Insite into Herbal Medicinal Practices among the Students of Sultan Moulay Slimane University, Morroco: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction: This study sought to investigate the prevalence and determine factors for predicting the use of herbal medicine, among Sultan Moulay Slimane University students. Methods: This study was a retrospective cross-sectional study from March 1st, 2017 to April 13th, 2017. Four hundred seventy-six university students were interviewed using a questionnaire including a socio-demographic scale and herbal self-therapy knowledge and behaviors. The statistical analysis was performed using Microsoft Excel (Microsoft 2016). Results: The frequency of herbal self-therapy among Sultan Moulay Slimane University students has reached 65%. 26.07% of the participants reported that the first reason for using herbal self-therapy was a lack of money. Meanwhile, the most common conditions that prompted them to use these plants on their own were cough and cold (36.48%), and abdominal pain due to heartburn or peptic ulcer (24.41%). The most frequent self-administered plants were Thymus vulgaris (43.7%). Family, seniors, or classmates were a source of information for herbal self-therapy. Conclusion: The region of Beni Mellal, Morocco has important floristic biodiversity of medicinal plants that are used in traditional medicine practice. The present paper represents significant ethnobotanical information on medical plants, which provides baseline data for future pharmacological and phytochemical studies. Therefore, there is a need to establish effective herbal medicine policies and health education programs to discuss the benefits and risks of herbal medicine use with the aim of maximizing patient-desired therapeutic outcomes.

Assessment of Climate Variability and Agricultural Activities in the Area of Tadla Plain

The variations in both precipitation and temperature have far-reaching effects on agricultural activities and the accessibility of water resources. These climatic parameters are pivotal in determining the availability of both groundwater and surface water for agricultural use. The aim of this study was to evaluate the variations in climate parameters, focusing on precipitation and temperature, alongside changes in cultivated land area and crop yields in the Tadla area (Béni Mellal Khénifra region, Morocco);additionally, our research looks at the changes in water inflow into two dams and four aquifers. Trends were assessed over the period of 2010-2020 using the standardized precipitation index (SPI) method, as well as the parametric regression method and nonparametric Mann-Kendall and Sen’s slope test. This analysis can be a preliminary step in demonstrating the effects of climate variability on water resource availability and its adverse impacts on agriculture in the region. The results showed a decreasing trend for some yield crops despite the increase in the cultivated area. The results of the groundwater levels and inflow dams showed a significant upward evolution. The analysis of the obtained SPI values and temperatures has revealed a notable and consistent upward trendencies. This upward trajectory indicates that both the SPI values, which reflect precipitation patterns and the temperatures, have been on the rise over the examined period. These results prompt reflection on the effects of climate variability on water resources in the region and economic activities, particularly agriculture.

CFD investigation of the agitation in the desupersaturation during the wet-process phosphoric acid(WPPA)process

Desupersaturation is a complex cooling operation that involves hydrodynamic,thermal and mechanical phenomena.This process requires continuous agitation to avoid fouling problems and sludge deposition.The current work aims to investigate the well mixedness in the desupersaturation tank for optimal performance.For this purpose,a multi-fluid CFD study was conducted based on the Euler–Euler modeling approach,considering a multiphase flow involving a liquid phase(phosphoric acid)and a poly-dispersed solid phase,i.e.a sludge with three different sizes where each size is considered as a separate phase.First,the hydrodynamic behavior of the flow within the agitated desupersaturator is analyzed through the investigation of the velocity fields as well as the power and pumping numbers,to determine both the agitator capacity to pump the flow and its power consumption during the operation.Then,in order to assess the mixture homogeneity,we evaluated the solid suspension in the desupersaturation reactor following conventional methods and two new proposed methodologies:the first approach is to evaluate the suspension quality in the mixing system by compartment and the second consists on the assessment of the uniform convergence of the solid concentration.Furthermore,we calculated the time required to achieve a full suspension at different solid concentrations.On other hand,we conducted a detailed analysis of the solid distribution dependency on the impeller rotational speed at different solid volume fraction,which allows a good understanding of the parameters controlling the homogenization in the desupersaturator.

An improved algorithm for mapping burnt areas in the Mediterranean forest landscape of Morocco

The identification of burnt forests and their monitoring provide essential information for the suitable management and conservation of these ecosystems. This research focuses on the use of remote sensing with MODIS sensor data in a Mediterranean environment, precisely in the Rif region known for its high occurrence of forest fires and the largest burnt areas in Morocco. It mapped the burnt areas during the summer of 2016 using spectral indices from MODIS images, namely the Normalized Burn Ratio (NBR) and the Burnt Area Index for MODIS (BAIM). Two field surveys were used to calibrate spectral indices and validate the maps. First, a monotemporal analysis using a single pre-fire image determined the appropriate threshold of the spectral indices (BAIM and NBR) for burn detecting. Secondly, a multitemporal method was applied based on dBAIM and dNBR images which represented pre-fire and postfire differences of the BAIM and NBR images, respectively. The results show that separate use of monotemporal postfire and multitemporal methods produced an overestimation of the burnt areas. Finally, we propose a new algorithm combining both methods for burnt area mapping that we name Burnt Area Algorithm. MCD45A1 and MCD64A1 MODIS burnt area products were compared to the proposed algorithm. Validation of the estimated burnt areas using reference data of the Moroccan High Commission for Water, Forests and Fight against Desertification showed satisfactory results using the proposed algorithm, with a determination coefficient of 0.68 and a root mean square error of 44.0 ha.

Chemically modified carbon-based electrodes for the determination of paracetamol in drugs and biological samples

Paracetamol is a non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drug widely used in pharmaceutical applications for its sturdy, antipyretic and analgesic action. However, an overdose of paracetamol can cause fulminant hepatic necrosis and other toxic effects. Thus, the development of advantageous analytical tools to detect and determine paracetamol is required. Due to simplicity, higher sensitivity and selectivity as well as costefficiency, electrochemical sensors were fully investigated in last decades. This review describes the advancements made in the development of electrochemical sensors for the paracetamol detection and quantification in pharmaceutical and biological samples. The progress made in electrochemical sensors for the selective detection of paracetamol in the last 10 years was examined, with a special focus on highly innovative features introduced by nanotechnology. As the literature is rather extensive, we tried to simplify this work by summarizing and grouping electrochemical sensors according to the by which manner their substrates were chemically modified and the analytical performances obtained.

Role of Cell Surface Structures in Biofilm Formation by <i>Escherichia coli</i>

This study aims to understand the relationship between capabilities of Escherichia coli strains to form biofilm and serotype groups expressed on cell surface. Sixteen strains of E. coli were originally isolated from different food processing lines in different Moroccan cities. Strains serotyped based on their O (somatic), H (flagellar), and K (capsular) surface antigen profiles using different antiserums. Biofilm assays carried out in 96-well microtiter dishes using the method of O’Toole et al. Our results show that no clear relation observed between origin and serotype groups. In the other hand, we observed that not all studied strains were able to form biofilm. Furthermore, combination of antigens H40 and K11 appears to be involved in biofilm formation. In fact, the H antigen seems to be implicated in the placement of the bacterial cells near the surface and the K antigen may play a role in physicochemical interactions between bacteria and inert surface.

In vitro antimicrobial and synergistic effect of essential oil from the red macroalgae Centroceras clavulatum (C. Agardh) Montagne with conventional antibiotics

Objective:To study the chemical profile,antimicrobial properties,and synergistic effect with known antibiotics of essential oil extracted from the marine red macroalgae Centroceras clavulatum(C.Agardh)Montagne,collected in Morocco.Methods:The chemical composition of the oil was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.The oil was evaluated for antibacterial(Pseudomonas aeruginosa,Escherichia coli,Bacillus subtilis,Micrococcus luteus,Staphylococcus aureus,and Klebsiella pneumoniae),and antifungal activity(Candida albicans,Candida glabrata,Candida krusei,and Candida parapsilosis),by the disc diffusion method.The minimum inhibitory and minimum microbicidal concentrations of the oil were determined,as well as the synergistic effects of its application combined with the antibiotics ciprofloxacin and fluconazole,by the checkerboard method.Results:Thirty molecules were identified in the essential oil,comprising 96.27%of the total oil composition.Monoterpenes such as carvacrol(36.06%)were the most abundant compounds,followed by caryophyllene(14.67%),endo-borneol(9.04%),pyroterebic acid(3.23%)and caryophyllene oxide(3.13%).The oil exhibited a moderate antimicrobial activity with inhibition zone diameters ranging from 9.0 to 15.0 mm.The minimum inhibitory concentration values varied between 0.9 and 14.7 mg/mL,and Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli were the more sensitive bacteria with 0.9 and 1.9 mg/mL,respectively.The minimum microbicidal concentration values ranged from 0.4 to 14.7 mg/mL.A significant synergic action was observed when the oil was applied in combination with ciprofloxacin and fluconazole,with fractional inhibitory concentration index values ranging from 0.31 to 0.50.Synergy was found in 80%of the combinations and a 2 to 16-fold reduction of antibiotics MIC was observed.Conclusions:Our findings suggest that the essential oil of Centroceras clavulatum should be further appraised for its potential use in the management of multi-drug resistant microorganisms,with the purpose to restore the activity of standard antimicrobial drugs.

Biocontamination Risk of <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>in Dairy Manufacturing Presence of Two Types of UHT Milk

The biofilm formation on equipment surfaces in dairy manufacturing is a major concern for industry and consumers alike, which may affect the safety and quality of dairy products. In order to identify the bio-contamination risk of materials commonly used in dairy manufacturing, adhesion of Staphylococcus aureus on glass coated by two kinds of UHT milk (whole milk and skimmed milk) was investigated. It is known that adhesion is mainly governed by surface physicochemical properties, for that, the effect of milk components on physicochemical properties of glass and bacterial surfaces were exanimated through contact angle measurements. MATLAB software was used to evaluate the ability of S. aureus adhesion on glass. The hydrophobic quantitative and electron acceptor characteristics of the glass appear to increase with the presence of fat in milk, while its electron donor property decreases with this component. The percentage of occupied surface of untreated glass was more important than in treated surfaces for 50% of the strains studied. As well, the percentage of occupied surface by bacterial strains in untreated glass by skimmed milk is generally more important compared to the whole milk. Therefore, the risk of bio-contamination of untreated glass is more favorable for bacteria cultured in skimmed milk compared to these in whole milk but the bio-contamination risk on covered glass by milk is not milk dependent and is strain dependent.

Genetic Diversity Assessment of Moroccan Sesame(Sesamum indicum L.)Populations Using Agro-morphological Traits

Genetic diversity of Moroccan sesame(Sesamum indicum L.)was analyzed for the first time using agro-morphological traits.Thirty-three sesame populations collected from Tadla region in Morocco were evaluated for 13 parameters in three contrasted environments,Afr-13,Afr-14 and Atj-14.Broad and significant variation among populations was observed only for three agro-morphologic traits,namely first capsule height(FCH),number of seeds per capsule(NSC)and thousand seeds weight(TSW).The respective overall averages were 71.82 cm(ranging from 65 cm to 77 cm),61.39(varying from 57 to 65)and 3.20 g(ranging from 3.0 g to 3.4 g).Environment had a highly significant effect on all studied parameters,except capsule size and oil content.The obtained mean values of parameters studied showed that environment Afr-14 was the most favorable for most of them,particularly seed yield(1.32 t/ha)and TSW(3.57 g).Significant and interesting correlations were observed between seed yield per plant(SYP)and other parameters.As relevant implication of this finding,number of capsules per plant(NCP)and NSC could be used as valuable selection criteria in sesame breeding program.However,limited and non-significant variation among sesame populations for most of parameters studied suggests that they are genetically very close and may be derived from a single cultivar or germplasm.Molecular characterization is needed to confirm or refute this hypothesis.Besides,when compared with sesame grown throughout the world,Moroccan sesame was found to be very promising,which open up the possibility to develop this crop in this country.

Evaluation of the Microbiological Quality of Different Moroccan Drinking Water in the Beni Mellal Region

Drinking water is water that does not contain pathogens or chemicals at levels that may be harmful to health. Beni Mellal region, one of the major rich areas in ground and surface water in Morocco (the rivers like Oum Errabia, Darna, ...;Bin el-Ouidane and martyr Ahmed El Hansali dams and sources like Ain Asserdoune, …) is located in the North-Centre of Morocco. The main objective of the present study was to evaluate the microbiological quality of different drinking waters originated from sources, faucets, fountains and wells in the Beni Mellal city and its agricultural surrounding areas. For this, hygienic quality indicator parameters of water quality were determined by assessing the analysis of Total Coliforms Count, Fecal Coliforms Count, streptococcus D and revivable germs while germs such as Anaerobic Sulphite-reducing Bacteria, S. aureus and Salmonella sp, were carried out according to national and international standards. The analysis of the microbiological results found for all the different samples waters investigated in this study revealed that the waters originated from fountains, faucets and sources were proper for main consumption at microbiological point of view while the wells waters were improper for consumption according to norms. Finally, it appears, from the results obtained, that the potential risk of infection of water consumers especially (groundwater) calls for prompt intervention in order to alleviate the potential health impact of water-borne diseases in the community. From this, a proper sanitary survey and implementation of water and sanitation projects in the community is recommended.

Evaluation of the River-Shallow Aquifer Exchange Process Effect on Surface Water Quality Deterioration

Recently, according to a survey carried out in Oued El Abid River by Oum Er-Rbia Hydraulic Basin Agency concerned about the surface water quality, the downstream course is undergoing continual degradation in its water quality comparable to the upstream. This study comes to localize the sources of pollution and explains the process of degradation, which affects the water quality in that area. For this purpose, an inspection of the place has been done during January 2017 to cover the entire zone limited by the affected part of river, followed by a survey, which interests to water quality and the ground-water depth. The inspection doesn’t show any direct liquid discharge into the river;meanwhile the water quality degradation is related to the underground sources through river-shallow-aquifer exchange process, when the obtained results from the survey showed that severe parameters are involved in the degradation of groundwater, as the geology and agricultural activities. Combining these results with flow direction in groundwater, it is clear that pollutants are transported to the river via the river-shallow aquifer exchange process, which affects its quality. Based on the finding results, this study will give the decision makers a simple view to a complex pollution processing.

Early Maladaptive Schemas, Working Memory and Academic Performances of Moroccan Students

Our aim is to study the early maladaptive schemas and the memory span abilities and to evaluate the relationship between these schemas and the memory in one side and academic performance in the other side among Moroccan students. A cross-sectional study is conducted among 212 students, randomly selected from different institutions of the IBN TOFAIL University, located in the city of Kenitra (NW of Morocco). Three neurocognitive tests are used: the short version of the Early Maladaptive Schemas Questionnaire to evaluate the early maladaptive schemas (EMS), the sub-test of the Wechsler to evaluate the working memory among these subjects, and a general questionnaire about socio-economic data, nutritional and mental health status and also, academic performances of each student. The obtained results showed some significant negative correlations between forward memory span and activated schema, and significant negative correlations are registered between backward memory span and activated schema. More, thirty-three percent of students passed the exams of the autumn term against 67% who failed it. Moreover, significant negative correlations are registered between the schemas and the number of Units validated in the autumn term. In addition, fifty-three percent of students had a normal forward memory, 47% had an excellent forward memory and no one had pathological one. However, 63% had a pathological backward memory span, 28% had normal memory and 9% had an excellent backward memory. The EMS appeared in connection with the student’s working memory and the academic performance. Deeper investigations are needed to understand this relationship and also to study other possible factors that could affect this important neurocognitive function.

Numeric Study on Skin Friction Reduction of Engine Oil-WS2 Nanofluid by MRT Lattice Boltzman Method

New lubricants use nanoparticles like WS2 to improve lubrication performance.The aim of the present study is to determine numerically the skin friction of nanofluid on moving surfaces in a lubricating system.The base fluid is 5W-30 engine oil and the nano-additive is WS2 nanoparticles.This numerical study is based on the multiple-relaxation-time Lattice Boltzmann method(MRT-LBM).The two-dimensional nine-velocity(D2Q9)model is adopted to simulate the nanofluid flow confined by two moving surfaces.The parameters considered are the nanoparticle concentration􀟮and the flow Reynolds number Re.The results obtained show a reduction of skin friction factor when we increase the nanoparticle concentration.

Study of Initial Adhesion of a Bacterium to Different Support Materials before and after Conditioning Film of Olive Oil-Mill Wastewater

To improve the start-up speed and efficiency of bioreactors, biofilm technology is sometimes used. This technology uses various types of materials to facilitate the adhesion of microorganisms. In this study, the surface characteristics of inert substrates and substrates after olive oil-mill wastewater (OMWW) conditioning film were evaluated to understand the impact of OMWW on adhesion as well as the most suitable material to optimize bacterial adhesion. Three common substrates made of different polymers were tested for bacterial adhesion before and after treatment with OMWW: PP (polypropylene), PET (Polyethylene terephthalate), and PVC (polyvinyl chloride). The surfaces’ physicochemical characteristics were studied by measuring the contact angle for the studied bacteria strain and the supports, before and after treatment with OMWW. Results of initial adhesion tests for untreated and treated supports showed differences in how bacterial cells adhered to substrates. Before treatment with OMWW, PVC and then PP showed a significant adhesion capacity, double that of PET [PVC: 1.58 × 105 CFU/cm2, PP: 1.48 × 105 CFU/cm2 and PET: 0.72 × 105 CFU/cm2]. After treatment with OMWW, initial bacterial adhesion increased by 106 (from 105 CFU/cm2 for untreated supports to 1011 CFU/cm2 for treated supports), and PET followed by PP demonstrated the highest adhesion capacity, 2 and 1.7 times more than PVC, respectively [PET: 1.39 × 1011 CFU/cm2, PP: 1.15 × 1011 CFU/cm2 and PVC: 0.67 × 1011 CFU/cm2]. OMWW conditioning film affects the physicochemical characteristics of plastic supports, especially the donor electron character, and improves the initial adhesion of bacteria to substrates (105 to 1011 CFU/cm2). Therefore, surfaces’ physicochemical characteristics were important in the initial adhesion of the bacteria onto the support before and after treatment.

Relationship between Change of Diet and Poverty in Mexico: A Stochastic Analysis

Background: In this article, we seek to break the paradigm of traditional estimates (deterministically) to estimate the probability of transition from poverty and diet change in Mexico through a stochastic model while providing a comparative study in the time between the diet change and poverty. Methods: A model based on the theory of Markov applied to the different dimensions of poverty and diet type from aggregate data from government agencies was used. Also likely future state changes were estimated and Monte Carlo simulation was used to find a balance between the transition probabilities of the different states. Results: It was shown that there was a high probability of consuming more fat than protein and carbohydrates in Mexico. In the case of poverty, it was found that poverty of patrimony presented the highest probability of change. Estimates for 2030 show as well that the Mexican population will have equal probabilities of state transition to the type of diet and poverty, as long as you consider changing some current values of both consumption and poverty. Conclusions: It was shown that there was indeed a close relationship between poverty of patrimony and an unbalanced diet where the probability of fat intake was high. The stochastic approach had enabled us, in addition to linking poverty and changing diet, to prevent the Mexican population of future scenarios that could be dramatic and, to avoid this situation, alternatives of change of state consumption and poverty had been proposed.

Modeling of Radon and Its Short-Lived Decay Products during Showering: Dose to Adult Members of the Public

Human exposure to radon inside different parts of the house has become a great concern. In this study, the distribution of radon and its decay inside the shower will be numerically investigated. In fact, the radon concentration in water is measured through the use of AlphaGUARD. They are used as an input for CFD simulation. The numerical results proved that temperature and humidity have significant impacts on both radon content and distribution. Also, the equilibrium factor variations between radon and its progeny with the temperature and relative humidity were carefully looked at. The equivalent doses due to 218Po and 214Po were evaluated in different tissues of the respiratory tract of the members of the public from the inhalation of air inside the shower. The annual effective dose due to radon short lived decay from the inhalation of air inside the shower by the members of the public was also investigated.

Longitudinal Variability of the Vertical Drift Velocity Inferred from Ground-Based Magnetometers and C/NOFS Observations in Africa

This study aims at discussing longitudinal effects on the variability of the vertical E × B drift velocity at low latitudes, specifically over African sector. To this effect, observations from ground-based magnetometers and the Ion Velocity Meter experiment onboard C/NOFS satellite are analyzed in conjunction with equatorial electric field and neutral wind model estimates under geomagnetically quiet conditions in the years 2012-2013. Notwithstanding the limitation in data over Africa, the combination of ground-based and in-situ observations confirmed the existence of longitudinal differences in the E × B between the Atlantic, Western and Eastern African sectors. This was well reproduced by the equatorial electric field model (EEFM) which showed that during noon, the peak of the equatorial electric field (EEF) was the lowest in the Atlantic sector, with an increasing trend towards the Eastern longitude. The Horizontal Wind Model 14 (HWM14) showed that the eastward zonal (poleward meridional) wind velocity was the lowest (highest) in the Eastern sector. Furthermore, the zonal (meridional) wind increased (decreased) from the Eastern to the Atlantic sector. These results highlight the contribution of the neutral wind velocity in driving the longitudinal difference in the vertical drift velocity over Africa.

Mixed Convection Heat Transfer for Nanofluids in a Lid-Driven Shallow Rectangular Cavity Uniformly Heated and Cooled from the Vertical Sides:The Opposing Case

An investigation on flow and heat transfer due to mixed convection, in a lid-driven rectangular cavity filled with Cu- water nanofluids and submitted to uniform heat flux along with its vertical short sides, has been conducted numerically by solving the full governing equations with the finite volume method and the SIMPLER algorithm. In the case of a slender enclosure, these equations are considerably reduced by using the parallel flow concept. Solutions, for the flow and temperature fields, and the heat transfer rate, have been obtained depending on the governing parameters, which are the Reynolds, the Richardson numbers and the solid volume fraction of nanoparticles. A perfect agreement has been found between the results of the two approaches for a wide range of the abovementioned parameters. It has been shown that at low and high Richardson numbers, the convection is ensured by lid and buoyancy-driven effects, respectively, whereas between these extremes, both mechanisms compete. Moreover, the addition of Cu-nanoparticles, into the pure water, has been seen enhancing and degrading heat transfer by lid and buoyancy-driven effects, respectively.