collection centers (CCL): four authorized and five unauthorized in the region of Kenitra, and four hawking points in the region of Rabat, during a period between March and May 2022, were analyzed to evaluate their physicochemical and bacteriological qualities. The physicochemical quality of the milk included the measurement of chlorides, lactose and fat content, and the determination of titratable acidity and freezing point. The bacteriological quality was assessed by counting the total aerobic mesophilic flora (TAMF), total and fecal coliforms, presumed pathogenic staphylococci and searching for Salmonella. The fat content varies considerably depending on where the milk samples are collected; the average is 4.13% for licensed collection centers, versus 2.94% for unlicensed collection centers and 2.82% for hawking activity.  In terms of hygienic quality, the average bacterial load of TAMF in milk from the authorized collection centers is 3.8×108 CFU/ml. Total coliforms (TC) are present with an average rate of 9.37 ×105 CFU/ml with an average portion of 7.87 ×103 CFU/ml in fecal coliforms (FC), and 1.03 ×106 CFU/ml for presumed pathogenic staphylococci. On the other hand, milk samples from unauthorized collection centers and hawking activity showed higher levels of microbial contamination than those from licensed collection centers. Salmonella was not detected in any of the samples analyzed. The non-compliance with hygiene practices and the late application of cold during the milking, the collection, and the transportation of raw milk, partly explain the origin of this finding

Effect of maturity stage on the chemical composition of argan fruit pulp

Argan tree, a species endemic to Southern Morroco, is well known for its kernel oil used in cosmetics and health-food, but the corresponding pulp attracted less interest from researchers and little is known about its chemical composition and evolution during maturation. The pulp of argan fruits monthly harvested during the ripening period based on fruit color (April to July), was analyzed. With progressing ripeness various changes were observed in the chemical composition, such as (i) a four-fold increase of total soluble sugars content (glucose, fructose and saccharose), and of Fe (75–165 ppm), but also (ii) a drop of many components, such as proteins (10.1–6.4%), and cell wall polymers, lignin (14.9–5.9%) and hemicellulose and cellulose. Hexane-soluble compounds found in substantial amount (10.7% in April) also decreased with time: the pulp oil peak (8.3%) was in April and June, and that of polyisoprene in June (3.6%). Therefore the stage of maturity (harvest date) is to be considered, without affecting the quality of the argan oil

Infective endocarditis following COVID-19 pneumonia: about two cases

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has emerged as a pandemic and public health crisis across the world. The severity of this situation is escalating in certain populations, particularly when the COVID-19 diagnosis may delay the recognition of more dramatic illnesses such as infective endocarditis, which is a dreaded complication in patients with cardiac disease. We report the case of two patients who presented with infective endocarditis initially mistaken for COVID-19 pneumonia, which was responsible for a delay in diagnosis. We discuss the diagnostic difficulties as well as the management of this complication in the COVID-19 era. As a physician, one must remain alert to this dreaded complication, especially in patients with a cardiac history, in order to prevent it, detect it early, and manage it in time

Epidemiology of Celiac Disease in Northern Morocco in 2018–2021: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease caused by gluten. This retrospective cross-sectional study with descriptive and analytical aims was conducted over three years, from 2018 to 2021. The participants were 280 patients diagnosed with celiac disease registered in the Gluten Intolerant and Allergic Association of the North in the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region. The prevalence and incidence of celiac disease in this region were 1/135 and 1/253, respectively. The average age was 21.18 ± 1.13, and the first symptoms appeared between 10 and 25 years. The data showed a female predominance of 68% versus 32% for males, with a male/female sex ratio of 0.45. The clinical signs of celiac disease manifested more in gastrointestinal symptoms. This study obtained data on 22.6% of microcytic hypochromic anemia patients and 40.7% of Helicobacter pylori infections. In addition to celiac disease, the patients showed other pathologies with different rates: repeated spontaneous abortions (2.14%), type 1 diabetes mellitus (1.42%), autism (1.42%), dermatitis herpetiformis (0.72%), cancer(0.72%), and epilepsy (0.35%). Serologically, anti-transglutaminase antibodies were positive in 47.2% of patients. Analyses of histological data from intestinal biopsies from 141 patients were positive in 50.8% of patients. There was a minor correlation between the serological profile and the degree of atrophy

Effect of maturity stage on the chemical composition of argan fruit pulp

Argan tree, a species endemic to Southern Morroco, is well known for its kernel oil used in cosmetics and health-food, but the corresponding pulp attracted less interest from researchers and little is known about its chemical composition and evolution during maturation. The pulp of argan fruits monthly harvested during the ripening period based on fruit color (April to July), was analyzed. With progressing ripeness various changes were observed in the chemical composition, such as (i) a four-fold increase of total soluble sugars content (glucose, fructose and saccharose), and of Fe (75–165 ppm), but also (ii) a drop of many components, such as proteins (10.1–6.4%), and cell wall polymers, lignin (14.9–5.9%) and hemicellulose and cellulose. Hexane-soluble compounds found in substantial amount (10.7% in April) also decreased with time: the pulp oil peak (8.3%) was in April and June, and that of polyisoprene in June (3.6%). Therefore the stage of maturity (harvest date) is to be considered, without affecting the quality of the argan oil

Burnout among surgeons before and during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: an international survey

Background: SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has had many significant impacts within the surgical realm, and surgeons have been obligated to reconsider almost every aspect of daily clinical practice. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study reported in compliance with the CHERRIES guidelines and conducted through an online platform from June 14th to July 15th, 2020. The primary outcome was the burden of burnout during the pandemic indicated by the validated Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure. Results: Nine hundred fifty-four surgeons completed the survey. The median length of practice was 10 years; 78.2% included were male with a median age of 37 years old, 39.5% were consultants, 68.9% were general surgeons, and 55.7% were affiliated with an academic institution. Overall, there was a significant increase in the mean burnout score during the pandemic; longer years of practice and older age were significantly associated with less burnout. There were significant reductions in the median number of outpatient visits, operated cases, on-call hours, emergency visits, and research work, so, 48.2% of respondents felt that the training resources were insufficient. The majority (81.3%) of respondents reported that their hospitals were included in the management of COVID-19, 66.5% felt their roles had been minimized; 41% were asked to assist in non-surgical medical practices, and 37.6% of respondents were included in COVID-19 management. Conclusions: There was a significant burnout among trainees. Almost all aspects of clinical and research activities were affected with a significant reduction in the volume of research, outpatient clinic visits, surgical procedures, on-call hours, and emergency cases hindering the training. Trial registration: The study was registered on clicaltrials.gov "NCT04433286" on 16/06/2020

Identification of first-stage dorsal-spined lungworm larvae of Tunisian barbary red deer: First report of Varestrongylus sagittatus and Elaphostrongylus cervi in Africa

International audienceBarbary red deer (Cervus elaphus barbarus) is a protected rare subspecies of red deer. The study of its Protostrongylidae fauna based only on sporadic necropsy of naturally dead animals is difficult. Therefore diagnosis of lungworms rely mainly on the identification of the first stage larvae (L1). The L1 of the different species are not readily diagnosed on morphological basis since much variation is recorded within and among dorsal-spined larvae belonging to various species. The aim of this study was to identify the dorsal-spined lungworm larvae of the Barbary red deer. A discriminant function was established, using the measurements of L1 lungworms recorded from red deer in the literature, then applied to identify 220 dorsal-spined larvae extracted from 25 Tunisian Barbary red deer fresh fecal samples. Also the ITS2 region of rDNA of four pools of larvae (n = 25-60) were amplified, sequenced and analyzed. Using discriminant analysis of morphological traits, Elaphostrongylus cervi and Varestongylus sagittatus were identified. Molecular identification confirmed the presence of E. cervi which is the most prevalent species. This study represents the first identification of V. sagittatus and E. cervi in North Africa

Stochastic Travelling Advisor Problem Simulation with a Case Study: A Novel Binary Gaining-Sharing Knowledge-Based Optimization Algorithm

This article proposes a new problem which is called the Stochastic Travelling Advisor Problem (STAP) in network optimization, and it is defined for an advisory group who wants to choose a subset of candidate workplaces comprising the most profitable route within the time limit of day working hours. A nonlinear binary mathematical model is formulated and a real application case study in the occupational health and safety field is presented. The problem has a stochastic nature in travelling and advising times since the deterministic models are not appropriate for such real-life problems. The STAP is handled by proposing suitable probability distributions for the time parameters and simulating the problem under such conditions. Many application problems like this one are formulated as nonlinear binary programming models which are hard to be solved using exact algorithms especially in large dimensions. A novel binary version of the recently developed gaining-sharing knowledge-based optimization algorithm (GSK) to solve binary optimization problems is given. GSK algorithm is based on the concept of how humans acquire and share knowledge during their life span. The binary version of GSK (BGSK) depends mainly on two stages that enable BGSK for exploring and exploitation of the search space efficiently and effectively to solve problems in binary space. The generated simulation runs of the example are solved using the BGSK, and the output histograms and the best-fitted distributions for the total profit and for the route length are obtained