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Rainfall–runoff modeling is essential for the hydrological analysis of basins; however, the traditional modeling approach does not incorporate geological features such as fractures and fissures in the modeling task. These features are significant in the water loss during a rainstorm, which should be incorporated to obtain realistic rainfall–runoff results. A novel approach is presented here in to quantify the geological features and link them to the curve number (CN) method. The proposed methodology has not been applied in the literature. This approach is validated on five gauged basins, namely, Yiba, Al Lith, Liyya, Habawnah, and Tabalah, in the southwest part of Saudi Arabia. Four major stages are conducted. The first stage is the extraction of the geological lineaments using remote sensing and geographical information system technology; the second stage is estimating CN from rainfall–runoff data; the third stage is developing a relationship between CN and lineament density (LD); and the final stage is evaluating the developed equations on hydrological response. The least-squares method is employed to minimize the difference between observed and predicted runoff and determine the optimum range of CN. The research provides a comprehensive understanding of hydrological processes in fractured geologic systems and explores the influence of fractures on curve number. This study identifies two major lineament trends aligned with the Arabian trend direction, namely, north-northwest (NNW)–south-southeast (SSE) and north-northeast (NNE)–south-southwest (SSW). Furthermore, a moderate inverse correlation is established between LD and CN, highlighting the significance of geologic fractures on the hydrological response. The findings of this study provide insight into how the geological fissures in the mountainous region affected the rainfall–runoff response that leads to a low value of CN due to the water loss in the fissures and faults. As a result, this study clearly demonstrates the importance of the geological structures on rainfall–runoff responses.

Normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) is one of the parameters of vegetation that can be studied by remote sensing of land surface with Sentinel-2 (S-2) satellite image. The NDVI is a nondimensional index that depicts the difference in plant cover reflectivity between visible and near-infrared light and can be used to measure the density of green on a piece of land. On the other hand, the dual-pol radar vegetation index (DpRVI) is one of the indices studied using multispectral synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images. Researchers have identified that SAR images are highly sensitive to identify the buildup of biomass from leaf vegetative growth to the flowering stage. Vegetation biophysical characteristics such as the leaf area index (LAI), vegetation water content, and biomass are frequently used as essential system parameters in remote sensing data assimilation for agricultural production models. In the current study, we have used LAI as a system parameter. The findings of the study revealed that the optical data (NDVI) showed a high correlation (up to 0.712) with LAI and a low root-mean-square error (0.0296) compared to microwave data with 0.4523 root-mean-square error. The NDVI, LAI, and DpRVI mean values all decreased between 2019 and 2020. While the DpRVI continued to decline between 2020 and 2021, the NDVI and LAI saw an increase over the same period, which was likely caused by an increase in the study area’s average annual rainfall and the cautious stance of the Red Global (RSG) project on sustainability.

Since the early 1980s, several regions of Morocco have experienced alternating series of wet and dry periods related to climate change, with significant consequences for the country’s economy. This study aims to map flood hazards by using a hydraulic modeling approach, with a specific focus on the Oued (river) Zaouiat Sidi Hamza passing through Zaouiat Sidi Hamza township belonging to the High Ziz watershed (province of Midelt, region of Drâa-Tafilalet, Morocco). Hydraulic modeling and flood simulation were carried out followed by mapping of the flood hazard. The Oued Zaouiat Sidi Hamza River can cause torrential flooding issues, particularly during periods of heavy storms, impacting agricultural land and certain buildings on both river banks. All the cultivated areas developed alongside the river are at risk of flooding. Moreover, undermining and erosion of the river’s banks lead to rising high-water levels and flooding agricultural terraces. The use of geographic information systems and hydraulic modeling tools is essential to gain a deeper understanding of this situation. Also, the mapping of lineaments and fractures in the study area, carried out by satellite image processing, helped to quantify the directional influence of these lineaments on the flow of the hydrographic network, on the orientation of the circulation of surface water, and on the storage of groundwater. According to this study, the most vulnerable areas to flooding and erosion are those that receive the most water in the basin and have steep slopes. Decision-makers can use the results to produce development plans tailored to combat these risks and raise awareness among the population concerned, improving water resource evaluation and forecasting, as well as improving agricultural production.

Classification is the science that arranges organisms in groups according to their similarities and differences. In plant science, there are many aspects of classifications. For instance, there is morphological, anatomical, palynological, molecular, and chemical classification. All these types consume time, effort, and money. In this research, new technology is tested to identify the differences between plants. Spectroradiometer will help in classifying Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC in Bahrah region in Saudi Arabia. Spectroradiometer technology is applied to a sample of 40 taxa of P. juliflora in two different seasons. Within each sample site, measurements were taken at a high sun angle from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. Results showed that spectroradiometer indicated the existence of significant differences among P. juliflora taxa. Correspondingly, the spectroradiometer engenders the spectral responses of the targeted species in the region between 400 and 2,500 nm wavelength. The spectral behavior of P. juliflora in four seasons was demonstrated as season dependent. The variance-based principal component analysis divided the investigated samples into two groups, either positively correlated or negatively correlated according to the seasonal data collection. Sample number 5 in the quantile’s slicing analysis maintained a stable behavior when it was exposed to 100% wavelength. P. juliflora behavior was stabilized in the infrared (IR) samples (4,5), the shortwave IR (SWIR) (3,4,5), and thermal IT (TIR) (3,4,5,6) at the quantile range of >75. While in the quantile range

The reliable quantification of daily evapotranspiration (ET) over vast croplands is a quest in many scholarly works aimed at the precise practice of water resources management. Remote sensing–based empirical and nonempirical models were developed to overcome large-scale quantification issues, which are usually experienced when using conventional approaches for the estimation of ET. The surface energy balance system (SEBS) model was used to quantify the daily ET in the arid/semi-arid over Wadi Ad-Dwaser, Saudi. SEBS input variables are parametrically sensitive and climatic dependent, and the model input/output dependencies are of high comprehensibility; therefore, the optimization analysis of SEBS input/output parameters is the target of the current research. SEBS inputs reciprocal inconsistencies were determined using the artificial neural network analysis, while the output dependencies on the daily ET estimation were mapped. Results demonstrated that the temperature and relative humidity are the most sensitive parameters to be considered in the routine crop monitoring procedure. SEBS output thematic maps showed the robust proportional correlation between the daily ET and the conducted temperature map. Moreover, the estimated daily ET was inversely correlated with the estimated cold sensible heat fluxes. The findings suggest systematic monitoring and forecasting procedures for efficient water-saving management plans in Saudi Arabia.

Remote-sensing satellite images provided rapid and continuous spectral and spatial information of the land surface in the Sougia River catchment by identifying the major changes that have taken place over 20 years (1995–2015). Vegetation indices (VIs) of normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), enhanced vegetation index (EVI) and leaf area index were derived for monitoring and mapping variations in vegetation cover. The quantified decrease in NDVI was found to be 4% between 1995 and 2005, and further decreased by 77.1% between 2005 and 2015; it declined back to almost the initial status of 1995. EVI results were inconsistent suggesting that seasonal crops influence the temporal distribution of vegetation cover. The temporal variations in the VIs were important input parameters for the modelling and management of the catchment’s hydrological behaviour. Image classification found that the 4- and the 6-class classifications between 1995 and 2005 were unstable and produced, respectively, a 13.8% and 16.2% total change between classes. Meanwhile, the 8-, 10- and the 12-class showed an almost horizontal line with a minor fluctuation of less than 0.05%. The results of the post-classification change detection analysis indicated a land degradation in terms of natural vegetation losses with sparser or even with no natural vegetation cover.

Rabigh is a thriving coastal city located at the eastern bank of the Red Sea, Saudi Arabia. The city has suffered from shoreline destruction because of the invasive tidal action powered principally by the wind speed and direction over shallow waters. This study was carried out to calibrate the water column depth in the vicinity of Rabigh. Optical and microwave remote sensing data from the European Space Agency were collected over 2 years (2017–2018) along with the analog daily monitoring of tidal data collected from the marine station of Rabigh. Depth invariant index (DII) was implemented utilizing the optical data, while the Wind Field Estimation algorithm was implemented utilizing the microwave data. The findings of the current research emphasis on the oscillation behavior of the depth invariant mean values and the mean astronomical tides resulted in R2 of 0.75 and 0.79, respectively. Robust linear regression was established between the astronomical tide and the mean values of the normalized DII (R2 = 0.81). The findings also indicated that January had the strongest wind speed solidly correlated with the depth invariant values (R2 = 0.92). Therefore, decision-makers can depend on remote sensing data as an efficient tool to monitor natural phenomena and also to regulate human activities in fragile ecosystems.

Utilization of satellite data by means of remote sensing practices creates a wider window of opportunities to conduct robust outcomes Landsat OLI-8 data acquired over the peninsula of Halkidiki in Greece for the summer period of 2013, were analyzed to determine their utility to classify natural resources categories based on the determination of spectral bands combination. Consequently, spectral bands combination can be used to classify various categories based on their higher overall accuracy assessment. Spectral information contained in each of the utilized channels of Landsat OLI-8, statistics defining 12 cover type classes of interest were calculated and used as a basis for classification of the designated study area. Spectral bands combinations (4-5-6/ 3-4-5/ 3-4-5-6/ 4-5-6-7) fulfill the required accuracy for forest purpose as they conducted overall accuracies ranging between 7.85% and 96.29%. The spectral band combination 3-4-5-6-7 conducted the highest overall accuracy (98.15%). The poorest results were obtained by the analysis of spectral bands combination 4-6 (68.52%). Single spectral band 6 conducted the best overall results; however, spectral bands 5 and 6 seemed to be the most useful spectral bands combination for each category.

Monitoring of improper soil erosion empowered by water is constantly adding more risk to the natural resource mitigation scenarios, especially in developing countries. The demographical pattern and the rate of growth, in addition to the impairments of the rainfall pattern, are consequently disposed to adverse environmental disturbances. The current research goal is to evaluate soil erosion triggered by water in the coastal area of Kenya on the district level, and also in protected areas. The Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) model was exercised to estimate the soil loss in the designated study area. RUSLE input parameters were functionally realized in terms of rainfall and runoff erosivity factor (R), soil erodibility factor (K), slope length and gradient factor (LS), land cover management factor (C) and slope factor (P). The realization of RUSLE input parameters was carried out using different dataset sources, including meteorological data, soil/geology maps, the Digital Elevation Model (DEM) and processing of satellite imagery. Out of 26 districts in coastal area, eight districts were projected to have mean annual soil loss rates of >10 t·ha−1·y−1: Kololenli (19.709 t·ha−1·y−1), Kubo (14.36 t·ha−1·y−1), Matuga (19.32 t·ha−1·y−1), Changamwe (26.7 t·ha−1·y−1), Kisauni (16.23 t·ha−1·y−1), Likoni (27.9 t·ha−1·y−1), Mwatate (15.9 t·ha−1·y−1) and Wundanyi (26.51 t·ha−1·y−1). Out of 34 protected areas at the coastal areas, only four were projected to have high soil loss estimation rates >10 t·ha−1·y−1: Taita Hills (11.12 t·ha−1·y−1), Gonja (18.52 t·ha−1·y−1), Mailuganji (13.75.74 t·ha−1·y−1), and Shimba Hills (15.06 t·ha−1·y−1). In order to mitigate soil erosion in Kenya’s coastal areas, it is crucial to regulate the anthropogenic disturbances embedded mainly in deforestation of the timberlands, in addition to the natural deforestation process caused by the wildfires.

Elevated Arsenic and Chromium levels in surface and ground waters are a significant health concern in several parts of the world. Chitosan quinoxaline Schiff base (CsQ) and cross-linked chitosan quinoxaline Schiff base (CsQG) were prepared to adsorb both Arsenate [As(V)] and Chromium [Cr(VI)] ions. The thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were used to investigate the prepared Schiff bases (CsQ) and (CsQG). The UV-VIS spectra showed a shift in the wavelength area of the modified polymer, indicating the reaction occurrence, besides the variation of the shape and intensity of the peaks. The XRD patterns showed the incensement of the amorphous characteristic. On the other hand, the thermal stability of the modified polymers is better according to TGA studies; also, the morphology of the modified chitosan was investigated before and after crosslinking (CsQ and CsQG) using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) where the surface was fall of wrinkles and pores, which then were decreased after cross-linking. Contact time, temperature, pH, and initial metal ion concentration were all studied as factors influencing metal ion uptake behavior. The Langmuir, Temkin, Dubinin-Radushkevich, and Freundlich isotherm models were used to describe the equilibrium data using metal concentrations of 10-1000 mg/L at pH = 7 and 1 g of adsorbent. The pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order kinetic parameters were evaluated. The experimental data revealed that the adsorption kinetics follow the mechanism of the pseudo-second-order equation with R 2 values (0.9969, 0.9061) in case of using CsQ and R 2 values (0.9989, 0.9999) in case of using CsQG, demonstrating chemical sorption is the rate-limiting step of the adsorption mechanism. Comparing the adsorption efficiency of the synthesized Schiff base and the cross-linked one, it was found that CsQ is a better adsorbent than CsQG in both cases of As(V) and Cr(VI) removal. This means that cross-linking doesn't enhance the efficiency as expected, but on the contrary, in some cases, it decreases the removal. In addition, the newly modified chitosan polymers work better in As(V) removal than Cr(VI); the removal is 22.33% for Cr(VI) and 98.36% for As(V) using CsQ polymer, whereas using CsQG, the values are 6.20% and 91.75% respectively. On the other hand, the maximum adsorption capacity (Qm) for As(V) and Cr(VI) are 8.811 and 3.003 mg/g, respectively, using CsQ, while in the case of using CsQG, the Qm value reaches 31.95 mg/g for As(V), and 103.09 mg/g for Cr(VI)., Competing Interests: Declarations Ethics approval and consent to participate Not applicable. Competing interests The authors declare that there is no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Peptic ulcer disease (PUD), often caused by Helicobacter pylori infection, is a prevalent gastrointestinal condition characterized by the erosion of the gastric or duodenal mucosal lining. H. pylori adheres to gastric epithelial cells, secreting toxins and disrupting the stomach's defenses. H. pylori relies on various receptors to establish infection, making these molecules attractive therapeutic targets. This study aimed to develop novel anti-ulcer compounds by combining benzothiazole, pyrazoline, and chalcone pharmacophores. A series of chalcone derivatives 4a-c were synthesized via Claisen-Schmidt condensation and characterized using spectroscopic techniques such as FT-IR, NMR and elemental analysis. The DFT calculations, using B3LYP method with 6-311G basis set, revealed the p -tolyl derivative 4b exhibited the highest thermal stability while the p -bromophenyl derivative 4c showed the lowest stability but highest chemical reactivity. The HOMO-LUMO energy gaps as well as the dipole moments decreased in the order: 4b  >  4a > 4c , reflecting a similar reactivity trend. Molecular docking showed ligands 4a-c bound effectively to the H. pylori urease enzyme, with docking scores from -5.3862 to -5.7367 kcal/mol with superior affinity over lansoprazole. Key interactions involved hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic pi-hydrogen bonds with distances ranging 3.46-4.34 Å with active site residues ASN666, SER714 and ASN810. The combined anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and H. pylori anti-adhesion properties make these novel chalcones promising PUD therapeutic candidates., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Objective: To assess the frequency of occult metastases (OM) in patients with resected pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) or ampullary adenocarcinoma (AA) discovered on detailed pathologic examination on lymph nodes (LNs) previously considered negative by conventional analysis and to examine the association between OM and overall survival (OS)., Background: Poor prognosis of patients with no pathologic evidence of LN metastases may be due to OM that is not detected on conventional LN analysis., Methods: Patients with LN-negative resected PDAC or AA (2010-2020) were identified from our institutional database. Original hematoxylin and eosin ( H and E ) slides were reanalyzed. In addition, selected LN were analyzed by H and E (3 sections/LN) and pan-cytokeratin (AE1-AE3/PCK26) immunohistochemistry., Results: A total of 598 LNs from 74 LN-negative patients were reexamined. Nineteen patients (25.7%) had OM; 9 (47.4%) were found with immunohistochemistry but not on H and E . The number of positive LNs ranged from 1 to 3. No clinicodemographic, pathologic, or treatment-related factors were associated with OM. On conventional LN analysis, 3/19 patients (15.8%) had stage IA, 9/34 (26.5%) had stage IB, and 7/19 (36.8%) had stage IIA. On detailed LN analysis, 11/19 patients (57.9%) were upstaged to IIB, whereas 8/19 (42.1%) had isolated tumor cells only (N0i+). OM was associated with shorter OS (median OS: 22.3 vs 50.5 months; hazard ratio=3.95, 95% CI: 1.58-9.86)., Conclusions: There is a 26% discordance rate between conventional and detailed LN pathologic analysis in resected PDAC and AA. The presence of OM is associated with shorter OS., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Kawasaki disease is an acute, febrile disease that is not typically fatal if treated and affects infants and children more commonly. More than 80% of the afflicted patients are under the age of four. This disease most commonly affects coronary arteries. In a minority of cases, Aneurysms can burst or produce thrombosis, and they can cause infarction. The distinctive redness in the palms and soles of the feet might result from a delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction to a cross-reactive or recently discovered antigen (s). Autoantibodies against epithelial cells and smooth muscle cells are produced as a result of subsequent macromolecule synthesis and polyclonal white blood cell activation, which intensifies the redness. Kawasaki disease's clinical manifestations range from oral skin disease to the blistering of the mucosa, symptoms involving the hands and the feet, skin disease of the palms and soles, a desquamative rash, and cervical lymphatic tissue enlargement (so it is also referred to as tissue layer lymphatic tissue syndrome). Most untreated patients develop some vessel sequelae, from well-organized coronary inflammation to severe arterial blood vessel dilatation to giant artery aneurysms with rupture or occlusion, infarction, and thrombosis. With human gamma globulin administration, reasonable standards of medical care, and the use of analgesics, the speed of symptomatic progression and inflammatory artery changes are reduced. In this review, we have covered the immunology of Kawasaki disease, its biomarkers, and the neurological manifestations of this multisystem illness. We have also included a discussion on its pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment., Competing Interests: No competing interests were disclosed., (Copyright: © 2023 Amir O et al.)

This systematic review aimed to summarize the literature on the relationship between religiosity or spirituality (R/S) and medication adherence among patients with cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and to describe the nature and extent of the studies evaluating this relationship. Seven electronic databases (PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, the Cochrane Central Library, ProQuest Theses and Dissertations, and Google Scholar) were searched with no restriction on the year of publication. The Crowe Critical Appraisal Tool was used to evaluate the methodological quality of the eligible studies. Due to the heterogeneity observed across the included studies, data synthesis was performed using a narrative approach. Nine original studies published between 2006 and 2018 were included in the review. Only a few quantitative studies have examined the relationship between R/S and medication adherence among patients with CVDs. Most studies were conducted in the USA (n = 7) and involved patients with hypertension (n = 6). Five studies showed a significant correlation between R/S (higher organizational religiousness, prayer, spirituality) and medication adherence and revealed that medication adherence improved with high R/S. The other four studies reported a negative or null association between R/S and medication adherence. Some of these studies have found relationships between R/S and medication adherence in hypertension and heart failure patients. This review showed a paucity of literature exploring the relationship between R/S and medication adherence among patients with other CVDs, such as coronary artery diseases, arrhythmia, angina and myocardial infarction. Therefore, the findings suggest that future studies are needed to explore the relationship between R/S and medication adherence among patients with other types of CVDs. Moreover, there is a need to develop interventions to improve patients' medication-taking behaviors that are tailored to their cultural beliefs and R/S., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Four novel chitosan hydrogels were successfully synthesized through the cross-linking reaction of chitosan with different concentrations of ethyl 5-(3,5-dihydroxy-1,4-dioxan-2-yl)-2-methylfuran-3-carboxylate. Their structures were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), 13 C Cross polarization magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (CP/MAS 13 C NMR), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA, DTA), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Cytotoxicity on hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG-2) cell line and a normal African green monkey kidney (Vero) cell line were studied using the MTT assay. The resultant hydrogels showed a good inhibitory effect comparing to the un-modified parent; the hydrogels with the lowest degree cross-linking (0.125 and 0.25 mol cross-linker per one chitosan residue) showed potent anticancer activity in the HepG2 cells with IC 50 of 57.9 and 80.9 μg/ml, respectively. These results show that the newly synthesized cross-linked chitosan derivatives demonstrated more selectivity to the HepG2 than the Vero cells, indicating its potential for Investigation in the cure of hepatocellular carcinoma., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Two novel chitosan Schiff bases namely chitosan pyrazolo[3,4-b]quinoxaline Schiff base (Ch-PQ 1 ) and chitosan phenyl-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-b]quinoxaline Schiff base (Ch-PQ 2 ) were synthesized as a modification of chitosan in order to increase its ability in heavy metal removal from wastewater. Their structures were characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy, TGA analysis and X-ray diffraction. They were tested for the removal of hexavalent chromium from synthetic samples. In addition pH conditions, polymer dosage, Cr (VI) initial concentration and contact time were studied as a key factor for the adsorption process. Kinetic studies of the removal process were also clarified. Furthermore, experimental equilibrium data were fitted to Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherms. Both chitosan Schiff bases showed high removal efficiency, the result indicated that Cr (VI) removal using Ch-PQ 1 and Ch-PQ 2 was 96.4% and 98.8% respectively., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest the authors declare that there is no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2020. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common pathogen that is responsible for serious hospital-acquired infections, ventilator-associated pneumonia, and various sepsis syndromes. Also, it is a multidrug-resistant pathogen recognized for its ubiquity and its intrinsically advanced antibiotic-resistant mechanisms. It usually affects immunocompromised individuals but can also infect immunocompetent individuals. There is no vaccine against it available till now. This study predicts an effective epitope-based vaccine against fructose bisphosphate aldolase (FBA) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa using immunoinformatics tools. The protein sequences were obtained from NCBI, and prediction tests were undertaken to analyze possible epitopes for B and T cells. Three B cell epitopes passed the antigenicity, accessibility, and hydrophilicity tests. Six MHC I epitopes were found to be promising, while four MHC II epitopes were found promising from the result set. Nineteen epitopes were shared between MHC I and II results. For the population coverage, the epitopes covered 95.62% worldwide excluding certain MHC II alleles. We recommend in vivo and in vitro studies to prove its effectiveness., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Mustafa Elhag et al.)

Accurate and up to date land use and land cover (LU/LC) changes information is the main source to understanding and assessing the environmental outcomes of such changes and is important for development plans. Thus, this study quantified the outlines of land cover variation of 10-years in the northwestern costal land of the Red Sea, Saudi Arabia. Two different supervised classification algorithms are visualized and evaluated to preparing a policy recommendation for the proper improvements towards better determining the tendency and the proportion of the vegetation cover changes. Firstly, to determine present vegetation structure of study area, 78 stands with a size of 50 × 50 m were analysed. Secondly, to obtain the vegetation dynamics in this area, two satellite images of temporal data sets were used; therefore, SPOT-5 images were obtained in 2004 and 2013. For each data set, four SPOT-5 scenes were placed into approximately 250-km intervals to cover the northwestern coastal land of the Red Sea. Both supervised and non-supervised cataloguing methods were attained towards organise the study area in 4-major land cover classes through using 5 various organizations algorithms. Approximately 900 points were evenly distributed within each SPOT-5 image and used for assessment accuracy. The floristic composition exhibits high diversity with 142 species and seven vegetation types were identified after multivariate analysis (VG I: Acacia tortilis - Acacia ehrenbergiana , VG II: Acacia tortilis - Stipagrostis plumosa, VG III: Zygophyllum coccineum - Zygophyllum simplex , VG IV: Acacia raddiana-Lycium shawii-Anabasis setifera , VG V: Tamarix aucheriana-Juncus rigidus , VG VI: Capparis decidua - Zygophyllum simplex and VG VII: Avicennia marina - Aristida adscensionis ) and ranged between halophytic vegetation on the coast to xerophytic vegetation with scattered Acacia trees inland. The dynamic results showed rapid, imbalanced variations arises between 3-land cover classes (areas as urban, vegetation and desert). However, these findings shall serve as the baseline data for the design of rehabilitation programs that conserve biodiversity in arid regions and form treasured resources for an urban planner and decision makers to device bearable usage of land and environmental planning., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2020 The Author(s).)

Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) due to Leishmania donovani is a neglected protozoan parasitic disease in humans, which is usually fatal if untreated. Phlebotomus orientalis, the predominant VL vector in East Africa, is a highly exophilic/exophagic species that poses a major challenge to current Integrated Vector Management (IVM). Here we report results of pilot studies conducted in rural villages in Gedarif state, Sudan, to evaluate outdoor residual spraying of 20mg active ingredient (a.i.) /m2 deltamethrin insecticide applied to the characteristic household compound boundary reed fence and to the outside of household buildings (Outdoor Residual Insecticide Spraying, ODRS), and as an alternative, spraying restricted to the boundary fence only (Restricted Outdoor Residual Insecticide Spraying, RODRS). Four to six clusters of 20 households were assigned to insecticide treatments or control in three experiments. Changes in sand fly numbers were monitored over 2,033 trap-nights over 43-76 days follow-up in four sentinel houses per cluster relative to unsprayed control clusters. Sand fly numbers were monitored by sticky traps placed on the ground on the inside ("outdoor") and the outside ("peridomestic") of the boundary fence, and by CDC light traps suspended outdoors in the household compound. The effects of ODRS on sand fly numbers inside sleeping huts were monitored by insecticide knockdown. After a single application, ODRS reduced P. orientalis abundance by 83%-99% in outdoor and peridomestic trap locations. ODRS also reduced numbers of P. orientalis found resting inside sleeping huts. RODRS reduced outdoor and peridomestic P. orientalis by 60%-88%. By direct comparison, RODRS was 58%-100% as effective as ODRS depending on the trapping method. These impacts were immediate on intervention and persisted during follow-up, representing a large fraction of the P. orientalis activity season. Relative costs of ODRS and RODRS delivery were $5.76 and $3.48 per household, respectively. The study demonstrates the feasibility and high entomological efficacy of ODRS and RODRS, and the expected low costs relative to current IVM practises. These methods represent novel sand fly vector control tools against predominantly exophilic/exophagic sand fly vectors, aimed to lower VL burdens in Sudan, with potential application in other endemic regions in East Africa., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Land Cover monitoring is an essential task for a better understanding of the ecosystem's dynamicity and complexity. The availability of Remote Sensing data improved the Land Use Land Cover mapping as it is routine work in ecosystem management. The complexity of the Mediterranean ecosystems involves a complexity of the surrounding environmental factors. An attempt to quantitatively investigate the interdependencies between land covers and affected environmental factors was conducted in Nisos Elafonisos to represent diverse and fragile coastal Mediterranean ecosystems. Sentinel-2 (MSI) sensor and ASTER Digital Elevation Model (DEM) data were used to classify the LULC as well as to draw different vegetation conditions over the designated study area. DEM derivatives were conducted and incorporated. The developed methodology is intended to assess the land use land cover for different practices under the present environmental condition of Nisos Elafonisos. Supervised classification resulted in six different land cover clusters and was tested against three different environmental clusters. The findings of the current research pointed out that the environmental variables are independent and there is a vertical distribution of the vegetation according to altitude.

Due to the current Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the rapid discovery of a safe and effective vaccine is an essential issue. Consequently, this study aims to predict a potential COVID-19 peptide-based vaccine utilizing the Nucleocapsid phosphoprotein (N) and Spike Glycoprotein (S) via the Immunoinformatics approach. To achieve this goal, several Immune Epitope Database (IEDB) tools, molecular docking, and safety prediction servers were used. According to the results, The Spike peptide SQCVNLTTRTQLPPAYTNSFTRGVY is predicted to have the highest binding affinity to the B-Cells. The Spike peptide FTISVTTEI has the highest binding affinity to the Major Histocompatibility Complex class 1 (MHC I) Human Leukocyte Allele HLA-B*1503 (according to the MDockPeP and HPEPDOCK servers, docking scores were -153.9 and -229.356, respectively). The Nucleocapsid peptides KTFPPTEPK and RWYFYYLGTGPEAGL have the highest binding affinity to the MHC I HLA-A0202 allele and the three the Major Histocompatibility Complex class 2 (MHC II) Human Leukocyte Allele HLA-DPA1*01:03/DPB1*02:01, HLA-DQA1*01:02/DQB1-*06:02, HLA-DRB1, respectively. Docking scores of peptide KTFPPTEPK were -153.9 and -220.876. In contrast, docking scores of peptide RWYFYYLGTGPEAGL were ranged from 218 to 318. Furthermore, those peptides were predicted as non-toxic and non-allergen. Therefore, the combination of those peptides is predicted to stimulate better immunological responses with respectable safety., Competing Interests: There’s no direct or indirect to any actual or potential conflict of interest relationship including any financial, personal or other relationships with other people or organizations between the author's manuscript and any outside contacts., (© 2020 Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

The current study observes the input/output energy quantities and its associated financial value, in vegetable greenhouses on Crete, Greece, for the 2015-2016 cropping seasons. The utilized data was taken in regular direct basis for the implementation of energy input-output analysis and data envelopment analysis. For input data analysis, four crop practices were used tomato, pepper, cucumber, and eggplant. The outcomes of the expended majority of energy input-output analysis showed that fertilizers count for 53%, fossil fuel counts for 16%, and electricity counts for 12%. The mean crop and energy consumption for each crop practice were estimated as 94,036 MJ/ha and 171,950 kg/ha, 115,473 MJ/ha and 173,000 kg/ha, 81,196 MJ/ha and 128,893 kg/ha, and 146,067 MJ/ha and 209,501 kg/ha, respectively. Inputs with the biggest shares in total inputs were manpower counts for 30%, fertilizers count for 22%, and crop protection counts for 16%. DEA method showed that the mean values of technical efficiency, pure technical efficiency, and scale efficiency were 0.90193, 0.97272, and 0.80322, respectively. The mean scale efficiencies were set as 0.80. The findings of this research would be valuable to the inefficient producers undertaking into consideration the recommendations made by this method, where the overall input in Euro could be meaningfully condensed without any reduction on the current overall output.

Genetic and environmental factors that increase the risk of late-onset Alzheimer disease are now well recognized but the cause of variable progression rates and phenotypes of sporadic Alzheimer's disease is largely unknown. We aimed to investigate the relationship between diverse structural assemblies of amyloid-β and rates of clinical decline in Alzheimer's disease. Using novel biophysical methods, we analysed levels, particle size, and conformational characteristics of amyloid-β in the posterior cingulate cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum of 48 cases of Alzheimer's disease with distinctly different disease durations, and correlated the data with APOE gene polymorphism. In both hippocampus and posterior cingulate cortex we identified an extensive array of distinct amyloid-β42 particles that differ in size, display of N-terminal and C-terminal domains, and conformational stability. In contrast, amyloid-β40 present at low levels did not form a major particle with discernible size, and both N-terminal and C- terminal domains were largely exposed. Rapidly progressive Alzheimer's disease that is associated with a low frequency of APOE e4 allele demonstrates considerably expanded conformational heterogeneity of amyloid-β42, with higher levels of distinctly structured amyloid-β42 particles composed of 30-100 monomers, and fewer particles composed of < 30 monomers. The link between rapid clinical decline and levels of amyloid-β42 with distinct structural characteristics suggests that different conformers may play an important role in the pathogenesis of distinct Alzheimer's disease phenotypes. These findings indicate that Alzheimer's disease exhibits a wide spectrum of amyloid-β42 structural states and imply the existence of prion-like conformational strains., (© The Author (2015). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Guarantors of Brain. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

The amount of water on earth is the same and only the distribution and the reallocation of water forms are altered in both time and space. To improve the rainwater harvesting a better understanding of the hydrological cycle is mandatory. Clouds are major component of the hydrological cycle; therefore, clouds distribution is the keystone of better rainwater harvesting. Remote sensing technology has shown robust capabilities in resolving challenges of water resource management in arid environments. Soil moisture content and cloud average distribution are essential remote sensing applications in extracting information of geophysical, geomorphological, and meteorological interest from satellite images. Current research study aimed to map the soil moisture content using recent Landsat 8 images and to map cloud average distribution of the corresponding area using 59 MERIS satellite imageries collected from January 2006 to October 2011. Cloud average distribution map shows specific location in the study area where it is always cloudy all the year and the site corresponding soil moisture content map came in agreement with cloud distribution. The overlay of the two previously mentioned maps over the geological map of the study area shows potential locations for better rainwater harvesting.

This study was designed to investigate the effect of EMR produced by GSM Mobile Phones (MP) on the oxidant and antioxidant status in rats. Rats were divided into three groups: (1) controls, (2) rats exposed to a fractionated dose of EMR (15 min day(-1) for four days) (EMR-F) and (3) rats exposed to an acute dose of EMR (EMR-A). A net drop in the plasma concentration of vitamin C (-47 and -59.8%) was observed in EMR-F and EMR-A groups, respectively, when compared to controls. While, a significant decrease in the levels of lypophilic antioxidant vitamins: vitamin E (-33 and -65.8%), vitamin A (-44.4 and -46.8%) was observed in EMR-F and EMR-A groups, respectively, when compared to controls. A net drop in plasma level of reduced glutathione (GSH) (-19.8 and -35.3%) was observed in EMR-F and EMR-A groups, respectively. EMR exposure of rats produced a significant decrease in catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities, with the values of these activities for EMR-A group is significantly lower than those of EMR-F. These results indicate that the effects of acute doses of EMR produced by mobile phones on the rat's antioxidant status is significantly higher than those of fractionated doses of the same type of radiation. On the basis of present results, it can be concluded that exposure to acute doses of EMR produced by mobile phones is more hazardous than that produced by fractionated doses of the same type of radiation.