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This study aimed to provide new data on the chemical composition and biological properties of Corrigiola. telephiifolia Pourr., demonstrating the influence of different extraction solvents and geographic locations on these properties. It presents novel findings on the phytochemical contents, antioxidant activity, and antimicrobial effects of various fractions of Corrigiola telephiifolia Pourr. roots collected from three distinct regions in Morocco. The obtained results reveal significant variations in TPC, TFC, and antioxidant activity depending on the extraction fraction and geographic origin. Notably, the fraction of raw extract exhibited the highest TPC values in all sampled sites (44.76 ± 0.05 in Agouray, 35.89±0.02 in Sefrou, and 14.99 ± 0.03 mg·GAE/g·dw in Azrou). The peak values of TFC were recorded in the fraction of raw extracts for all sampling sites (20.80 ± 0.01 in Agouray, 18.62 ± 0.01 in Sefrou, and 11.54 ± 0.01 mg QAE/g dw in Azrou). The highest values of FRAP were recorded in the fraction of raw extract of Agouray (2.00±0.00). Furthermore, the hexane fraction showed the highest DPPH and Chelating power with IC50 equal to 0.46 ± 0.02 mg·mL-1 and 0.10 ± 0.00 mg·mL-1, respectively. All fractions showed significant and variable antibacterial activities. The highest antimicrobial activity was recorded in in ethyl acetate fraction of the sample from Agouray against E. coli (MIC = 0.039). The highest anti-microbial effect was recorded also in ethyl acetate fraction against E. coli and P. aeruginosa, and raw fraction against B. subtilis and P. aeruginosa (MBC = 0.313 against both microorganisms). Agouray consistently demonstrated superior results across multiple parameters, indicating it as the best region for the highest phytochemical and bioactive properties. This study evaluated the chemical compounds and biological properties of Corrigiola. telephiifolia Pourr. and demonstrated the effect of the sampled area and solvent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving the thermal insulation and energy efficiency of building envelopes is a major objective worldwide and has significantly developed in the recent years. This study aims to evaluate the impact of ecological additive and passive strategies on building energy efficiency. An experimental study was carried out to examine the effect of the incorporation of treated Alfa and Posidonia-Oceanica fibers on the thermal properties of cement and gypsum composite samples. The experimental results were then introduced in a numerical study using TRNSYS software to perform a comparison of the energy efficiency and thermal performance of three individual buildings; two ones constructed with our ecological materials and the third one with typical materials is considered as a reference case under the Tunisian climate. The obtained results indicate that the buildings built with Alfa fibers (BAF) and Posidonia-Oceanica fibers (BPOF) are economically effective since they allow a decrease of about 48.20% and 43.48% in heating, 45.71% and 42.77% in cooling, leading to a reduction in CO2 emission of 47.90% and 43.40%, respectively, in comparison with the reference case. The investigation also focuses on the improvement of the ecological building envelope by a storage wall integrated on the south front and shaded by solar movable overhangs during the summer season. The indoor climate results reveal that incorporating passive strategies into the building improves indoor air temperature and preserves a comfortable indoor relative humidity. Heating requirements decrease by 82.82% for BAF and by 79.76% for BPOF. The cooling requirements of the reference building are also reduced by 63.46% for BAF and 60.45% for BPOF by the use of natural night ventilation (4 ACH) and the appropriate shading for Trombe walls and windows. Consequently, the implementation of passive strategies on the ecological buildings led to a net reduction in CO2 emissions by up to 80.55% for BAF, compared to the reference case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corrigiola telephiifolia is an aromatic and medicinal herb whose constituents hold worldwide interest for its various ethnopharmacological properties in the pharmaceutical field. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the geographical distribution, phytochemical contents, traditional uses, and pharmacological properties of Corrigiola telephiifolia Pourr. Through an exhaustive search of primary databases, literature from 1950 to 2022 was examined, focusing on keywords to ensure inclusivity. The plant exhibits diverse physiological functions, potentially aiding in the prevention of diabetes, dyslipidemia, oxidative stress, and microbial infections while enhancing immunity. Similarly, we outlined recommendations for future research aimed at addressing existing gaps, and additional comprehensive studies are necessary to investigate the influence of climate change and other factors on the variability of chemical constituents. These endeavors would provide fresh perspectives on the biological characteristics of this species and offer guidance for future research initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The closed greenhouse is an innovative crop system in the horticulture sector, integrating appropriate climate control equipment and optimized techniques to collect, store, and reuse solar energy for heating and/or cooling the greenhouse. This concept aims to improve the crop yield and quality with energy efficient and water-saving technologies. A specific focus on the opportunities of implementing closed greenhouses under arid climate conditions is detailed in this work. Guidelines for selecting appropriate techniques and design parameters are investigated, aiming for profitable and sustainable greenhouse production. This paper provides an overview of the design aspects of the closed greenhouse and a state of the art of its applications in arid areas. Firstly, the microclimate parameters, including temperature, relative humidity (RH), light intensity, and CO2 concentration are introduced. Then, an in-depth focus on the effects of these parameters on crop productivity, water, and energy efficiency are thoroughly discussed. Finally, the limitations of closed greenhouse applications are pointed out as opportunities for further research and development in this emerging agriculture field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pimpinella anisum (anise) is a dense vegetal matrix with considerable amounts of bioactive components known for its pharmacological properties. The optimization of extraction constitutes an important key to improving efficacy and avoiding wasting time. Within this framework, the present study was designed to select the most appropriate extractor solvent mixture to extract phenolic and flavonoids using Mixture Design Methodology. The concerned responses were the total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC) and antioxidant ability examined by 2,2-diphenyl-l-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. Before mixture design optimization, a screening of solvents was conducted on ten polar and nonpolar solvents to choose the best solvents that give a maximum of total phenolic compounds. This first step has shown that water, ethanol and methanol were the best-used solvents. Later, an augmented centroid design investigated the solvent system's optimization. The results of simultaneous optimization have shown that the ternary mixture containing 44% of water, 22% of ethanol and 34% of methanol was the most appropriate for simultaneous maximization of TPC, TFC and antioxidant activity with 18.55 mg GAE/g, 7.16 mg QE/g and 0.56 mg/mL, respectively. Our results have shown that using mixture design as an optimization technique was an excellent way to choose the most suitable mixture to extract bioactive compounds, which may represent a promising method of multi-purpose extraction, especially in the pharmaceutical and food sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants are exposed to a variety of abiotic factors during their growth, such as climatic conditions and soil qualities. These factors have varying effects on the physiological and morphological characteristics of plant species. The present study was aimed at evaluating the physiological and morphological responses of Cedrus atlantica, Pinus halepensis, and Tetraclinis articulata seedlings cultivated in different pedoclimatic conditions. The study was carried out at two sites in central Morocco: Beni Souhane and Taddout. Seedlings of C. atlantica, P. halepensis, and T. articulata were grown in a greenhouse. Stem height, collar diameter, vigor factor, shoot and root dry matter, shoot to root dry matter ratio, and Dickson quality index (DQI) were all measured. Principal component analysis (PCA) and Pearson correlation were used to determine the relationship between variables. The results showed that P. halepensis cultivated in Taddout station had the highest stem height and collar diameter, while T. articulata of the Beni Souhane station was found to have the highest vigor quotient. There was high correlation level of stem height and collar diameter with the DQI, particularly for T. articulata cultivated in Beni Souhane station. The PCA revealed that the T. articulata of Ben Souhane station was found in the positive section of PC1 and characterized by its homogeneity of DQI and ratio. The findings of this study demonstrate the morphological and physiological elements involved in determining the quality of the plants under study. However, a further in-depth research is required to confirm these results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Cluster of differentiation 40 (CD40), and its ligand CD40L, are major co-stimulatory molecules whose interactions are important in both cellular and humoral immunity, and has been suggested to play a role in the pathogenesis of acute coronary syndrome. Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the association of CD40 polymorphisms (-1 C>T (rs1883832) and 945G>T (rs4810485)) and myocardial infarction (MI), and to test the association of CD40 gene haplotypes with MI in Tunisians. Materials and methods: Three hundred and fifty MI patients and 301 apparently healthy controls were included in the study. The polymorphisms of CD40 were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Results: There were significant differences in the genotype and allele frequencies of CD40 gene -1 C>T (rs1883832) polymorphism between cases and controls. Stratifying according to gender, the association between the TT genotype and MI was statistically significant in males, only. Haplotype analysis revealed that the C-T and T-G haplotypes were associated with an increased risk of MI (p = 0.012 and p < 0.001, respectively). Conclusions: Our work showed a significant association between the -1 C>T (rs1883832) polymorphism of the CD40 gene and MI in the Tunisians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Appraisal of the impact of passive strategies on the energy requirements of a solar cooled building in Tunisia. [•] Comparative simulations of different envelope characteristics. [•] Effect of storage walls and solar overhangs on the thermal performance of the building. [•] Simulation of a predictive model featuring passive strategies and renovation measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work is motivated by the difficulty of cultivating crops in horticulture greenhouses under hot and arid climate conditions. The main challenge is to provide a suitable greenhouse indoor environment, with sufficiently low costs and low environmental impacts. The climate control inside the greenhouse constitutes an efficient methodology for maintaining a satisfactory environment that fulfills the requirements of high-yield crops and reduced energy and water resource consumption. In hot climates, the cooling systems, which are assisted by an effective control technique, constitute a suitable path for maintaining an appropriate climate inside the greenhouse, where the required temperature and humidity distribution is maintained. Nevertheless, most of the commonly used systems are either highly energy or water consuming. Hence, the main objective of this work is to provide a detailed review of the research studies that have been carried out during the last few years, with a specific focus on the technologies that allow for the enhancement of the system effectiveness under hot and arid conditions, and that decrease the energy and water consumption. Climate control processes in the greenhouse by means of manual and smart control systems are investigated first. Subsequently, the different cooling technologies that provide the required ranges of temperature and humidity inside the greenhouse are detailed, namely, the systems using heat exchangers, ventilation, evaporation, and desiccants. Finally, the recommended energy-efficient approaches of the desiccant dehumidification systems for greenhouse farming are pointed out, and the future trends in cooling systems, which include water recovery using the method of combined evaporation–condensation, as well as the opportunities for further research and development, are identified as a contribution to future research work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]