Molecular Surveillance of from Stray Dogs and Cats and their Fleas in Algiers.

In recent years, plague has re-emerged in several countries around the world and remains endemic in some regions. In a natural environment and in contact with rodents and their fleas, stray carnivores are most at risk of catching the disease and maintaining the spread of the bacillus. The present study aimed to demonstrate the presence or absence of in stray dogs and cats in the Algiers region by molecular methods and thus determine their role in epidemiology of this disease.

Stable population structure in Europe since the Iron Age, despite high mobility.

Ancient DNA research in the past decade has revealed that European population structure changed dramatically in the prehistoric period (14,000-3000 years before present, YBP), reflecting the widespread introduction of Neolithic farmer and Bronze Age Steppe ancestries. However, little is known about how population structure changed from the historical period onward (3000 YBP - present). To address this, we collected whole genomes from 204 individuals from Europe and the Mediterranean, many of which are the first historical period genomes from their region (e.

A genetic history of continuity and mobility in the Iron Age central Mediterranean.

The Iron Age was a dynamic period in central Mediterranean history, with the expansion of Greek and Phoenician colonies and the growth of Carthage into the dominant maritime power of the Mediterranean. These events were facilitated by the ease of long-distance travel following major advances in seafaring. We know from the archaeological record that trade goods and materials were moving across great distances in unprecedented quantities, but it is unclear how these patterns correlate with human mobility.

Clinical Features, Socioeconomic Status, Management, and Outcomes of Acute Heart Failure: PEACE MENA Registry Phase I Results.

Introduction: PEACE MENA (Program for the Evaluation and Management of Cardiac Events in the Middle East and North Africa) is a prospective registry in Arab countries for in-patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) or acute heart failure (AHF). Here, we report the baseline characteristics and outcomes of in-patients with AHF who were enrolled during the first 14 months of the recruitment phase.

Methods: A prospective, multi-centre, multi-country study including patients hospitalized with AHF was conducted.

Nitric Oxide, Neutrophil/Lymphocyte, and Platelet/Lymphocyte Ratios as Promising Inflammatory Biomarkers in Complicated Crohn's Disease: Outcomes of Corticosteroids and Anti-TNF-α Therapies.

Crohn's disease (CD) is a relapsing-remitting inflammatory bowel disease with a progressive course. The aim of our study was to evaluate the relationship between nitric oxide (NO), pro-inflammatory cytokines, and blood count-based ratios in patients with complicated Crohn's disease as well as the outcome of corticosteroid or anti-TNF-α therapy. In this context, we evaluated the NLR as the ratio of neutrophils count to lymphocytes count, PLR as the ratio of platelets count to lymphocytes count, and MLR as the ratio of monocytes count to lymphocytes count in patients and controls.

Assessment of soil contamination by heavy metals and arsenic in Tamesguida abandoned copper mine area, Médéa, Algeria.

Heavy metal and arsenic pollution of soil remains a serious environmental problem long after mining operations have ended. For instance, the Tamesguida copper mine located in north-central Algeria has been abandoned for several decades without restoration or even an environmental impact assessment. Therefore, soils were collected from several locations in the vicinity of the old mine and tailings and analyzed for their Cu, Cr, As, Pb, Ni, Zn, and Fe rates to gauge the scope of the soil contamination caused by these elements, and assessing their origin and their dispersion in the mine area.

Particle Swarm Optimization and Two-Way Fixed-Effects Analysis of Variance for Efficient Brain Tumor Segmentation.

Segmentation of brain tumor images, to refine the detection and understanding of abnormal masses in the brain, is an important research topic in medical imaging. This paper proposes a new segmentation method, consisting of three main steps, to detect brain lesions using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In the first step, the parts of the image delineating the skull bone are removed, to exclude insignificant data.

Moderate phenotype of a congenital myasthenic syndrome type 19 caused by mutation of the COL13A1 gene: a case report.

Background: Congenital myasthenic syndromes caused by mutations in the COL13A1 gene are very rare and have a phenotype described as severe. We present the first case of congenital myasthenic syndrome described in Algeria and the Maghreb with a new mutation of this gene.

Case Presentation: We present an 8-year-old Algerian female patient, who presented with a moderate phenotype with bilateral ptosis that fluctuates during the day and has occurred since birth.

Case Report: Interleukin-2 Receptor Common Gamma Chain Defect Presented as a Hyper-IgE Syndrome.

X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency (X-SCID) is caused by mutations of , the gene encoding the interleukin common gamma chain (IL-2Rγ or γc) of cytokine receptors for interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-7, IL-9, IL-15, and IL-21. Hypomorphic mutations of may cause combined immunodeficiencies with atypical clinical and immunological presentations. Here, we report a clinical, immunological, and functional characterization of a missense mutation in exon 1 (c.

Children hypertension in Northern Africa.

Objectives: To assess factors associated with prehypertension and hypertension among children in North Africa.

Methods: An epidemiological observational, school- and college-based study among 3562 healthy children and adolescents to assess factors associated with blood pressure categories (normal, prehypertensive, hypertensive), including perinatal (gestational age, birth weight, breastfeeding) and current lifestyle characteristics (body mass index, time spent watching a screen and time spent exercising).

Results: Prevalence of hypertension increased with age from 8.

The Impact of Uncontrolled Hypertension on the Longitudinal Systolic Function of the Left Ventricle.

Background: The assessment of the longitudinal component of left ventricular (LV) function is of major clinical importance for the early detection of LV contractile impairment. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of uncontrolled hypertension, on LV longitudinal systolic performance.

Methods: The study population included 400 hypertensive patients: 271 patients with uncontrolled blood pressure (BP) and 112 without controlled BP, all patients underwent a complete ultrasound evaluation with the calculation of the LV mass, evaluation of diastolic function as well as longitudinal systolic function.

Assessment of Testicular mRNA Expression Correlated with Testis and Seminal Vesicle Activities in the Libyan jird (, Rodentia: Muridae) during Breeding Season Compared with Nonbreeding Season.

The Libyan jird (, 1823) is a wild desert rodent that is a seasonal breeder species adapted to breed when the environmental conditions can satisfy the energy and hydrous requirements of pregnant and nursing females to ensure that births occur at the most favorable time of the year. We assessed gene expression of testicular luteinizing hormone receptor () correlated to testis activity. The expression of was evaluated using quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR and the testis activity by a histological method in adult male Libyan jirds during the nonbreeding and breeding seasons.

An in-silico evaluation of COVID-19 main protease with clinically approved drugs.

A novel strain of coronavirus, namely, SARS-CoV-2 identified in Wuhan city of China in December 2019, continues to spread at a rapid rate worldwide. There are no specific therapies available and investigations regarding the treatment of this disease are still lacking. In order to identify a novel potent inhibitor, we performed blind docking studies on the main virus protease M with eight approved drugs belonging to four pharmacological classes such as: anti-malarial, anti-bacterial, anti-infective and anti-histamine.

Bi-allelic HPDL Variants Cause a Neurodegenerative Disease Ranging from Neonatal Encephalopathy to Adolescent-Onset Spastic Paraplegia.

We report bi-allelic pathogenic HPDL variants as a cause of a progressive, pediatric-onset spastic movement disorder with variable clinical presentation. The single-exon gene HPDL encodes a protein of unknown function with sequence similarity to 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase. Exome sequencing studies in 13 families revealed bi-allelic HPDL variants in each of the 17 individuals affected with this clinically heterogeneous autosomal-recessive neurological disorder.

Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring in the Diagnosis and Management of Arterial Hypertension in Current Medical Practice in Algeria.

Objective: There are limited data on the management of hypertension (HT) in Algeria. The aim of this study was to assess, in current medical practice, the use and benefits of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) for the diagnosis and management of HT.

Methods: A prospective, observational, multicenter study was performed in 2017.

Intracoronary or intravenous abciximab after aspiration thrombectomy in patients with STEMI undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Objective: To test whether aspiration thrombectomy with intracoronary (IC) instead of intravenous (IV) administration of abciximab could reduce the no-reflow phenomenon in patients undergoing primary percutaneous intervention (PCI) for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Background: Despite recanalisation with PCI, failure to restore microvascular flow may affect the prognosis of patients with STEMI. A combination of aspiration thrombectomy with IC abciximab may improve distal perfusion.

Factors associated with global longitudinal strain decline in hypertensive patients with normal left ventricular ejection fraction.

Background Early detection of risk factors for left ventricular (LV) dysfunction may be useful in patients with high blood pressure (HBP). Methods Patient from an outpatient HBP clinic underwent a two-dimensional Doppler-coupled echocardiography with determination of LV global longitudinal strain (GLS) by speckle-tracking. Results Among 200 patients (mean age 61.