Democratic transition in Morocco : achievements and future challenges

A transição democrática é um fenómeno recente na maioria dos países em desenvolvimento. Marrocos não é excepção. Após séculos de poder absoluto, uma transição democrática tímida foi iniciada pelo Rei Hassan II em meados dos anos 1990. Enquanto que os primeiros passos foram iniciados pelo Rei Hassan II, o fortalecimento do processo só começou quando o Príncipe Mohammed foi coroado Rei, depois da morte do pai, em 1999. O novo Rei deu novo impulso à transição democrática com algumas medidas significativas: reforço dos direitos das mulheres, criação da comissão da verdade e da reconciliação e o lançamento de programas contra a pobreza. Contudo, um dos aspectos mais importantes da democratização foi a organização de eleições livres em 2002 e 2007. A maioria das iniciativas e políticas implementadas foram conseguidas através do trabalho do novo Rei e não dos partidos no poder.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Financial Literacy, Financial behaviour and Economic System

Financial literacy measures how much one comprehends key money related financial concepts, through appropriate short-term decision making, so financial literacy is the essential information and that individuals need so as to make due in modern society. Financial literacy can be affected by environmental issues, such as regional differences and economic systems. The relationship between financial literacy and financial behaviour has been considered in a number of other studies, financial literacy is an important determinant of financial behaviour in developing countries, financial literacy is also associated with increased equity ownership, the use of low-cost mortgages, and retirement planning behaviour

A Novel Architectural Framework on IoT Ecosystem, Security Aspects and Mechanisms: A Comprehensive Survey

For the past few years, the Internet of Things (IoT) technology continues to not only gain popularity and importance, but also witnesses the true realization of everything being smart. With the advent of the concept of smart everything, IoT has emerged as an area of great potential and incredible growth. An IoT ecosystem centers around innovation perspective which is considered as its fundamental core. Accordingly, IoT enabling technologies such as hardware and software platforms as well as standards become the core of the IoT ecosystem. However, any large-scale technological integration such as the IoT development poses the challenge to ensure secure data transmission. Perhaps, the ubiquitous and the resource-constrained nature of IoT devices and the sensitive and private data being generated by IoT systems make them highly vulnerable to physical and cyber threats. In this paper, we re-define an IoT ecosystem from the core technologies view point. We propose a modified three layer IoT architecture by dividing the perception layer into elementary blocks based on their attributed functions. Enabling technologies, attacks and security countermeasures are classified under each layer of the proposed architecture. Additionally, to give the readers a broader perspective of the research area, we discuss the role of various state-of-the-art emerging technologies in the IoT security. We present the security aspects of the most prominent standards and other recently developed technologies for IoT which might have the potential to form the yet undefined IoT architecture. Among the technologies presented in this article, we give a special interest to one recent technology in IoT domain. This technology is named IQRF that stands for Intelligent Connectivity using Radio Frequency. It is an emerging technology for wireless packet-oriented communication that operates in sub-GHz ISM band (868 MHz) and which is intended for general use where wireless connectivity is needed, either in a mesh network or point-to-point (P2P) configuration. We also highlighted the security aspects implemented in this technology and we compare it with the other already known technologies. Moreover, a detailed discussion on the possible attacks is presented. These attacks are projected on the IoT technologies presented in this article including IQRF. In addition, lightweight security solutions, implemented in these technologies, to counter these threats in the proposed IoT ecosystem architecture are also presented. Lastly, we summarize the survey by listing out some common challenges and the future research directions in this field.publishedVersio

Exophtalmie de l’oeil gauche en faveur d’un carcinome adénoide kystique orbitaire: à propos d’un cas

Le Cylindrome orbitaire (carcinome adénoide kystique) est une tumeur maligne d'agressivité locale et d'évolution lente. Sa localisation orbitaire aux dépens des glandes lacrymales est exceptionnelle. Nous rapportons le cas d'un patient de 51 ans consultant pour une exophtalmie gauche non axile irréductible, douloureuse; avec ptosis modéré et baisse d'acuité visuelle. Une biopsie de la tumeur par voie palpébrale supérieure a été faite, en faveur d'un un carcinome adénoïde kystique cribriforme de la glande lacrymale. Après trois mois d'un traitement conservateur chirurgical, une exentération totale a été effectuée suivie d'une radiothérapie complémentaire. Le patient a été revu tout les 3 mois en consultation durant la première année. Sur un recul de six ans, le patient ne présente pas de signe en faveur d'une récidive.Pan African Medical Journal 2015; 2

Reproducción de Merluccius merluccius (Actinopterygii: Merlucciidae) de las costas atlánticas norte de Marruecos a partir del análisis histológico de gónadas

The hake (Merluccius merluccius) fishery occupies an important place in the Moroccan trawl fishery. Despite the ecological and commercial value of this species, the reproductive biology of European hake populations in Moroccan coastal waters has been little studied. Here, we describe the seasonal variations of gonad histology of hake collected from August 2017 to August 2018 along the northern Atlantic coast of Morocco. The histological changes were compared with macroscopical changes, and the body length at first maturity (L50) was calculated. The results revealed differences between macroscopic and histological maturity staging of the gonads. The L50 was estimated to be 34.7 cm for females and 28.6 cm for males (histology-based) and 30.6 cm for females and 26.8 cm for males (macroscopy-based). In addition, the observations of ovarian maturity indicated the presence of a protracted spawning season throughout the year with a peak around January and in midsummer.La merluza (Merluccius merluccius) ocupa un lugar importante en la pesca de arrastre marroquí. A pesar del valor ecológico y comercial de esta especie, la biología reproductiva de las poblaciones de merluza europea en las aguas costeras marroquíes ha sido poco estudiada. Aquí, describimos las variaciones estacionales de la histología de las gónadas de la merluza recolectada desde agosto de 2017 hasta agosto de 2018 a lo largo de la costa atlántica norte de Marruecos. Los cambios histológicos se compararon con los cambios macroscópicos y se calculó la longitud corporal en la primera madurez (L50). Los resultados revelaron diferencias entre los estadios de madurez macroscópica e histológica de las gónadas. El L50 se estimó en 34,7 cm para las hembras y 28,6 cm para los machos (basado en la histología) y 30,6 cm para las hembras y 26,8 cm para los machos (basado en la macroscopía). Además, las observaciones de madurez ovárica indicaron la presencia de una estación de desove prolongada a lo largo del año, con un pico alrededor de enero y en pleno verano

BRAFV600E hot spot mutation in thyroid carcinomas: first Moroccan experience from a single-institution retrospective study

Background: The incidence of thyroid cancer is increasing worldwide at an alarming rate. BRAFV600E mutation is described to be associated with a worse prognostic of thyroid carcinomas, as well as extrathyroidal invasion and increased mortality. Objective: To our knowledge, there are no reported studies neither from Morocco nor from other Maghreb countries regarding the prevalence of BRAFV600E mutation in thyroid carcinomas. Here we aim to evaluate the frequency of BRAFV600E oncogene in Moroccan thyroid carcinomas. Methods: In this Single-Institution retrospective study realized in the Anatomic Pathology and Histology Service in the Military Hospital of Instruction Mohammed V \u2018HMIMV\u2019 in Rabat, we report, using direct genomic sequencing, the assessment of BRAFV600E in 37 thyroid tumors. Results: We detected BRAFV600E mutation exclusively in Papillary Thyroid Carcinomas \u2018PTC\u2019 with a prevalence of 28% (8 PTC out 29 PTC). Like international trends, Papillary Thyroid Carcinomas \u2019PTC\u2019 is more frequent than Follicular Thyroid Carcinomas \u2018FTC\u2019 and Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinomas \u2018ATC\u2019 (29 PTC, 7 FTC and 1 ATC). Conclusion: Our finding gives to the international community the first estimated incidence of this oncogene in Morocco showing that this prevalence falls within the range of international trends (30% to 90%) reported in distinct worldwide geographic regions

Investigation of hospital discharge cases and SARS-CoV-2 introduction into Lothian care homes

Background The first epidemic wave of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Scotland resulted in high case numbers and mortality in care homes. In Lothian, over one-third of care homes reported an outbreak, while there was limited testing of hospital patients discharged to care homes. Aim To investigate patients discharged from hospitals as a source of SARS-CoV-2 introduction into care homes during the first epidemic wave. Methods A clinical review was performed for all patients discharges from hospitals to care homes from 1st March 2020 to 31st May 2020. Episodes were ruled out based on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) test history, clinical assessment at discharge, whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data and an infectious period of 14 days. Clinical samples were processed for WGS, and consensus genomes generated were used for analysis using Cluster Investigation and Virus Epidemiological Tool software. Patient timelines were obtained using electronic hospital records. Findings In total, 787 patients discharged from hospitals to care homes were identified. Of these, 776 (99%) were ruled out for subsequent introduction of SARS-CoV-2 into care homes. However, for 10 episodes, the results were inconclusive as there was low genomic diversity in consensus genomes or no sequencing data were available. Only one discharge episode had a genomic, time and location link to positive cases during hospital admission, leading to 10 positive cases in their care home. Conclusion The majority of patients discharged from hospitals were ruled out for introduction of SARS-CoV-2 into care homes, highlighting the importance of screening all new admissions when faced with a novel emerging virus and no available vaccine

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century