Western Algeria Research Articles

Monitoring vegetation cover trends in the steppe region of western Algeria using MODIS imagery

The steppe region of Chehaima (Tiaret Province, northwestern Algeria) covers an area of 2,202 km², representing 10.94% of the total area of Tiaret. This study identified the ecological state of the area using a spatial theme from a 24-year synchronized moderate-resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite image campaign (2000–2023). The adopted method consists of analyzing spectral indices (normalized difference vegetative index, low surface temperature (LST), and soil moisture index) from MODIS sensors (MOD13Q1), making it possible to evaluate the spatiotemporal dynamics of the vegetation in the study area and to identify regions degraded by several biotic and abiotic factors. The results show a vegetation cover rate of intense fluctuations in unfavorable conditions over 24 years. The percentage of plant growth recorded does not exceed 32%. The abundance of LST vegetation decreases when the LST exceeds 35°C, with a soil that has a water deficit. The De Martonne aridity index (<em>I</em>) classifies the study area as a lower semiarid bioclimatic zone. These indicators made it possible to determine the spatiotemporal dynamics of vegetation, which modifies the plant cover, leading to the loss of native species such as alfa <em>Stipa tenacissima</em> L. Defensive measures are necessary over large areas of the study area to allow successful protection of steppe rangelands through a sustainable conservation strategy, preserving endemic species, stabilizing dunes, and adopting the steppe rotation system.

Morphological, physiological and anatomical traits in durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) as affected by semi-arid conditions

Durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) is one of Algeria's primary cereal crops. Although the areas reserved for this species are estimated at approximately 40%, the production remains low to meet national grain requirements. This shortfall is primarily due to the impact of biotic and abiotic stresses, particularly drought, which significantly limit wheat yields. For that, this study assessed the behavior of five genotypes of durum wheat (Waha, Acsad1361, Vitron, Oued Zenati and Langlois) under water stress conditions. The experiment was carried out in Tiaret (Western Algeria). The studied parameters are morpho-physiological and anatomical of the flag leaf. The obtained results showed that the water deficit greatly affected the dimensions of the plant and triggered a decrease in the water content. Structural modifications due to cellular resizing of the structural constituents of the last leaf, reflected by variations in the rate of the outer epidermal wall thickness and reductions of leaf mesophiles. These modifications remain effective in maintaining the hydration of the aerial part by limiting water loss and increasing the hydraulic resistance of the leaves. According to this study, it seems that an inter-varietal difference has been highlighted. However, a genetic cross is recommended to combine the maximum number of resistant genes into a single variety. This strategy is considered as an effective solution for mitigating the effects of abiotic stresses, especially in semi-arid regions.

The Disadvantages of Seawater Desalination at the Bousfer Station Located on the Oran Coast in Western Algeria

The Disadvantages of Seawater Desalination at the Bousfer Station Located on the Oran Coast in Western Algeria

Supervised learning techniques for blood product prediction in patients with hematologic diseases: a multi-centre study in Western Algeria

Supervised learning techniques for blood product prediction in patients with hematologic diseases: a multi-centre study in Western Algeria

Prevalence and risk factors of subclinical mastitis in goats in western Algeria

Subclinical mastitis (SCM) is a frequent disease in dairy goats that negatively impact milk quality and yield, leading to substantial economic losses. This cross-sectional study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of SCM and its associated risk factors among dairy goats in western Algeria. The study included 22 farms, and data on risk factors were collected using a questionnaire administered to the farmers. A total of 150 goats, with no clinical signs of mastitis, were randomly selected to determine the prevalence of SCM, using the California Mastitis Test. The Generalised Linear Mixed Model was used to identify the risk factors. The estimated prevalence of SCM was 20.7%. The results of the model indicated that the risk of SCM is significantly higher in does that had dirty udders, raised in unclean barns, were multiparous or in the late stage of lactation. Our findings emphasise the importance of appropriate herd management practices in reducing the prevalence of SCM in dairy goat herds.

Water resources and physicochemical properties of the Mio-Pliocene aquifer complex in the M’leta Plain, Western Algeria

The aquifers in the M’léta Plain are crucial for supplying drinking water and supporting industrial and agricultural water needs. However, they are facing a pollution risk and environmental degradation. The present study aims to assess the groundwater quality in the M’léta Plain, focusing on its physicochemical properties, statistics of the aquifer, pollution risks, and factors influencing the water mineralisation process. The analysis of 16 samples reveals that the water contains high levels of sulphates and chlorides, often accompanied by sodium, calcium, or magnesium. This suggests two distinct water types or facies: one characterised by sodium chloride or calcium chloride, and the other with calcic or sodic sulphate waters, sometimes including magnesium sulphate. These facies may be attributed to the influence of different formations at the outcrop. Statistical analyses reveal a strong correlation between electrical conductivity and the majority of chemical elements, indicating the impact of freshwater interacting with the underlying rock formations on mineralisation. Some results also show undersaturation of certain minerals. Furthermore, the study evaluates the water's suitability for irrigation in the M’léta Plain in accordance with Richards’ classification.

A deep dive into enhancing frequency stability in integrated photovoltaic power grids

Voltage control strategies (VCS) and frequency stability analysis (FSA) are essential for power system reliability, particularly during high-load periods. Stable voltage and frequency levels prevent malfunction, power quality deterioration, and supply interruptions. Grid operators must skillfully manage VCS and FSA control to ensure system stability. Nonlinear loads, especially under transient conditions, significantly affect voltage stability (VS), introducing harmonics, waveform distortion, and stability complexities. Accurate modeling of these nonlinear loads is vital when traditional static load models fall short. Frequency fluctuations from power generation-demand imbalances require vigilant monitoring and regulation. Effective frequency control mechanisms are indispensable for preserving desired frequencies. Using a Western Algeria case study, this paper underscores FSA's significance in integrating photovoltaic (PV) systems into power grids. It addresses challenges from frequency fluctuations due to dynamic ZIP load profiles, emphasizing the importance of FSA for reliable grid operation. The study offers insights and practical approaches to enhance VS, FSA control, and energy management (EM), improving grid reliability and ensuring uninterrupted power supply. We must look into FSA's benefits in integrating PV systems to improve performance and lower grid interruptions. This includes looking into its control mechanisms and feedback systems.

Effect of incorporation of calcined sediments and perlite as partial cement replacement on mortars behavior

The accumulation of sediments in varied dams built in Algeria denotes a vital problem that requires immediate attention and action from the authorities and managers of the National Agency for Dams and Transfers (ANBT). More than that, various research studies on sediments have revealed that subjecting them to heat treatment can exploit these sediments as a viable substitute for some of the cement used to produce cementitious materials. Combining the different types and quantities of natural Perlite pozzolan can achieve many benefits, including reduced consumption, minimized heat generation, improved workability, reduced permeability, and increased strength. This study aims to explore the potential of using dredged sediments from Chorfa II dams and perlite from Hammam Boughrara (located in western Algeria) as substitutes for cement in mortar analysis. A thorough examination of calcined sediments and perlite revealed the feasibility of partial cement replacement. Research has mainly focused on evaluating the properties of mortars in fresh and hardened states.

Simultaneous Removal of Toxic Ammonia (NH3/NH4 +) from Aqueous Solutions Using New Geomaterial Adsorbent: Application to Aquaculture Effluents

This study evaluates the performance of a new geomaterial (GEOM) based on sodium montmorillonite clay (Na-Mt), local activated carbon (CAC) and fine powder local cement (Chlef plant western Algeria) to remove ammonia from fish farming in a recirculating aquaculture system. The aqueous ammonium (NH4 +/NH3) adsorption efficiency of GEOM was compared with its two principals` constituents (Na-Mt and CAC) and another commercial activated carbon (CAG). The results of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were used to assess the chemical and physicochemical properties of studied adsorbents. The maximum adsorption capacity of NH4 + on GEOM of about 15.57 mg. g-1 seems to be similar to that of Na-Mt 16.82 mg. g-1. The study of solution pH showed that the best NH4 +/NH3 removal efficiency was at pH=6 for both GEOM and Na-Mt. The efficiency of GEOM for ammoniacal nitrogen (NH4 +/NH3) removal was 79.3% in ultrapure water, 94.05% in seawater and 97.5% in real aquaculture wastewater. Thus, the proposed material, GEOM, can be used as a filter material in a bio-filtration process to treat aquaculture wastewater in a real-world context.

Initial characteristics of cystic fibrosis in Algeria: Description of 34 pediatric cases.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a rare disease in Algeria, and its prognosis is poor in developing countries. The clinical and demographic knowledge of Algerian pediatric patients diagnosed with CF is incomplete due to the nonexistence of a national medical registry. Hence, the present study is the first Algerian multicentre study on CF. This retrospective study was conducted in western Algeria. Over 1 year, the study included all pediatric patients with a confirmed diagnosis of CF in the pediatric hospital of Oran. Patient characteristics, clinical manifestations, and the prescribed treatment were reported. Thirty-fourchildren (16 boys and 18 girls) participated in this study. Only 15 were diagnosed before the age of 6 months. The sweat chloride test was positive in all patients. Respiratory manifestations were found in all patients, chronic diarrhoea in 29 of them, and growth retardation in 10. Moreover, 25 (73.5%) had low to low intermediate socioeconomic levels. After diagnosis, respiratory complications marked the evolution of the 34 patients, withbronchial congestion observedin 33 of them, while 10 (29.4%) patients presented severe bronchopneumonia and 4 (11.8%) were affected by asthma. Consequently, three (8.8%) died at an average age of 9 years mainly because of respiratory failure. The prognosis of CF is poor in Algeria compared to other developed countries due to the longer diagnostic delay and limited therapeutic alternatives. This representative subset of Algerian pediatric patients with CF will serve as a reference for future studies on CF in Algeria.

Chemical Variability and Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Rosmarinus officinalis L. Leaf Essential Oil from Algerian Sahara.

The chemical composition of 71 oil samples from the leaves of Rosmarinus officinalis L., harvested in three provinces: Naâma (Western Algeria), Béchar and Adrar (Algerian Sahara), was investigated by GC-FID, GC/MS and 13CNMR. In total, 52 compounds were identified accounting for 88.8 % to 99.9 % of the total composition. The chemical composition of the oils was largely dominated by monoterpenes, with 1,8-cineole (9.7-70.2 %), camphor (0.3-31.0 %) being the major compounds followed by borneol (0.3-21.0 %), α-pinene (4.5-14.5 %), β-pinene (0.1-12.0 %), linalool (0.7-9.9 %) and verbenone (up to 11.1 %) which was present only in the samples harvested in Adrar. All compositions (71 samples) were submitted to statistical analysis. Combination of hierarchical clustering dendrogram and principal component analysis suggested the existence of three groups (one of these being subdivided into two sub-groups) which were distinguished on the basis of 1,8-cineole, camphor and verbenone contents. Four essential oil samples, containing 1,8-cineole and/or camphor as main components, exhibited anti-inflammatory activity against lipoxygenase, with IC50 values in the range 93 to 155 μg/mL.

Assessment of microplastic abundance and impact on recreational beaches along the western Algerian coastline

Microplastics (MPs) have attracted global attention due to their ubiquity and potential impact on the environment. However, MPs are poorly documented along the Algerian coast. To address this data gap, this study investigated the presence of MPs on three recreational beaches in western Algeria (Stidia, Sablettes and Mersat El Hadjaj). The mean MP abundance for the three beaches was estimated at 55.47 ± 48.01 items/m2. Characterization of MPs shape revealed that fragments (79.81 %) were dominant, followed by pellets (10.58 %), filaments (5.57 %), and foam (3.85 %). An assessment of the Microplastic Pollution Index, the Pellet Pollution Index, and the Coefficient of Microplastic Impact, revealed the presence of very low to moderate levels of MPs on the beaches. This presence was associated with minimal beach pollution and moderate overall impact. The sector analysis approach results confirm that there are two different magnitudes of MPs presence that can negatively impact on the environmental quality of the studied beaches.

Site suitability analysis of wind energy resources in different regions of Algeria’s southwestern highland

This paper presents a site suitability analysis for a 20 MW wind farm project in western Algeria’s highlands. The aim is to improve the quality of the electricity grid’s service and increase Algeria’s renewable energy utilization. The wind potential of three regions, Mecheria, El Kheiter, and Naâma, was evaluated using the Weibull function and the wind atlas analysis and application program (WAsP) with a ten-year database (2011-2021) at 10 m hub height. The assessment encompassed a comprehensive analysis of various wind resource parameters, including mean wind speed, prevailing direction, and power densities. In comparison to other sites, the Mecheria region has the best wind potential, with a mean annual wind speed of 6.31 m/s, a power density of 283 W/m2, and Weibull parameters A = 7.1 m/s and k = 2.02. These promising results prompted us to design a wind farm in this region using Power Wind 90/2000 kW turbine technology facing the predominant wind directions of the site, producing 103.91 GWh of total annual gross energy produced (gross AEP) and 103.75 GWh of total annual net energy produced (net AEP). Finally, it appears that the wind resources in the selected region are well-suited for electricity generation, offering a promising opportunity to reduce the country's dependence on fossil fuels.

Characterisation ofIGF-1 (rs7136446) and IL-6 (rs1800795) polymorphisms among breast cancer patients in western Algeria.

Breast cancer (BC) is themost frequently diagnosed cancer among women worldwide, including Algeria. Certain single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been linked to higher risk ofBC. Several studies have been performed on theinsulin- like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) T > C (rs7136446) and theinterleukin 6 (IL-6) 174 G > C (rs1800795) SNPs to explore their role in BC. Theaim ofthis study is to investigate theassociation between the2 SNPs, IL-6 (rs1800795) and IGF-1 (rs7136446) with BC in thepopulation ofwestern Algeria. This study was carried out for thefirst time among theAlgerian population. This case-control study included 109 BC patients and 112 healthy controls. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples. DNA concentration was determined using theQubit 2.0 fluorometer. Thegenotyping ofselected SNPs was performed by real-time polymerase chain reaction followed by statistical analysis to assess genotypic frequencies and genetic association with BC. Theresults showed that IGF-1 rs7136446 was positively associated with BC (p = 0.00001) and that thedistribution ofgenotype frequencies ofrs7136446 showed astatistically difference between human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2) positive and HER-2 negative BC (p = 0.04), but this association did not last after thecorrection ofBonferroni. No association was found in genotype distribution oftheIL-6 (rs1800795) among controls and BC patients or with clinicopathological parameters including HER-2 status in BC (p > 0.05). In summary, our findings indicate that IGF-1 rs7136446 is associated with BC in our population ofwestern Algeria.

Sheep breeds in North African steppes: Case study of the border region of Naama (western Algeria)

Sheep breeds in North African steppes: Case study of the border region of Naama (western Algeria)

Cities in Algeria, between growing needs for urbanizable land and constraints of spatial development. Case of Beni Saf, a small coastal town in the Tellian Atlas of western Algeria

Cities in Algeria, between growing needs for urbanizable land and constraints of spatial development. Case of Beni Saf, a small coastal town in the Tellian Atlas of western Algeria

Physicochemical characteristics and thin layer chromatography of the essential oil of spearmint: Mentha spicata L, from western Algeria

The species chosen for this study is sweet mint, Mentha spicata L, harvested in the wilaya of El Bayadh in Algeria. The aim of this work is to highlight the plant's identification criteria, its yield in essential oil, the various physico-chemical parameters and the composition of the essential oil using different techniques (determination of several chemical indices and establishment of the list of constituents of the essential oil using chromatographic methods). The botanical study showed the presence of two types of "Lamiaceae" type secretory hairs. These secretory hairs are the histological support for the production and storage of essential oils. A study of the kinetics of the extraction yield shows that distillation is rapid from 0 to 120 minutes, when the yield reaches an optimum (1.08%). The organoleptic characteristics and physico-chemical indices obtained are in line with the standards given in the bibliography. Thin layer chromatography revealed the presence of several constituents through the appearance of several spots of different colour and Rf, three of which were identified by comparison with controls, namely menthol, cineol and carvone.

Effects of sediment on mechanical behavior of polypropylene fiber concrete before and after exposure to high temperature

The phenomenon of siltation of dams causes in Algeria a vital problem which annually loses a considerable volume of water storage.The objective of this study the valorization of calcined sediment from the Fergoug dam (western Algeria) in normal concrete exposed at 800 °C. Moreover, the sediments were calcination-treated at 750°C for 5 hours tomakeitactive. The different mixtures were prepared with 0%, 8%, 12% and 16% of sediment by partial substitution of cement , as well as of polypropylene fiber volume of 0.05% and 0.1%. All mixes were investigated on compressive strength and flexural strength at 90 days with different heating cooling cycles from the room temperature to 800 °C in electric muffle furnace. The experimental result indicates that the inclusion 8 and 12% of calcined sediment with fiber significantly enhances properties of normal concrete before and after heating, respectively.

VALORIZATION OF DREDGED SEDIMENTS FROM DAMS IN PAVEMENT DESIGN

Introduction: This study is part of research aimed at valorizing dredged sediments through the development of formulations for use in road engineering. The purpose of the study was to determine if the materials selected for pavement layers comply with road design standards, in particular, with specific requirements for density, grain size, plastic properties, organic matter, and mechanical performance. Methods: To determine the physical-chemical and mechanical characteristics of the dredged sediments obtained from samples taken from the Bakhadda dam located in western Algeria’s semi-arid climate, the sediments were treated with binders in small amounts (3% lime (L), 6% cement (C)) for reuse in road construction. The study focused on the evolution of physical and mechanical characteristics of the treated sediments, including LL, PI, VBS, immediate bearing index (IBI%), UCS, tensile strength Ϭt, as well as small strain modulus ESS and large strain modulus E50. The results showed that adding lime and cement to the dredged sediments improved their strength, as evidenced by the increased compressive strength (UCS) over time for the samples containing different amounts of binders (3%L, 6%C, and 3%L + 6%C). Additionally, the effect of the water content on the mechanical properties of the formulations was demonstrated. The study showed that the strength increased when the water content decreased.

Co expression of EGFR and CD10 in patients with phyllodes tumors of the breast: a single center experience in North Western Algeria.

Breast phyllodes tumors (BPT) have variable malignant potential, their histological classification remains insufficient for an accurate diagnosis. We attempted to investigate CD10 (Cluster of differentiation 10) and EGFR (Epidermal growth factor receptor) expression in BPT in order to highlight their diagnostic and prognostic values. Eight patients with BPT are recruited from January 2014 to December 2020 and immunohistochemical assessment of CD10 and EGFR is realized. Median age was 27±15.2, the mean tumor size was 9.63±10.21. Only malignant tumours showed expression for EGFR. Borderline and malignant tumors were CD10 positive. Patients overexpressing CD10 were postmenopausal with great tumor size, 25% of these were sarcomatous. Coexistence of CD10 and EGFR overexpression was found in 25% of cases and was associated with age (P=0.008), tumor size (P=0.030) and hitologic types (P=0.014). PC1 and PC2, were extracted, they accounted cumulatively for 94.7% of the variance of the data analysed, it suggests that patient's age and histological type of tumor have significant association with CD10 and EGFR expression in BPT. EGFR and CD10 overexpressed combined proteins in phyllode tumors constitute, with histopathological parameters, an important prognostic factor as well as a promising potential targets.