Benthic community ecology for Algerian river Seybouse

The Seybouse is the second largest river basin in Algeria, hosting an important biodiversity and providing various ecosystem services. This watershed is highly influenced by agricultural and industrial activities, which threaten its biodiversity and ecosystem integrity. The use of benthic macroinvertebrates as biological indicators has a long tradition in developed countries and integrated into all assessments of the ecological quality of river systems. However, the macroinvertebrates of many North African regions are still not well studied, including those of the Seybouse river. The aim of this study is to assess the inventory and ecological role of benthic macroinvertebrates in inland waters of the Seybouse River and determine the impact of pollution on their spatial distributions. We sampled the benthic macrofauna of Wadi Seybouse and its affluents using regular surveys in three sites, of which one was in the upper Seybouse Bouhamdane in Medjez Amar and two in the middle Seybouse. Between December 2019 and May 2020, 10 physico-chemical parameters (pH, EC, OD, water speed, NO3, Salinity, NO2, MES, turbidity, depth) were measured in order to establish a health state diagnosis of these aquatic ecosystems. The complementary biological approach by the analysis of populations of macroinvertebrates identified 7482 individuals and 40 taxa divided into five classes: Crustaceans which were the most dominant, insects with the main orders (Ephemeroptera, Diptera, Trichoptera, Heteroptera and Odonata), Molluscs, Nematodes and Annelids. The physico-chemical analyzes and the application of the organic pollution indices indicated a strong to excessive pollution for all sites, especially in Seybouse upstream

Ocnogyna mooseri, a new peculiar species from Libya (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae)

A new species of the genus Ocnogyna Graslin, [1837], O. mooseri sp. n. is described from north-eastern Libya. The female of the new species is fully winged but differs from all known species groups of Ocnogyna in a number of diagnostic features and is also externally reminiscent of Tajigyna gansoni Dubatolov, 1990 endemic to Tajikistan. The diagnostic comparison is made with the North African Ocnogyna advena (Fabricius, 1787) having externally similar males but brachypterous females and to the externally dissimilar Ocnogyna parasita (Hübner, 1790) species group having the most similar female genitalia structures.

Organic carbon burial in Mediterranean sapropels intensified during Green Sahara Periods since 3.2 Myr ago

Dark organic-rich layers (sapropels) have accumulated in Mediterranean sediments since the Miocene due to deep-sea dysoxia and enhanced carbon burial at times of intensified North African run-off during Green Sahara Periods (GSPs). The existence of orbital precession-dominated Saharan aridity/humidity cycles is well known, but lack of long-term, high-resolution records hinders understanding of their relationship with environmental evolution. Here we present continuous, high-resolution geochemical and environmental magnetic records for the Eastern Mediterranean spanning the past 5.2 million years, which reveal that organic burial intensified 3.2 Myr ago. We deduce that fluvial terrigenous sediment inputs during GSPs doubled abruptly at this time, whereas monsoon run-off intensity remained relatively constant. We hypothesize that increased sediment mobilization resulted from an abrupt non-linear North African landscape response associated with a major increase in arid:humid contrasts between GSPs and intervening dry periods. The timing strongly suggests a link to the onset of intensified northern hemisphere glaciation.

Confluent and reticulated papillomatosis of Gougerot-Carteaud in a North African patient

Confluent and reticulated papillomatosis (CRP) is a rare skin condition of uncertain etiology. The anti-bacterial and most importantly the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of some antibiotics seem to explain the effectiveness of these medications. Other measures such as reducing weight and treating an underlying endocrine disorder may be helpful.

Plant speciation in the Namib Desert: origin of a widespread derivative species from a narrow endemic

Background: Parapatric (or budding) speciation is increasingly recognized as an important phenomenon in plant evolution but its role in extreme (e.g. desert) environments is poorly documented. Aims: To test this speciation model in a hypothesized sister pair, the Southwest and North African disjunct Senecio flavus and its putative progenitor, the Namibian Desert endemic S. englerianus. Methods: Phylogenetic inferences were combined with niche divergence tests, morphometrics, and experimental genetic approaches. We also evaluated the potential role of an African Dry Corridor (ADC) in promoting the hypothesized northward expansion of S. flavus (from Namibia), using palaeodistribution models. Results: Belonging to an isolated (potentially relict) clade, the two morphologically distinct species show pronounced niche divergence in Namibia and signs of digenic epistatic hybrid incompatibility (based on F2 pollen fertility). The presence of connate fluked pappus hairs in S. flavus, likely increasing dispersal ability, is controlled by a single gene locus. Conclusions: Our results provide support for a rare example of budding speciation in which a wider ranged derivative (S. flavus) originated at the periphery of a smaller ranged progenitor (S. englerianus) in the Namib Desert region. The Southwest and North African disjunction of S. flavus could have been established by dispersal across intermediate ADC areas during periods of (Late) Pleistocene aridification.

Blood parasites in sympatric lizards: what is their impact on hosts’ immune system?

Assessment of parasites and their pathogenicity is essential for studying the ecology of populations and understanding their dynamics. In this study, we investigate the prevalence and intensity of infection of haemogregarines (phylum Apicomplexa) in two sympatric lizard species, Podarcis vaucheri and Scelarcis perspicillata, across three localities in Morocco, and their effect on host immune response. We used the Phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) skin testing technique to relate the level of immune response with parasite infection. Prevalence and intensity levels were estimated with microscopy, and 18S rRNA gene sequences were used to confirm parasite identity. All parasites belong to the haemogregarine lineage found in other North African reptiles. There were differences in prevalence between localities and sexes. Overall, infected lizards were larger than uninfected ones, although we did not detect differences in parasitaemia across species, sex or locality. The swelling response was not related to the presence or number of haemogregarines, or to host body size, body condition, sex or species. We found no evidence of impact for these parasites on the circulating blood cells or the hosts’ immune system, but more data is needed to assess the potential impact of mixed infections, and the possibility of cryptic parasite species.

Perception Regarding Knowledge of COVID-19 Prevention in a Sample of a Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) Community in Houston, Texas, USA

(1) Background: Knowledge of COVID-19 prevention among communities is the first step towards protective behaviors. The objective of this study was to assess COVID-19 prevention knowledge among a Middle Eastern and North African community in Houston, Texas. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a validated quantitative survey; survey questions consisted of three parts: COVID-19 specific questions, general health questions, and sociodemographic questions. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to determine predictors of perception of knowledge on preventing COVID-19 spread. The outcome of interest comprised of “good/excellent” versus “average and below” knowledge. (3) Results: A total of 366 participants (66.39% males) completed the survey. A univariate analysis demonstrated significant differences in self-reported COVID-19 prevention knowledge among those with and without health insurance, different ages, level of knowledge, and perceived severity of COVID-19 infection. In the multivariate logistic regression, two predictors were identified: those in the 18–25-year-old group were more likely to have “excellent/good” knowledge on COVID-19 spread compared to the ≥40-year-old group (OR: 6.36; 95% CI: 1.38, 29.34). Those who somewhat agree with knowing how to protect themselves from COVID-19 were more likely to have “excellent/good” knowledge of preventing COVID-19 spread compared to those that neither agree nor disagree or disagree (OR: 7.74; 95% CI: 2.58, 23.26). (4) Conclusions: Younger adults reported higher knowledge of COVID-19 prevention.