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Abstract Background Tamoxifen, a selective estrogen receptor modulator, is indicated for breast cancer developed in response to estrogen. Findings In the current study we explored the relationship between the different variants of CYP2D6, CYP2C19, CYP3A5 and plasma Endoxifen levels in Algerian patients with ER + breast cancer. We further conducted the relationship between the candidate genes and the recurrences rate. Endoxifen levels differed significantly (p

The Youd etal liquefaction resistance curves developed in 2001 to characterize the cyclic resistance of soil based on SPT test are the most used in the context of the Seed and Idriss simplified procedure as a deterministic model. These curves were developed from a modified database of Seed etal. in 1985 with the assumption that the actual peak shear stress (τd) induced at depth h is always less than that predicted by the simplified procedure (τr) of Seed and Idriss (rd= τd/τr1). As in this case, the assumption of the simplified procedure is not verified, Filali and Sbartai have proposed a corrector factor (RC) in the range where rd>1 to adjust the deformable and rigid body. In this paper, we will present a probabilistic study for the evaluation of the liquefaction potential using a database based on SPT measurement compiled after the Chi-Chi Taiwan earthquake, in which the cyclic stress ratio is evaluated using the proposed corrector factor. The objective of this study is to present a probabilistic shape of the cyclic resistance ratio (CRR) curves based on the original simplified method of Seed and Idriss and the corrected version and a new formulation for computing the probability of liquefaction.

Opuntia ficus-indica (OFI) is a high added value species which different organs are used in several fields, including water purification. The present study intended to treat contaminated well water using naturally prepared coagulant from the cladodes of four local OFI populations in Tunisia. Physicochemical characterization of the water was carried out before and after treatment. The treatment applied allowed to decontaminate the well water studied. Most of the parameters tested were significantly influenced by the "population used" factor. The treatment by the "Amless" population of OFI resulted in the best reduction rates of the contents of Mg, Na, Cu, and Pb. "Loki" population allowed obtaining the best pH and EC reductions. The “Violet” population resulted in the highest COD, BOD5, and TSS reductions. The effectiveness and simplicity of this treatment method would encourage farmers to use it to improve the quality of the well water that is used for irrigation.

The development of emotionally intelligent computers depends on emotion recognition based on richer multimodal inputs, such as text, speech, and visual cues, as multiple modalities complement one another. The effectiveness of complex relationships between modalities for emotion recognition has been demonstrated, but these relationships are still largely unexplored. Various fusion mechanisms using simply concatenated information have been the mainstay of previous research in learning multimodal representations for emotion classification, rather than fully utilizing the benefits of deep learning. In this paper, a unique deep multimodal emotion model is proposed, which uses the meaningful neural network to learn meaningful multimodal representations while classifying data. Specifically, the proposed model concatenates multimodality inputs using a graph convolutional network to extract acoustic modality, a capsule network to generate the textual modality, and vision transformer to acquire the visual modality. Despite the effectiveness of MNN, we have used it as a methodological innovation that will be fed with the previously generated vector parameters to produce better predictive results. Our suggested approach for more accurate multimodal emotion recognition has been shown through extensive examinations, producing state-of-the-art results with accuracies of 69% and 56% on two public datasets, MELD and MOSEI, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a novel and efficient iterative approach to approximating the fixed points of contraction mappings in Banach spaces, specifically approximating the solutions of nonlinear fractional differential equations of the Caputo type. We establish two theorems proving the stability and convergence of the proposed method, supported by numerical examples and graphical comparisons, which indicate a faster convergence rate compared to existing methods, including those by Agarwal, Gursoy, Thakur, Ali and Ali, and D ∗ ∗ . Additionally, a data dependence result for approximate operators using the proposed method is provided. This approach is applied to achieve the solutions for Caputo-type fractional differential equations with boundary conditions, demonstrating the efficacy of the method in practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many engineering structures are subjected to variable amplitude loading. A number of studies investigate the effects of post overload, even-though it is crucial to describe what occurs during the overloading. The aim of this paper is to provide effective independent descriptors based on purely kinematic measurements for the analysis of overloading. Fatigue tests were conducted on a SENT specimen. Investigating crack propagation was through direct measurements using Digital Image Correlation and Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics via Williams’ series expansion. The higher terms in Williams’ series expansion, referred to as crack features were analyzed in cycles with and without overload. In a case without overload, all features exhibit a proportional regime. Singular value decomposition (SVD) analysis confirms that a single feature is adequate to characterize the mechanism. In a cycle with overload, the regime changes during the overloading phase, making it a signature of this phase. In this case, the SVD analysis reveals that two descriptors are needed for these cycles. A subsequent analysis allows the definition of two physically interpretable features. This work presents a robust method to identify, based on kinematic measurements and SVD analysis, independent descriptors for the processes that occur during a cycle with overload. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, five pyrazole-hydrazone biomolecule ligands (L1–L5) were synthesized by condensation between 1H-pyrazole-3-carbohydrazide (2) and aromatic benzaldehydes. Their corresponding structures were elucidated employing NMR and FT-IR spectra and ESI-MS data. Li-Cu(II) complexes (i = 1–5) were evaluated for catecholase activity in situ at standard conditions. The findings disclose that the catecholase oxidation rate varies with the substituted functional groups in ligand and the anion type in the copper (II) salt. Catecholase activity results showed that the L(i = 1–5) -Cu(II)SO4 complexes exhibited efficient catalytic activity, and a maximum activity of 105 ± 42 µM.min−1 is obtained with L5-Cu(II)SO4. DFT and NBO calculations have been carried out to identify the global reactivity and the strength of interaction bonds between the donors and acceptors in L1–L5. The optimized structure of L1–L3 and L5 were found planar, while that of L4 is out of the molecular plan and forms a torsion angle of 18 degrees due to the presence of methoxy and hydroxyl group at meta and para. In L4, the 5-methyl-1H-pyrazole moiety. NBO findings show that the strongest interactions in L1–L5 are those involved in the electronic transition from π-bonding → π*-antibonding and LP → π*- antibonding molecular orbitals. Further, the anti-SARS-CoV-2 of L1–L5 are investigated by estimating their binding affinities into its binding. The docking results reveal that L1–L5 may act as SARS-CoV-2 main protease inhibitors with estimated binding energies in the −6.00 to −8.0 kcal.mol−1 range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rise of autonomous vehicles necessitates advanced communication networks for effective data exchange. The routing protocols Ad hoc On-Demand Distance Vector (AODV) and Greedy Perimeter Stateless Routing (GPSR) are vital in mobile networks (MANETs) and vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs). However, their performance is affected by changing network conditions. This study examines key routing parameters—MaxJitter, Hello/Beacon Interval, and route validity time—and their impact on AODV and GPSR performance in urban and highway scenarios. The simulation results reveal that increasing MaxJitter enhances AODV throughput by 12% in cities but decreases it by 8% on highways, while GPSR throughput declines by 15% in cities and 10% on highways. Longer Hello intervals improve AODV performance by 10% in urban settings but reduce it by 6% on highways. Extending route validity time increases GPSR's Packet Delivery Ratio (PDR) by 10% in cities, underscoring the need to optimize routing parameters for enhanced VANET performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this paper is to suggest and construct a general four step semi-implicit iterative scheme involving midpoint rule. We establish and analyse the convergence of the suggested scheme to reckon the fixed point of an almost contraction mapping. Also, we prove the stability of the suggested iterative scheme. Finally, suggested method and our main results are applied to examine a general variational inequality and a nonlinear integral equation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article shares the first author's experiences at a high school in Fez, Morocco, while implementing education for sustainable development (ESD) in the curriculum. In this action research project, the researcher aimed to embed ESD in the current school curriculum and evaluate whether the strategies and methods used affected the students' attitudes and behaviour towards the environment. A mixed-methods approach was used to collect data. A questionnaire was administered to 60 high school students aged between 16 and 18 immediately after the ESD training. In-depth interviews were then conducted with 44 respondents who completed the questionnaire. The results of the study suggest that formal education, class activities and extracurricular activities can contribute to reshaping students' attitudes and behaviour towards the environment, reflecting not only academic but also personal and social growth. The findings reveal that there are multiple effective ways to embed ESD in a high school curriculum. The study also provides a pedagogical framework for teachers aiming to integrate ESD into their curriculum. While the research involved a limited sample, it could serve as a background for future studies to investigate a larger population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The privileged geographical position of Morocco as a Mediterranean country confers upon it a pivotal role in both regional and global food security. Leveraging its diverse geography and varying climate, the country contributes significantly to the worldwide supply chain by cultivating a wide array of crops. However, the extensive use of chemicals in the production process, particularly for pest management, has led to substantial degradation of environmental resources. Plant parasitic nematodes (PPNs) pose a significant threat to agricultural productivity, causing considerable crop yield losses. With growing concerns about the environmental and human health impacts of nematicides, restrictions on their usage have prompted the exploration of alternative control strategies for effective safe PPNs management. Main body: The present review provides a comprehensive overview of research on plant parasitic nematodes (PPNs) in Morocco. It covers PPN taxa inventory, diversity, prevalence on different crops, and responses to environmental factors. The review also maps the distribution of the most dangerous genera, analyzes biological control methods for root knot nematodes Meloidogyne particularly, and identifies gaps and future research needs for sustainable PPN management. A total of 61 genera of PPNs were identified in Morocco, with Meloidogyne spp. being the most prevalent and dangerous genus, posing a serious threat to crop production in the country. The extensive distribution of PPNs, notably root knot, may be attributed to factors such as contaminated plant material and a lack of farmer awareness. Biological agents from Morocco's ecosystems, including plant extracts, nematophagous fungi, and entomopathogenic nematodes, showed great potential as control agents for root knot nematodes. This review significantly contributes to Mediterranean and global nematological knowledge by providing insights into the diversity and sustainable management of plant parasitic nematodes. Conclusion: The biological richness of Moroccan ecosystems can provide valuable resources for researchers in developing commercial effective bionematicides for plant pests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The work presented in this article contributes to the study of a standalone photovoltaic (PV) system with battery storage by creating an electronic board that allows for the recovery of the battery's capacity using pulse technology that uses high-energy pulses from the PV panel to break down and remove the sulfation buildup, which is a contributing factor in the failure of most lead-acid batteries. Different methods or treatments can be used to lessen the impact of sulfation or even get rid of it and achieve battery rejuvenation. Battery sulfation is a process in which sulfate crystals form on the plates of a lead-acid battery, impeding its ability to retain a charge, and decreasing the battery's overall effectiveness. This process can happen due to various reasons, such as charging for a shorter time than required, charging for a longer period of time than required, or even not charging it for quite some time. Sulfation affects a battery's lifespan and comes with adverse effects on its performance, though it can be prevented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Vitamin D and iron deficiencies are prevalent among Moroccan women of reproductive age (WRA). Research suggests that Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) may impair iron bioavailability, potentially leading to iron deficiency (ID) and anemia. Objectives: This study investigates associations between vitamin D status, iron levels, and anemia risk in WRA, aged 18–49, from Meknes, Morocco. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 463 participants, measuring serum 25(OH)D, blood count parameters, iron, ferritin, C-reactive protein, and creatinine. Lifestyle factors, including dietary intake, sun exposure, and physical activity, were assessed through validated questionnaires, and anthropometric data were collected. Linear and logistic regression models analyzed associations, while ROC analysis evaluated VDD's predictive accuracy for ID and anemia. Results: VDD (25(OH)D < 20 ng/mL) was significantly associated with reduced hemoglobin, hematocrit, red blood cells, and ferritin (all p < 0.01), indicating vitamin D's role in erythropoiesis and iron storage. Multivariate logistic regression showed that VDD increased the risk of anemia (OR: 7.17, 95% CI: 3.19–19.28, p < 0.001), ID (OR: 2.20, 95% CI: 1.32–3.77, p = 0.007), and IDA (OR: 4.10, 95% CI: 1.73–12.08, p = 0.004). Dietary iron intake was inadequate, showing minimal protective effects against anemia and ID (β(SE): −0.08(0.03), p = 0.030 and β(SE): −0.05(0.02), p = 0.037). Conclusions: VDD is a significant risk factor for impaired iron status and anemia in Moroccan WRA, highlighting the need for targeted nutritional interventions and further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the feasibility of utilizing fly ash and marble coarse aggregates as sustainable substitutes in concrete production, responding to the increasing demand for infrastructure and the necessity to diminish the carbon footprint of construction materials. By partially substituting cement, a material that generates substantial greenhouse gas emissions, fly ash, a by-product of coal combustion, recognizes its capacity to reduce CO2 emissions. The stone processing industry produces marble waste, which, by repurposing otherwise wasted byproducts, offers an environmentally sustainable solution, simultaneously reducing the use of natural resources in the manufacture of traditional aggregates. The research aims to assess the effects of incorporating various ratios of fly ash, ranging from 10% to 50%, and marble coarse aggregates, ranging from 10% to 90%, on the workability, compressive strength, split tensile strength, and flexural strength. The results show a moderate decrease in a slump, with an 18.66% reduction at 50% marble coarse aggregates and 30% fly ash, and a significant increase in compressive strength, with a 60.22% improvement at 56 days with 40% fly ash and 70% marble coarse aggregates. Split tensile strength also improved by 35.50% to 36.66%. Non-destructive tests confirmed the structural integrity of the concrete. This study emphasizes the potential of fly ash and marble coarse aggregates as eco-friendly substitutes in concrete production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building and finishing materials are among the main sources of indoor air pollution and can provide ideal substrates for microbial growth. Environmental factors can induce physico-chemical aging of these materials, altering their composition and increasing their vulnerability to microbial growth. To mitigate this risk, manufacturers are increasingly adding biocidal agents to these materials to prevent microbial contamination. The aim of this project was to study the sensitivity of two different acrylic paints to fungal growth, before and after an aging process, and to assess the impact of aging on the effectiveness of the biocides contained in these materials. To do this, two paints (antifungal and normal paint) were applied to a wall covering (polyester-cellulose) before being subjected to accelerated aging. The later process was based on the addition of detergent or water and exposing the material to a visible light spectrum, moderate temperature (38 ± 6 °C), and ambient relative humidity (25 ± 17%). Prior to 30 days of incubation, the aged and unaged ("native") materials were inoculated with fungal spores using a dry aerosolization system. Fungi behavior was then evaluated by the culture method. The results showed that the native and water-aged normal acrylic paint supported fungal growth at 95 ± 5% relative humidity. However, the use of the cleaning product during the aging process provided additional resistance of the materials against fungal growth. On the other hand, the antifungal paint showed no visible growth due to its biocide content. The accelerated aging and incubation processes led to the depletion of the biocides and thus a decrease in their effectiveness against mold development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]