Hemophiliacs A patients from Algeria without mutation or rearrangement in the F8 gene

Hemophilia A (HA) is the most severe X-linked inherited bleeding disorder caused by hemizygous mutations in the F8 gene. Several F8 mutations are responsible of HA including intron 1 and 22 micro-inversions, large and small deletions, insertions, duplications, and point mutations. In a previous study, we determined the molecular causes of HA in 85% of patients group studied. However, no mutation were found in three unrelated patients origi-nating from Western Algeria. In the present study, we sought to characterize the molecular origin of HA in three patients by investigating rearrangements in the F8 gene using the MLPA method. Comparaison between case results and healthy controls showed absence of deletions or duplications in the F8 gene in these three hemophiliacs A patients. This finding has already been reported in many studies where any F8 mutation or rearrangement has been identified. Further analysis are required in order to determine the molecular origin of the disease in these families. It would be very interesting to look for deep intonic mutations and to study epigenetic mechanisms as well as DNA methylation and miRNAs.

Epidemiological profile of constitutional thrombopathies in western Algeria

Introduction. Comme pour toutes les maladies rares ou maladies orphelines, l’étude des thrombopathies devrait être multicentrique pour recenser le maximum ou tous les patients dans une région ou dans le pays concerné. Notre étude a pour objectif d’évaluer la prévalence des thrombopathies constitutionnelles dans l’Ouest Algérien, et décrire ainsi les caractéristiques épidémiologiques de notre population. Patients et méthodes. Il s’agit d’une étude descriptive régionale du profil épidémiologique de 61 patients de l’Ouest Algérien présentant une thrombopathie constitutionnelle. Résultats. Dans notre étude a trouvé 34 thrombasthénies de Glanzmann (TG), 18thrombopathies de Jean Bernard Soulier (JBS), 08thrombopathies de May-Hegglin (MH) et un syndrome de Scott avec une prévalence globale de 1,8/1 million habitants. Conclusion. Notre travail nous a permis d’avoir un contexte global sur les thrombopathies constitutionnelles qui serait sans doute la base d’autres études de caractère clinique, biologique ou même moléculaire surtout en matière de recrutement de patients.

Diet composition of the Pharaoh Eagle Owl, Bubo ascalaphus (Strigiformes, Strigidae) in a Steppe region of Algeria

The diet composition of Pharaoh Eagle Owl (Bubo ascalaphus) was investigated in a semiarid area of North-western Algeria. A total of 65 pellets regurgitated by the B. ascalaphus were analysed, 288 food items were composed primarily of mammal remains (4 rodents, 1 bat and insectivore, 93.7%), and 1 bird species (passerine, 6.3%). The most frequent prey among the mammals were rodents (83.3%), which included Mus musculus (59.7%), Meriones shawi (11.1%), Meriones libycus (11.1%) and Jaculus jaculus (1.4%). The rodents were the most important prey items in biomass (91.4%), M. shawi made up to 41.9% of the total biomass. We may conclude that the Pharaoh Eagle Owl relies, in its feeding, very broadly on small mammals, completed by other groups.

Epidemiology of Collective Food poisoning in Tlemcen- Western Algeria: A retrospective analysis of data from 2011-2020

Food poisoning is a serious public health problem in the world that needs to be addressed as early as possible. However, mitigation efforts can be possi-ble only when data and information resulting from the implementation of monitoring or continuous surveillance are available. Here we report a study that was conducted taking into account all the data of poisoning report sheets, filled in by the doctor in charge of the case or, failing that, by the nurse, coming from health facilities (in sixteen regions in Tlemcen) were in-cluded in the analysis. For data processing, we have used some descriptive tools such as the frequencies and the lethality rates. The description of the sample concerned the characteristics of the poisoned population (year, gen-der, age, origin, hospitalisation, etc.) and the characteristics related to the suspected food. The survey showed a concentration of family focus, espe-cially in urban areas. Meats, Chickens and cream filled bakery food were the three most important incriminated foods and most of the infections in the outbreaks were related to fecal coliform, Clostridium and Staphylococcus. Some of the factors identified to contribute to food poisoning were lack of self-hygiene by food handlers and poor water and environmental supplies, poor preservation of food, the consumption of inadequately cooked or thawed meat or chicken, cross-contamination of food from infected food handlers, as well as the lack of awareness and information transmission and the lack of health infrastructures and means of communications. The present study highlights the needs for creating adequate infrastructure related to hygiene, regular epidemiological monitoring and increasing the awareness level of the residents.

Survival rate, adaptation ability and carbon production and sequestration of 21 green oak (Quercusrotundifolia Lam.) provenances at Mounts of Saida (western Algeria)

Due to recent global changes, a substantial degradation of natural ecosystems in North Africa and difficulties of species regeneration have been observed. A comparison of 21 green oak (Quercus rotundifolia Lam.) provenances in different bioclimatic zones was carried out at two ecologically different stations in western Algeria. The main objectives of the study were to (a) assess the survival rate and development in the natural environment of young individuals who derive from it, (b) gain an understanding of the level of morphological variability and (c) explore the possibilities of adapting the different provenances of green oak in the west Algerian ecological regions. The field trial was established in 2008 at two sites. The average survival rate ten years after the establishment of the field trial was 38.50%, with a total height average of 122.95 cm, a dry epigeous biomass production of 0.0630 t/ha and a sequestered amount of atmospheric carbon (CO2) of 0.0859 t/ha. The green oak provenance (origin) of Zaccar from the Tellian Atlas group is distinguished by a higher survival rate and dryer epigeous than other origins. The variability of large regions of the country means that there are four areas in which varieties can show superiority in survival and biomass: those representing the Northern part of the Saharan Atlas, those of the high inner plains, those of the southern facade of the Tellian Atlas and finally those of the Saharan Atlas.