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Introduction: Healthcare-associated infections are a global public health issue with farreaching individual and economic repercussions. The microorganism’s multi-resistance frequently increases the risk that can be lowered by using biomolecules of medicinal plant essential oils (EOs). This study investigated the phytochemical components and antimicrobial potential of the EOs of Moroccan Origanum compactum and Ruta montana gathered from Taza Region. Methods: The EOs’ chemical analysis was performed by GC/MS and their antimicrobial effects were assessed by the microplate dilution method against eight nosocomial resistantbacterial strains. Results: The main constituents of O. compactum EO were Thymol (29.56%), carvacrol (26.44%), γ-terpinene (18.86%) and p-cymene (12.01%), while those of R. montana EO were 2-undecanone (85.76%), 2-nonanone (3.95%), 2-decanone (3.67%) and 2-dodecanone (1.94%). The O. compactum EO had important antimicrobial effects on all bacteria experienced. The lower minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values were obtained for the tested Staphylococcus species (0.062%, 0.125% (v/v)) while the highest one (2% (v/v)) was obtained for Klebsiella pneumonia and Pantoea spp. The R. montana EO showed MIC values of 4% (v/v) for Pantoea spp. and 8% (v/v) for the other tested strains except K. pneumonia for which no effect was shown. Conclusion: Therefore, these EOs, especially the O. compactum one, have an interesting antibacterial potential against nosocomial infections and might be used to develop new antimicrobial agents.

Abstract Background The series of population-based studies conducted by the Global Campaign against Headache has, so far, included Pakistan and Saudi Arabia from the Eastern Mediterranean Region. The Maghreb countries of North Africa, also part of this Region, are geographically apart and culturally very different from these countries. Here we report a study in Morocco. Methods We applied the standardised methodology of Global Campaign studies, with cluster-randomized sampling in regions of Morocco selected to be representative of its diversities. In three of these regions, in accordance with this methodology, we made unannounced visits to randomly selected households and, from each, interviewed one randomly selected adult member (aged 18–65 years) using the HARDSHIP structured questionnaire translated into Moroccan Arabic and French. In a fourth region (Fès), because permission for such sampling was not given by the administrative authority, people were randomly stopped in streets and markets and, when willing, interviewed using the same questionnaire. This was a major protocol violation. Results We included 3,474 participants, 1,074 (41.7%) from Agadir, 1,079 (41.9%) from Marrakech, 422 (16.4%) from Tétouan and 899 from Fès. In a second protocol violation, interviewers failed to record the non-participating proportion. In the main analysis, excluding Fès, observed 1-year prevalence of any headache was 80.1% among females, 68.2% among males. Observed 1-day prevalence (headache yesterday) was 17.8%. After adjustment for age and gender, migraine prevalence was 30.8% (higher among females [aOR = 1.6]) and TTH prevalence 32.1% (lower among females [aOR = 0.8]). Headache on ≥ 15 days/month (H15+) was very common (10.5%), and in more than half of cases (5.9%) associated with acute medication overuse (on ≥ 15 days/month) and accordingly diagnosed as probable medication-overuse headache (pMOH). Both pMOH (aOR = 2.6) and other H15+ (aOR = 1.9) were more common among females. In the Fès sample, adjusted prevalences were similar, numerically but not significantly higher except for other H15+. Conclusions While the 1-year prevalence of headache among adults in Morocco is similar to that of many other countries, migraine on the evidence here is at the upper end of the global range, but not outside it. H15 + and pMOH are very prevalent, contributing to the high one-day prevalence of headache.

The preparation of SrGd2O4 was carried out by the solid-state route and its structural, magnetic, magnetocaloric properties have been investigated. The compound formation was confirmed using X-ray diffraction analysis. The elaborated sample annealed at 1300 °C in the air for 24 h, crystallizes in the orthorhombic structure with Pnma space group. Combining different models, a detailed analysis of the magnetic phase transitions in the SrGd2O4 compound has been performed. At 2.8 K, the phase transition from the AFM (Anti-ferromagnetic) state to the PM (Para-magnetic) state is 2nd order. Furthermore, the magnetization process exhibits a large magnetocaloric effect (MCE). The maximum magnetic entropy change (–ΔSM) near 2.8 K and refrigerant capacity (RCP) are 20.39 J. Kg−1. K−1 and 163.12 J. Kg−1, respectively, for a field change of 0–5 T. With negligible thermal and field hysteresis, SrGd2O4 can be considered as a cryogenic refrigerant material. A phenomenological model is now used to comprehend the MCE behavior of this sample. The exponents δ (delta) is properly revealed to be nearby those of the tricritical M-F-M (Mean-Field-Model) value. This simply reflects the existence of an AFM long-range order in our sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider a mathematical model that describes the frictional contact of a piezoelectric body with an electrically conductive foundation. The material’s behavior is described by means of an electroelastic constitutive law, the contact is bilateral and associated with Trescas law of dry friction. We derive a mixed variational formulation of the problem, which is in the form of a coupled system for the displacement field, the electric potential, and a Lagrange multiplier. Then we prove the existence of a unique weak solution to the model by combining saddle-point theory and the fixed-point technique. Moreover, we present an efficient algorithm for approximating the weak solution for the contact problem, including friction and electrical contact conditions. We conclude by a numerical example that illustrates the applicability of the model.

In this paper, we report the modelling of quantum capacitance in both single-layer and bilayer graphene devices to investigate the temperature dependence. The model includes the existence of electron and hole puddles due to local fluctuations of the potential, which is taken into account with the possibility of finite lifetimes of electronic states to calculate the quantum capacitance using the Gaussian distribution. The results indicate that the simulations are in agreement with the experimental measurements, which proves the accuracy of the proposed model. On the other hand, temperature dependence around the charge neutrality point has been reported for both single and bilayer graphene.

This paper provides electrical characterization of single layer graphene ribbon devices defined as back-gated graphene transistors. The two-terminal back-gated graphene ribbon devices were fabricated on a conventional Si substrate covered by a 90 nm-thick thermal SiO2. The chemical vapor deposition process was used for the graphene layer deposition and its quality was checked with optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. For the device fabrication, optical lithography was used for electrode patterns through a mask, and Ti/Au (10 nm/100 nm) metallic contacts were deposited by thermal evaporation. We report low and high field electrical measurements of several devices, under a controlled environment over a wide temperature range, from 77 to 300 K. At 77 K, the drain current decreases, i.e. the resistance of the graphene increases, and the nonlinearity is still present. The maximum influence of the temperature is reached at the charges neutrality point, and we observe that the temperature could influence the position of the charge neutrality point. This indicates that the carriers are thermally activated, which yields a least pronounced current with the increase of the back gate voltage.

Nanocrystalline iron-rich intermetallic compounds Sm2Fe17−xSix ( x = 0 , 1 , 1.5 , 2 ) were studied by means of X-ray diffraction coupled with magnetic and magnetocaloric properties measurements. The mechanically alloyed and annealed compounds were single phase and crystallize into the R 3 ¯ m Th2Zn 17 -type structure. The favorable ratios of the X-ray atomic factor f Si / f Fe allowed the location of the Si atoms in the R 3 ¯ m structure. The best Rietveld agreement factor assessed for a preferential occupation of Si on the 18h site. The Curie temperature was found to increase with Si content x from 436 K for x = 0 up to 525 K for x = 2, whereas the unit-cell parameters, measured with a standard element, were found to decrease with Si content. The random magnetic anisotropy model was used to determine the random anisotropy fields and the local random anisotropy constant. These nanocrystalline Sm2Fe17−xSix systems gave good magnetocaloric properties, which however decreased with Si content from 3.29 J/kg K for x = 0 down to 2.54 J/kg K for x = 2, at low field μ 0 H = 1.57 T. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the realm of machine learning, kernel methods stand out as a prominent class of algorithms with widespread applications, including but not limited to classification, regression, and identification tasks. Our paper addresses the challenging problem of identifying the finite impulse response (FIR) of single-input single-output nonlinear systems under the influence of perturbations and binary-valued measurements. To overcome this challenge, we exploit two algorithms that leverage the framework of reproducing kernel Hilbert spaces (RKHS) to accurately identify the impulse response of the Proakis C channel. Additionally, we introduce the application of these kernel methods for estimating binary output data of nonlinear systems. We showcase the effectiveness of kernel adaptive filters in identifying nonlinear systems with binary output measurements, as demonstrated through the experimental results presented in this study.

The aim of this study was to determine the phytochemical composition and evaluate the antifungal and insecticidal properties of Rosmarinus officinalis essential oil (EO). GC-MS was employed to analyze the phytochemical profile of the EO. The antifungal activity of the EO was assessed by calculating growth inhibition rates for Alternaria alternata, Fusarium oxysporum, and Botrytis cinerea. Repellent capacity and toxicity were evaluated through inhalation and contact tests on Callosobruchus maculatus. Molecular docking techniques were utilized to test the insecticidal and antifungal activities of rosemary EO. The analysis revealed a total of sixteen components in R. officinalis EO, with 1,8-cineole (40.80%) being the major constituent, followed by α-pinene (26.18%) and camphor (19.53%). Antifungal evaluation demonstrated a significant inhibitory impact on the mycelial growth of the tested fungi, with complete inhibition observed against B. cinerea. In terms of insecticidal capacity, the EO induced complete mortality of C. maculatus adults at a concentration of 1 μL/L air, with an inhalation test LC50 value of 0.62 μL/L air. Concentration-dependent reductions were observed in the number of both laid eggs and emerged insects, reaching a 99.36% reduction. The EO also exhibited a moderate effectiveness in repelling insects, with an average repellency rate of 50.83%. In silico analysis identified borneol as the most active molecule against insect acetylcholinesterase (PDB: 6ARY) with a Glide score of −7.254 kcal/mol. α-Caryophyllene showed the highest activity against B. cinerea β-tubulin (PDB: 3N2G) with a Glide score of −7.025 kcal/mol. These findings suggest that the EO derived from Moroccan Rosmarinus officinalis has potential as an effective natural agent against pathogenic fungi and could serve as a sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative as a bioinsecticide.

Trace metals found in industrial effluents are highly toxic pollutants, and these include cadmium and chromium (VI). The objective of this work is to remove cadmium and chromium (VI) on activated carbons, prepared from biomaterials such as nuclei of Ziziphus lotus and coffee grounds. The characterization of adsorbents was performed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results of the characterization showed an important porosity on the activated carbon’s surface, with sizes between 6 and 50 μm. Similarly, the adsorption results showed that the adsorption process is very rapid and that the increase in contact time and temperature improves the efficiency of the Cd and Cr(VI) removal process. Indeed, abatement rates (R%) of 80% for Cr(VI) and 60% for Cd were obtained after 80 minutes of adsorption on activated carbon prepared from Ziziphus lotus, whereas activated carbon obtained from coffee grounds allows a reduction rate of about 50% for Cr(VI) and Cd. Hence, it seems clearly that the activated carbon of Ziziphus lotus is more effective than that of coffee grounds, especially for the Cr(VI) adsorption. The kinetic modeling of the adsorption process followed the pseudo-second-order model, and the Freundlich model has better explained the adsorption isotherm for Cd and Cr(VI). The thermodynamic study showed that adsorption was spontaneous and endothermic.

J. Pharm. Pharmacogn. Res., vol. 11, no. 3, pp. 455-472, May-June 2023. DOI: https://doi.org/10.56499/jppres22.1552_11.3.455 Original Article Ethnobotanical survey on plants used during the COVID-19 pandemic in Taza (Morocco) and population satisfaction according to the “Rules of Association” approach [Encuesta etnobotánica sobre las plantas utilizadas durante la pandemia de COVID-19 en Taza (Marruecos) y satisfacción de la población según el enfoque de las “Reglas de Asociación”] Rachid Flouchi1,2, Mohamed El Far3, Nour Elhouda El Atrache2, Sabah El Kassmi2, Youssra Ezzarouali2, Nesrine Benkhaira1, Naoufal El Hachlafi1, Kawtar Fikri-Benbrahim1* 1Laboratory of Microbial Biotechnology and Bioactive Molecules, Sciences and Technologies Faculty, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, B.P. 2202 Imouzzer Road, Fez, Morocco. 2High Institute of Nursing Professions and Health Techniques Annex Taza, Fez, Morocco. 3Laboratory of Applied Physics, Computer Science and Statistics, Sciences Faculty Dhar El Mahraz, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University, Fez, Morocco. *E-mail: kawtar.fikribenbrahim@usmba.ac.ma Abstract Context: In an emergency situation such as the current COVID-19 pandemic and the absence of effective treatment, medicinal plants constitute an alternative solution to strengthen immunity, combat and prevent this disease and reduce related sickness. Aims: To determine the ethnobotanical knowledge of medicinal plants used in confirmed cases of COVID-19 and the satisfaction of the latter, thanks to the use of the associative database. Methods: An ethnobotanical survey was conducted in the Taza region among confirmed cases of COVID-19 and their contacts. For this purpose, a questionnaire was distributed to participants. Quantitative analysis was used to assess ethnobotanical knowledge with the use, for the first time, of a method of artificial intelligence: the association rule, to determine participant satisfaction according to the different variables studied. Results: A total of 222 patients, distributed equally in rural and urban areas, participated in the study and indicated the use of 17 species belonging to nine botanical families. Lamiaceae was the most used family, and leaves were the most used part and were prepared in the form of infusion. The rule of association demonstrated strong satisfaction with using these plants among the participants, especially the positive cases. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first ethnobotanical survey in the Taza province (Morocco). Conclusions: This work provides ethnobotanical information on plants used to treat and prevent COVID-19 for positive cases and their contacts. It would be interesting to confirm their usefulness and efficacy through experimental studies.

In this study, experimental design approach coupled with MIC assay were used to determine the combined treatment effect of three Moroccan essential oils (EOs) derived from Ammi visnaga (AVEO), Mentha suaveolens (MSEO) and Lavandula stoechas (LSEO), against S. aureus, E. coli and P. aeruginosa, as well as to predict the optimal formulations of these EOs to inhibit bacterial adhesion on the stainless steel (304L SS) surface. EOs were obtained via hydrodistillation and then, their volatile content was analyzed using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC–MS). The antibacterial activity was evaluated using disc-diffusion, microdilution assays. Moreover, the anti-adhesive effect was assessed using two complementary methods, including contact angle measurements and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. The GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of various bioactive compounds in AVEO, MSEO and LSEO. The main identified components were piperitenone oxide (52.04%) and pulegone (19.78%) for MSEO; and camphor (23.97 %) and menthol (21.5%) for LSEO. Whereas, AVEO was mainly characterized by the presence of linalool (30.24 %). The antibacterial assays showed that all EOs are able to inhibit the bacterial growth at low concentration (MIC ranged from 0.015 to 4 v/v (%)). The optimization of mixtures antibacterial effect has demonstrated the synergistic effect between the three EOs. The optimal mixture predicted against E. coli, P. aeruginosa, and S. aureus corresponded to 30%/42%/28%, 50%/50%/0%, 43%/30%/27%, and AVEO, LSEO and MSEO, respectively. The contact angle assessment indicated that LSEO, MSEO, AVEO and their optimal mixtures remarkably inhibit bacterial adhesion by the alteration of the physico-chemical properties of 304L SS surface. These results are confirmed by SEM analysis, and proved that EOs formulation was able to inhibit more than 80% of bacterial adhesion to 304L SS surface. In light of these findings, EOs mixtures recommended here, can be applied as a promoting and eco-friendly agent for combating the formation of biofilms on stainless steel surface.

We report on the effect of Carbon insertion on the microstructure and magnetic properties of nanocrystalline Pr2Co7Cx(x ≤ 1). The Pr2Co7Cx were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and physical property measurement system (PPMS9) Quantum Design. Mean field theory was utilized to depict the temperature dependence of magnetization and deduce the exchange interactions. The approach to saturation magnetization was as well used. The results were interpreted in the framework of random magnetic anisotropy model. From such analysis, some fundamental parameters were extracted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last few years, kernel adaptive filters have gained in importance as the kernel trick started to be used in classic linear adaptive filters in order to address various regression and time-series prediction issues in nonlinear environments.In this paper, we study a recursive method for identifying finite impulse response (FIR) nonlinear systems based on binary-value observation systems. We also apply the kernel trick to the recursive projection (RP) algorithm, yielding a novel recursive algorithm based on a positive definite kernel. For purposes, our approach is compared with the recursive projection (RP) algorithm in the process of identifying the parameters of two channels, with the first of them being a frequency-selective fading channel, called a broadband radio access network (BRAN B) channel, and the other being a a theoretical frequency-selective channel, known as the Macchi channel. Monte Carlo simulation results are presented to show the performance of the proposed algorithm.

Introduction This study aimed to evaluate the acceptability of COVID-19 vaccination among health care workers prior to the start of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign in Morocco. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Cheikh Khalifa University Hospital of Casablanca-Morocco. Utilizing a web-based platform surveys were distributed over a 3-week period via professional mailing list and social media. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were estimated by using logistic regression models. Results A total of 303 health care workers participated in this study. The results showed a relatively high rate of vaccination acceptability (62.0%) among health care workers included in this study. Participants were more likely to accept the COVID-19 vaccine if they were physician, nurse, or technician (OR 1.79; 95% CI: 1.09–2.95), had high score of confidence in the information circulating about COVID-19 (OR 1.91; 95% CI: 1.36–2.69), or had high score of perceived severity of COVID-19 (OR 1.55; 95% CI: 1.11–2.15). Reasons of hesitation/or refusal of COVID-19 vaccine were fear of the likely side effects of the vaccine for 74.8% of participants, and concern about the effectiveness of the vaccine for 47.8%. Conclusion This study showed a relatively high rate of the COVID-19 vaccination acceptance among health care workers in Morocco. Willingness to be vaccinated was significantly associated with job category, confidence in the information circulating about COVID-19, and perceived severity of COVID-19. These results could be useful in the development of educational interventions to increase the acceptance of COVID-19 vaccine among health care workers in Morocco and similar settings.

Amorphous Co75Er17B8 ribbons were prepared by the melt spinning technique, and their magnetic properties were studied. Mean field theory was used to describe the temperature dependence of magnetization. High-field magnetization studies performed in magnetic fields up to 15 T have revealed a magnetic behavior typical of a non-collinear magnetic structure of Er and Co sublattices. The simulated magnetization curves show the existence of two critical fields at Hcri1 = 9.5 T and Hcri2 = 94.2 T, corresponding to collinear ferrimagnet, and collinear field-forced ferromagnetic behaviors. The high value of Hcri2 highlights the strong antiferromagnetic interaction between Er and Co sublattices. From the non-collinear regime, the inter-subnetwork molecular field coefficients of the ferrimagnetic alloy were accurately evaluated. In addition, it is shown that the region of canted moments can be satisfactorily described by a phase diagram in the H-T plane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, kernel methods have provided an important alternative solution, as they offer a simple way of expanding linear algorithms to cover the non-linear mode as well. In this paper, we propose a novel recursive kernel approach allowing to identify the finite impulse response (FIR) in non-linear systems, with binary value output observations. This approach employs a kernel function to perform implicit data mapping. The transformation is performed by changing the basis of the data in a high-dimensional feature space in which the relations between the different variables become linearized. To assess the performance of the proposed approach, we have compared it with two other algorithms, such as proportionate normalized least-meansquare (PNLMS) and improved PNLMS (IPNLMS). For this purpose, we used three measurable frequency-selective fading radio channels, known as the broadband radio access network (BRAN C, BRAN D, and BRAN E), which are standardized by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), and one theoretical frequency selective channel, known as the Macchi’s channel. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm offers better results, even in high noise environments, and generates a lower mean square error (MSE) compared with PNLMS and IPNLMS.

Abstract Purpose Iodine 123-radiolabeled 2β-carbomethoxy-3β-(4-iodophenyl)-N-(3-fluoropropyl) nortropane (123I-FP-CIT) SPECT can be performed to distinguish degenerative forms of movement disorders/parkinsonism/tremor from other entities such as idiopathic tremor or drug-induced parkinsonism. For equivocal cases, semi-quantification and comparison to reference values are a necessary addition to visual interpretation of 123I-FP-CIT scans. To overcome the challenges of multi-center recruitment and scanning of healthy volunteers, we generated 123I-FP-CIT reference values from individuals with various neurological conditions but without dopaminergic degeneration, scanned at a single center on the same SPECT-CT system following the same protocol, and compared them to references from a multi-center database built using healthy volunteers’ data. Methods From a cohort of 1884 patients, we identified 237 subjects (120 men, 117 women, age range 16–88 years) through a two-stage selection process. Every patient had a final clinical diagnosis after a mean follow-up of 4.8 ± 1.3 years. Images were reconstructed using (1) Flash3D with scatter and CT-based attenuation corrections (AC) and (2) filtered back projection with Chang AC. Volume-of-interest analysis was performed using a commercial software to calculate specific binding ratios (SBRs), caudate-to-putamen ratios, and asymmetry values on different striatal regions. Generated reference values were assessed according to age and gender and compared with those from the ENC-DAT study, and their robustness was tested against a cohort of patients with different diagnoses. Results Age had a significant negative linear effect on all SBRs. Overall, the reduction rate per decade in SBR was between 3.80 and 5.70%. Women had greater SBRs than men, but this gender difference was only statistically significant for the Flash3D database. Linear regression was used to correct for age-dependency of SBRs and to allow comparisons to age-matched reference values and “normality” limits. Generated regression parameters and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were comparable to corresponding European Normal Control Database of DaTscan (ENC-DAT) results. For example, 95% CI mean slope for the striatum in women is − 0.015 ([− 0.019, − 0.011]) for the Flash3D database versus − 0.015 ([− 0.021, − 0.009]) for ENC-DAT. Caudate-to-putamen ratios and asymmetries were not influenced by age or gender. Conclusion The generated 123I-FP-CIT references values have similar age-related distribution, with no increase in variance due to comorbidities when compared to values from a multi-center study with healthy volunteers. This makes it possible for sites to build their 123I-FP-CIT references from scans acquired during routine clinical practice.

Among all the techniques combining multi-carrier modulation and spread spectrum, the multi-carrier code division multiple access (MC-CDMA) system is by far the most widely studied. In this paper, we present the performance of the MC-CDMA system associated with key single-user detection techniques. We are interested in problems related to identification and equalization of mobile radio channels, using the kernel method in Hilbert space with a reproducing kernel, and a linear adaptive algorithm, for MC-CDMA systems. In this context, we tested the efficiency of these algorithms, considering practical frequency selective fading channels, called broadband radio access network (BRAN), standardized for MC-CDMA systems. As far as the equalization problem encountered after channel identification is concerned, we use the orthogonality restoration combination (ORC) and the minimum mean square error (MMSE) equalizer techniques to correct the distortion of the channel. Simulation results demonstrate that the kernel algorithm is efficient for practical channels

The objectives of this work were to determine the phytochemical composition and antioxidant, anti-diabetic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-acetylcholinesterase properties of Arbutus unedo L. and Laurus nobilis L. EOs. The antioxidant effects were estimated using four complementary methods. In addition, the anti-diabetic activity was assessed by targeting three carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzymes, namely α-amylase, α-glucosidase, and lipase. The anti-inflammatory and anti-acetylcholinesterase effects were evaluated by testing the inhibitory potential of both plants on lipo-oxygenase and acetylcholinesterase (AChE), respectively. The antimicrobial activity of these oils was evaluated using disc-diffusion, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and minimum lethal concentration (MLC) tests. The chemical composition of L. nobilis essential oil (EO) was dominated by eucalyptol (36.40%), followed by α-terpineole (13.05%), α-terpinyl acetate (10.61%), linalool (10.34%), and northujane (5.74%). The main volatile compounds of A. unedo EOs were decenal (13.47%), α-terpineol (7.8%), and palmitic acid (6.00%). L. nobilis and A. unedo EOs inhibited α-amylase with IC50 values of 42.51 ± 0.012 and 102 ± 0.06 µg/mL, respectively. Moreover, both oils inhibited the activity of α-glucosidase (IC50 = 1.347 ± 0.021 µg/mL and IC50 = 76 ± 0.021 µg/mL) and lipase (IC50 = 21.23 ± 0.021 µg/mL and IC50 = 97.018 ± 0.012 µg/mL, respectively). In addition, L. nobilis EO showed an anti-AChE activity (IC50 = 89.44 ± 0.07 µg/mL) higher than that of A. unedo EO (IC50 = 378.57 ± 0.05 µg/mL). Regarding anti-inflammatory activity, in vitro assays showed that L. nobilis significantly inhibits (IC50 = 48.31 ± 0.07 μg/mL) 5-lipoxygenase compared to A. unedo (IC50 = 86.14 ± 0.05 μg/mL). This was confirmed in vivo via a notable inhibition of inflammation recorded after 6 h of treatment in both plants at a dose of 50 mg/kg. The microbiological results revealed that EOs from both plants inhibited the growth of all tested organisms except P. aeruginosa, with the highest antimicrobial effect for L. nobilis. The results of these tests showed that these two plants possess remarkable biological and pharmacological properties, explaining their medicinal effects and suggesting them as promising sources of natural drugs.

Background. Surgical site infection is a major public health problem in the world. Nasal carriage is a major risk factor for the development of nosocomial Staphylococcus aureus infection, especially methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Our work aims to determine the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and the associated risk factors and to evaluate their sensitivity to 27 antibiotics. Methods. A cross-sectional study was carried out on 100 patients, hospitalized in preoperative care of surgery units at the Taza Provincial Hospital Center in the Fez-Meknes region, from January to June 2019. Samples were taken from the patient’s anterior nostril using single-use sterile dry or wet cotton swabs and then analyzed in the Provincial Public Health Laboratory in Taza. The carriage of Staphylococcus aureus was studied by conventional bacteriological methods by spreading nasal swabs on Chapman culture medium, while antibiotic resistance was determined by the Mueller–Hinton agar disc diffusion method according to the recommendations described by the Antibiogram Committee of the French Society of Microbiology 2019 (CA SFM 2019). Results. Of the 84 patients found to be positive, 45.24% had coagulase-positive Staphylococcus aureus and 54.76% had coagulase-negative Staphylococcus. After surgery in the postoperative phase, 16 patients developed surgical site infections, of which two had a negative nasal culture and 14 had positive nasal culture. Among the Staphylococcus aureus-positive patients, 36.84% were colonized by a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and 63.16% by a methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA). Of these, 57.14% of MRSA colonized patients developed an infection of the surgical site and 42.85% showed no sign of SSI, while for patients colonized by MSSA, 16.67% developed SSI and 83.33% showed no sign of SSI. Moreover, children were the most affected by MRSA. Concerning antibiotic sensitivity, multiresistance of MRSA to more than 3 antibiotics has been found. Conclusion. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study carried out in this hospital center with the aim of knowing the prevalence of nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus and MRSA and to identify the risk factors in order to prevent infections related to nasal carriage of Staphylococcus aureus and MRSA.

Taza City is among the Moroccan cities which is in full urban expansion, with a daily wastewater discharge volume estimated at 16534 m3/d in 2020, and expected to reach 20056 m3/d by 2030. These waters, collected in a combined sewerage network, are directly released into the natural environment without any treatment. Indeed, a large part of this water is discharged into Oued Defali, the main tributary of Oued Larbâa. In order to manage and better understand these discharges impact on the streams crossing this city, wastewater sampling campaigns were carried out for one year from May 2018 to April 2019 at domestic (S1) and industrial (S2) sites. The wastewater physicochemical characterization revealed that these discharges are highly loaded with organic matter in terms of chemical oxygen demand (S1 avg = 1231.44 mg/l and S2 avg = 933.03 mg/l), biochemical oxygen demand (S1 avg = 511.87 mg/l and S2 avg = 464.35 mg/l), and suspended matter (S1 avg = 744.11 mg/l and S2 avg = 578.13 mg/l). The use of principal component analysis (PCA) has allowed us to collect as much information as possible from the database of the physicochemical analyses performed for the studied parameters.

La configuracion del Estado genera una fuerte tension dentro del marco de las competencias entre el centro y los territorios. Lo anterior contrapone los principios de la unidad nacional y la autonomia de los territorios estableciendo limites mutuos entre ambos conceptos en la distribucion de recursos y competencias entre los niveles de gobierno.

We experimentally investigate the carrier transport in back-gated graphene ribbons. The ribbons are monolayer graphene formed by the chemical vapor deposition process and transferred on the SiO2/Si substrate. Electrical measurements show that two categories of electrical behavior are distinguished, respectively, linear and nonlinear. The in-situ Raman characterization along the ribbon area highlights interesting results for the 2D peaks shift. The Raman shift variation corresponding to the position of the 2D peaks between all measured spectra extends from 2697 cm−1 to 2700 cm−1 for devices exhibiting a linear behavior. While, for the devices exhibiting a nonlinear behavior, the variation range is more important, from 2686 cm−1 to 2704 cm−1. These results reveal that the carrier density is non-uniform and localized in term of concentration over the ribbon area, and the electrical behavior appears to be strongly related to the graphene local carrier density. Keywords: Graphene monolayer, Electrical properties, Linear behavior, Nonlinear behavior

El proceso de formación del Estado colombiano se ha surtido dentro del marco de competencias distribuidas en un territorio multiforme y una población diferencial, atendiendo además los retos de una administración pública cuyas exigencias cada vez son mayores en la etapa contemporánea.