Search

The social determinants of health is an internationally recognized approach to analyzing the impact of non-medical factors on individual health. However, disability is mostly associated with inherent vulnerability without recognition of the social factors. The goal of this qualitative study is to examine the lived experiences of persons living with spinal cord injury (SCI) in coping and managing their health and functioning and to explore an interaction between their embodied experiences and structural issues that contribute to health and wellbeing of people with spinal cord injuries. A thematic analysis of 30 semi-structured interviews generated three themes that highlighted the tensions between the materiality of disability and the barriers associated with stigma, between the self-management strategies and the healthcare access, and finally between access to the formal supports and the invisible costs of living with a spinal cord injury. The findings emphasize the need to re-evaluate public health approaches, recognize the linkages between inequalities linked to disability, and incorporate an embodiment lens from a disability justice perspective.

The advancement of information and communication technology (ICT) has big effects on human life in many facets, one of them is in education. However, the use of this technology left some problems faced by its users. Therefore, this study aims to explore in-depth the kindergarten student parents’ perception of the use of WhatsApp in the teaching and learning process during the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia. The study employed the exploratory study which engaged twenty-nine students’ parents in Lebak - Indonesia where online learning using WhatsApp was implemented. Then, six participants were voluntarily involved in the interview. The questionnaire and semi-structured interview were administered in collecting the data. The data from the questionnaire were analyzed in percentage while the content analysis technique was used in analyzing the data from the semi-structured interview. From the data analysis, this study reveals two major research findings. Firstly, the use of WhatsApp helped students in learning during the COVID-19 pandemic and physical distancing, establishes student and teacher communication, Secondly, technical problems were found such as unstable internet connection, student-teacher communication and interaction are not maximized, and lastly, after a long period, the students got bored. In brief, the use of WhatsApp can be used as an alternative teaching platform in the COVID-19 age on the one hand, on the other hand, its’ usage faced barriers such as unstable internet connection.

This paper focuses on the multi-objective Travelling Salesman Problem for which the aim is to find the set of efficient solutions. To obtain this Pareto set's solutions, a novel metaheuristic named DM4-PMO is proposed. The DM4-PMO is based on the first enhancement of the new Dhouib-Matrix-4 (DM4) method and composed of two steps. First, a weighted sum function with a multi variation of weights is used to find the first non-dominated pareto frontier solutions. Second, a lexicographical resolution is applied in some non-dominated solutions found in the first Pareto frontier to generate the final Pareto frontier solutions. The performance of the proposed approach is demonstrated by the experiment on two-objective problems that are taken from TSP-LIB and DIMACS datasets. The test results show that the proposed DM4-PMO is robust, fast, and simply structured, and obtain a Pareto non-dominated set solutions in short computational times using very few user-defined parameters.

(1) Purpose: To examine associations between subjective quality of life and other socio-demographic variables and to explore differences in experiences of people with different levels of quality of life (low, moderate, high). (2) Materials and methods: Semi-structured interviews and standardized measures of mobility, function, health-related quality-of-life, and quality-of-life were used to collect the data for this mixed-method study. (3) Results: Twenty-four participants were interviewed with an average age of 55 years and 54% were male. High quality of life, according to quantitative analysis, was strongly associated with being male, attending rehabilitation, and being married. The qualitative findings supported the quantitative findings and also revealed that people with a low quality of life felt the neighborhood-built environment was not supportive of people with incomplete spinal cord injury who can walk. Participants who reported a low/moderate quality of life reported feeling devalued by able-bodied people and that their mobility was getting worse over time. (4) Conclusion: Findings suggest that those with incomplete spinal cord injuries who can walk could benefit from improved quality of life by modifying their social support and neighborhood’s built environment. For instance, sensitivity training for the general population could help to reduce negative attitudes and misperceptions about invisible impairments and promote inclusion.

Bu makalede, Kur’an’ın 2. sûresi olan Bakara sûresinin 31. âyetinde geçen “ve Allah Âdem’e bütün isimleri öğretti” mealindeki âyet temelinde isimlendirmeler, kavramsallaştırmalar, tarih yazımı ve dilin kullanımı, güç ilişkileri ve sosyolojik boyut üzerinden ele alınmaktadır. Yine bu âyetin farklı tefsirleri ele alınırken, anlamının genellikle tefsirciler tarafından olduğu gibi anlaşıldığına, Kur’an’daki diğer âyetlerle ilişkisi bağlamında âyeti ele alan yaklaşımların az olduğuna ve sosyolojik boyut ile güç ilişkileri bağlamında değerlendirilmediğine vurgu yapılmıştır. Dil alanı, güç ilişkilerinden büyük ölçüde etkilenen ve onu etkileyen bir alan olduğu için; güç, toplum ve dil ilişkisinin ayrılmaz ve iç içe bir yapıda olduğunu söylemek mümkündür. Tarihin güç mücadelelerinin tekrar ettiği bir süreç olduğu gerçeği göz önüne alındığında, her bir mücadele sonunda kazanan tarafın zihniyet ve kültürünün kendi diliyle rakip topluma aktarılması veya zorunlu dönüşüm kaçınılmaz olmaktadır. Bu bağlamda makalede, anlamlandırmaların, kavramsallaştırmaların, isimlendirmelerin, algıların, dilin ürünü olan birçok şeyin Bakara sûresinde geçen âyette belirtildiği gibi insana verilen özellikten, bu özelliğin de büyük ölçüde güç ilişkilerinden nasıl etkilendiğini göstermek amaçlanmıştır. Dile sahip çıkmanın güç ilişkileri ve sosyolojik bağlamı anlamaktan geçtiğini bilmenin farkındalığı bu açıdan önemlidir. Çalışmada doküman analizi yöntemi üzerinden dilin güç mücadelesinde kullanımına ait örnekler içeren yeteri miktarda kaynak taranmış, incelenmiş ve yorumlanmıştır.

Abstract Background Care aides provide up to 70–90% of the direct care for residents in long-term care (LTC) and thus hold great potential in improving residents’ quality of life and end-of-life (EoL) care experiences. Although the scope and necessity of the care aide role is predicted to increase in the future, there is a lack of understanding around their perceptions and experiences of delivering EoL care in LTC settings. The aim of this study was to gain an understanding of the perspectives, experiences, and working conditions of care aides delivering end-of-life care in LTC in a rural setting, within a high-income country. Methods Data were collected over ten months of fieldwork at one long-term care home in western Canada; semi-structured interviews (70 h) with 31 care aides; and observation (170 h). Data were analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis. Results Two themes were identified: (i) the emotional toll that delivering this care takes on the care aids and; (ii) the need for healing and support among this workforce. Findings show that the vast majority of care aides reported feeling unprepared for the delivery of the complex care work required for good EoL care. Findings indicate that there are no adequate resources available for care aides’ to support the mental and emotional aspects of their role in the delivery of EoL care in LTC. Participants shared unique stories of their own self-care traditions to support their grief, processing and emotional healing. Conclusions To facilitate the health and well-being of this essential workforce internationally, care aides need to have appropriate training and preparation for the complex care work required for good EoL care. It is essential that mechanisms in LTC become mandatory to support care aides’ mental health and emotional well-being in this role. Implications for practice highlight the need for greater care and attention played on the part of the educational settings during their selection and acceptance process to train care aides to ensure they have previous experience and societal awareness of what care in LTC settings entails, especially regarding EoL experiences.

Abstract Background The causes and consequences of social isolation and loneliness of older people living in rural contexts during the COVID-19 pandemic were systematically reviewed to describe patterns, causes and consequences. Methods Using the Arksey and O’Malley (2005) scoping review method, searches were conducted between March and December 2022, 1013 articles were screened and 29 were identified for data extraction. Results Findings were summarized using thematic analysis separated into four major themes: prevalence of social isolation and loneliness; rural-only research; comparative urban-rural research; and technological and other interventions. Core factors for each of these themes describe the experiences of older people during the COVID-19 pandemic and related lockdowns. We observed that there are interrelationships and some contradictory findings among the themes. Conclusions Social isolation and loneliness are associated with a wide variety of health problems and challenges, highlighting the need for further research. This scoping review systematically identified several important insights into existing knowledge from the experiences of older people living in rural areas during the COVID-19 pandemic, while pointing to pressing knowledge and policy gaps that can be addressed in future research.

BackgroundThe number of people in society living with dementia is growing. In Canada, most people who live with dementia live at home, often in a neighborhood setting. Neighborhood environments can be a source of independence, social engagement, and well-being. They can also contain barriers that limit physical activity, social engagement, and well-being. A dementia-friendly neighborhood includes assets that support persons living with dementia and their caregivers in multiple life domains, including those that support walking within the neighborhood environment. ObjectiveThe objectives for this scoping review are twofold. First, focusing on walkshed analysis, we aim to extend scholarly understandings of methodological practices used in the monitoring and evaluation of dementia-friendly neighborhoods. Second, we aim to provide clear and practical guidance for those working in planning, design, and public health fields to assess the neighborhood context in support of evidence-based action to improve the lives of persons living with dementia. MethodsThe study design follows Arksey and O’Malley’s scoping review framework and PRISMA-P (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols) guidelines. We will conduct a search of peer-reviewed studies in 6 electronic databases to identify the use of Geographic Information System analysis to measure the walkshed of persons living with dementia in a community setting. As age is a primary risk factor associated with dementia, we will also include studies that focus more broadly on community-dwelling older adults aged 65 years and older. Data will be extracted, analyzed, and represented according to 3 domains. This includes study details, walkshed analysis methods, and criteria and indicators used to measure dementia-friendly neighborhoods. ResultsThe results of the study and the submission of a manuscript for peer review are expected in June 2024. The results of the review are expected to contribute to an understanding of methods for monitoring and evaluating dementia-friendly neighborhoods. Expected findings will include a detailed breakdown of current parameters and routines used to conduct walkshed analysis. Findings will also convey criteria that can be operationalized in a Geographic Information System as indicators to assess barriers and facilitators to walking in a neighborhood setting. ConclusionsAs far as we are aware, the proposed scoping review will be the first to provide comprehensive methodological or technical guidance for conducting walkshed analysis specific to persons living with dementia. Both the scalability and objective nature of walkshed analysis are likely to be of direct interest to public health practitioners, planners, and allied professionals. Clearly documenting methods used in walkshed analysis can spur increased collaboration across these disciplines to enable an evidence-informed approach to improving neighborhood environments for persons living with dementia. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)PRR1-10.2196/50548

AbstractArtificial intelligence-based tools are rapidly revolutionizing the field of higher education, yet to be explored in terms of their impact on existing higher education institutions’ (HEIs) practices adopted for continuous learning improvement, given the sparsity of the literature and empirical experiments in undergraduate degree programs. After the entry of ChatGPT -a conversational artificial intelligence (AI) tool that uses a deep learning model to generate human-like text response based on provided input—it has become crucial for HEIs to be exposed to the implications of AI-based tools on students’ learning outcomes, commonly measured using an assessment-based approach to improve program quality, teaching effectiveness, and other learning support. An empirical study has been conducted to test the ChatGPT capability of solving a variety of assignments (from different level courses of undergraduate degree programs) to compare its performance with the highest scored student(s). Further, the ChatGPT-generated assignments were tested using the best-known tools for plagiarism detection to determine whether they could pass the academic integrity tests, including Turnitin, GPTZero, and Copyleaks. The study reported the limitations of the Bot and highlighted the implications of the newly launched AI-based ChatGPT in academia, which calls for HEIs’ managers and regulators to revisit their existing practices used to monitor students’ learning progress and improve their educational programs.

Bu makalede, İbn Haldun’un mağlup toplumun tepkileri ile ilgili görüşleri temelinde, güç mücadelesine giren toplumlar arasında mücadeleyi kazanmanın ve kaybetmenin her iki toplum açısından ortaya çıkardığı sonuçlar ele alınmaktadır. Galip ve mağlubun tarih içindeki sürekli değişimi ile güç kavramının bizzat kendisi arasında ilişki kurulmuştur. Gücün süreç içerisindeki sürekli değişiminin, güçlüyü de değiştirdiği ifade edilmiştir. Tarih boyunca hemen her asırda devam eden güç mücadelesinin bir sonucu olarak “galip ve mağlup” diye adlandırılan iki farklı toplum ortaya çıkmıştır. Güce bağlı olarak ortaya çıkan bu ikili yapı aynı şekilde yine gücün bir ürünü olan “Güç Yanılgısı” olgusundan da etkilenmiştir. Böylece tarih; güç mücadelesi, güç dönüşümü ve güç yanılgısı üçlüsünün tekrar ettiği bir sahne haline gelmiştir. İbn Haldun’a göre tarih boyunca var olan güç mücadelesi sürecinde mağlup toplum üç tür tepki geliştirmektedir. Mücadelenin mağlubu ya güçlünün kemal mertebesinde olduğuna inanıp nefsinin aldanışı sonucu güce hizmet etmekte ya mağlubiyetinin sebebini güçlünün kültür ve diniyle açıklamakta ya da mağlubiyetin ortaya çıkardığı miskinlik ve öğrenilmiş çaresizlikle her konuda mücadele etmeyi bırakmaktadır. Bu durumun, güç mücadelesine girecek her bir devletin mağlup olmayı da göze alarak yeniden doğuşu hangi noktaya dayandırması ve kurtuluş çözümleri konusunda nasıl bir metot izlemesi gerektiği konusunda önemli bir kriter olduğu görülmektedir. Çalışmada, makro bağlamda dolaylı gözlem yapılarak ulaşılabilen miktarda kaynak taranıp incelenerek problem analiz edilmeye çalışılmıştır.

THE BODY AND THE BLOOD: THE HOLY LAND'S CHRISTIANS AT THE TURN OF A NEW MILLENIUM, A REPORTER'S JOURNEY. By CHARLES M. SENNOT. Public Affairs. 479pp. $30. TRAVEL LITERATURE presents [...]

Background and Objectives: We aimed to investigate whether the lumbar paraspinal muscle/fat ratio influences the outcomes of patients who had simple decompressive surgeries for lumbar disc herniation (LDH) or lumbar spinal stenosis. We also wanted to see if the spinopelvic parameters change with surgery and whether this change influences the outcomes. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective study on patients with lumbar spinal stenosis (20 patients) and LDH (20 patients) who underwent simple discectomy or decompressive surgery between November 2021 and May 2022. Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for back and leg pain, Oswestry Disability Index, and Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score were performed before and 3 months after surgery. Spinopelvic parameters were measured on whole spine radiographs before and 3 months after surgery. On axial magnetic resonance images, paraspinal muscle volume and muscle/fat ratios were calculated. All data were statistically analyzed with SPSS program. Results: There was a significant improvement in VAS, Oswestry, and JOA scores after surgery. We observed that more preoperative paraspinal muscle mass was positively correlated with lumbar lordosis (LL) and negatively correlated with sagittal vertical axis (SVA), VAS leg scores, and Oswestry scores. Furthermore, we observed a positive correlation between preoperative SVA and VAS leg scores. Conclusion: Despite limited number of patients, and shorter follow-ups, this prospective study demonstrates a correlation among the lumbar paraspinal muscle/fat ratio, preoperative/postoperative spinopelvic parameters, and surgical outcomes. Increased paraspinal muscle ratio was correlated with lower SVA values and increased LL; lower VAS leg scores; higher Oswestry scores which reflects better surgical outcomes.

The multiple-choice multidimensional knapsack problem (MMKP) is a well-known NP-hard problem that has many real-time applications. However, owing to its complexity, finding computationally efficient solutions for the MMKP remains a challenging task. In this study, we propose a Modified Artificial Bee Colony algorithm (MABC) to solve the MMKP. The MABC employs surrogate relaxation, Hamming distance, and a tabu list to enhance the local search process and exploit neighborhood information. We evaluated the performance of the MABC on standard benchmark instances and compared it with several state-of-the-art algorithms, including RLS, ALMMKP, ACO, PEGF-PERC, TIKS-TIKS2 and D-QPSO. The experimental results reveal that MABC produces highly competitive solutions in terms of the best solutions found, achieving approximately 2% of the optimal solutions with trivial (milliseconds) CPU time. The Kruskal-Wallis test revealed that there was no statistically significant difference in the objective function values between the MABC algorithm and other state-of-the-art algorithms (H = 0.31506, p = 0.98882). However, for CPU efficiency, the test showed a statistically significant difference (H = 84.90850, p = 0), indicating that the MABC algorithm exhibited significantly better CPU efficiency (with shorter execution times) than the other algorithms did. Along with these findings, the ease of implementation of the algorithm and the small number of control parameters make our approach highly adaptive for large-scale real-time systems.

Bu makalede güç mücadelesi olgusu etrafındaki güç-din-toplum ilişkisi, güç olgusunun anlamındaki değişmeye, sosyolojik mücadele ve çeşitlerine değinerek ele alınmıştır. Böylece, mücadelenin sosyolojik boyut üzerinden bilhassa dini ve toplumu kapsayan Teo-sosyolojik ve Teo-stratejik yönü vurgulanmıştır. Bu vurguyla dinin; gündelik yaşamdan siyasete, ekonomiye, ülkeler arası ilişkilere ve tarihe kadar olan ilişki ağı içerisinde stratejik bakış açısıyla yorumlanması amaçlanmıştır. Bu şekilde dinin, sübjektif yönü dışında sosyolojik müdahalenin bir aracı olarak kullanıldığı ortaya konulmuştur. Teo-Stratejilerin özellikle Selefi zihniyeti temel alan örgütler üzerinden yapıldığına dikkat çekilmiştir. Gerçekliğin, güçler mücadelesinde tarihten bugüne ne şekilde dönüştürülebildiğini, kavramların ne şekilde istismar edildiğini gösterme adına, insanların doğal bir özelliği olan tanımlama, adlandırma, yorumlama özelliklerinin en önemli uygulama alanı olduğuna vurgu yapılmıştır. Ayrıca gerçekliğin güç mücadelesine bağlı olarak sürekli değiştirildiği ve yeniden inşa edildiği vurgulanmıştır. Gücün geçmişten günümüze yayılan ve onun zamana, bağlama, şartlara, önemine ve güç araçlarına göre değişen durumunun onu tanımlamayı zorlaştırdığı ifade edilmiştir. Çalışmada disiplinler arası bir yaklaşımla, nitel yöntemin doküman analizi tekniği kullanılarak yeteri miktarda kaynak taranmış, anlamlandırılmış ve analiz edilmiştir.

This research was conducted to find out what factors affect the English anxiety of 11th-grade students of AKL SMK PGRI Rangkasbitung. In particular, the researchers tried to identify the internal and external factors that can influence students' anxiety in learning English based on internal and external perspectives. The method used in this research is the descriptive qualitative method. Ten students were selected as participants. Data were collected through questionnaires. The results showed that students' anxiety was divided into internal and external factors. Shame, lack of self-confidence, memory dissociation, and stage fear are internal factors. Grammar ability, vocabulary, students' reading skills, and peers are included as external factors.

Neighbourhoods are known to help maintain functional abilities and enable out-of-home activities and social participation for people living with dementia. Dementia friendly and inclusive communities (DFC) frameworks recognize the importance of developing supportive and empowering environments for people living with dementia and their families. Beyond the core objective of raising awareness and eliminating stigma associated with dementia, most DFC frameworks also focus on improving accessibility and navigability in the neighbourhood environment. Limited research on this topic points to the importance of evidence-based design of the neighbourhood built environment to promote mobility and wayfinding, legibility, familiarity, and safety for people living with dementia. Increased relevance of DFCs for policy and practice calls for expanding this body of knowledge. The proposed study, titled “Dementia-inclusive Spaces for Community Access, Participation, and Engagement (DemSCAPE),” focuses on identifying neighbourhood destinations considered important by people living with dementia, as well as neighbourhood built environmental features relevant for their outdoor mobility, engagement, and social participation. This study protocol paper offers key information on 1) the need for mixed methods research on this topic and its theoretical and methodological underpinnings, 2) study sampling and recruitment strategy, 3) data collection methods, which include a series of structured and semi-structured sit-down interviews and a walk-along interview, 4) procedure for data analysis, 5) ethical and methodological considerations, and 6) measures taken to enhance study rigour.

Unlike literature and studies coming from high-income or Western countries, the existing conducted on the Middle East and North Africa fail to draw a nearly complete image of the characteristics of passenger travel behaviors in the urban areas of the region. This gap necessitates a holistic review of the previous studies and comparing their results of those of the international findings. This paper summarizes the status of urban travel behavior studies on the MENA region under eight categories of socioeconomics, land use, perceptions and attitudes, urban sprawl, neighborhood design, public transportation use, active mobility, and new technologies and concepts. Descriptive literature review and desk research depicts both lack of research results or data and differences between the behaviors in the MENA region and the Western countries. Moreover, based on the background review, this paper provides a list of recommendations for having more sustainable mobility in the MENA region.

Abstract E-learning was mandated for all the higher education institutions (HEI) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to encounter the pandemic and practice social distancing in year 2020. This led education institutions to shift from face-to-face traditional classroom settings to online education channels for delivering education to their students despite being less familiar with the real-time remote learning. The current study attempts to measure the success of e-learning systems adopted by the HEIs in UAE. An e-learning system success measuring the framework based on DeLone and McLean (J Manage Inf Syst 19(4):9–30, 2003) was developed including the measures of quality, system use, perceptual benefits and future outcomes from students’ perspective. A survey was conducted from more than 1200 students studying at different higher education institutions of the UAE region. The findings have implications for educators and policy-makers recommending the success factors of e-learning delivery channels in this region.

This study investigated for the first time the performance of microbial halotolerant bioanodes designed from two Tunisian Hypersaline Sediments (THS) for simultaneous electrostimulated biodegradation of synthetic fruit packaging wastewater containing thiabendazole (TBZ), and recovery of an anodic current signal. Halotolerant bioanodes formation has been conducted on 6 cm2 carbon felt electrodes polarized at −0.1Vvs Saturated Calomel Electrode (SCE), inoculated with 80% (v:v) of synthetic wastewater containing 50 ppm of irradiated or not irradiated TBZ and 20% (v:v) of THS for a period of 7 days. Microbial bioanodes, and the corresponding anolytes, i.e., synthetic wastewater, were studied comparatively by electrochemical, microscopic, spectroscopic, molecular and microbial ecology tools. Despite the low maximum current densities recorded in the 50 ppm TBZ runs (3.66 mA/m2), more than 80% of the TBZ was degraded when non-irradiated TBZ (nTBZ) was used as the sole carbon energy by the microorganisms. Nevertheless, the degradation in the presence of irradiated TBZ (iTBZ) was greatly reduced by increasing the irradiation dose with maximum current density of 0.95 mA/m2 and a degradation rate less than 50% of iTBZ. In addition, chemical changes were observed in TBZ as a result of gamma irradiation and bioelectrochemical degradation. FT-IR and UV-Vis techniques confirmed the degradation of TBZ structural bonds producing novel functional groups. Culture-dependent approach and 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing demonstrated that bacterial community of halotolerant bioanodes formed with nTBZ were dominated by Proteobacteria (75%) and Firmicutes (25%). At species level, enrichment of Halomonas smyrnensis, Halomonas halophila, Halomonas salina, Halomonasor ganivorans and Halomonas koreensis on carbon felt electrodes were correlated with maximal current production and nTBZ degradation. As a result, THS halotolerant bacteria, and specifically those from Chott El Djerid (CJ) site certainly have well established application for the electrostimulated microbial biodegradation of fungicide in the real fruit and vegetable processing industries.

Bioelectrochemical systems (BESs), rather than physicochemical processes, are used for wastewater remediation, electricity production, and zero carbon dioxide emission. Textile effluents contain organic and inorganic compounds that can fuel BESs. The main goal of this study was to understand the interplay between the anode material, its surface area, the potential applied to the working electrode (WE), and the concentration of the co-substrate, and how these factors lead to the formation of highly efficient thermohalophilic bioanodes (THB) retrieved from Chott El Djerid (SCD) hypersaline sediment for the treatment of synthetic textile wastewater. To this end, twenty-seven bioanode formation experiments were designed using a Box-Behnken matrix and response surface methodology to understand concomitant interactions. All experiments were conducted in electrochemical reactors of final volume 750 mL inoculated with 80% of enrichment medium containing three azo dyes at a concentration of 300 ppm and 20% of biocatalyst microbial SCD source, at 45 °C. The optimal levels were predicted using NemrodW software as carbon felt (CF) anode material, 6 cm2 anode surface, 7 g/L glucose concentration, and −0.1 V applied potential. These theoretical results were experimentally validated, using maximum current output of 5.23 ± 0.30 A/m2, decolorization rate of 100%, and a chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal rate of 96 ± 1%. Illumina Miseq results revealed that bacterial community harbored the bioanode was dominated at phylum level by Firmicutes (67.1%). At the species level, the biofilm was mainly colonized by Orenia metallireducens species (59.5%). Obtained findings show a promising application of THB in the degradation of recalcitrant molecules as well as for the energy recovery.

Abstract Bioremediation offers a viable alternative for the reduction of contaminants from the environment, particularly petroleum and its recalcitrant derivatives. In this study, the ability of a strain of Pseudomonas BUN14 to degrade crude oil, pristane and dioxin compounds, and to produce biosurfactants, was investigated. BUN14 is a halotolerant strain isolated from polluted sediment recovered from the refinery harbor on the Bizerte coast, north Tunisia and capable of producing surfactants. The strain BUN14 was assembled into 22 contigs of 4,898,053 bp with a mean GC content of 62.4%. Whole genome phylogeny and comparative genome analyses showed that strain BUN14 could be affiliated with two validly described Pseudomonas Type Strains, P. kunmingensis DSM 25974T and P. chloritidismutans AW-1T. The current study, however, revealed that the two Type Strains are probably conspecific and, given the priority of the latter, we proposed that P. kunmingensis DSM 25974 is a heteronym of P. chloritidismutans AW-1T. Using GC-FID analysis, we determined that BUN14 was able to use a range of hydrocarbons (crude oil, pristane, dibenzofuran, dibenzothiophene, naphthalene) as a sole carbon source. Genome analysis of BUN14 revealed the presence of a large repertoire of proteins (154) related to xenobiotic biodegradation and metabolism. Thus, 44 proteins were linked to the pathways for complete degradation of benzoate and naphthalene. The annotation of conserved functional domains led to the detection of putative genes encoding enzymes of the rhamnolipid biosynthesis pathway. Overall, the polyvalent hydrocarbon degradation capacity of BUN14 makes it a promising candidate for application in the bioremediation of polluted saline environments.

Objectives: This study aims to examine the effect of surgical strategies in repair of coarctation of aorta on systolic hypertension and long-term results. Patients and methods: A total of 13 adult patients (9 males, 4 females; mean age: 31.4±11.8 years; range, 18 to 51 years) who underwent aortic coarctation surgical repair between March 1990 and November 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. Data including demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients were recorded. Repair of coarctation of aorta was carried out with a left posterolateral thoracotomy through fourth intercostal space in 10 patients. Extra-anatomic aortic bypass grafting through median sternotomy was performed in three patients. Results: The mean follow-up was 131.4±112.6 (range, 2 to 312) months. No mortality was observed in any of the patients. The systolic blood pressures of the patients receiving and not receiving medical treatment preoperatively significantly decreased postoperatively and during follow-up (p≤0.05). Pleural effusion was seen in one patient with recurrent coarctation postoperatively. Postoperative atrial fibrillation persisted, despite medical treatment, in four patients who had atrial fibrillation preoperatively. Twelve (92.3%) patients had New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class I and one (7.7%) patient had Class II symptoms during follow-up (p [Turk J Vasc Surg 2021; 30(3.000): 175-81]