Search

This paper discusses the contributions to this special issue in the context of the African Renaissance and the subsequent need to re-define educational development from a multilingual, multicultural and pan-African perspective. Each contribution offers a different angle to the discussion: a critique of Arabization in Morocco, with questions about whether a new medium of instruction policy will prioritize people's own languages or French; an analysis of urban attitudes in Angola toward a new education policy providing for six mother tongues to be used in lower primary; a description of the challenges for stakeholders in the Seychelles to recognize that Seselwa, a creole, can be an acceptable medium of instruction; and an assessment of the opportunities and limitations in South Africa of classroom trans-languaging between African languages and English. A stronger voice needs to emerge on behalf of African languages and ways of knowing.

This paper provides glimpses of transactions in chemistry classrooms in five African countries (Burundi, Ghana, Morocco, Nigeria, and Senegal) during the COVID-19 lockdown. Members of the secondary school community in the countries including teachers, students, and school managers were unprepared for the unprecedent demand in shift from a face-to-face to an online delivery system. From a tepid, faltering start in the early days of the lockdown in Morocco, Nigeria, and Senegal, and recognizing that the end of the lockdown may not be in sight, some minuscule progress is being made in exploring virtual delivery of the chemistry curriculum. Four major challenges to online delivery of chemistry education emerged. These are a teacher capacity deficit for delivering online education, poor internet service, an erratic power supply, and severe inadequacies in infrastructure for open and distance education. Taken together along with poor teacher motivation induced by low and irregular wages, these challenges are depressants to quality chemistry teaching during the COVID-19 period. We foresee that these challenges will persist. The harsh effect of COVID-19 on the economy of all African countries is a sign that funds will be unavailable to address these challenges in the near future. A glimmer of hope can be the reprioritization of funding resources by African governments to online delivery of education, noting that blended learning will be the new normal in the coming decades.

This study involves 35 research participants: 20 immigrant parents (primarily mothers from South America, North Africa, Eastern Europe and the Middle East) and 15 primary school children, aged 10-11. These children were born outside Italy and primary school was their first encounter with the Italian educational system. We observed their processes of integration through their stories and those of their parents. Our investigation aims to identify factors that support or inhibit their school integration. We adopt an ecological research paradigm, proposing a vision of knowledge as rooted in natural life contexts, focusing on subjectivity. Analysis of the data led to identification of core categories concerning these families' experiences and their children's encounters with Italian schools. This paper focuses on the children's perspectives of their experiences with school.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to replicate the EXQ measurement scale in the business-to-business (B2B) environment of two African countries. This paper contrasts EXQ's measurement specification and structure in these two countries with a European sample. Design/methodology/approach: This paper carried out two empirical studies to replicate and test the EXQ scale in an African context. Following the scale's previous application, this paper replicated the EXQ in Morocco and South Africa, and added a European study conducted in the UK. Findings: The findings highlight that, despite having the same customer experience (CX) delivery structure, the B2B experience in Africa differs significantly from other countries. Further research replicating CX measurement in the African environment is therefore needed, preferably starting with a qualitative study. Originality/value: This study provides insight into how the B2B CX, measured by EXQ, differs from one country to another. Most significantly, the Moroccan sample demonstrates a never-before-reported high correlation between the service and post-purchase experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global development initiatives frequently promote agricultural commodity chain projects to improve livelihoods. In Morocco, development projects, including the Plan Maroc Vert (PMV), have promoted apple production in rural regions of the country. In order to access domestic markets, these new apple producers often use pesticides to meet market standards. Through situated ethnographic inquiry and commodity chain analysis, using a combination of surveys (n = 120) and interviews (n = 84) with apple wholesalers, government officials, along with farmers, this paper works to critique the PMV's development approach that implicitly values commodification. By exploring interconnected processes of commodification, I link subsidized apple saplings and cold storage infrastructure to the dependence on pesticide usage, which has become a part of daily village life. This has important implications for community health and riparian ecosystems. Alternatively, I propose how we can imagine different development trajectories that decommodify livelihoods by focusing on local knowledge creation and diversification strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Use of a new tool to assess waste management systems through a stage concept. • Holistic approach can evaluate 54 waste related system sub-components. • Identification of Circular Economy potentials for the city of Marrakech (Morocco). • Applicability proofed for waste management systems of the Global South. • Derivation of 33 recommendations for action to make Marrakech more circular. Waste management is essential for the safety and wellbeing of any society; it also helps to tackle global problems, such as climate change and resource scarcity. To support the evolution of waste management systems (WMSs) towards a circular economy (CE), assessment methods are applied. This paper shows, using the case of Marrakech (Morocco), how a novel holistic approach called WMS development stage concept (WMS-DSC) is applied to assess WMSs and determine measures promoting a CE. The approach enables a simplified derivation of measures that are useful to municipal decision makers and consists of five stages; stage 1 is equal to a WMS lacking essential WM elements and stage 5 describes a functioning CE. The approach was specifically designed to be transferable to other Global South cities through the categorization into these universal stages. The results from the WMS-DSC show that components related to energy recovery and waste recycling are classified in stage 1. For the latter, a slight development towards stage 2 can be assumed due to the planned activities in Marrakech. The components "collection and transport" and "prevention and reuse" are mainly in stage 2. Nevertheless, the components "governance", "sector and market" and "waste disposal" are assigned to stages 2 and 3 with a stronger trend towards stage 4. The results show that in Marrakech and Morocco, CE is still in its infancy, and with this current state, it is hard to achieve. However, 33 measures were determined to improve the WMS of Marrakech and promote a CE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Energy Policy Journal / Polityka Energetyczna is the property of Mineral & Energy Economy Research Institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Morocco is a country with one of the highest migration rates in the world. With 29% of Moroccan films dealing with migration as the main topic, the objectives of this paper are to establish the most recurrent migration thematic lines and to determine how migration topics have evolved from 1958 – the year in which the first postcolonial film was produced- to 2015. A sample of 89 migration films included in the Moroccan Cinematographic Center's catalogue has been explored by way of narrative and contextual analysis. The methodology has been complemented with in-depth interviews with eleven Moroccan directors. Our findings allow us to confirm that there is a close relationship between the production of migration films in Morocco and the socio-political evolution of the phenomenon. The most active production period occurred from 2008 to 2011. The largest number of films belongs to the category 'migration/immigration cinema' (18 films, 20, 2%). Secondly, the most talked about topic has been the 'return home' (16 films, 17,9%), and thirdly, that of 'diasporic cinema'. Furthermore, Moroccan cinema has covered all the different phases of migration in a very balanced way, showing coherent cinematographic reaction mechanisms towards social reality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper discusses the results of a research project entitled Passive beneficiary versus local partner of development projects. Conceptualisation and adaptive strategies concerning development cooperation of African local communities (Comparative study). The research was conducted in Cameroon, Mali and Morocco in 2011-2013. Author's experiences from previous research conducted in Africa were also used to write this paper. The Author, by referring to a postmodern development critics, analyses two models of development project conceptualisation. He labels them with contrary phrases: 'let's do something' and give us something'. The analysis gains from the theory o f linguistic games by Ludwig Wittgenstein and from the concept of two scripts of a project (public and secret ones). The basic thesis of the paper says that applying the given model depends on the place in a chain of presence in the project. The first model is associated by the Author with project initiators (so called 'developpers'), while the second with the beneficiaries (so called 'being developed'). Existence of these two models of development projects conceptualisation is connected with selective attitudes towards what the particular development project can offer (including its technological package). Selecting one of these two models has essential meaning for project's effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Project management becomes a key instrument and a strategic factor impacting all types of enterprises including the SMEs. Small to Medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are a very important component of the economy. They contribute strongly in all the industries all over the world. They are considered as the engine for future growth in the economy. Application of project management in this type of enterprises fostered a forum of discussions. This paper will focus on the Moroccan SMEs. By employing quantitative mode of enquiry, we will attempt to discover several aspects of projects and project management in Moroccan SMEs. There are five primary aims of this study 1- To light on the correlation between enterprises characteristics especially age, size and projects. 2-To investigate the level of using project management. 3-To discover the tools and techniques used by Moroccan SMEs. 4-To define the success and failure factors for the projects in Moroccan SMEs.5-And finally to describe the project management methodology required by Moroccan SMEs. 50 enterprises, from different sizes and industries, filled a web-based questionnaire. Moroccan enterprises age and size strongly impacts projects characteristics. Projects are more important in younger companies. The percentage of enterprises using project management as an official process is correlated with the size of the enterprise. The large enterprises use formal techniques while the small companies use informal ones. The top management gives more support to projects when the structure is bigger. The most used techniques are requirement management, project roadmap and milestone schedule. Excel and the messaging are the tools the most used for the whole enterprises. As for success and failure factors: all the enterprises think that cost and time management, Stakeholders coordination and top management support are the most important parameters. As for the required methodology of project management, the most important element for all the enterprises is time management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Malignant diseases have been believed to be more common in some areas of Eastern Morocco, but until now, cancer patterns have not been reported for this region. In this paper we present for the first time the cancer prevalence analysis in Eastern Morocco. Methods: Cross-sectional study carried out among all patients diagnosed and/or treated with cancer at the Hassan II Regional Oncology Center (ROC) since it was established in October 2005 until December 2012. The ROC is the only hospital specialized in cancer care in Eastern Morocco. Results: A total of 8,508 cases of cancer were registered among residents in Eastern Morocco, with a female to male ratio of 2.1. The mean age at diagnosis was 53.9 ± 15.2 years (median age = 53 years). Thus, unlike in Western countries, cancer in Eastern Morocco afflicts younger population. The areas of Eastern Morocco did not differ significantly by mean age at diagnosis (p = 0.061). However, these regions differed significantly by sex ratio (p < 0.001). The highest sex ratio was observed in Figuig, with a female to male ratio of 3.1 (75.4% of the registered case were females), followed respectively by Taourirt, Oujda-Angad, Berkane, Nador-Driouch and Jerada. Clear variation in the distribution of cancer types between areas of Eastern Morocco was observed, both in males and females (p < 0.001). Furthermore, the areas of Eastern Morocco differed significantly by cancer prevalence (p < 0.001). The highest age-standardized five-year prevalence proportion was observed in Oujda-Angad with 420.2 per 100,000, followed respectively by Berkane (311.4), Jerada (287.8), Taourirt (269.3), Nador-Driouch (213.6) and Figuig (194.4). Trends in the five-year prevalence proportions decreased in Oujda-Angad, Berkane and Jerada throughout the study period, while an increasing trend was observed in Nador-Driouch, Taourirt and Figuig. Conclusions: For the first time, our study presents the pattern and distribution of diagnosed cancers in Eastern Morocco. Our study illustrates substantial differences in cancer patterns between areas of Eastern Morocco. These findings are important for cancer control and highlight the need to develop program aiming at controlling and preventing the spread of major cancer sites in Eastern Morocco, particularly in areas with increased cancer prevalence rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current measures for monitoring progress towards universal health coverage (UHC) do not adequately account for populations that do not have the same level of access to quality care services and/or financial protection to cover health expenses for when care is accessed. This gap in accounting for unmet health care needs may contribute to underutilization of needed services or widening inequalities. Asking people whether or not their needs for health care have been met, as part of a household survey, is a pragmatic way of capturing this information. This analysis examined responses to self-reported questions about unmet need asked as part of 17 health, social and economic surveys conducted between 2001 and 2019, representing 83 low-, middle- and high-income countries. Noting the large variation in questions and response categories, the results point to low levels (less than 2%) of unmet need reported in adults aged 60+ years in countries like Andorra, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Slovenia, Thailand and Viet Nam to rates of over 50% in Georgia, Haiti, Morocco, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe. While unique, these estimates are likely underestimates, and do not begin to address issues of poor quality of care as a barrier or contributing to unmet need in those who were able to access care. Monitoring progress towards UHC will need to incorporate estimates of unmet need if we are to reach universality and reduce health inequalities in older populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - This paper aims to investigate the presence of currency substitution in eight African countries. Design/methodology/approach - This study investigates the presence of currency substitution in eight African countries - Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Tunisia and Zambia - for the period 1976 to 2005 using both regional and US dollar as anchor currencies. Findings - The paper finds that currency substitution is prevalent in Ghana and Nigeria when CFA franc is used as an anchor currency. However, when US dollar is used as an anchor currency there is no evidence of currency substitution in Ghana, but the presence of currency substitution in Nigeria is still observed. The paper also finds the presence of currency substitution in South Africa, but not in Egypt when the US dollar is the anchor currency. For Kenya, Tunisia and Zambia there is no evidence of currency substitution irrespective of the anchor currencies considered. In the case of Morocco, no evidence of currency substitution is observed when the Egyptian pound is used as anchor currency, but there is weak evidence of currency substitution when the US dollar is considered. Originality/value - This paper provides useful information on the presence of currency substitution in African countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to analyze the emerging entrepreneurial practices on family farms in two agrarian reform cooperatives in Morocco. Their emergence can be explained by the constant negotiation of multiple and sometimes even antagonistic logics within these farms in a context of rapid agrarian change and the juxtaposition of capitalistic, entrepreneurial and peasant farms in the same area. Through their engagement as workers or sharecroppers in the different types of farms and as household members on the family farm, the young farmers from the dismantled agrarian cooperatives participate actively in the transformation of farming modes. The porosity of the peasant and entrepreneurial worlds is the main lesson we draw from our study. There is a subtle process of hybridization between the peasant and entrepreneurial modes of farming, resulting in a wide range of profiles. If we only focus on the political discourse, the trend towards capitalistic and entrepreneurial modes of farming seems inescapable. Nevertheless, our study stresses the resistance of peasant modes of farming that can blend with a ‘modern’ perception of agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thepaperfocuses on energy security and energy security evaluation in the economies on the African continent. Thefirstpart of the paper compares several definitions of energy security and describes the most important methods for the evaluation of energy security of the state. The second part of thepaperfocuses on the Energy Architecture Performance Index, 'which is one of thefew to evaluate energy security also in developing states, including twenty African states. Based on our results, the energy security in Africa is lower than the world average, but African countries perform well in some categories, namely Environmental Security. The best performing country is Morocco; the worstperformer is Benin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New vegetable variety development is generally non-existent in most developing countries, with seed typically sourced from developed countries. This situation results in a dependence on developed countries to supply vegetable seed for most of the world's demands. This dependence is troubling as it creates a myriad of problems, from improper recommendations of vegetable varieties to products growing in areas to which they are not necessarily adapted. This paper provides an overview and analysis of vegetable seed industries in developing countries, with a focus on Morocco, and the resulting influences on smaller subsistence farmers. The three types of vegetable seed materials (landraces, pure- line inbred and hybrid varieties) are discussed in the context of these farmers. The ongoing problems and issues related to the absence of vegetable seed industries in developing countries will undoubtedly affect food production, nutritional health and the resulting food security in these countries for future generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on high‐resolution computed tomography, we describe in detail the petrosal and inner ear anatomy of one of the few known African stem paenungulates (Paenungulatomorpha), Ocepeia daouiensis from the Selandian of the Ouled Abdoun phosphate basin (Morocco). The petrosal of Ocepeia displays some remarkable, probably derived features (among eutherians) such as relatively small pars cochlearis, pars canalicularis labyrinth (including small semicircular canals), a large wing‐like pars mastoidea, a large and inflated tegmen tympani, and the dorsoventral orientation of the large canal for the ramus superior. The presence of small semicircular canals in Ocepeia is an interesting shared trait with tenrecoidean afrotherians. Otherwise, and consistent with a general primitive skull morphology, the middle ear and labyrinth of Ocepeia daouiensis is characterised by many plesiomorphic traits close to the eutherian generalised plan. This adds to the rather generalised morphology of the earliest crown paenungulates such as Eritherium, Phosphatherium and Seggeurius to support an ancestral paenungulatomorph morphotype poorly derived from the eutherian pattern. As a result, Ocepeia provides key morphological and fossil data to test phylogenetic relationships of the Afrotheria (including Paenungulatomorpha) at the placental root mostly inferred from molecular studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Fossils of vertebrates have been found in great abundance in the continental and marine early Late Cretaceous sediments of Southeastern Morocco for more than 50 years. About 80 vertebrate taxa have so far been recorded from this region, many of which were recognised and diagnosed for the first time based on specimens recovered from these sediments. In this paper, we use published data together with new field data to present an updated overview of Moroccan early Late Cretaceous vertebrate assemblages. The Cretaceous series we have studied encompasses three Formations, the Ifezouane and Aoufous Formations, which are continental and deltaic in origin and are often grouped under the name “Kem Kem beds”, and the Akrabou Formation which is marine in origin. New field observations allow us to place four recognised vertebrate clusters, corresponding to one compound assemblage and three assemblages, within a general temporal framework. In particular, two ammonite bioevents characterise the lower part of the Upper Cenomanian (Calycoceras guerangeri Zone) at the base of the Akrabou Formation and the upper part of the Lower Turonian (Mammites nodosoides Zone), that may extend into the Middle Turonian within the Akrabou Formation, and allow for more accurate dating of the marine sequence in the study area. We are not yet able to distinguish a specific assemblage that characterises the Ifezouane Formation when compared to the similar Aoufous Formation, and as a result we regard the oldest of the four vertebrate “assemblages” in this region to be the compound assemblage of the “Kem Kem beds”. This well-known vertebrate assemblage comprises a mixture of terrestrial (and aerial), freshwater and brackish vertebrates. The archosaur component of this fauna appears to show an intriguingly high proportion of large-bodied carnivorous taxa, which may indicate a peculiar trophic chain, although collecting biases alter this palaeontological signal. A small and restricted assemblage, the OT1 assemblage, possibly corresponds to a specific, localised ecosystem within the Kem Kem beds compound assemblage. Microfossils and facies from the Aoufous Formation, corresponding to the top of the compound assemblage, provide evidence of extremely abiotic conditions (hypersalinity), and thus of great environmental instability. At the base of the Akrabou Formation the first ammonite bioevent, Neolobites, corresponds to the onset of the marine transgression in the early Late Cenomanian while the Agoult assemblage (Late Cenomanian?) contains a variety of small fish species that have Central Tethyan affinities. Finally, the youngest Mammites bioevent in the late Early Turonian corresponds to a deepening of the marine environment: this sequence is isochronous with the Goulmima assemblage, a diverse collection of fish and other marine taxa, and shows affinities with taxa from the South Atlantic, the Central Tethys and the Western Interior seaway of North America, and further highlights the biogeographical importance of these North African Late Cretaceous assemblages. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The theropod teeth from the Berriasian (Early Cretaceous) site of Anoual (N Morocco) are described. The assemblage is important in that it comes from one of the very few dinosaur sites of this age globally and the only one for the whole of Gondwana. The theropod teeth from Anoual are morphologically diverse. Most of the material possibly belongs to the clade Dromaeosauridae, which would be an early occurrence for this taxon. The palaeogeographic position of Anoual enables it to provide data on the dispersal events that affected terrestrial faunas during Mesozoic times. A Laurasian influence is evidenced by the presence of Velociraptorinae and, on the whole, the theropod fauna from Anoual provides support for the existence of a trans-Tethyan passage allowing terrestrial faunal interchanges during Late Jurassic and/or earliest Cretaceous times. Additionally, Anoual records the existence of diminutive theropods. However, it cannot yet be determined whether the small size of the specimens is genetic or ontogenetic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The legal instruments adopted by the European Union (EU) to ensure free movement within the territory of the Member States are closely linked to the control of the external borders. Over the past ten years, EU member states have created various mechanisms to prevent, control, and punish irregular immigration to the European community, whose migration model is characterized by an instrumental vision that cheapens the value of fundamental rights and reduces the low-skilled labor migration needed by the labor market. From there, EU states derive laws that recognize rights according to the person's nationality and immigration status. In this context, this paper will analyze, with a focus on human rights and from physical, symbolic, political, and legal points of view, what is supposedly a radical "advance" of this process of externalization: the operations created to impede migration of people in "canoes" or "boats" to Europe from the coasts of countries like Morocco, Algeria, Senegal or Mauritania. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We provide detailed morphological description, including enamel microstructure, of the earliest known embrithopod mammals (Afrotheria, Paenungulata), Stylolophus minor and S. major, n. sp., recently discovered in the early Eocene of the Ouled Abdoun phosphate basin, Morocco. Stylolophus minor and S. major, n. sp., show close morphological affinity, and the enamel microstructure supports their congeneric status. Stylolophus major, which comes from an upper level (middle Ypresian) of the Ouled Abdoun phosphate series, has more derived features than S. minor in addition to a larger size. This argues that S. minor and S. major are chronospecies. This new mammal lineage recognized in the Ouled Abdoun phosphate series is characterized by a rapid size increase, as for the proboscideans and probably in correlation with early-middle Ypresian global climatic warming events. We investigated relationships of Stylolophus in a new cladistic analysis based on an extended and revised matrix that includes new enamel microstructural features studied in Stylolophus. Resulting MPTs recover 1) basal relationships of Stylolophus within the Embrithopoda; 2) sister-group relationship of the Embrithopoda to the crown Tethytheria (Proboscidea, Sirenia); and 3) the clades Tethytheria and Paenungulata. It supports in particular that the order Embrithopoda is a basal tethytherian offshoot that rapidly evolved and specialized in parallel to the splitting and early evolution of extant tethytherian orders. Stylolophus shows that the ancestral embrithopod morphotype was already well specialized in the early Eocene and quite distinctive with respect to other paenungulates (e.g., hyperdilambdodonty, lingual hypoconulid, cristid obliqua very lingual on the trigonid, small and lingual hypoconulid lobe on M3, large paranasal sinuses, concave palate), even with respect to their earliest representatives. Stylolophus minor was larger than the contemporary proboscidean Phosphatherium escuilliei. Together with the stem tethytherian relationship of the Embrithopoda, it supports an old origin of the order, at least early in the Paleocene. This relationship is also most consistent with the evolution of the embrithopod hyperdilambdodont pattern from the dilambdodont and selenodont ancestral morphotype of the paenungulates, which is known in early hyracoids but not in proboscideans and sirenians, which have reduced the ectoloph. The most specialized embrithopods evolved hyperdilambdodonty in a pseudolophodont state in parallel to the true lophodonty of crown tethytherians. The Ouled Abdoun embrithopods further help indeed to show that the early Tertiary herbivorous niches of the African island favored convergent evolution of the folivorous diet in several paenungulate and tethytherian clades. At higher scale, convergence of African and Laurasian "ungulates" is supported by enamel microstructure of Stylolophus. The early and basalmost embrithopods S. minor and S. major, n. sp., are new evidence of the Arabo-African origin of the order. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This scientific enquiry examines the role of capital investment in the energy-pollution model in SANEM countries. The methodology is based on the Pooled Mean Group (PMG), which is appropriate for a heterogeneous panel. Findings reveal that energy use negatively impacts CO2 emissions in Algeria, South Africa, Morocco, and the panel, in the short-run; however, it positively impacts CO2 pollution in Nigeria, Egypt, and the panel, in the long-run. Again, investment exerts a positive effect on CO2 in South Africa and Algeria, whereas it is negative in Nigeria, Egypt, and Morocco. Capital investment also expands short-run pollution in the panel, but it reduces long-run pollution. Lastly, the energy-investment interaction reduces the panel's CO2 pollution in the short-run and long-run, as well as, in Morocco, Egypt, Nigeria, and South Africa, except in Algeria. Thus, we conclude that capital investment is crucial in the energy-pollution nexus and suggest cooperation in attracting low-carbon emitting investments to the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The geological and paleoenvironmental setting and the vertebrate taxonomy of the fossiliferous, Cenomanian- age deltaic sediments in eastern Morocco, generally referred to as the "Kem Kem beds", are reviewed. These strata are recognized here as the Kem Kem Group, which is composed of the lower Gara Sbaa and upper Douira formations. Both formations have yielded a similar fossil vertebrate assemblage of predominantly isolated elements pertaining to cartilaginous and bony fishes, turtles, crocodyliforms, pterosaurs, and dinosaurs, as well as invertebrate, plant, and trace fossils. These fossils, now in collections around the world, are reviewed and tabulated. The Kem Kem vertebrate fauna is biased toward largebodied carnivores including at least four large-bodied non-avian theropods (an abelisaurid, Spinosaurus, Carcharodontosaurus, and Deltadromeus), several large-bodied pterosaurs, and several large crocodyliforms. No comparable modern terrestrial ecosystem exists with similar bias toward large-bodied carnivores. The Kem Kem vertebrate assemblage, currently the best documented association just prior to the onset of the Cenomanian-Turonian marine transgression, captures the taxonomic diversity of a widespread northern African fauna better than any other contemporary assemblage from elsewhere in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate-related studies have generally focussed upon physiologically well-defined ‘mechanistic’ traits rather than ‘functional’ ones relating indirectly to resource capture. Nevertheless, field responses to climate are likely to typically include both ‘mechanistic’ specialization to climatic extremes and ‘functional’ strategies that optimize resource acquisition during less climatically-severe periods. Here, this hypothesis was tested. Seventeen traits (six ‘functional’, six ‘mechanistic’ and five ‘intermediate’) were measured from 19 populations of oleaster (wild olive) along a climatic gradient in Morocco. Principal components analysis of the trait dataset identified size and the ‘worldwide leaf economics spectrum’ as PCA axes 1 and 2. However, contrary to our prediction, these axes, and commonly-measured ‘functional’ traits, were little correlated with climate. Instead, PCA 3, perhaps relating to water-use and succulence, together stomatal density, specific leaf water content and leaf shape, patterned with altitude, aridity, rainfall and temperature. We concluded that, at least for slow-growing species, such as oleaster, ‘mechanistic’ traits are key to identifying mechanisms of climatic restriction. Meaningful collaboration between ‘mechanistic’ and ‘functional’ disciplines provides the best way of improving our understanding of the global impacts of climate change on species distribution and performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dominant structural variability of African easterly waves (AEWs) is explored using an empirical orthogonal function (EOF) approach. The structure of AEWs is obtained by projecting the wind fields from reanalysis data and satellite-derived brightness temperature Tb onto the principal components associated with EOF patterns of filtered Tb (Tb EOF) and 700-hPa meridional wind (v700 EOF). The wave structure depicted by the Tb EOF has confined convection and circulation mostly south of the African easterly jet. It shares many characteristics with AEWs analyzed and discussed in the literature. In contrast, the v700 EOF exhibits less familiar characteristics and includes interactions with the equatorial and subtropical regions. The convective patterns are characterized by a "checkerboard" pattern of convection that has not been emphasized before. The most striking feature is the broad meridional extent, which depicts interactions with a mixed Rossby–gravity wave (MRG) in the equatorial region and interactions with the basic-state potential vorticity in the subtropics. The southern portion of the wave has a modified MRG structure, and this AEW–MRG hybrid cannot be separated using the EOF technique, indicating the prevalence of such structures. The subtropical interaction at mid- to lower levels establishes a vortex off the coast of Morocco that results in dry-air advection into the tropics in tandem with the northern vortex. At upper levels, a subtropical wave train is induced by the AEW-associated convective inflow and outflow. The contrasting AEW circulations are associated with differences in the precipitation rates and patterns over Africa. These results highlight the variability of AEW structures and their interactions with equatorial and subtropical waves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present reflection aims to tackle the "African" migration issue, an intricate dialectic of different concepts and contrasting systems, both historical and social, as well as their repercussions for the territories. Thus, to establish a model of development including new migratory flows. This migratory dynamic will engender profound urban metamorphoses which must be planned beforehand through urban solutions adapted to prepare the ground for a more organic migration. Especially that Morocco is committed to international conventions as well as the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development. I have chosen to emphasize to study the case of Rabat city migration as a capital city it's focal role as hub Moroccan migratory path. On the margins of this dynamic conurbation. Peri-urban centers have been developed, which benefit from their location on the road and coastal railway that joins Rabat Casablanca (economic city of the country). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Evolving health priorities and resource constraints mean that countries require data on trends in sexually transmitted infections (STI) burden, to inform program planning and resource allocation. We applied the Spectrum STI estimation tool to estimate the prevalence and incidence of active syphilis in adult women in Morocco over 1995 to 2016. The results from the analysis are being used to inform Morocco’s national HIV/STI strategy, target setting and program evaluation. Methods: Syphilis prevalence levels and trends were fitted through logistic regression to data from surveys in antenatal clinics, women attending family planning clinics and other general adult populations, as available post-1995. Prevalence data were adjusted for diagnostic test performance, and for the contribution of higher-risk populations not sampled in surveys. Incidence was inferred from prevalence by adjusting for the average duration of infection with active syphilis. Results: In 2016, active syphilis prevalence was estimated to be 0.56% in women 15 to 49 years of age (95% confidence interval, CI: 0.3%-1.0%), and around 21,675 (10,612–37,198) new syphilis infections have occurred. The analysis shows a steady decline in prevalence from 1995, when the prevalence was estimated to be 1.8% (1.0–3.5%). The decline was consistent with decreasing prevalences observed in TB patients, fishermen and prisoners followed over 2000–2012 through sentinel surveillance, and with a decline since 2003 in national HIV incidence estimated earlier through independent modelling. Conclusions: Periodic population-based surveys allowed Morocco to estimate syphilis prevalence and incidence trends. This first-ever undertaking engaged and focused national stakeholders, and confirmed the still considerable syphilis burden. The latest survey was done in 2012 and so the trends are relatively uncertain after 2012. From 2017 Morocco plans to implement a system to record data from routine antenatal programmatic screening, which should help update and re-calibrate next trend estimations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bovine tuberculosis (BTB) is an endemic zoonosis in Morocco caused by Mycobacterium bovis, which infects many domestic animals and is transmitted to humans through consumption of raw milk or from contact with infected animals. The prevalence of BTB in Moroccan cattle is estimated at 18%, and 33% at the individual and the herd level respectively, but the human M. bovis burden needs further clarification. The current control strategy based on test and slaughter should be improved through local context adaptation taking into account a suitable compensation in order to reduce BTB prevalence in Morocco and decrease the disease burden in humans and animals. We established a simple compartmental deterministic mathematical model for BTB transmission in cattle and humans to provide a general understanding of BTB, in particular regarding transmission to humans. Differential equations were used to model the different pathways between the compartments for cattle and humans. Scenarios of test and slaughter were simulated to determine the effects of varying the proportion of tested animals (p) on the time to elimination of BTB (individual animal prevalence of less than one in a thousand) in cattle and humans. The time to freedom from disease ranged from 75 years for p = 20% to 12 years for p = 100%. For p > 60% the time to elimination was less than 20 years. The cumulated cost was largely stable: for p values higher than 40%, cost ranged from 1.47 to 1.60 billion euros with a time frame of 12 to 32 years to reach freedom from disease. The model simulations also suggest that using a 2mm cut off instead of a 4mm cut off in the Single Intradermal Comparative Cervical Tuberculin skin test (SICCT) would result in cheaper and quicker elimination programs. This analysis informs Moroccan bovine tuberculosis control policy regarding time frame, range of cost and levels of intervention. However, further research is needed to clarify the national human-bovine tuberculosis ratio in Morocco. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anaplasma phagocytophilum is an emerging tick-borne zoonosis with extensive increased interest. Epidemiological data are available in several regions of the USA, Europe and Asia in contrast to other parts of the world such as North Africa. Blood samples of 261 healthy individuals divided in two groups i.e., dog handlers and blood donors were analysed. Indirect immunofluorescent assay using a commercial kit was performed to detect specific A. phagocytophilum IgG. Two dilutions were used to assess the prevalence of seroreactive samples. Demographic variables were assessed as potential risk factors using exact logistic regression. Seropositivity rates reached 37% and 27% in dog handlers and 36% and 22% in blood donors. No statistically significant differences were found in the prevalence rates between the two groups. Analysis of risk factors such as gender, age groups, outdoor activities, self-reported previous exposure to ticks, or contact with domestic animals (dogs, cats, ruminants and horses) did not shown any significant difference. A. phagocytophilum exposure was common in both high-risk population and blood donors in Morocco. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a neglected parasitic disease that is fatal if left untreated. VL is endemic in Morocco and other countries in North Africa were it mainly affects children from rural areas. In Morocco, the direct observation of Leishmania parasites in bone marrow aspirates and serological tests are used to diagnose VL. Glucantime is the first line of treatment. The objective of this study was to report the costs associated to standard clinical management of pediatric VL from the provider perspective in Morocco. As a secondary objective we described the current clinical practices and the epidemiological characteristics of pediatric VL patients. Methods: From March to June 2014 we conducted a survey in eight hospitals treating pediatric VL patients in Morocco. A pro-forma was used to collect demographic, clinical and management data from medical records. We specifically collected data on VL diagnosis and treatment. We also estimated the days of hospitalization and the time to start VL treatment. Costs were estimated by multiplying the use of resources in terms of number of days in hospital, tests performed and drugs provided by the official prices. For patients receiving part of their treatment at Primary Health Centers (PHC) we estimated the cost of administering the Glucantime as outpatient. We calculated the median cost per VL patient. We also estimated the cost of managing a VL case when different treatment strategies were applied: inpatient and outpatient. Results: We obtained data from 127 VL patients. The median total cost per pediatric VL case in Morocco is 520 US$. The cost in hospitals applying an outpatient strategy is significantly lower (307 US$) than hospitals keeping the patients for the whole treatment (636 US$). However the outpatient strategy is not yet recommended as VL treatment for children in the Moroccan guidelines. VL diagnosis and treatment regimens should be standardized following the current guidelines in Morocco. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Tropical Medicine & International Health is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

ABSTRACT The Middle East and North Africa ( MENA) region can be considered as the most water-scarce region of the world. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change projects strong changes in climate across MENA, further exacerbating pressure on available water resources. The objective of this study is to undertake a climate change assessment for 22 MENA countries in order to quantify the problems these countries may encounter up to 2050. To evaluate climate change in MENA, nine global circulation models representing two future periods (2020-2030 and 2040-2050) were statistically downscaled and compared with a current climate, defined as the period 2000-2009. Besides precipitation only this study also focuses on change in water demand by vegetation reference evapotranspiration ( ETref). It was found that for both future periods the annual precipitation sum will decrease for the majority of countries, with decreases of 15-20% for the latter period. For some countries, e.g. Djibouti and Yemen, an increase in annual precipitation of 15-20% was found. The annual ETref shows an increase for all countries for both future periods, with the strongest increases for the latter period. For the extreme situation, it was found that the minimum monthly and annual precipitation sum does not become smaller in the future climate. It in fact increases. In contrast, the maximum monthly and annual ETref increases for all countries. This indicates that projected changes in demand are likely to have a more adverse effect than changes in supply. Spatial analysis showed that the largest precipitation decreases are to be found in southern Egypt, Morocco, central and coastal Algeria, Tunisia, central Libya, Syria, and central and eastern Iran. A case study for Morocco revealed that the potential water deficit, which is already apparent for the current climate, becomes even larger for the future climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Japanese brown seaweed Sargassum muticum (Yendo) Fensholt (Fucales, Phaeophyta) is reported for the first time in Atlantic Morocco, along the shoreline of Doukkala (S of Casablanca). This record, the first in the African continent, represents a remarkable range expansion of this invasive marine species. Indeed, it is the southern-most occurrence of the species in the Atlantic. Preliminary phenological and ecological data of this non-native species were provided from the Doukkala coast. The major effects on benthic structure and composition of this invasive brown macroalga were also evaluated from published data. Oyster transfers from the French coast were the most likely primary introduction vector, but maritime vectors linked to shipping and navigation cannot be ruled out. Guidelines for prevention of further expansion of this highly invasive marine species along the Moroccan coasts are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brain tumors are the most common solid tumors diagnosed among children below 15 years worldwide. However, little is known about the profile of pediatric brain tumors in Africa. The purpose of this study was to further elaborate the epidemiological profile of pediatric brain tumors in Africa, specifically Morocco. A retrospective review was conducted of all patients with primary brain tumors in the age group 0–19 years, from 2003 to 2007, from multiple centers in two cities of Rabat and Casablanca, Morocco. Only patients with histopathological confirmation were included ( n = 542). Descriptive epidemiologic profiles were created for the patients by age, sex, and histological subtypes of brain tumors. Overall medulloblastoma was the most common brain tumor (34.5%), followed by pilocytic astrocytoma (17.3%) and diffuse astrocytoma grade 2 (12.5%). Brain tumors occurred most commonly in 5–9-year age group followed by 10–14-year age group with the former being more common among males and the latter being more common among females. We also found medulloblastoma to be the most common brain tumor in the 0–14-year-olds. In this rare study focused on pediatric brain tumors in Morocco, most of the findings were consistent with past studies from other parts of the world. However, we found medulloblastoma to be the most common pediatric brain tumor followed by astrocytoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a new proviverrine hyaenodontid creodont mammal, Boualitomus marocanensis, n.g., n.sp., from the earliest Eocene of Morocco, and provide new comments on Tinerhodon from the late Paleocene of Morocco. Aside from the autapomorphic loss of P/1, Boualitomus is characterized by a primitive morphology (e.g. M/3 subequal to M/2, short molar trigonid, narrow talonid, metaconid comparable to paraconid) which resembles most closely the proviverrine Prototomus. Boualitomus is more primitive than Prototomus, especially in its small size and the talonid of P/4 not being fully simplified, bearing at least two accessory cusps including a bulbous protostylid. These primitive features are remarkably reminiscent of Tinerhodon. The morphological relationship of Boualitomus and Tinerhodon supports the proviverrine affinity of the latter. Significant basal hyaenodontid synapomorphies of Boualitomus and Tinerhodon are the paraconid and paracristid development in M/I-3, anterior premolar morphology and occurrence of diastemata. Boualitomus and Tinerhodon throw new light upon the question of the origin of the Creodonta. Tinerhodon further fills the structural gap between Hyaenodontidae and primitive insectivore-like eutherians, and it provides additional data for the hypothesis of a didelphodontan origin for the Creodonta. The presence of cimolestidsi (as the stem-group of hyaenodontids) in the late Paleocene of Morocco, and the identification of Boualitomus and Tinerhodon as the most primitive and earliest known Hyaenodontidae, support an African origin of the family and its order. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Aim To document the distribution of two closely related macrophyte species, the fossil Nitellopsis (Tectochara ) merianii (A. Braun ex Unger) Grambast & Soulié-Märsche and Nitellopsis obtusa (Desvaux) J. Groves, the single living species of genus Nitellopsis and to draw the relationships between first finds of N. merianii in North Africa and previously known records. Location South part of the High Atlas Range, Aït Kandoula basin, Morocco. Methods New finds of fossil charophyte gyrogonites were determined and illustrated. Using a large bibliographic database of both fossil and extant charophytes, we depict the biogeographical distribution N. merianii and N. obtusa and summarize the ecological requirements of N. obtusa as a modern analogue. Results The Aït Kandoula deposits, dated by magnetostratigraphy and vertebrate fossils to Upper Miocene, provided the first fossil populations of N. merianii in Africa. The distribution patterns of the Tertiary N. merianii and the living N. obtusa superimpose on a large area that extends from Spain to East Asia and characterize them as typically Eurasian taxa indicative for permanent, relatively cold and deep freshwater lakes. During the Quaternary, similar palaeolakes in the Sahara were colonized by N. obtusa . Main conclusions The presence of the Eurasian species N. merianii in North Africa is the result of dispersal by migratory waterbirds and attests to N–S migration occurring during the Upper Miocene (10–5 Myr ago). Gyrogonites imported from Southern Europe could germinate and fulfil their life cycle so as to form a new seed bank of gyrogonites because they had been deposited in a suitable environment consisting of a freshwater mountain lake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]