The Journal of Middle East and North Africa Sciences

6-8

Authors: Ahmed Tabbabi; Khadija Bekhti

Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti and Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus (Skuse) are known or potential vectors to humans of several arboviruses. Albania was the first European country colonized by Ae. albopictus in 1979 which was dispersed after in the majority of European countries including the countries closest to the Maghreb. In Algeria, the identification of Ae. albopictus was carried out in 2010, 2014 and 2015. In Morocco, the detection of this mosquito in three breeding sites in the same province of Rabat in 2015 indicates the establishment of Ae. albopictus in the country. This new species will rapidly invade the other countries of northern Africa given the important aerial and maritime links with Southern Europe. The reinforcement of border surveillance is necessary to prevent onward transmission among the local population especially with the vectorial competence of this dangerous vector and the increase of imported arboviruses.

13-16

Authors: Ahmad M. Mansour; Nada Sbeity

Authors present a 15-year-old adolescent who recently received chemotherapy for T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The bilateral visual decrease resulted from diffuse superficial perivascular hemorrhages. The clinical impression was cytomegalovirus retinitis. The patient did not respond to antiviral therapy and polymerase chain reaction for cytomegalovirus in the blood was negative. Two weeks later, the hemorrhages have started to fade revealing diffuse perivascular creamy subretinal infiltrates by fundoscopy and OCT. Following salvage chemotherapy and sub-tenon corticosteroid, subretinal infiltrates decreased markedly, the subretinal fluid in the macular region resolved and vision improved bilaterally. Optic disc swelling increased and two days after a second periocular corticosteroid, visual acuity dropped from CF near the face and 20/200 to NLP bilaterally with marked resolution of the retinal and disc tumor. The tumor regression resulted from autoinfarction with vascular compromise or treatment induced tumor lysis. two weeks later, the patient succumbed.

5-9

Authors: Ahmed Tabbabi; Hassen Ben Cheikh

The inheritance pattern of resistance was investigated in laboratory-induced temephos resistant and susceptible strains of Culex pipiens. The field population collected in Northwestern Tunisia was subjected to temephos selection and after 6 generations in the laboratory identified as Bou.tem6. Different genetic crosses were carried out between resistant and sensitive strains. The F1 offspring of the reciprocal crosses between the Bou.tem6 and S-Lab strains showed high levels of temephos resistance indicating that the resistant gene is completely dominant. The dose-mortality lines of reciprocal crosses to a sensitive colony showed the same projection and confirmed the autosomal inheritance of the resistance. Dose/mortality data for backcross showed that resistance to temephos is multifactorial. Our results were discussed in relation with previous studies.

16-19

Authors: Ahmed Tabbabi; Ibtissem Ben Jha; Ali Lamari; Hassen Ben Cheikh

A collection of Culex pipiens from Boussalem, Northwestern Tunisia, with a low level of temephos resistance (14.90 at LD95) was selected to higher resistance with temephos in the laboratory. After 6 generations of pressure, the temephos resistance ratio increased to 103.95 at LD95. Synergism tests showed that temephos resistance was not associated with monooxygenase and esterases or (GST); however, evidence of insensitive acetylcholinesterase was found. It is evident that this important vector species, Culex pipiens, has the potential to develop resistance to temephos.

8-13

Authors: Hamid Ali Abed Al-Asadi

The foremost compensations of clustering are the communication of combined information to the base station, bids scalability for enormous quantity of nodes and lowers down energy depletion. Essentially, clustering could be categorized into centralized grouping, distributed grouping and hybrid grouping. In centralized grouping, the cluster head is immovable. The rest of the sensor nodes in the group deed as participant nodes. In distributed clustering, the cluster head is not stationary. The cluster head retains on fluctuating form node to node within the group on the foundation of some restrictions. Hybrid clustering is the mixture of both centralized clustering and distributed grouping contrivances. A distributed clustering procedure, the integrated energy efficient clustering (IEEC) mechanism has been anticipated. The anticipated procedure is a well dispersed and energy effectual grouping procedure which engages relay nodes, capricious communication power and solitary message communication per node for group set-up. The enactment of the projected procedure is associated with two prevailing distributed grouping procedures LEACH and HEED. The projected procedure portrays an upgrading in average communication energy and overall system energy intake. Eventually, the complete network lifetime is considerably extended in IEEC procedure

18-26

Authors: Asige Geofrey Livumbaze; S. K. Judith Achoka

Students’ school attendance stands out as a major factor in student academic achievement. Sporadic attendance leads to transient knowledge retention hence dismal academic results manifested by poor/receding test scores. Similarly, some archaic gender stereotypes and gender bigotry plays to the disadvantage of students’ thus affecting their schooling. This study attempted to analyze the impact of students’ school attendance and gender on students’ academic achievement in public secondary schools in Hamisi sub-county, Kenya. The focus was put on the observed preceding academic achievement of students at secondary school’s KCSE with respect to their scores at primary-level schooling. The study was guided by the following objectives: 1. To determine the effect of students’ school attendance to academic achievement in secondary schools in Hamisi Sub-county and 2. Establish the effect of gender to students’ academic achievement in secondary schools in Hamisi Sub-county. The study employed descriptive survey research design. The target population was 4,295 consisting of 41 Principals, 428 teachers, 3826 students. Simple random sampling was used to select both the teachers and students. Stratified random sampling was used to classify and select schools hence 12 principals. The sample size was 523 respondents consisting of 12 principals, 128 teachers and 383 students. Data collection tools used were structured and unstructured questionnaires, interview schedules and document analysis. Content validity and test re-test techniques were used to validate and test instrument reliability respectively. A Pearson Correlation coefficient of 0.5 provided the benchmark for instrument reliability. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics. Quantitative data was presented using frequency counts, means and percentages with the aid of the SPSS Version 24.0. Thematic trends were used to analyze qualitative data with presentation done using frequency distribution tables, bar graphs, and pie charts. The study established that: The students’ school attendance was way below acceptable low. Boys’ participation in schooling was higher compared to that of girls. It was recommended that: Secondary schools in Hamisi sub-county should join their programs and routines in a manner that encourages students to attend school. The gender bigotry and stereotypes should be done away with. The government should put in place a clear policy framework to guard against issues that segregate against either gender both at home and school. More emphasis should be placed on the girl child so that they have equal opportunities in schooling with the boy child.

6-21

Authors: Selestin J. Ngoma; Martin Kimanya; Bendantukuka Tiisekwa; Dismas Mwaseba

Complementary foods in Tanzania are contaminated with aflatoxins (AF), a group of highly toxic metabolites produced mostly by the fungi Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. Although intake of aflatoxins contaminated food may cause cancer of the liver, very few parents perceive aflatoxins exposure as a public health threat. This study was cross-sectional designed and used both quantitative and qualitative approaches to assess perception and attitude towards aflatoxins contamination in child foods and its management among 364 parents with children aged between 6-23 months in central Tanzania. Health Belief Model (HBM) was used to determine parents’ perception and attitude of aflatoxins. Exploratory Factor Analysis identified the underlying constructs of the Health Belief Model (HBM). The multivariate analysis indicated that mean perception score for parents aged above 34 years was significantly higher (β=0.3666, p<0.05) compared to those aged below or equal 34 years. The mean perception score for parents with primary education was significantly higher (β=0.3730, p<0.05) in comparison to mean score of those that had never been to school. The estimated mean attitude towards aflatoxins score for parents in union was significantly higher (β=0.2639, p<0.05) compared to those not in union. Parents with primary education and those with secondary education (β=0.3405, p<0.05) and (β=0.5528, p<0.05), respectively, were significantly important predictors of attitude for actions towards aflatoxins reduction. There was strong association between perception and attitude scores towards aflatoxin contamination and reduction to the foods. The findings were complemented by results of the focus group discussions (FGDs) which showed that people were not provided with education about aflatoxin contamination in complementary foods, although few of them were using their experience to control fungi. Health professionals and public extension officers should work together to advise the people about the problem of aflatoxins and means to prevent its occurrence in complementary foods.

25-29

Authors: Ahmed Tabbabi; Ali Lamari; Jaber Daaboub; Ibtissem Ben Jha; Hassen Ben Cheikh

A sample of Culex pipiens from Northwestern Tunisia, North Africa, with a high level of temephos resistance, was subjected to temephos selection to evaluate the utility of this organophosphate insecticide for mosquito control. High resistance developed after three generations of selection (52x). High cross-resistance was observed for the pyrethroid permethrin (32x). Synergism tests showed the implication of cytochrome P450 monooxygenases but not of esterase in temephos and permethrin resistance. Pyrethroid resistance could be associated with a cytochrome P450 monooxygenases and/or glutathione-S-transferase mechanism but not the esterases. The cross-resistance to permethrin from temephos selection could limit the use of both insecticides for Culex pipiens control.

3-20

Authors: Hussin J. Hejase; Fadi Hashem; Ali Al Dirani; Ziad Haddad; Khalid Atwi

Background: The current fierce market environment obliges corporations to strive for success with every business strategy or tool to secure sustainability in the market. One approach that companies use is to operate and at the same time contribute to the well-being of the surrounding community, to safeguard the natural environment under which they operate, and to enhance the work force opportunities for growth. Such an approach has developed with time and is known as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). CSR strategy is one of the roadmaps that corporations may use, including the possible activities corporations’ implementation, which may impact consumers’ choice and decisions to deal with the said corporations. Nowadays, in Lebanon, the use of CSR strategy is moderately on the rise. Objective: The current research aims to assess the extent that CSR strategy really affects consumers’ decision making, and to determine which one of the CSR activities or tools involving social, economic, or environmental dimensions carries the highest impact on changing consumers’ decision. Furthermore, this research will shed light on the Lebanese consumers’ perception and attitude towards CSR, and to assess which applied activities/tools carries the highest impact on their decision-making process to buy a product or a service. Materials and Methods: This research is exploratory, comparative and quantitative in nature, and uses a survey questionnaire distributed to 200 Lebanese consumers selected conveniently to study their perception of CSR strategy, and to identify which CSR tool they perceive as to be more effective in affecting their decision to buy a specific product/service. Results: Results show that 74.3% of the respondents are aware of CSR activities and agree on the fact that CSR is beneficial to society, corporations, and individuals. Also, 83.5% of the respondents agreed that CSR impacts their decision to buy products, and 60.3% showed that it may even initiate a purchase not planned previously. Furthermore, results show that 46.2% of the respondents will buy more as of quantity and 76% may go into the substitution of products because of CSR. 75.2% of the respondents mentioned that CSR also may impact their feelings towards products and will increase their loyalty to CSR-applying corporations. Conclusions: The outcomes of the research are used to support recommendations for Lebanese corporations to implement CSR strategy and the adequate activities needed to attract the Lebanese consumer.

25-34

Authors: Tarek Y. Bayoumi; Eman T. Abdou; Samar A. M. Elshakhess; Soad A. Mahmoud

In this study, we sought to determine whether the increases in peroxidase (POX), catalase activities (CAT), normalized differential vegetation index (NDVI), chlorophyll pigments as (SPAD reading), proline and relative water content (RWC) as selection criteria for drought tolerance in sesame and how to improve water use efficiency (WUE) under drought stress. Four sesame populations were derived from crossing among six parents i.e., population 1 (Sandaweel 3* 375* Sandaweel 3), population 2 (Lines 237*217* 241), population 3 (Sandaweel 3* lines 241* 237) and population 4 (Lines 241* 217* 220) for two growing seasons. Measurements were taken under various of water deficit levels (100 % ETo, 80 % ETo, 60 % ETo). The highest seed yield was belonging to population No.4 while, population No.1 and 3 were the lowest among populations. The NDVI index was sensitive to changes in plant biomass, vigor, and leaf size, which varies from water deficit level to another and from population to another. The activities of peroxidase and catalase antioxidant enzymes were altered when plants were subjected to stress. POX and CAT activity increased significantly in all populations for both drought stress Levels. CAT activity increased in Pop. No.4 more than 20 folds due to water stress. Results suggest that water deficit induces oxidative stress in growing sesame plants and that peroxidase and catalase could serve as important components of antioxidative defense mechanism against drought. Proline, RWC, chlorophyll content and NDVI are powerful tools for the study of spatial and temporal heterogeneity of leaf transpiration and photosynthetic performance. The highest values of WUE of seed or oil yields (kg/m3) were obtained by irrigating population 4 under sever water stress. The correlations between NDVI and grain yield within individual trials varied depending on crop stage, moisture availability, and genotypes composition. The genotypes were accumulated more proline due to stress had the same genotypes which gave the highest RWC, POX and CAT enzymes.