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Background/Objectives: To develop a computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) method for the classification of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) cardiac MRI images into myocardial infarction (MI), myocarditis, and healthy classes using a fine-tuned VGG16 model hybridized with multi-layer perceptron (MLP) (VGG16-MLP) and assess our model's performance in comparison to various pre-trained base models and MRI readers. Methods: This study included 361 LGE images for MI, 222 for myocarditis, and 254 for the healthy class. The left ventricle was extracted automatically using a U-net segmentation model on LGE images. Fine-tuned VGG16 was performed for feature extraction. A spatial attention mechanism was implemented as a part of the neural network architecture. The MLP architecture was used for the classification. The evaluation metrics were calculated using a separate test set. To compare the VGG16 model's performance in feature extraction, various pre-trained base models were evaluated: VGG19, DenseNet121, DenseNet201, MobileNet, InceptionV3, and InceptionResNetV2. The Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier was evaluated and compared to MLP for the classification task. The performance of the VGG16-MLP model was compared with a subjective visual analysis conducted by two blinded independent readers. Results: The VGG16-MLP model allowed high-performance differentiation between MI, myocarditis, and healthy LGE cardiac MRI images. It outperformed the other tested models with 96% accuracy, 97% precision, 96% sensitivity, and 96% F1-score. Our model surpassed the accuracy of Reader 1 by 27% and Reader 2 by 17%. Conclusions: Our study demonstrated that the VGG16-MLP model permits accurate classification of MI, myocarditis, and healthy LGE cardiac MRI images and could be considered a reliable computer-aided diagnosis approach specifically for radiologists with limited experience in cardiovascular imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine algae are renowned for their health benefits due to the presence of functional bioactive compounds. In this context, this study aims to valorize the extract of a seaweed, Dictyota dichotoma (D. dichotoma), through phytochemical characterization using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS), as well as in vitro and in silico evaluation of its biological activities (antioxidant and antimicrobial). Phytochemical characterization revealed that the ethanolic extract of Dictyota dichotoma (DdEx) is rich in phenolic compounds, with a total of 22 phycocompounds identified. Antioxidant activity, measured by various methods, showed an IC50 of 120 µg/mL for the DPPH assay, an EC50 of 120.53 µg/mL for the FRAP assay, and a total antioxidant power of 685.26 µg AAE/mg according to the phosphomolybdate (TAC) method. Evaluation of antibacterial activity showed a zone of inhibition diameter ranging from 11.93 to 22.58 mm, with the largest zone observed for the Escherichia coli (E. coli) strain. For antifungal activity, inhibition zone diameters ranged from 22.38 to 23.52 mm, with the largest recorded for the Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae) strain. The in silico study identified tetragalloyl-glucose, apigenin-7-O-glucoside, and pentagalloyl-glucose as the most active compounds against NADPH oxidase, with docking scores of −7.723, −7.424, and −6.402 kcal/mol, respectively. Regarding antibacterial activity, apigenin-7-O-glucoside, pelargonidin-3-O-glucoside, and secoisolariciresinol demonstrated high affinity for E. coli beta-ketoacyl-[acyl carrier protein] synthase, with docking scores of −7.276, −6.811, and −6.594 kcal/mol, respectively. These in vitro and in silico evaluations showed that D. dichotoma extract possesses antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, due to its richness in bioactive compounds identified by HPLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This study investigated the impact of toluene and noise exposure on pulmonary damage, focusing on the potential protective effects of Olea europaea leaf extract (OLE). Forty-eight male Wistar rats were divided into eight groups, each subjected to varying exposure conditions and OLE treatment. The results indicated that exposure to toluene and noise resulted in significant pulmonary tissue disruption, increased oxidative stress, and elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. However, OLE administration effectively mitigated these adverse effects, reducing oxidative stress and inflammation and preserving lung histology. This study demonstrates the considerable potential of OLE as a protective agent against environmental pollutants and elucidates its therapeutic potential in preventing pulmonary damage induced by combined exposure to noise and toluene. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the pulmonary damage resulting from isolated or combined exposure to inhaled toluene (300 ppm) and noise 85 dB (A), with a focus on evaluating the potential protective effects of Olea europaea L. leaf extract (OLE). Forty-eight male Wistar rats were divided into eight groups: control (C), OLE treatment (O), noise exposure (N), noise exposure with OLE treatment (N+OLE), toluene exposure (T), toluene exposure with OLE treatment (T + OLE), co-exposure to toluene and noise (NT), and co-exposure with OLE treatment (NT + OLE). OLE (40 mg/kg/day) was administered daily for six weeks via oral gavage. Exposure to toluene and noise resulted in significant disruption of the pulmonary tissue structure, accompanied by oxidative stress, as evidenced by increased lipid peroxidation, diminished catalase and superoxide dismutase activities, and elevated pro-inflammatory cytokines IL6, IL-β, and TNF-α. Notably, the administration of OLE effectively mitigated oxidative stress and inflammation and preserved pulmonary histology. In conclusion, exposure to toluene and its combination with noise significantly elevated oxidative stress, inflammatory responses, and histological disruptions in the lung tissue. In contrast, noise exposure alone is characterized by minimal effects, although it is still associated with an inflammatory response. Notably, Olea europaea L. leaf extract (OLE) exhibits a substantial protective role, effectively mitigating the adverse effects of combined exposure and highlighting its potential as a therapeutic agent for lung health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research can be considered as the first complete survey for the valorization of new olive genotypes cultivated in the South-East of Tunisia as well as their oils. The study aimed to characterize the phytochemical composition of virgin olive oil produced from two olive cultivars, namely Nourgou and Gousalani. The pomological characterization of fruits, the quality criteria and the phytochemical profile were quantified. Additionally, antioxidant activity was evaluated using Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and Oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) tests to also obtain a bioactive characterization of these monovarietal olive oils. The obtained results revealed that the analyzed olive oils samples can be classified into Extra Virgin category (EVOO) according to the regulated physicochemical characteristics. Our findings showed a significant variability in the chemical parameters of the analyzed EVOO likely associated with the genetic potential, mainly for chlorophylls contents (1.37–1.64 mg/kg), in carotenoids pigments (3.97–10.86 mg/kg), in α-tocopherol (175.59–186.87 mg/kg), in sterols (1036.4–1931.4 mg/kg) in oleic acid (65.33–68.73%), in palmitic acid (C16:0) (13.32–17.48%), in linoleic acid (C18:2) (11.06–13.47%). Additionally, the HPLC-MS/MS analysis showed that the two EVOOs analyzed contained appreciable amounts of total polyphenols, ranging from 348.03 up to 516.16 mg/kg, in Nourgou and Gousalani oils, respectively. Regarding the individual phenolic compounds, the EVOO samples were mainly characterized by phenolic alcohols, phenolic acids, secoiridoids, verbascoside, flavonoids and phenolic aldehydes. The prevalent simple phenolics detected were secoiridoids with the dominance of the oleuropein aglycone in Gousalani oil. In addition, findings from in vitro antioxidant assays (FRAP and ORAC) revealed that the two studied oils possessed a powerful antiradical activity and a good reducing power capacity. In conclusion, these new EVOOs exhibited a superior quality compared to other Tunisian varieties, considering their antiradical activity and reducing power capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The significance of sustainable mobility transition projects extends beyond borders. Transportation, particularly passenger vehicles, is a crucial sector in achieving sustainability. Therefore, prioritizing sustainable green mobility has led to the inclusion of alternative solutions, with a focus on accelerating the shift towards electric vehicle (EV) technologies and implementing a ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars in all European countries by 2035. Italy has been making progress in this area as the country seeks to address environmental concerns, reduce emissions, and promote sustainable transportation. However, compared to other European countries in 2024, Italy still has a long way to go to achieve a sustainable market share. In this regard, this article aims to address several questions related to the promotion and scaling up of the electric mobility transition project in Italy, taking into account the current situation. Specifically, it seeks to identify internal and external factors associated with this technology ecosystem, along with their relative importance. To conduct this study, a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis was conducted to identify the factors, which was followed by the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) methodology to determine their priority and importance. A total of 8 internal factors and 14 external factors were analyzed, and their overall priority was determined. This study reveals that it is crucial to capitalize on the opportunities and strengths related to technology ecosystems while effectively mitigating the threats and technological limitations in order to scale up technology adoption. In particular, strengths S1 and S3 were given the highest overall priority scores, suggesting that they are the most important factors to leverage for the successful adoption of the technology. These prioritized factors and subfactors are crucial for expediting the transition process and can influence consumers' decisions. However, without a substantial increase in consumer understanding and knowledge of these technologies, public education campaigns will be necessary. The significance of this study is paramount, and its results can contribute to the continuous enhancement in the formulation of practical plans and regulations to promote sustainable transportation, taking into account the identified factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a chemical precipitation approach was adopted to produce a photocatalyst based on bismuth tungstate Bi2WO6 for enhanced and environmentally friendly organic pollutant degradation. Various tools such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), optical spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, were employed to assess the structural and morphological properties. Hence, the XRD profiles showed a well crystallized Bi2WO6 orthorhombic phase. The photocatalytic performance of the resulting photocatalyst was assessed by the decomposition of Rhodamine B (RhB) and methyl orange (MO) with a decomposition efficiency of 97 and 92%, along with the highest chemical oxygen demand of 82 and 79% during 120 min of illumination, respectively. The principal novelty of the present work is to focus on the changes in the crystalline structure, the morphology, and the optical and the photoelectrochemical characteristics of the Bi2WO6, by tuning the annealing temperature of the designed photocatalyst. Such physicochemical property changes in the as-prepared photocatalyst will affect in turn its photocatalytic activity toward the organic pollutant decomposition. The photocatalytic mechanism was elaborated based on electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, photocurrent analysis, photoluminescence spectroscopy, and radical trapping measurements. The overall data indicate that the superoxide O2•− and holes h+ are the principal species responsible for the pollutant photodegradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address challenges associated with excessive water production in mature oil reservoirs, this study introduces a carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)-based material as a novel preformed particle gel (PPG) designed to plug excessive water pathways and redistribute the subsequent injected water toward unswept zones. Through microwave-assisted grafting copolymerization of CMC with acrylamide (AM), we successfully generated multi-sized dry particles within the range of 250–800 µm. Comprehensive analyses, including Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), have confirmed the chemical composition and morphology of the resulting carboxymethyl cellulose-grafted crosslinked polyacrylamide (CMC/PAMBA). Swelling kinetics and rheology tests were conducted to confirm the ability of this novel PPG system to perform at different reservoir conditions. The results of core flooding experiments showed that the CMC/PAMBA PPG is capable of plugging open fractures with a water breakthrough pressure gradient of up to 144 psi/ft. This preformed particle gel (PPG) system was designed specifically for application in Middle East reservoirs, which are distinguished by high salinity and elevated temperature levels. This PPG system is able to swell up to 10 times its original size in seawater and maintain a strength of about 1300 Pa at a temperature of 80 °C. Further optimization is conceivable to enhance injection efficiency and achieve superior plugging outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evaluation of sperm DNA integrity is recommended in the sixth edition of the 2021 World Health Organization guidelines. Oxidative stress has been identified as a crucial factor leading to genome decay, lipid peroxidation, and nucleoprotein oxidation. This double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial aimed to assess the effect of oral antioxidant treatment (Fertilis), which contains L-carnitine and some micronutrients, in the improvement of conventional sperm parameters, sperm DNA integrity and in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) outcomes. A total of 263 participants were enrolled and randomly divided into two groups: 131 participants received the antioxidant treatment, while 132 participants received a placebo. The male partners in both groups underwent the antioxidant treatment or the placebo for a duration of three months. For each participant, we performed a hormonal test, an infectious test, a spermogram, a TUNEL assay for sperm DNA fragmentation, a toluidine blue staining for sperm DNA decondensation, and an IVF/ICSI procedure. Sperm characteristics analysis (volume, count, motility, and vitality), sperm DNA fragmentation, and sperm DNA decondensation were assessed and compared to the results preceding the antioxidant treatment. The study outcome revealed a significant decrease in the DNA fragmentation index and a significant increase in sperm motility after 3 months of treatment (p = 0.01 and p = 0.02, respectively). Additionally, a significant improvement in clinical pregnancy rate (p = 0.01) and life birth rate (p = 0.031) was observed. No significant changes were observed in conventional sperm parameters (volume, count, and vitality) or sperm DNA decondensation (SDI). Antioxidant therapy has a beneficial impact on achieving pregnancy, whether through spontaneous conception or assisted reproductive procedures (ART). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is a less invasive alternative to open-heart surgery for treating severe aortic stenosis. Despite its benefits, the risk of procedural complications necessitates careful preoperative planning. Methods: This study proposes a fully automated deep learning-based method, TAVI-PREP, for pre-TAVI planning, focusing on measurements extracted from computed tomography (CT) scans. The algorithm was trained on the public MM-WHS dataset and a small subset of private data. It uses MeshDeformNet for 3D surface mesh generation and a 3D Residual U-Net for landmark detection. TAVI-PREP is designed to extract 22 different measurements from the aortic valvular complex. A total of 200 CT-scans were analyzed, and automatic measurements were compared to the ones made manually by an expert cardiologist. A second cardiologist analyzed 115 scans to evaluate inter-operator variability. Results: High Pearson correlation coefficients between the expert and the algorithm were obtained for most parameters (0.90–0.97), except for left and right coronary height (0.8 and 0.72, respectively). Similarly, the mean absolute relative error was within 5% for most measurements, except for left and right coronary height (11.6% and 16.5%, respectively). A greater consensus was observed among experts than when compared to the automatic approach, with TAVI-PREP showing no discernable bias towards either the lower or higher ends of the measurement spectrum. Conclusions: TAVI-PREP provides reliable and time-efficient measurements of the aortic valvular complex that could aid clinicians in the preprocedural planning of TAVI procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacteriophages could be a useful adjunct to antibiotics for the treatment of multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections. In this study, lytic P. aeruginosa myoviruses PsCh, PsIn, Ps25, and Ps12on-D were isolated from Tunisian sewage samples. Phage Ps12on-D displayed an adsorption time of ~10 min, a short latency period (~10 min), and a large burst size (~115 PFU per infected cell) under standard growth conditions. All phages were active at broad temperature (4 °C to 50 °C) and pH (3.0 to 11.0) ranges and were able to lyse a wide variety of P. aeruginosa strains isolated from clinical and environmental samples worldwide. Illumina sequencing revealed double-stranded DNA genomes ranging from 87,887 and 92,710 bp with high sequence identity to Pseudomonas phage PAK_P1. All four phages based on sequence analysis were assigned to the Pakpunavirus genus. The presented characterization and preclinical assessment are part of an effort to establish phage therapy treatment as an alternative strategy for the management of multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa infections in Tunisia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br., 2n = 2x = 14, Poaceae), is a cross-pollinated, warm-season crop grown worldwide. To select genotypes for breeding pearl millet cultivars that adapt to drought condition in southern Tunisia, we evaluated the grain yield (GY) and yield-related traits using a set of 27 landraces at two locations in southern Tunisia for two grown seasons (2019 and 2020). The genetic variability, phenotypic and genotypic association, and path coefficient (PC), based on grain yield (GY) and different yield-related agronomic traits, were evaluated. Analysis of variance and BLUPs value revealed a wide range of variability and the possibility of genetic selection for traits that are advantageous. Broad sense heritability (H) for all the traits ranged from 24.10% for grain yield (GY) to 57.11% for spike length (SL), indicating low to moderate inheritability. Genetic advance as a percentage of the mean (GAM) ranged from high (29.56%) for principal panicle weight (PPW) to moderate for all the traits except from plant high (PH) (7.31%). For all the traits, the phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) was higher than genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV), indicating the magnitude of environmental conditions. GY was significantly correlated with all the traits at the genotypic and phenotypic level. According to the path coefficient, the traits PPW and SL displayed the highest direct effects on GY. Heatmap analysis demonstrated a clear segregation between the early and late genotypes based on their geographic origin. Based on the cluster analysis and FAI-BLUPS analysis, genotypes G11, G13, G12, G17 and G18 were selected as the best-performing genotypes with the shortest cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advanced age has been reported to negatively affect sperm parameters and spermatozoa DNA integrity. A decline in sperm criteria was also associated with altered epigenetic marks such as DNA methylation with a potential downstream impact on in vitro fertilization success and clinical outcomes. The aim of the present retrospective study was to clarify the association between advanced paternal age (APA) and sperm parameters, DNA integrity and DNA methylation profile. A total of 671 patients consulting for infertility underwent sperm analysis, sperm DNA integrity assessment and methylation level measurement. The principal finding was that individuals over 40 years of age exhibit a significant increase in DNA fragmentation levels compared to the younger group (15% versus 9%, respectively, p = 0.04). However, there was no significant difference in DNA decondensation and sperm parameters in association with APA. In addition, a drop in the global methylation level was also found in men over 40 years (6% in the young group versus 2% in the old group, p = 0.03). As a conclusion, men over 40 years are at higher risk of elevated sperm DNA fragmentation and lower methylation level. Based on these observations, it is recommended that the assessment of sperm DNA fragmentation should be taken into consideration particularly after the age of 40. Our findings support the idea that paternal age is a crucial factor that should not be neglected during fertility evaluation and treatment since it is associated with epigenetics changes in sperm. Although the underlying mechanism remains to be clarified, we believe that environmental and professional exposure factors are likely involved in the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy-efficient buildings are a new demand in the current era. In this paper, we present a novel metamaterial design aimed at achieving efficient solar energy absorption through a periodic MMA structure composed of a W-GaAs-W. The proposed structure can be implemented as the window coating and in turn it can absorb the incident solar energy and, then, this energy can be used to fulfill the energy demand of the building. Our results reveal significant improvements, achieving an average absorptance of 96.94% in the spectral range. Furthermore, we explore the influence of the angle of incidence on the absorber's response, demonstrating its angle-insensitive behavior with high absorption levels (above 90%) for incidence angles up to 60° for TE polarization and 40° for TM polarization. The proposed structure presents a significant advancement in metamaterial-based solar energy absorption. By exploring the effects of structural parameters and incident angles, we have demonstrated the optimized version of our proposed absorber. The potential applications of this metamaterial absorber in self-sufficient futuristic building technologies and self-sustaining systems offer new opportunities for harnessing solar energy and are a valuable contribution to future developments in the fields of metamaterials and renewable energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the transfer matrix method, the electromagnetic responses of 1D deformed and non-deformed quasi-periodic photonic crystals arranged in accordance with the Fibonacci sequence are theoretically studied. The gallium selenide (GeSe) and plasma materials (that is, electron density) are used to construct the multilayer Fibonacci structures. If this study is experimentally validated in the future, we intend to insert two transparent polymer film materials at the top and bottom of the structure, which are intended to protect the plasma material and prevent it from escaping and spreading outside the structure. The effect of the order of the Fibonacci sequence, the deformation of the thickness of the layers using a mathematical rule and the role of the plasma material in the reflectance response are discussed. We notice that the position and the width of photonic band gaps are sensitive to the Fibonacci sequence, the thickness and the density of the plasma material layers. In addition, the intensity of the resonance peaks can be controlled by adjusting the plasma material properties. The width of the photonic band gaps can be notably enlarged by applying a structural deformation along the stacks. The proposed structures have potential applications in tunable filters, micro-cavities for LASER equipment, which allow us to obtain an intense laser, and they are very useful in the communication field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mullet is the most heavily fished species in Tunisia, accounting for one-third of the freshwater fish harvest. To ensure the continuity and development of fisheries in the country, Tunisian reservoirs have been stocked with Mugilidae fry collected from coastal and estuarine areas. The quantities of fry introduced and mullet landings were correlated. To determine the spatial distribution and abundance of mullets in these fisheries, a multi-mesh gillnet was used in 10 reservoirs. The results showed a weak global correlation between the fry introduced and mullet landings, while the correlation of these variables in each reservoir separately revealed a high correlation in all the reservoirs, except for Ghezala reservoir. The fishing survey revealed that the numerical yield varied significantly from one reservoir to another. Sidi Saad reservoir recorded the highest yield of mullet (196.52 fish/1000 m2 of nets), while a lower yield was recorded in Lahjar, Seliana, Mellegue, Laabid, Ghezala, Bezirekh, Bouheurtma, Sidi Salem, and Sidi Barrak reservoirs. The harvested mullets' sizes ranged from 14 to 65 cm, indicating good growth conditions in the Tunisian reservoirs. Our findings demonstrate a high potential for mullet production in the country; therefore, we recommend the sustainable development of this sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of silver nanoparticles and arsenic at community levels have rarely been assessed in laboratory experiments, despite their obvious advantage in reflecting better the natural conditions compared to traditionally single species-focused toxicological experiments. In the current study, the multifaceted effects of these xenobiotics, acting alone or combined, on meiobenthic nematodes were tested in a laboratory experiment carried out in microcosms. The nematofauna was exposed to two concentrations (0.1 and 1 mg·L−1) of silver nanoparticles (Ag1/Ag2) and arsenic (As1/As2), as well as to a mixture of both compounds, for 30 days. The results particularly highlighted a significant decrease in the abundance and taxonomic diversity of nematodes directly with increasing dosages of these compounds when added alone at the highest concentration. The addition of these levels of xenobiotics seems to make the sediment matrix gluey, hence inducing greater mortality among microvores and diatoms feeders. Moreover, the nematofauna went through a strong restructuring phase following the exposure to both compounds when added alone, leading to the disappearance of sensitive taxa and their replacement with more tolerant ones. However, the similarity in nematofauna composition between control and mixtures of silver nanoparticles and arsenic (except for Ag1As2) suggests that the toxicity of the latter pollutant could be attenuated by its physical bonding to the former. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phospholipid fatty acid method was used to determine the shifts in microbial biomass due to irrigation with reverse-osmosis (RO) concentrate (or highly saline reject water) and brackish groundwater (BGW). In this greenhouse study, RO concentrate and BGW were applied to irrigate pecan trees for 8 months for two consecutive seasons. The objectives of the study were to (i) evaluate how irrigation with RO concentrate and BGW impacts soil microbial composition in pecan rhizospheres using microbial phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) biomarkers as indicators, and (ii) evaluate its implications on soil health. Three treatments of RO concentrate (EC = 8.0 dS/m), BGW (EC = 4.0 dS/m), and the city of Las Cruces's water (EC = 0.8 dS/m) as a control were used to irrigate pecan trees. EC, pH, and organic matter (OM%) content of the soil samples were measured, and PLFA biomarkers for the microbial community were determined. Na-, Cl-, and K-ion concentrations were 26.16, 32.54, and 5.93 meq/L in 2017 and 25.44, 24.26, and 5.49 meq/L in 2018, respectively, in RO irrigation pots. For two seasons, gram-positive bacteria were dominant, while gram-negative bacteria were not detected in the second season. PLFA biomarkers of fungi were found among all three treatments in the first season; however, they appeared only with BGW in the second season. Actinomycetes were recorded in the first season while they were not seen in the second season. Increases in soil salinity and microbial shifts could have important implications for soil health. Irrigating with RO and BGW shifted the soil microbial composition; therefore, long-term irrigation with BGW and RO concentrate would be deleterious for pecan production and soil health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oil and gas extraction frequently produces substantial volumes of produced water, leading to several mechanical and environmental issues. Several methods have been applied over decades, including chemical processes such as in-situ crosslinked polymer gel and preformed particle gel, which are the most effective nowadays. This study developed a green and biodegradable PPG made of PAM and chitosan as a blocking agent for water shutoff, which will contribute to combating the toxicity of several commercially used PPGs. The applicability of chitosan to act as a crosslinker has been confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy and observed by scanning electron microscopy. Extensive swelling capacity measurements and rheological experiments were performed to examine the optimal formulation of PAM/Cs based on several PAM and chitosan concentrations and the effects of typical reservoir conditions, such as salinity, temperature, and pH. The optimum concentrations of PAM with 0.5 wt% chitosan were between 5–9 wt%, while the optimum chitosan amount with 6.5 wt% PAM was in the 0.25–0.5 wt% range, as these concentrations can produce PPGs with high swellability and sufficient strength. The swelling capacity of PAM/Cs is lower in high saline water (HSW) with a TDS of 67.2976 g/L compared with fresh water, which is related to the osmotic pressure gradient between the swelling medium and the PPG. The swelling capacity in freshwater was up to 80.37 g/g, while it is 18.73 g/g in HSW. The storage moduli were higher in HSW than freshwater, with ranges of 1695–5000 Pa and 2053–5989 Pa, respectively. The storage modulus of PAM/Cs samples was higher in a neutral medium (pH = 6), where the fluctuation behavior in different pH conditions is related to electrostatic repulsions and hydrogen bond formation. The increase in swelling capacity caused by the progressive increment in temperature is associated with the amide group's hydrolysis to carboxylate groups. The sizes of the swollen particles are controllable since they are designed to be 0.63–1.62 mm in DIW and 0.86–1.00 mm in HSW. PAM/Cs showed promising swelling and rheological characteristics while demonstrating long-term thermal and hydrolytic stability in high-temperature and high-salinity conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is growing interest in the use of bio inoculants based on plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) to promote plant growth under biotic and abiotic stresses. Here, we provided a detailed account of the effectiveness of a number of endophytic PGPB strains, isolated from the roots of the halophyte Salicornia brachiata in promoting durum wheat growth and enhancing its tolerance to salinity and fusarium head blight (FHB) disease. Bacillus spp. strains MA9, MA14, MA17, and MA19 were found to have PGPB characteristics as they produced indole-3-acetic acid, siderophores, and lytic enzymes, fixed free atmospheric nitrogen, and solubilized inorganic phosphate in vitro. Additionally, the in vivo study that involved in planta inoculation assays under control and stress conditions indicated that all PGPB strains significantly (p < 0.05) increased the total plant length, dry weight, root area, seed weight, and nitrogen, protein, and mineral contents. Particularly, the MA17 strain showed a superior performance since it was the most efficient in reducing disease incidence in wheat explants by 64.5%, in addition to having the strongest plant growth promotion activity under salt stress. Both in vitro and in vivo assays showed that MA9, MA14, MA17, and MA19 strains were able to play significant PGPB roles. However, biopriming with Bacillus subtilis MA17 offered the highest plant growth promotion and salinity tolerance, and bioprotection against FHB. Hence, it would be worth testing the MA17 strain under field conditions as a step towards its commercial production. Moreover, the strain could be further assessed for its plausible role in bioprotection and growth promotion in other crop plants. Thus, it was believed that the strain has the potential to significantly contribute to wheat production in arid and semi-arid regions, especially the salt-affected Middle Eastern Region, in addition to its potential role in improving wheat production under biotic and abiotic stresses in other parts of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to investigate the photocatalytic properties and chemical durability of the CaO-B2O3-V2O5 glasses system. The latter were synthesized by the melt-quenching technique. The amorphous nature of the prepared borovanadate glasses has been confirmed with X-ray diffraction. The chemical durability measured from their weights before and after immersion in deionized water and hydrochloric acid indicated that replacing V2O5 with B2O3 improved the chemical durability. The observed increases in chemical durability might be explained by the increase in the glass transition temperature, due to stronger bonding in the structural network. The photocatalytic performance was assessed by the degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye under irradiation, and the evolution of dye degradation was analyzed by UV-visible spectrometry. The vanadium content in the glass, the amount of catalyst, and the initial dye concentration showed a variable effect on the degradation of the MB dye. The photodegradation of methylene blue by the photocatalysts was found to follow pseudo-first-order rate kinetics. The photocatalytic activity for all the prepared photocatalysts showed a higher degradation performance, and the results indicated that 40 CaO-30 B2O3-30 V2O5 has the highest removal efficiency of about 99% in 180 min. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iodine intake in Haiti has increased in recent years thanks to the "Bon Sel" social enterprise approach to salt fortification and distribution by the market segment. However, it was uncertain whether this salt reached remote communities. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the iodine status of school-age children (SAC) and women of reproductive age (WRA) in a remote region of the Central Plateau. A total of 400 children (9–13 years) and 322 women (18–44 years) were recruited through schools and churches, respectively. Urinary iodine (UIC) and urinary creatinine (UCC) concentrations were measured in spot samples, and thyroglobulin (Tg) on dried blood spots. Their iodine intake was estimated, and dietary information collected. The median (IQR) UIC in SAC was 130 µg/L (79–204, n = 399), and in WRA, 115 µg/L (73–173, n = 322). The median (IQR) Tg in SAC was 19.7 µg/L (14.0–27.6, n = 370), and in WRA, 12.2 µg/L (7.9–19.0, n = 183); 10% of SAC had Tg > 40 µg/L. Estimated iodine intake was 77 µg/day and 202 µg/day in SAC and WRA, respectively. Iodized table salt was rarely consumed, though bouillon was used daily; this is hypothesized to be a major contributor to dietary iodine intake. Iodine intake in this remote region seems to have improved considerably since the 2018 national survey, though SAC remain at risk. These results point to the potential effectiveness of using social business principles to deliver humanitarian solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Pipper nigram (P. nigram) leaf extract was used for the biosynthesis of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) and the successful formation of the resultant product was confirmed through several physicochemical techniques. The chemical structure and the elemental composition were analysed through Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopies, respectively. The crystalline structure and crystallite size were investigated through an X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and a monoclinic crystallite with a size of 40.68 nm was reported. Even-distributed particles with an average particle size of 49.75 nm were seen in the scanning electron micrograph (SEM), whereas the thermal stability was checked during the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The ultra-violet and visible (UV-Visible) spectroscopy was operated to study the light absorbance phenomena and to determine the band gap energy from the absorption edge, which was found to be 1.47 eV. The CuO NPs were used as antibacterial agents against gram-negative bacteria (GNB) and gram-positive bacteria (GPB), and greater inhibition zones were seen against the former one. The antioxidant test was also carried out against 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) free radicals and the antioxidant potential of CuO NPs was found to be higher than ascorbic acid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since its initial appearance in December 2019, COVID-19 has posed a serious challenge to healthcare authorities worldwide. The purpose of the current study was to identify the epidemiological context associated with the respiratory illness propagated by the spread of COVID-19 and outline various risk factors related to its evolution in the province of Debila (Southeastern Algeria). A retrospective analysis was carried out for a cohort of 612 COVID-19 patients admitted to hospitals between March 2020 and February 2022. The results were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Further, logistic regression analysis was employed to perform the odds ratio. In gendered comparison, males were found to have a higher rate of incidence and mortality compared to females. In terms of age, individuals with advanced ages of 60 years or over were typically correlated with higher rates of incidence and mortality in comparison toindividuals below this age. Furthermore, the current research indicated that peri-urban areas were less affected that the urban regions, which had relatively significant incidence and mortality rates. The summer season was marked with the highest incidence and mortality rate in comparison with other seasons. Patients who were hospitalized, were the age of 60 or over, or characterized by comorbidity, were mainly associated with death evolution (odds ratio [OR] = 8.695; p = 0.000), (OR = 6.192; p = 0.000), and (OR = 2.538; p = 0.000), respectively. The study identifies an important relationship between the sanitary status of patients, hospitalization, over-age categories, and the case severity of the COVID-19 patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many techniques have been recently used by various researchers to solve some types of symmetrical fractional differential equations. In this article, we show the existence and uniqueness to the solution of ς -Caputo stochastic fractional differential equations (CSFDE) using the Banach fixed point technique (BFPT). We analyze the Hyers–Ulam stability of CSFDE using the stochastic calculus techniques. We illustrate our results with three examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]