In recent years, the low Zn content of wheat has become critical. Consequently, solutions that can improve the Zn nutrition of wheat are highly researched. In the present investigation, we aimed to evaluate the potential benefits of phosphate-solubilizing bacteria isolated from Ziziphus lotus on wheat seedling growth. Based on the phosphate-solubilizing criteria, four isolated strains, J16, J143, J146, and J158, were identified by 16SrRNA gene sequencing as Pseudomonas moraviensis, Bacillus halotolerans, Enterobacter hormaechei, and Pseudomonas frederiksbergensis, respectively. Studies of the conventional properties of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) showed that E. hormaechei J146 produced up to 550 mg·L⁻¹ of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). Siderophores and ammonia were produced by all strains but cellulase was restricted to B. halotolerans J143, whereas proteases were missing in E. hormaechei J146 and P. frederiksbergensis J158. E. hormaechei J146 tolerate up to 1.5 mg·L⁻¹ of copper and cadmium, while B. halotolerans J143 withstood 1.5 mg·L⁻¹ of nickel. Strains B. halotolerant J143, E. hormaechei J146, and P. frederiksbergensis J158 remarkably improved wheat seed germination, plant growth, and Zn absorption. Lastly, nutrient measurement revealed that a wheat plant inoculated with E. hormaechei J146 and P. frederiksbergensis J158 increased its nitrogen and potassium uptake by up to 17%.

Nickel (Ni) toxicity has been reported to produce biochemical and behavioral dysfunction. The present study was undertaken to examine whether Ni chronic administration can induce alterations of affective and cognitive behavior and oxidative stress in male and female rats. Twenty-four rats, for each gender, divided into control and three test groups (n = 6), were injected intraperitoneally with saline (0.9% NaCl) or NiCl2 (0.25 mg/kg, 0.5 mg/kg and 1 mg/kg) for 8 weeks. After treatment period, animals were tested in the open-field, elevated plus maze tests for anxiety-like behavior, and forced swimming test for depression-like behavior. The Morris Water Maze was used to evaluate the spatial learning and memory. The hippocampus of each animal was taken for biochemical examination. The results showed that Ni administration dose dependently increased anxiety-like behavior in both tests. A significant increase in depression-like symptoms was also exhibited by Ni treated rats. In the Morris Water Maze test, the spatial learning and memory were significantly impaired just in males treated with 1 mg/kg of Ni. With regard to biochemical analysis, activity of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were significantly decreased, while the levels of nitric oxide (NO) and lipid peroxidation (LPO) in the hippocampus were significantly increased in the Ni-treated groups. Consequently, chronic Ni administration induced behavioral and biochemical dysfunctions.

The carmine cochineal Dactylopius opuntiae (Cockerell) is the major insect pest of the prickly-pear cactus Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) in Morocco. The present study investigated the insecticidal activities of six essential oils (EOs) against nymphs and adult females of D. opuntiae applied singly or in combination with a detergent under laboratory and field conditions. Under laboratory conditions, M. pulegium and O. vulgare L. essential oils showed a high level of insecticidal activity at 5%, with 98% and 92% females’ mortality, respectively, 5 days after treatments. The M. pulegium and O. vulgaris oils at 5% applied in combination with black soap at (60 g/L) induced the highest toxic activity on adult females, 100% and 96% at 5 days after treatments, respectively. Under field conditions, M. pulegium and O. vulgare oils at 5% in combination with black soap (60 g/L) showed the highest adult female mortalities with 96.33 and 92.56%, respectively, 7 days after the first application. The double application of M. pulegium oil at 5% significantly increased the mortality of adult females up to 91%, 5 days after the second spray. GC-MS analysis revealed that the most abundant constituent of M. pulegium and O. vulgare oils was pulegone (84.69%) and durenol (76.53%), respectively. These findings showed that the use of M. pulegium and O. vulgare in combination with black soap or in double sprays could be incorporated in the management package for the control of the wild cochineal D. opuntiae, as a safe and natural alternative to chemical insecticides.

Réaliser une revue récente comportant les particularités épidémiologiques, histologiques des patients nouvellement diagnostiqués d´un cancer de sein à Casablanca durant l´année 2018. Nous avons colligé 668 cas pendant l´année 2018, L´âge moyen était 51,6 ans, le sexe féminin était le plus représenté avec 662 cas (99,1%) et les hommes avec 6 cas (0,9%), soit un sexe ratio (H/F) de 0,009. L´âge moyen de la ménopause était 49,8 ans et l´âge moyen de la ménarche était 13,5 ans, 31,7% avait un antécédent de cancer (le sein 14,1%, l´estomac 9% et le foie 7%). Le délai moyen de consultation était 10 mois, la pathologie la plus représentée était la pathologie thyroïdienne, Selon la localisation, le sein gauche était atteint dans 50,2% et le sein droit dans 44,7% et une localisation bilatérale 1,3%, le siège le plus fréquent était le quadrant supérieur externe avec 28,7%, les stades T1 et T2 représentaient 73,6% et les stades T3 et T4 représentaient 26,4%, les tumeurs épithéliales infiltrantes CCI étaient les plus fréquentes (73,2%). La présence des emboles vasculaires et lymphatiques a été notée chez 42,2%, les ganglions axillaires étaient atteints chez 71,1% des patients. Le grade histo-pronostic de SBR avait révélé une prédominance du grade II dans 55,9% des cas. Le LUMINAL B continue à constituer le phénotype le plus fréquent (46%) suivie du TRIPLE NEGATIF (15,3%) et du LUMINAL A (14,2%) et enfin le HER2 (7,4%). Le pronostic immédiat demeure inquiétant du fait du retard de diagnostic. Il nous paraît urgent de mettre en place une politique sanitaire d´information et d´éducation.