PMO within Moroccan Organizations: Towards a Synthetic Model of Implementation

The Project Management Office (PMO) is an emerging organizational structure that contributes to the improvement of both project and organizational performances, and project management maturity. Like worldwide, the PMO implementation represents a major challenge for Moroccan organizations due to several factors.. In order to explore the different aspects of PMO implementation, we adopted a qualitative approach based on conducting a set of interviews with PMO managers and experts who have implemented or have been part of a team in charge of implementing PMO. The results of the study have shown that this implementation goes through some generic steps in most cases, and the roles and functions assigned to the PMO are generally identical within the host organizations. One of the main factors influencing the PMO implementation is the top management support, seen through the organizational positioning and decision-making authority granted to the PMO. Moreover, the organizational culture and the degree of openness to innovations are determining factors too. Overall, the main challenges in PMO implementation remain change management and the maintenance of an ongoing support over time

EFFETS DU CHLORURE D'ALUMINIUM SUR LA STRUCTURE HISTOLOGIQUE DES POUMONS, REINS ET INTESTIN DES RATS FEMELLES GESTANTES ET LEURS FŒTUS

The aim of our study is to elucidate the effects of the administration of different doses of aluminium chloride during 9-13 gestation day on organs histology of pregnant rats and their offspring. We have noted that in pregnant rats, there is a change on the histological structure of intestine especially on enterocytes, nuclei and basal lamina. In kidney, we have observed a lesion in proximal and distal tubes. In lungs, AlCl3 may decrease the alveolar diameter, an inflammation with necrosis of pneumocytes notably with the dose of 200 mg of AlCl3 /kg/day. In fetuses, AlCl3 may cause a detachment between the intestinal epithelium and the underlying conjonctif and a necrosis of renal and pulmonary cells. AlCl3 has an effect more marked in mother than their fetuses. This indicates that the placenta is a selective barrier towards some components.Le but de notre étude est d’élucider l’effet de l’administration de différentes doses de chlorure d’aluminium durant les jours 9-13 de gestation sur la structure histologique des poumons, reins et intestin des rates gestantes et de leur progéniture. Chez les rates gestantes, le traitement par AlCl3 entraîne au niveau de l’intestin, une modification des structures des entérocytes, noyaux et lames basales. Au niveau rénal, on observe des lésions des tubules proximaux et distaux. Au niveau des poumons, on constate une diminution du diamètre alvéolaire, une inflammation avec une nécrose des pneumocytes notamment pour la dose de 200 mg/kg/j. Chez les fœtus émanant de rates traitées par le chlorure d’aluminium, on observe un décollement entre l’épithélium intestinal et le conjonctif sous-jacent et une nécrose des cellules rénales et pulmonaires. L’action du chlorure d’aluminium est plus marquée chez les mères que chez leurs fœtus. Ceci atteste que le placenta forme une barrière plus ou moins sélective vis-à-vis de certains constituants vers les fœtus

Pseudotumoral Demyelinating Lesions: A Presentation of Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis

Pseudotumoral forms of demyelination are related to central nervous system demyelinating disorders, usually considered to be an atypical presentation of multiple sclerosis including its different varieties such as Balo’s, Schilder’s, and Marburg diseases. These lesions could also be seen in myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated demyelination, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM), and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder. The pseudotumoral aspect may be mistakenly considered as an abscess or a cancerous tumor, in which case, patients could endure unnecessary possibly harmful brain biopsy and have a delay in their disease diagnostics and management. Once latter differential diagnosis is discarded, pseudotumoral demyelination prompts uncertainties concerning the nature of the underlying demyelinating condition as prognosis and management differ from multiple sclerosis to other syndromes, especially whether a chronic treatment is needed or not. In this case report, we present a 35-year-old male patient hospitalized in the department of neurology for a rapidly progressive onset of encephalopathy and polyfocal neurological deficits, with pseudotumoral lesions shown on brain MRI. On further investigations, ADEM was the more likely diagnosis that could fit the patient’s clinical and radiological presentation. Thence, he was put on high dose of intravenous corticosteroids, with a followed good recovery within the first week of the treatment

Sustainable reuse of coal mine waste : experimental and economic assessments for embankments and pavement layer applications in Morocco

This paper examines the potential reuse of coal mine waste rocks (CMWR) as an alternative material for road construction to conserve the natural resources and sustainable management of mining waste. The investigation was conducted through the determination of the chemical, mineralogical, geotechnical properties, and acid mine drainage formulation of CMWR as well as economic feasibility. An economic case study confirmed the workability of CMWR reuse in a radius of 29 km around their dumps. Results confirmed that weathered CMWR can be successfully used as a sustainable alternative material for creating embankments

Artificial bee colony algorithm: a novel strategy for optical constants and thin film thickness extraction using only optical transmittance spectra for photovoltaic applications

An effective approach to determine thin film thickness (d) and optical constants (n, k, α) from transmittance spectrum with interference fringes is proposed. The developed strategy is based on applying the artificial bee colony (ABC) algorithm and Cauchy dispersion model. The accuracy test of this method has been assessed by using simulated and real tests. Simulated test is used to check the ability of ABC algorithm to determine the parameters of simulated transmittance spectra. Real test deals with the investigation of the determination approach on experimental measured transmittance spectra. Those spectra were measured from six elaborated samples of amorphous hydrogenated silicon (a-Si:H) thin films with different thicknesses, which will be used as an eco-friendly layer for solar cell applications. The obtained results noticeably show the high effectiveness of the developed strategy to accurately determine the thin film thickness and optical constants

Investigation of structural and electrical properties of ITO thin films and correlation to optical parameters extracted using novel method based on PSO algorithm

Thermally annealed DC sputtered indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films were investigated for improvement in properties. The structural and optoelectronic characteristics of as-grown and air annealed films were studied and correlated to the film deposition time. Raman spectroscopy analysis showed low crystalline quality films for as-grown films and were significantly improved after annealing. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the crystallinity of samples with (222)preferential orientation. The 30-min ITO films showed a peak at (400). The films optical study shows an increased transmittance (in the transparency region) with decreasing deposition time, yielding a high transparency of 90% for the 5- and 15-min ITO films annealed at 400°C. The films thickness and optical constants were determined from optical transmission only without interference fringe using a novel method based on particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm. The absorption coefficient and calculated refractive index decreased with increasing deposition time and their valuereduced further after annealing treatment. The 30-min ITO films showed a comparable low resistivity of 4 9 10-3 X cm before and after annealing as determined by Hall effect measurements. This observation confirms their non-sensitivity to the oxygen post-contamination that resulted from (400) orientation. A shift of the absorption edge towards shorter wavelengths accompanied with an increase in the optical bandgap before and after annealing with decreasing thickness were observed. We have demonstrated that the optical parameters such as the optical gap depend mainly on the electrical parameters such as the carrier concentration

Investigation of the effects of thermal annealing on the structural, morphological and optical properties of nanostructured Mn doped ZnO thin films

The control of the optical properties of ZnO nanostructured thin films by using different dopant elements paves the way for the development of potential materials for photonic and optoelectronic applications. In this work manganese (Mn) doped ZnO thin films were fabricated by rapid thermal evaporation method on a glass substrate having the same Mn content level of ~10% and annealed at different temperatures. XRD analysis showed that the annealed layers have hexagonal wurtzite structure, however, the unannealed layers showed only Zn peaks without any preferential direction. The elemental analysis of the films has been investigated by XPS, which revealed the presence of Mn and oxygen atoms for all layers. In addition, it was observed by FIB-SEM that the morphology of thin films changed with the annealing temperature. For an anneal at 500 °C nanoneedles appeared. Raman spectroscopy showed E1 (TO) mode in the sample annealed at 500 °C which was attributed with the formation of nanoneedles structures. The optical transmission of the annealed films was in the range of 75–77% and the optical bandgap varied from 3.97 to 3.72 eV. These variations are related to the structural and morphological changes of the thin films with annealing temperature

Low Clinical Burden of 2009 Pandemic Influenza A (H1N1) Infection during Pregnancy on the Island of La Réunion

BACKGROUND: Pregnant women have been identified as a group at risk, both for respiratory complications than for the admissions to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) during the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic (pdm). The purpose of this prospective register-based cohort-study was to characterize the clinical virulence of the pdm (H1N1/09)v during pregnancy in La Réunion. METHODS/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Over a twelve-week pdm wave (13 July to 3 October 2009), 294 pregnant women presented with an influenza-like illness (ILI) to one of the three maternity departments of the South Reunion area, Indian Ocean. Out of these, 278 were checked by RT-PCR for influenza viruses (157 positive and 121 negative, of whom, 141 with pdm flu and 132 with ILIs of non pdm origin, 5 untyped). The median body temperature was higher in women experiencing pdm flu than in those with non pdm ILI (38.9 degrees C versus 38.3 degrees C, P<0.0001), without evidence linked to circulating viremia. Oseltamivir was given for 86% of pdm flu cases in a median time inferior than 48 hrs (range 0-7 days). The hospitalization rate for pdm flu was of 60% and not associated with underlying conditions. Six viral pneumonia and fourteen asthma attacks were observed among 84 hospitalized pdm flu cases, of whom, only one led to the ICU for an acute lung injury. No maternal death occurred during the pdm wave. None adverse pregnancy outcome was associated with pdm flu. No congenital birth defect, nor early-onset neonatal influenza infection was attributable to pdm flu exposure. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: This report mitigates substantially the presumed severity of pandemic H1N1/09 influenza infection during pregnancy. The reasons for which the clinical burden of H1N1/09 influenza virus may differ worldwide raise questions about a differential local viral-strain effect and public health preparedness, notably in timely access to special care and antiviral treatments

Growth and properties of hydrogenated silicon thin films deposited near the nanocrystalline amorphous transition region from Argon diluted silane plasma.

L'objectif de cette thèse est de contribuer à la compréhension des propriétés optoélectroniques des couches minces de silicium hydrogénée, une étude détaillée a été effectuée. Les échantillons ont été déposés par 13,56 MHz PECVD (Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition) à partir du silane dilué avec l'argon (96 %). La température du substrat a été fixée à 200 °C. L'influence des paramètres de dépôts sur les propriétés optiques des échantillons a été étudiée par spectroscopie UV -Vis -NIR. L'évolution structurelle a été étudiée par spectroscopie Raman, TEM, AFM, FTIR et par diffraction des rayons X (XRD). La déposition des couches intrinsèques a été faite dans cette étude dans le but d'obtenir la transition de l'état amorphe à la phase cristalline des matériaux. La pression de dépôt varie de 400 mTorr à 1400 mTorr et la puissance de 50 à 250 W. La caractérisation structurelle montre qu'au-delà de 160 W, nous avons observé une transition amorphe nanocristalline, avec une augmentation de la fraction cristalline en augmentant la puissance et la pression. Les couches sont déposées avec des vitesses de dépôt relativement élevées (3.5 - 8 Å/s), ce qui est très souhaitable pour la fabrication des cellules photovoltaïques. La vitesse de dépôt augmente avec l'augmentation de la puissance et de la pression. Des différentes fractions cristallines et tailles des cristallites ont été obtenues en contrôlant la pression et la puissance. Ces modifications de structure ont été corrélées avec la variation des propriétés optiques et électriques des couches minces déposées.The main objective of this thesis is to contribute to the understanding of the optoelectronics properties of hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon thin films, a detailed study has been conducted. The samples were deposited by 13.56 MHz PECVD (Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition) of silane argon mixture. The argon dilution of silane for all samples studied was 96% by volume. The substrate temperature was fixed at 200 °C. The influence of depositions parameters on optical proprieties of samples was studied by UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy. The structural evolution was studied by Raman spectroscopy, TEM, AFM, FTIR and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Intrinsic-layer samples depositions were made in this experiment in order to obtain the transition from the amorphous to crystalline phase materials. The deposition pressure varied from 400 mTorr to 1400 mTorr and the RF power from 50 to 250 W. The structural evolution studies show that beyond 160 W, we observed an amorphous-nanocrystalline transition, with an increase in crystalline fraction by increasing RF power and working pressure. Films near the amorphous to nanocrystalline transition region are grown at reasonably high deposition rates (3.5- 8 Å/s), which are highly desirable for the fabrication of cost effective devices. The deposition rate increases with increasing RF power and process pressure. Different crystalline fractions and crystallite size can be achieved by controlling the process pressure and RF power. These structural changes are well correlated to the variation of optical and electrical proprieties of the thin films