Ocean Sampling Day was initiated by the EU-funded Micro B3 (Marine Microbial Biodiversity, Bioinformatics, Biotechnology) project to obtain a snapsho

Lagoons are fragile marine ecosystems that are considerably affected by anthropogenic pollutants. We performed a spatiotemporal characterization of the microbiome of two Moroccan lagoons, Marchica and Oualidia, both classified as Ramsar sites, the former on the Mediterranean coast and the latter on the Atlantic coast. We investigated their microbial diversity and abundance using 16S rRNA amplicon- and shotgun-based metagenomics approaches during the summers of 2014 and 2015. The bacterial microbiome was composed primarily of Proteobacteria (25–53%, 29–29%), Cyanobacteria (34–12%, 11–0.53%), Bacteroidetes (24–16%, 23–43%), Actinobacteria (7–11%, 13–7%), and Verrucomicrobia (4–1%, 15–14%) in Marchica and Oualidia in 2014 and 2015, respectively. Interestingly, 48 strains were newly reported in lagoon ecosystems, while eight unknown viruses were detected in Mediterranean Marchica only. Statistical analysis showed higher microbial diversity in the Atlantic lagoon than in the Mediterranean lagoon and a robust relationship between alpha diversity and geographic sampling locations. This first-ever metagenomics study on Moroccan aquatic ecosystems enriched the national catalog of marine microorganisms. They will be investigated as candidates for bioindication properties, biomonitoring potential, biotechnology valorization, biodiversity protection, and lagoon health assessment.

This study aims to investigate the impact of carvacrol and thymol on the quality of Beni Arouss buck semen stored in skim milk at 4 °C. Ejaculates were collected from eight Beni Arouss bucks weekly for 11 weeks, pooled, and then divided into three equal parts. Samples were diluted to 400 × 10⁶ sperm/mL in skim milk (control) and skim milk supplemented with a single dose of 200 µM carvacrol and thymol each. Evaluations of sperm motility, viability, abnormalities, membrane integrity, lipid peroxidation, and bacterial growth were conducted at 0, 6, 24, and 48 h of liquid storage at 4 °C. After 48 h of storage, the results indicate that the addition of carvacrol positively influences total and progressive motility and viability. However, it also leads to a decrease in lipid peroxidation and bacterial growth compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Thymol showed similar results to carvacrol, except for progressive motility (p > 0.05). Bacterial growth was negatively correlated with total and progressive motility and viability (p < 0.05), while no correlation between lipid peroxidation and these parameters was observed (p > 0.05). In conclusion, the addition of carvacrol and thymol to skim milk extender moderately improves the quality of Beni Arouss buck semen after 48 h storage at 4 °C due to its antimicrobial activity.

<!--field: Resume-->À la lumière de la couverture médicale de base au Maroc, les organismes gestionnaires d’assurance maladie (OGAM), qu’ils soient dans le domaine public ou privé, sont appelés à effectuer l’évaluation de la qualité de leurs services offerts. Pour ce faire, ils ont besoin d’une méthode et d’outils de mesure appropriés. Suite à l’analyse des différents modèles de mesure et d’évaluation de la qualité de services (QdS) existant dans la littérature, nous avons constaté que la généralisation de ces modèles a fait l’objet de plusieurs critiques et contestations de la part des spécialistes dans le domaine. En revanche, jusqu’à présent, on ne dispose d’aucune approche qualitative ou quantitative spécifique à la mesure et à l’évaluation de la QdS réalisées par les OGAM au Maroc. Pour cela, nous avons jugé que le développement d’un nouvel instrument de mesure et d’évaluation de la QdS de ces institutions est d’une grande importance. En partant de l’idée qu’il est possible de trouver un procédé d’évaluation de la QdS simple et commun à tous les OGAM, nous tenons à proposer, à travers cette étude, une approche qualitative quadridimensionnelle d’évaluation de cette qualité et un baromètre de satisfaction opérationnel (quantification). Les résultats obtenus de l’application pratique de ces outils ont fait l’objet d’une publication dans une revue spécialisée (Kerak E et al., Revue Assurances et gestion des risques. 2007;75:391) [1]. Prat Organ Soins. 2010;41(3):215-224 <!--field: -->