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Patricia Liana Cristodor,1,2,* Alexandru Nechifor,3,* Silvia Fotea,3,* Thomas Nadasdy,2,4 Yousef Bahloul,2,5 Alin Codrut Nicolescu,6,* Alin Laurentiu Tatu3,4,7,8 1Center for the Morphologic Study of the Skin MORPHODERM, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Victor Babeș”, Timișoara, TM, Romania; 2Dermatology Department, Spitalul Clinic Municipal de Urgenta Timisoara, Timişoara, TM, Romania; 3Clinical Medical Department, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, “Dunarea de Jos” University, Galati, GL, Romania; 4Multidisciplinary Integrative Center for Dermatologic Interface Research MIC-DIR, Galati, GL, Romania; 5PhD Studies Department, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Victor Babeș” Timișoara, Timișoara, TM, Romania; 6Department of Dermatology, ‘Roma’ Medical Center for Diagnosis and Treatment, Bucharest, Romania; 7Dermatology Department, “Sf. Cuvioasa Parascheva” Clinical Hospital of Infectious Diseases, Galati, GL, Romania; 8Research Center in the Field of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences ReFORM-UDJ, Galati, GL, Romania*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Thomas Nadasdy; Yousef Bahloul, Dermatology Department, Spitalul Clinic Municipal de Urgenta Timisoara, str. Ofcea nr.24, Timişoara, TM, 300558, Romania, Tel +40 751609000, Email thomas.nadasdy@gmail.com; dr.yousef.bahloul@gmail.comAbstract: There are a wide variety of disfiguring dermatological conditions whose pathologic substrate is represented by the unwanted deposition of collagen from dermal fibroblasts. Pirfenidone has demonstrated efficiency in the treatment of disordered collagen production when applied topically. Due to a similar mechanism of action, we also hypothesize that a similar medication, nintedanib, might have similar applications. We also propose that a liposomal technology may assist in the penetration of nintedanib and enhance its clinical effects.Keywords: nintedanib, pirfenidone, keloid, scarring, fibroblast

Progeny testing is the second part of maternal recurrent selection scheme adopted by INRA-Morocco for the national sugar beet breeding programme. The objective of this study is sugar beet germplasm productivity, heritability and stability analysis. The studied material concern 18 half-sib families (HSF) preselected initially for their seed production potential. Trials were conducted using randomised complete blocks designs during, 2013/14, 2014/15, 2015/16, 2017/18 campaigns in two experimental fields of INRA-Morocco; Sidi Allal Tazi (34° 30' N, 6° 19' W) and Larache (35° 11' N, 6° 09' W). Evaluated parameters concern the vigour, root weight (RW), leaf biomass yield (LBY), and sugar content (Sc). Data analysis by comparative procedures explores different accordance degrees of HSF versus controls. Good vegetative growth was observed, 85.6% closer to the maximal indicated scale level. The RW was significantly influenced by the genotype and reached a maximum of 1.06 kg versus 1.08 kg average recorded by controls. Sugar content recorded mean was 20.97% in HSF versus 21.39% in the controls. Most of HSF revealed mean values close to Z-type variety. Estimated heritability was 0.5 for RW, 0.2 for the LBY, and 0.02 for Sc. Sugar content was influenced by the environment and explained by the AMMI model (73.6%) versus 53.9% and 44.4% for root weight and leaf biomass yield respectively. The AMMI stability values showed F11, F12, F16, and F17 families as the most performing and stable HSF. Results demonstrate the relevance of the maternal recurrent selection scheme of the on-going national breeding programme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several barriers and challenges meet interspecific hybridization between taxa belonging to the genus Beta under Moroccan environmental conditions. Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris s. l.), is a socioeconomically important recent crop, developed mainly for the sugar production in Morocco. B. macrocarpa, a beet wild relative, is characterized by a wide genetic richness and high adaptative capacity. Obtaining viable hybrids from crosses between these two taxa is challenging. Hence, we studied 75 beet hybrids harvested on two cultivated (CH) and two wild (WH) parents separately. Twentyone effective agro-morphological traits were used as well as flux cytometry analysis to confirm the success of interspecific crosses. High phenotypic diversity was estimated both within and between hybrid groups. Plants of all WH hybrids and 50% of CH hybrids were rather similar to respective parents from the behavior and morphological points of views. The remaining CH hybrids were closer to their cultivated parent for phenotypical characteristics, vernalization requirement, and biannual vegetative cycle. Heritability rate in progeny generation was variable for cultivated and wild types, H2WP = 3-95% / H2CP = 3-91% and of H2WP = 4-89% / H2CP = 3-89%. Diploid and tetraploid cytotypes were observed in hybrids and their parents. Tetraploid plants of Beta macrocarpa detected for the first time in Morocco provide novel insights on the cytogenetic diversity of Beta genus. The results obtained in this study show that Moroccan beet germplasm might provide a valuable reservoir of gene to improve genetic and cytogenetic diversity, adaptation and resistance to biotic and abiotic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the factors that contribute to population genetic divergence across a species' range is a long-standing goal in evolutionary biology and ecological genetics. We examined the relative importance of historical and ecological features in shaping the present-day spatial patterns of genetic structure in two related plant species, Beta vulgaris subsp. maritima and Beta macrocarpa. Using nuclear and mitochondrial markers, we surveyed 93 populations from Brittany (France) to Morocco - the southern limit of their species' range distribution. Whereas B. macrocarpa showed a genotypic structure and a high level of genetic differentiation indicative of selfing, the population genetic structure of B. vulgaris subsp. maritima was consistent with an outcrossing mating system. We further showed (1) a strong geographic clustering in coastal B. vulgaris subsp. maritima populations that highlighted the influence of marine currents in shaping different lineages and (2) a peculiar genetic structure of inland B. vulgaris subsp. maritima populations that could indicate the admixture of distinct evolutionary lineages and recent expansions associated with anthropogenic disturbances. Spatial patterns of nuclear diversity and differentiation also supported a stepwise recolonization of Europe from Atlantic-Mediterranean refugia after the last glacial period, with leading-edge expansions. However, cytoplasmic diversity was not impacted by postglacial recolonization: stochastic long-distance seed dispersal mediated by major oceanic currents may mitigate the common patterns of reduced cytoplasmic diversity observed for edge populations. Overall, the patterns we documented here challenge the general view of reduced genetic diversity at the edge of a species' range distribution and provide clues for understanding how life-history and major geographic features interact to shape the distribution of genetic diversity.

Premise of the Study: Microsatellite loci were developed for the Moroccan endemic endangered species Argania spinosa with a combination of a typical library enrichment procedure and a 454 GS FLX Titanium-based high-throughput sequencing approach. •, Methods and Results: A genomic DNA library was enriched and further screened using (GA)15, (GTA)8, and (TTC)8 biotin-labeled probes coupled with chemi-luminescence detection. To increase simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci number, an ultra-high-throughput sequencing-based approach was used. Evaluation of all primer pairs was performed with labeled dUTP on an ABI 3130xl sequencer. Eleven polymorphic SSR loci were selected out of 79 SSR regions and extensively characterized on 150 individuals from eight populations. Total alleles ranged from six to 19 alleles per locus while expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.618 to 0.869. •, Conclusions: The SSRs developed here will be used to further characterize the genetic diversity of A. spinosa across its distribution range, mainly in the southern part of Morocco and southwestern Algeria. They may also be transferable to other Sapotaceae species.