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Cu–Zn (brass) materials are widely used in drinking water equipment, including valves, taps, and fittings. However, this brass suffers significant corrosion when buried in aggressive soil. The aim of this study is to investigate the corrosion resistance of three α-brasses (Br1, Br2 and Br3) buried in aggressive soil of the MNASRA region, located in the province of Kenitra, north-west Morocco. This study was carried out by means of potentiodynamic polarization (PDP), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and open circuit potential (OCP) measurements. A pilot plant was designed to simulate the environment in which the materials were used, and the same materials were buried on the site where they were used for a period of two years. The results show an increase in i corr from 3050 at 24 h to 5400 μA cm−2 at 2016 h for Br3 and from 1330 to 2550 μA cm−2 for Br 2. However, Rp decreases from 181.9 to 2.8 kΩ cm2 for Br3 and from 489.9 to 85.2 kΩ cm2 for Br 2 , indicating that the Br3 and Br2 alloys have undergone significant corrosion in the aggressive soil respectively. Where as a decrease in i corr from 1.280 at 24 h to 0.430 μA cm−2 at 2016 h for Br1. Nevertheless, Rp increased from 192.1 to 881.7 kΩ cm2 indicating an improvement in corrosion resistance due to the formation of a denser protective film on its surface. Moreover, the results show that the presence of a high phosphorus (P) and aluminum (Al) content with a lower percentage of iron (Fe) has a beneficial effect and leads to good corrosion resistance. These results are in agreement with the SEM/EDS and XRD analyses, as well as with the results obtained on-site after two years of immersion by SEM and OP analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The turtle dove is a migratory species that has suffered a rapid decline principally across its Northern ranges, despite pronounced conservation measures. Consequently, it has been categorized as 'Near Threatened' in Europe. Degradation of breeding habitats and a decrease in food resources are listed as principal causes of this decline. Despite its importance, the productivity of the North African population is widely unknown. Here we present the first estimation of the density of the breeding population and the superior reproductively of Streptopelia turtur arenicola in Morocco and entire North Africa., Methods: This study was carried out for two seasons 2018-2019 in the Saïss plain, central Morocco. Based on previous data, doves were monitored weekly, from early March to late August, in aquatic ecosystems (two dams and one river) and farmlands (cereals and orchards). The breeding population was censused using the "point-count" method, following a walked transect of 5 km in orchards, 7 km in cereal fields, and 3 km along the river. Equally, nests were searched in natural habitats counting riparian trees, forests, and ornamental trees, and in orchards based on the Common Birds Census (CBC) methodology, in which the singing doves, mating pairs, nesting, and/or feeding behavior were the most monitored signs to discover nests. In orchards, nests were searched line-by-line based on the rows of fruit trees. For each recorded nest, we note the breeding chronology, clutch size and incubation period, success and failure factors, dimensions, and vertical placement on trees. To evaluate the predictors of doves' occurrence, we noted at each site the presence of cereals, water, human disturbance, presence of nesting trees, and predators., Results and Discussion: In total, 3,580 turtle doves (22.37 birds/ha), including 240 breeding pairs, were documented. Nesting occurred mainly in olive groves, cereals were used for forage, and aquatic ecosystems for water sources. The nesting period lasted from late April to July (last fledglings). All nests were located on olive trees at a height of 225.30 ± 48.87 cm. The clutch size was 1.98 ± 0.13 (laid eggs/built nests), the incubation period lasted 14.16 ± 1.32 days, and the rearing period lasted 16.54 ± 1.76 days. The breeding success among the 240 monitored nests accounted for 73.84% during the nesting phase and 87.42% during the incubation phase; 71.5%% of nestlings have fledged, which is the highest success rate for turtle doves in Europe and Northwest Africa. Clutches were aborted mostly due to predation from snakes (7.5% of nests, 16.12% of eggs, and 5.63% of chicks), nest desertion (9.16% of nests and 5.37% of eggs), and marginally by the destruction of nests through farming activities. These findings are important for conservation plans, to restore turtle doves' habitats in Europe, where the species is widely declining., Competing Interests: Michael Wink is an Academic and Section Editor for PeerJ., (© 2022 Squalli et al.)

Introduction: The complications of chronic otitis media have become less frequent since the advent of antibiotics. However, they continue to show a high incidence in developing countries., Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the impact of these complications in Morocco and to study the epidemiological, clinical, paraclinical and therapeutic patterns., Patients and Methods: This is a retrospective study conducted between January 1998 and December 2005. All patients presenting to the ENT department of the hôpital du 20 Août of Casablanca, Morocco, with complications of chronic otitis media and hospitalized during this period were included., Results: We selected 47 out of 824 patients hospitalized for chronic otitis media, for a 5.7% incidence of complications, including 15 intracranial complications (1.8%) dominated by meningitis (nine cases) and cerebral abscess (five cases), and 32 extracranial complications (3.8%) dominated by mastoiditis (21 cases) and facial paralysis (eight cases). The cholesteatoma was found in 70% of the patients. The open atticomastoidectomy was the surgical technique chosen in 80% of the cases, associated with specific treatment depending on the complication. Progression was favorable in 90% of the cases., Conclusion: With this study, the authors review the high incidence of complications of chronic otitis media in Morocco, and therefore the need to diagnose and treat all cases of chronic otitis media early to prevent the very dangerous (for example, intracranial) complications.