c-ANCA-associated vasculitis with predominant CNS demyelination after COVID-19.

COVID-19 infection may trigger the presentation or exacerbation of autoimmune diseases. c-Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (c-ANCA)-associated vasculitis after COVID-19 mainly involves the kidneys and lungs, and is rarely reported. We describe the case of a 13-year-old girl with a history of chronic immunologic thrombocytopenic purpura who presented with transverse myelitis and central nervous system demyelination, and was subsequently diagnosed with c-ANCA-associated vasculitis following COVID-19. The patient's condition improved after pulse therapy with methylprednisolone and rituximab. To our knowledge, this is the first reported pediatric case of ANCA-associated vasculitis with predominant central nervous system involvement after COVID-19 infection.

Recent pollution records in Sidi Moussa coastal lagoon (western Morocco) inferred from sediment radiometric dating.

The Sidi Moussa lagoon, located in western coastal Morocco and ranked as a wetland of biological and ecological importance (Ramsar site), is contaminated due to its proximity to the industrial phosphate plants and other anthropogenic activities around it. This study was carried out to assess the current environmental state of the lagoon as well as historical inputs of pollutants over several decades. Three sediment cores were collected and analyzed for the determination radionuclide activities (210Pb, 226Ra, 238U and 137Cs) by gamma spectrometry and element concentrations by Inductively Coupled Plasma - Mass Spectrometry. Age-depth relationships were established in two cores using 210Pb and 137Cs as chronometer and time-marker, respectively, and Constant Rate of Supply as radiometric dating model. 210Pb and 238U were present in sediment in activities much higher than those reported for non-contaminated coastal systems. Sediment accumulation rates showed a slight increase over time with a depth-averaged value of 0.16 g cm-2 y-1. Enrichment Factors and practically derived sediment quality guidelines were used to assess sediment contamination/pollution and toxicological effects linked with the measured concentrations of sediment-bound elements. The profiles of Cr, Co, Cu, As and Ni displayed maximums at depths matching the start of the phosphate industrial plants, and decreasing concentrations in the sections above the maximums, revealing the positive effects of the environmental management system adopted by the phosphate company since early 2000s.

Sexual reproduction of Zymoseptoria tritici on durum wheat in Tunisia revealed by presence of airborne inoculum, fruiting bodies and high levels of genetic diversity.

Septoria tritici blotch (STB) caused by the heterothallic ascomycete Zymoseptoria tritici is currently one of the most devastating diseases of wheat worldwide. The extent of sexual reproduction of this pathogen is well documented on bread wheat, but not on durum wheat. The objective of the present study was to quantify the occurrence of Z. tritici sexual reproduction on durum wheat in the Tunisian environment. The assessment was undertaken using a triple approach combining fruiting body assessment, ascospore trapping and population genetic analyses. The results highlighted the formation of pseudothecia on leaves and stubble from the autumn until the end of the growing season. Likewise, qPCR monitoring highlighted a constant release of Z. tritici airborne inoculum during the wheat-growing season, with a peak of production at the end of the season. Genetic investigations using microsatellites revealed high levels of gene and genotypic diversities, an equal distribution of mating types, and a lack of genetic clustering within and between growing seasons. Taken together, these findings indicate that Z. tritici undergoes sexual reproduction on durum wheat in Tunisia at least to the same extent than on bread wheat in Western Europe, and that the dry and warm climate does not affect the mating process of the fungus. Frequent occurrence of sexual reproduction is a valuable knowledge to take into account in STB control strategies on durum wheat.

Insights on stock structure of round sardinella Sardinella aurita off north-west Africa based on otolith shape analysis.

This study examines the geographic variability in otolith shape of round sardinella Sardinella aurita as a tool for stock discrimination. Fish were analysed from six sampling locations from Senegal to the Mediterranean coast of Morocco. A combination of otolith shape indices and elliptic Fourier descriptors was investigated by multivariate statistical procedures. Within the studied area, three distinct groups were identified with an overall correct classification of 78%. Group A: Nador (Alboran Sea), group B: Casablanca (northern Morocco) and group C: Senegalese-Mauritanian. The results of this study confirm the absence of an Atlantic Ocean-Mediterranean Sea transition for this species, the Gibraltar Strait acting as an efficient barrier for S. aurita population separation. Off north-west Africa, fish from northern Morocco form a single group which is clearly isolated from Senegalese-Mauritanian waters, confirming the existence of a distinct stock in this area. Among group C, some discontinuity exists and suggests the existence of a sedentary fraction of S. aurita in northern Mauritania (Arguin Bank). The results are discussed in relation to oceanographic features and physical barriers to dispersal and fish management strategy in the study area.

[French validation of the Frustration Discomfort Scale]. / Validation française de l'échelle de frustration et d'inconfort (Frustration Discomfort Scale).

BACKGROUND: Rational emotive behavior therapy originally considered the concept of frustration intolerance in relation to different beliefs or cognitive patterns. Psychological disorders or, to some extent, certain affects such as frustration could result from irrational beliefs. Initially regarded as a unidimensional construct, recent literature considers those irrational beliefs as a multidimensional construct; such is the case for the phenomenon of frustration. In order to measure frustration intolerance, Harrington (2005) developed and validated the Frustration Discomfort Scale. The scale includes four dimensions of beliefs: emotional intolerance includes beliefs according to which emotional distress is intolerable and must be controlled or avoided as soon as possible. The intolerance of discomfort or demand for comfort is the second dimension based on beliefs that life should be peaceful and comfortable and that any inconvenience, effort or hassle should be avoided. The third dimension is entitlement, which includes beliefs about personal goals, such as merit, fairness, respect and gratification, and that others must not frustrate those non-negotiable desires. The fourth dimension is achievement, which reflects demands for high expectations or standards. METHODS: The aim of this study was to translate and validate in a French population the Frustration and Discomfort Scale developed by Harrington (2005), assess its psychometric properties, highlight the four factors structure of the scale, and examine the relationships between this concept and both emotion regulation and perceived stress. We translated the Frustration Discomfort Scale from English to French and back from French to English in order to ensure good quality of translation. We then submitted the scale to 289 students (239 females and 50 males) from the University of Savoy in addition to the Cognitive Emotional Regulation Questionnaire and the Perceived Stress Scale. RESULTS: The results showed satisfactory psychometric qualities. After removing five items from the original scale, the internal consistency appeared satisfactory for both the full scale (α=0.86), and the four sub-dimensions, with alphas ranging from 0.64 to 0.71. Although these values are lower than those from the original tool (Harrington, 2005), they are very close to the validation data in other languages (Ozer et al., 2012). Interestingly, the FDS score was related to the Perceived Stress Scale and non-adaptive emotion regulation factor but not to the adaptive emotion regulation factor. However, the factorial analyses do not unambiguously support the original four factors structure proposed by Harrington (2005). CONCLUSION: Reliability as well as convergent and divergent validity indicate that the French version of the Frustration Discomfort Scale is a relevant measure of frustration intolerance. However, divergent validity has not been completely demonstrated. The validation data is more congruent with a one-dimensional factor structure than with the original four-dimensional structure. Frustration intolerance could therefore be understood as a unitary concept.

[Infectious pleurisy as first sign of multiple myeloma in a young 28 years old]. / Pleurésie infectieuse révélatrice d'un myélome multiple chez un jeune de 28ans.

Multiple myeloma is a malignant proliferation of plasma cells, mainly affecting the bone marrow. It rarely occurs in young patients. The medical observation study reveals multiple myeloma discovered through a purulent pleurisy in a 28-year-old subject. This patient was admitted to the pneumology service of the Mohamed V military hospital in Rabat for a fever and dyspnea evolving into a context of poor general condition. Clinical examination found a right pleural fluid effusion syndrome. The pleural puncture reveals a germ-free exudative purulent fluid without plasma cells. The myeloma diagnosis was suspected due to the combination of an aplastic normochromic normocytic anemia at 4.5g/dL of hemoglobin, an accelerated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, hypercalcemia, renal failure and osteolytic lesions located mainly in the skull and pelvis area, oriented by electrophoresis and serum protein immunosubstraction revealing a narrow peak in monoclonal beta-2 globulin at 70.56g/L with a lambda monoclonal gammopathy with immunoglobulin G, and confirmed by the myelogram showing a 74% rate of bone marrow plasma cells. The occurrence of myeloma at a young age is rare and the purulent pleurisy without plasma cells is a rare form of presentation and represents a poor prognosis.

Races of Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici with Combined Virulence to Sr13 and Sr9e in a Field Stem Rust Screening Nursery in Ethiopia.

North American durum lines, selected for resistance to TTKSK (Ug99) and related races of Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici in Kenya, became susceptible in Debre Zeit, Ethiopia, suggesting the presence of stem rust races that were virulent to the TTKSK-effective genes in durum. The objective of this study was to characterize races of P. graminis f. sp. tritici present in the Debre Zeit, Ethiopia stem rust nursery. Three races of P. graminis f. sp. tritici were identified from 34 isolates: JRCQC, TRTTF, and TTKSK. Both races JRCQC and TRTTF possess virulence on stem rust resistance genes Sr13 and Sr9e, which may explain why many TTKSK-resistant durum lines tested in Kenya became susceptible in Debre Zeit. The Sr9e-Sr13 virulence combination is of particular concern because these two genes constitute major components of stem rust resistance in North American durum cultivars. In addition to Sr9e and Sr13 virulence, race TRTTF is virulent to at least three stem rust resistance genes that are effective to race TTKSK, including Sr36, SrTmp, and resistance conferred by the 1AL.1RS rye translocation. Race TRTTF is the first known race with virulence to the stem rust resistance carried by the 1AL.1RS translocation, which represents one of the few effective genes against TTKSK in winter wheat cultivars in the United States. Durum entries exhibiting resistant to moderately susceptible infection response at the Debre Zeit nursery in 2009 were evaluated for reaction to races JRCQC, TRTTF, and TTKSK at the seedling stage. In all, 47 entries were resistant to the three races evaluated at the seedling stage, whereas 26 entries exhibited a susceptible reaction. These results suggest the presence of both major and adult plant resistance genes, which would be useful in durum-wheat-breeding programs. A thorough survey of virulence in the population of P. graminis f. sp. tritici in Ethiopia will allow characterization of the geographic distribution of the races identified in the Debre Zeit field nursery.

Detection of Wheat Stem Rust (Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici) Race TTKSK (Ug99) in Iran.

In 2007, new reports of stem rust caused by Puccinia graminis Pers. f. sp. tritici Eriks. in Lorestan and Hamadan provinces of Iran were considered unusual because stem rust had not been recorded previously in the Hamadan area where winter habit wheat cultivars are grown. Detailed investigations in these areas showed significant levels of stem rust in experimental plots and occasionally in farmers' fields, some that showed moderate to high levels of infection. Race analysis of four stem rust samples collected from Borujerd, Hamadan, and Poldokhtar (southwest) and Kelardasht (north) in 2007 was conducted using a modified North American Pgt differential set representing the resistance genes Sr5, 6, 7b, 8a, 9a, 9b, 9d, 9e, 9g, 10, 11, 17, 21, 24, 30, 31, 36, 38, Tmp, and McN, commercial cultivars, and genotypes known to carry the 1B.1R translocation. A race collected from Borujerd in 1997 was also included for comparison. Tests were carried out under standard controlled conditions (1,2). Two isolates from samples collected from Borujerd and Hamadan in 2007 showed high infection types (ITs 33+ to 4) on differential lines carrying resistance genes Sr5, 6, 7b, 8a, 9a, 9b, 9d, 9e, 9g, 10, 11, 17, 21, 30, 31, 38, and McN, and low ITs of ;C1= to 2=, ;C to ;N1=, and 2+ on lines carrying Sr24, Sr36, and SrTmp, respectively. On the basis of the high/low ITs on the 20 differentials in the modified Pgt differential set of North America, the two isolates of Pgt collected from Borujerd and Hamadan in 2007 were identified as race TTKSK. The two isolates from samples collected from Poldokhtar and Kelardasht in 2007 and the isolate collected from Borujerd in 1997 were identified as races TRFSC, TTJQC, and RRHSC, respectively. Race TTKSK identified in the current study produced high ITs of 3+ to 4 on the wheat genotypes Line E*4/Kavkaz, Fed.*4/Kavkaz, Clement, and Mildress and commercial cultivars Falat (Seri 82), Shiroodi (CIMMYT name Attila and Indian name PBW343), Atrak (Kauz), and MV17, all carrying the 1BL.1RS translocation and further confirming virulence for Sr31. The spread of Ug99 to Kenya (1999 to 2002), Ethiopia (2003), and Yemen (2006) suggests progressive migration from Uganda, following the pattern believed to have occurred for the spread of wheat stripe rust pathogen from East Africa in 1986 to India in 1998 (3). Our results are consistent with the TTKSK race identified in Iran migrating from the new African population. Seedling evaluation of Iranian wheat cultivars and advanced lines to isolates of TTKSK from Iran confirmed full susceptibility. These results reinforce the serious threat of race TTKSK to wheat production in Iran. In conclusion, the occurrence of race TTKSK in Iran, the susceptibility of Iranian wheat cultivars to this race, the presence of environmental conditions conducive to disease epidemics in different parts of the country, and the occurrence of the alternate host barberry in many of the mountainous areas of Iran, indicate a new and serious threat to wheat production in Iran and a potentially serious threat to neighboring countries. References: (1) Y. Jin et al. Plant Dis. 91:1096, 2007. (2) Z. A. Pretorius et al. Plant Dis. 84:203, 2000. (3) R. P. Singh et al. CAB Rev. 1 (No. 054), 2006.

Characterization of Seedling Infection Types and Adult Plant Infection Responses of Monogenic Sr Gene Lines to Race TTKS of Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici.

Stem rust, caused by Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici, historically was one of the most destructive diseases of wheat and barley. The disease has been under effective control worldwide through the widespread use of host resistance. A number of stem rust resistance genes in wheat have been characterized for their reactions to specific races of P. graminis f. sp. tritici. Adult plant responses to race TTKS (also known as Ug99) of monogenic lines for Sr genes, a direct measurement of the effectiveness for a given gene, have not been investigated to any extent. This report summarizes adult plant infection responses and seedling infection types for monogenic lines of designated Sr genes challenged with race TTKS. High infection types at the seedling stage and susceptible infection responses in adult plants were observed on monogenic lines carrying Sr5, 6, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 9d, 9g, 10, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 23, 30, 31, 34, 38, and Wld-1. Monogenic lines of resistance genes Sr13, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 32, 33, 35, 36, 37, 39, 40, 44, Tmp, and Tt-3 were effective against TTKS both at the seedling and adult plant stages. The low infection types to race TTKS observed for these resistance genes corresponded to the expected low infections of these genes to other incompatible races of P. graminis f. sp. tritici. The level of resistance conferred by these genes at the adult plant stage varied between highly resistant to moderately susceptible. The results from this study were inconclusive for determining the effectiveness of resistance genes Sr9e, 14, 21, and 29 against race TTKS. The understanding of the effectiveness of individual Sr genes against race TTKS will facilitate the utilization of these genes in breeding for stem rust resistance in wheat.

Molecular Polymorphism and Morphometrics of Species of the Heterodera avenae Group in Syria and Turkey.

Molecular characterization of the three most common cereal cyst nematode species of the Heterodera avenae group (H. avenae, H. filipjevi, and H. latipons), originating from various locations in major cereal-cultivating areas in Syria and Turkey, showed distinct restriction fragment patterns of the ITS-rDNA following PCR amplification and RFLP digestion with four endonucleases (Hae III, Hinf I, Ita I, and Pst I). Genetic dissimilarity within H. avenae group populations increased in comparison with H. avenae and other species; it was 0.164 with H. filipjevi and 0.354 with H. latipons populations. No intraspecific polymorphism was observed within H. latipons or H. filipjevi populations. Principal component analysis revealed contrasted correlations among 12 morphological parameters of cysts and juveniles of the three Heterodera species that separated them and distinguished differences within populations of H. latipons. Our results showed a clear separation of the three cyst nematode species on cereal using a conventional method for classification and molecular tests, and confirmed the congruence between genetics and morphological traits.

[Wound myiasis due to Wohlfahrtia magnifica. First human case in Morocco]. / Myiase des plaies dues à Wohlfahrtia magnifica (Schiner, 1862). Premier cas humain au Maroc.

Wohlfahrtia magnifica is a frequent fly in countries with high breeding activity: Australia, South Africa or Arab country The parasitological infestation occurred essentially during the summer, favourable period to the biological evolution of the flies. In this work, we report one case of wound myiasis that complicates a cutaneous lesion caused by larvae of Wohlfahrtia magnifica. This observation constitutes the first human case in our country.

The Identification of Two New Races of Pyrenophora tritici-repentis from the Host Center of Diversity Confirms a One-to-One Relationship in Tan Spot of Wheat.

ABSTRACT Pyrenophora tritici-repentis, causal agent of tan spot, induces necrosis and chlorosis in its wheat host. The tan spot system conforms to the toxin model and three host-specific toxins have been identified (Ptr ToxA, Ptr ToxB, and putative Ptr ToxC). Processing of a collection of isolates, obtained in the Fertile Crescent and Caucasus regions, yielded two new virulence patterns. Isolate Az35-5 combined the virulences of races 2 and 5 and was classified in the new race 7. Isolates TS93-71B and TS93-71F had a virulence pattern that combined those of races 2, 3, and 5 and were grouped in the new race 8. Southern analysis revealed that all three isolates possessed copies of the ToxA and ToxB genes, the first time the genes were found in a common background. The production of Ptr ToxA and Ptr ToxB by the isolates was confirmed by western blotting. Virulence patterns suggested that TS93-71B and TS93-71F may also produce Ptr ToxC, even though it was not present at detectable levels in culture filtrates. The identification of races 7 and 8 complete the theoretical maximum number of races that can be differentiated by three loci in the host (2(3) = 8), assuming a one-to-one relationship. It appears that the wheat/P. tritici-repentis system is a mirror image of the classical gene-for-gene relationship.

Evolution of Physiologic Races and Virulence of Puccinia striiformis on Wheat in Syria and Lebanon.

Virulence-avirulence phenotypes of Puccinia striiformis isolates collected in Lebanon and Syria were determined on seedlings of the wheat-yellow rust differential genotypes. We found 25 and 11 physiologic races over 6 years (1994 to 1999) in Syria and Lebanon, respectively. The composition of physiologic races found in Syria and Lebanon differed greatly between 1994 and 1999. Races identified in 1999, such as 230E150 and 230E134, have wider spectra of virulence on resistant genotypes than races collected in 1994. In Lebanon, three races were found in 1994 compared with six races in 1999. Yellow rust differential genotypes were used in a trap nursery to monitor yellow rust populations under natural conditions. Races identified from cultivars in the trap nursery in Syria and Lebanon, and from land race cultivars in Iraq, were recovered among the races identified from farm fields. Yellow rust samples were collected from Yemen, and none of the races identified from Yemen samples were identical to those in Syria and Lebanon. Virulence frequencies in the yellow rust population on the differential genotypes tested in the trap nurseries were above 70% for some resistance genes. Yellow rust populations in Syria and Lebanon have diverse virulence phenotypes. P. striiformis populations appear to be changing over, and this would be an important consideration for wheat breeding programs in the region.