Fouad Berrada

The neurobiology of apolipoproteins and their receptors in the CNS and Alzheimer's disease

The importance of apolipoproteins in the central nervous system became increasingly clear with the association in 1993 of the epsilon4 allele of apolipoprotein E with familial and sporadic late-onset Alzheimers disease. Apolipoprotein E is a ligand for several receptors, most of which are found to some extent in the brain. This review summarizes the various apolipoproteins and lipoprotein receptors found in the brain. A growing body of evidence now implicates irregular lipoprotein metabolism in several neurodegenerative disorders. We then focus on research linking apolipoprotein E and Alzheimers disease, from clinical studies to biochemical models, which may explain some of the complex neurobiology of this disorder.

Obstacles facing the diffusion of drip irrigation technology in the Middle Atlas region of Morocco

Research was conducted by the author and an inter-disciplinary team at Al Akhawayn University, Morocco, under a Canadian (IDRC) grant between 2009 and 2011. Using various methodologies, including survey research, the team found several significant obstacles facing the diffusion of drip irrigation technology in the Middle Atlas region of Morocco. These obstacles include lack of access to capital, land titles that cannot be mortgaged, and a weak presence of the relevant bureaucracies at the farm level. The implications of these obstacles in terms of responding to climate change and aquifer depletion are addressed as part of the paper.

Violence, the Bitit Canal and the Nile Basin: An Asymmetric Comparison

This chapter uses a comparative case study methodology to compare very different hydrological systems: the Nile and the Bitit canal. While at first the two systems appear vastly different, they share several features. First, they are both inhabited by diverse communities. Second, they are both subject to partial and unclear legal regimes. Third, they are both located in environments where natural resources are under severe strain. The chapter addresses the question of violence in the two systems and finds that the best solution to issues related to water distribution is shared and participatory management of the water.