Search

Abstract In order to use purified wastewater on watering green spaces of Agadir city, we conducted this study to assess the bacteriological and physicochemical quality of treated wastewater in Mzar treatment plant. To realize these objectives, we analyzed four types of waters: raw water (RW), decanted water, purified water and purified water treated by the ultraviolet radiation (PWUV). The biologically analyzed parameters are fecal coliforms (FC) and fecal enterococci (FE). The physicochemical parameters are: pH, electrical conductivity, chemical oxygen demand (COD), five-day biological oxygen demand (BOD5) and total suspended solids (TSS). The results showed a high level of bacterial contamination in all types of waters, and the average loads of FC were between 4.71 × 106 CFU/100 mL (RW) and 1.45 × 103 CFU/100 mL (PWUV), while loads of FE were between 2.62 × 105 CFU/100 mL (RW) and 7.92 CFU/100 mL (PWUV). The physicochemical parameters show a pH close to neutrality and a high electrical conductivity (3261 μS/cm) in PWUV. In all stages of wastewater treatment, values of COD, BOD5 and TSS were under the limit values recommended by Moroccan standards. Except for the electrical conductivity and FC, all the studied parameters were under the limit values requested by the Moroccan standards. The microbiological quality of PWUV is unstable, and if these waters are reused, they can affect the microbiological and physicochemical quality of green spaces and groundwater.

L’objectif de la présente étude est d’évaluer la contamination métallique dans deux lagunes marocaines : Oualidia (située au centre du Maroc, dans une zone très urbanisée et industrialisée) et Khnifiss (située au sud du Royaume et loin de toute influence anthropique). Pour ce faire, les concentrations des métaux traces sont mesurées mensuellement durant un cycle annuel (décembre 2004 - janvier 2006) dans le sédiment des deux lagunes et chez Nereis diversicolor, annélide détritivore vivant dans le sédiment. La comparaison des teneurs métalliques dans le sédiment des deux écosystèmes lagunaires montre des niveaux relativement élevés en Ag, Cd et Zn dans la lagune de Oualidia. Ces teneurs sont probablement consécutives aux rejets urbains et industriels auxquels s’ajoutent ceux provenant des usines de transformation du minerai de phosphate (Safi et Jorf Lasfar situés respectivement au sud et au nord de ce site). Les teneurs des métaux analysées chez Nereis diversicolor montrent des variations saisonnières. Elles sont généralement élevées en hiver et au printemps ; ceci est probablement en relation avec le cycle de reproduction de l’animal. Concernant la comparaison des teneurs en métaux traces chez les annélides des deux lagunes, les concentrations chez les animaux à Khnifiss semblent plus élevées, suggérant une plus grande biodisponibilité de ces éléments dans cet écosystème peu contaminé.

Abstract Background Ureteral metastasis from gastric cancers are rare and can be a cause of ureteral obstruction. There have been few published case reports in the literature. In this paper, we report an additional case and a review of the literature of all the previous reported cases. Case presentation A 67 years old North African women who was treated four years before for a gastric adenocarcinoma, presented with abdominal pain. Imaging and endoscopy showed a mural stenosis of the left ureter, without any other abnormality. Histopathology confirmed the gastric origin of the metastasis. A palliative chemotherapy was foreseen, but due to the deterioration of the general condition of the patient, she received palliative care. We have also reviewed the literature and reported the previously published cases of ureteral metastasis from gastric cancer. Conclusions It is worth recalling that in a context of neoplasia and with the presence of signs of ureteral obstruction, it is important to keep in mind the possibility of a ureteral metastasis.

Tetraclinis articulata (Vahl) Masters (TA), a member of the Cupressaceae family, is frequently used in traditional medicine to treat various health problems in Al Hoceima Province. Our study aimed to determine the content of polyphenols and flavonoids, and to evaluate the biological antioxidant activities using DPPH and FRAP tests. At the same time, we assessed the anti-inflammatory activity of various extracts of TA from Al Hoceima, using the BSA method for each of the extracts studied. The results reveal that ethyl acetate extracts (28.11 mg EAG/g ES), followed by ethanolic extracts (22.42 mg EAG/g ES), show higher quantities than the other extracts. Regarding flavonoids, ethyl acetate extract (90 mg EQ/g ES) and ethanolic extracts (64 mg EQ/g ES) showed the highest concentrations. For antioxidant activity, ethyl acetate and ethanolic extracts showed significant activity, while for anti-inflammatory activity, ethyl acetate and hexanolic extracts showed more marked activity than ethanolic and dichloromethanic extracts. This study reveals that Tetraclinis articulata leaf extracts are an effective antioxidant and natural anti-inflammatory agent. The results indicate the efficacy of TA leafs extracts from the province of Al Hoceima.

Our investigation within the framework of this study is carried out on three marine species fished off in Moroccan coasts namely: a fish, the sole (Solea Vulgaris), a cephalopod, the cuttlefish (Sepia Officinalis) and a crustacean, the pink shrimp (Parapenaeus Longirostris). The aims of this study is to assess the level of concentration in these three marine species, of three metallic trace elements: Lead (Pb), Cadmium (Cd) and Mercury (Hg) and giving a reflection on the way in which Moroccan deep-sea fishing professionals can join a food safety management system to ensure the safety of their product and promote their competitiveness. Sampling is carried out at the port of Agadir city after landing of the deep-sea fishing boats which operate beyond 10 nautical miles, offshoring the seabed of Agadir for pink shrimp (Parapenaeus Longirostris), and in Dakhla city offshore for sole (Solea Vulgaris) and cuttlefish (Sepia Officinalis). Trace metal analysis were performed on individual muscles belonging to the three species. The results of our investigations show that the Pb content varies between 0.01 ppm and 0.27 ppm in Solea Vulgaris; between 0.015 ppm and 0.16 ppm in Sepia Officinalis and between 0.022 ppm and 0.38 ppm for Parapenaeus Longirostris. For the Cd, the concentrations vary between 0.0047 ppm and 0.050 ppm in Solea Vulgaris; between 0.0025 ppm and 0.254 ppm in Sepia Officinalis and between 0.0065 ppm and 0.11 ppm in Parapenaeus Longirostris. Concerning Hg, the contents vary between 0.0006 ppm and 0.075 ppm in Solea Vulgaris; between 0.0008 ppm and 0.05 ppm in Sepia Officinalis and between 0.0016 ppm and 0.09 ppm in Parapenaeus Longirostris. It appears from this study that the metal contents detected at the level of the three species of seafood investigated are below the regulatory thresholds. These results can be considered as the first basis for validating the control measure linked to the absence of metallic contamination of the three species in the sites studied.

In order to use the purified wastewater for the irrigation of a golf course in the Taghazout area (Southwestern of Morocco), this study was conducted to evaluate the physicochemical and bacteriological quality of the treated wastewater in the new Aourir plant (Activated Sludge technology). In order to achieve these objectives, three types of water were analyzed: raw water (RW), biologically treated water (BTW) and water treated by ultraviolet radiation (UV-TW). The physicochemical parameters analyzed were Temperature, pH, Electrical Conductivity (EC), Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), five-day Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD5), Total Suspended Solids (SS), Nitrate (NO3), and Orthophosphates (PO4). Otherwise, the analyzed biological parameters are Total Coliforms (TC), Fecal Coliforms (FC), Escherichia coli (E. coli), and Fecal Streptococci (FS). The physicochemical parameters showed that temperature is always lower than 30°C, the pH is close to neutrality and a strong fluctuation of the high electrical conductivity (2700 μS/cm) occurs in UV-TW. At all stages of wastewater treatment, COD, BOD5, SS, NO3 and PO4 were below the limit values recommended by Moroccan standards. The bacteriological results showed a high level of bacterial contamination in RW and BTW, but in UV-TW the loads did not exceed 3 log10. The average loads of TC, FC, E. coli and FC in UV-TW were 2.13, 1.67, 1.77, and 2 (log10 CFU/100ml) respectively. Activated sludge treatment combined with UV has demonstrated sufficient quality to reuse treated water in irrigation; however, the UV treatment requires control to avoid any effect on the microbiological and physicochemical quality of green spaces and groundwater.

The present work is a part of the impact study of the tourist resort "Taghazout Bay" installation on the coast of Taghazout (North of the Agadir bay). The purpose of this study is to assess the initial state of the macro-zoobenthic structure present in the intertidal sands at the three study stations over the 2016 and 2017 seasons. The biological approach is accompanied by the study of some physico-chemical parameters of the seawater (temperature, pH, salinity and dissolved oxygen) and the study of the sediment (grading structure, classification, and contents in organic matter). PCA analysis identified a perfect correlation between physico-chemical parameters. The sediment contains three grading classes only (Medium sand, fine sand, and very fine sand), very well classified with normal proportions of organic matter. The study of intertidal benthic macrofauna of the sandy substrate shows ten species and spatiotemporal variations with a clear dominance of the bivalve species Donax trunculus. We notice, from the DIMO model, that the variation profile of the spring and summer (2016 and 2017) shows a community dynamics called "Diversity type". In winter and in autumn, they know an "Evenness type". The rank-frequency diagram explains that the benthic community of Taghazout sandy coast exists in the stage "Pioneer 1". The ascending hierarchical clustering gave three logical gatherings of seasons. The faunistic structure of this benthic community revealed the shape M>C>P. We also notice that there is diversity in regimes in this ecosystem.

Introduction: Nosocomial infections associated with a carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) are considered as a significant challenge in the Intensive care units’ (ICU) critically ill patients. Lack of new antimicrobial agents to treat infections caused by this multi-drug resistant microorganism reinforces the exploration of novel strategies to encounter and control this infection. Thus, the aim of the study was to evaluate, for the first time, the antibacterial effectiveness of the Lavandula mairei Humbert essential oil (EO) against a CRAB isolated from the hospital environment of the two ICUs. Materials and Methods: Carbapenemase encoding genes were detected by the polymerase chain reactions and sequencing methods. The chemical composition of Lavandula mairei (EO) was determined by a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis, and its antibacterial activity was evaluated by a disk diffusion and broth microdilution methods. Results: The OXA-23 and NDM-1 variants were revealed in the selected strains. Twenty-six compounds were identified in the Lavandula mairei EO, in which carvacrol was the most dominant one (77.32%). All the tested CRAB strains showed a wide sensitivity to the oil, with the inhibition zones’ diameters ranging from 28.67±1.15 mm to 40±2.00 mm, and a bactericidal effect proved by the similarity of minimal inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations values (0.39-3.125 µL/ml). Conclusion: These findings remain very promising for the future use of Lavandula mairei EO as a source of the natural antibacterial agents.

The marine environment plays a major socio-economic role in the Agadir region (south-west Morocco). This area, which hosts important fishery resources, is currently not spared from the pollutants resulting from agricultural, domestic, industrial and tourist development. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of the tourist resort Taghazout bay on the bacteriological and physicochemical quality of the coastal waters of Taghazout. Seawater samples were collected between March 2016 and March 2018 at three sampling sites (S1, S2 and S3) in order to monitor the concentrations of fecal coliforms (FC), fecal streptococci (FS) and total germs (TG). The results of physico-chemical parameters show seasonal fluctuations influenced by climatic factors. The spatio-temporal monitoring of bacteriological parameters shows that the average total germ count is 127.05 CFU/100ml, 39.61 CFU/100ml for fecal coliforms and 15.21 CFU/100ml for fecal streptococci. The values of FC80, FC95 and FS90 do not exceed the guide values of Moroccan standards. This classifies Taghazout beach in category A (Good quality of bathing water). The monitoring analysis recorded by the Pearson correlation test between the environmental parameters and the level of fecal bacteria showed that there was a significant positive correlation between FC concentrations and rainfall, the FS concentrations showed significant positive correlations with all the environmental parameters while the TG concentrations indicate no correlation with them. Fecal contamination parameters should be routinely monitored for improving the environmental conditions of coastal cities. This must be the case for the Taghazout coastline where a regular monitoring program must be established to evaluate the impact of the new tourist resort "Taghazout bay" on the environmental quality of this ecosystem.

Halophilic bacteria are a group of microorganisms living in saline environments and in some cases need the salinity to survive. Furthermore,these bacteria species have the potential for interesting and promising applications. In fact, this is due not only to their ability to adapt to extreme physico-chemical conditions but also because many of them they produce interesting substances for the industry such as extracellular hydrolytic enzymes.The present study aims to isolate and characterize halophilic bacteria producing hydrolase enzymes from twosalinesin Sidi Moussa-Oualidia complex (Morocco) and to screen their potential to produce hydrolase enzymes. In this study, 15 halophilic bacteria were identified and analyzed for their ability to produce extracellular enzymes. The phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rDNA sequencing indicated that the 15 isolated strains belong to the genera Bacillus, Oceanobacillus and Virgibacillus. The study of enzymatic activity revealed that all isolates studied were capable of producing at least one extracellular hydrolytic enzyme of which 9 produced amylase, 6 cellulase, 13 DNase, 11 lipase, and 8 protease. In addition to their ability to produce extracellular hydrolytic enzymes, our isolates have demonstrated their potential adaption to extreme Physico-chemical conditions. These properties could allow them to be used for many industrial applications.

Weather conditions have a significant impact on the installation of offshore wind turbines. The rules for installation set clear limits. These limits are usually based on estimations of various experts and not on real assumptions and measurements on-site. When wind speeds and wave heights are too high, work cannot be carried out, and this leads to delays and additional costs. Therefore, we have carried out a measurement campaign during the installation of rotor blades to investigate to which extent the limits can be adjusted by using a tuned mass damper. The results from the measurement campaign—specifically empirically derived significant wave height limits—are used in a discrete event simulation. This study simulates delays resulting from weather conditions. Based on this, the total installation costs are considered. The results of the measurement campaign show that a safe installation with the use of a damper is possible at wave heights of up to 1.6 m. With the discrete event simulation, it is possible to prove that 17.9% can be saved for the costs of the installation vessel. In addition, the wind farm could be erected 32 days faster. Thus, it can be stated that the use of a tuned mass damper simplifies the installation from a technical point of view and is economical.

This study aims to investigate and find out the influences of job dissatisfaction, organizational commitment and external job opportunities on Medical specialist’s voluntary turnover intention in a public sector. There are a total of 165 questionnaires collected using professional social networks. both descriptive and correlation matrix were applied to analyze the data obtained. Pearson Correlation Coefficient was used to measure the degree between independent variables with dependent variable in this research. The research findings showed a low level of dissatisfaction, a low degree of attachment to their public hospital environments and a strong conviction of the availability of external opportunities for alternative job. the results suggest that job dissatisfaction and organizational commitment and external job opportunity had a significant relationship with voluntary turnover intention.

Les Ressources Humaines sont considérées comme le facteur le plus déterminant au sein de l’organisation permettant d’acquérir un avantage concurrentiel. Développer l’implication organisationnelle des ressources humaines est impératif pour stimuler une relation durable avec eux. L’objectif essentiel de cette étude est, d’explorer la relation entre les pratiques de la gestion des ressources humaines et l’implication organisationnelle des cadres travaillants au sein des sièges centraux des banques marocaines. Au total de 380 questionnaires distribuées, 207 questionnaire ont été retenu, soit un taux de réponse de 54.47%. Les résultats de cette étude montrent que l’ensemble des pratiques de la gestion des ressources humaines étudiées sont corrélées positivement avec l’implication organisationnelle.

In the recent decades, the introduction of a sustainable and green energy infrastructure, and, by this, the reduction of emissions caused by fossil energy generation, has been focused on by industry-oriented nations worldwide. Among the technologies of renewable energy generation, wind energy has the highest deployment rate, due to the high wind resource availability and the high technology maturity reached mainly by the onshore installation of wind turbines. However, the planning and the installation of offshore wind farms are a challenging task, because of harsh weather conditions and limited resource availability. Due to the current practice of decentralised information acquisition by the supply chain partners, we investigate the impact of sharing information on the installation process of offshore wind farms by means of a simulation model. Therefore, relevant information items will be identified in order to improve the installation process.