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Introduction: Tunisian emigrants may consume psychoactive substances in other countries. This community is exposed to sociocultural and legal contexts different from those in Tunisia and the degree of acculturation would tend to increase over time. However, data on the use of psychoactive substances, particularly cannabis, in this particular population are scarce. Objectives: This study aims to determine the profile of Tunisian young adults residing abroad who use cannabis. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional, descriptive and analytic study. It was carried out in the form of an online survey. We focused on young Tunisians people who have completed their secondary studies at the pilot high school of Sfax and currently residing abroad. Data collection was through Google Forms administred questionnaire. Results: Thirty-five participants were included in our study. Cannabis use behavior affected 48.6% of them (N=17)) and it was done with friends in a festive setting in 88% of cases (N=15). Cannabis use was more common among people who were single (p=0.001), living alone (p=0.047), had a psychiatric history (p=0.032) and hanging out with friends who also smoked cannabis (p=0.032).Cannabis use was also more common among cigarette smokers (p=0.000) and alcohol consumers (p=0.000). It was significantly more common among people who shared erroneous beliefs about cannabis, that it is a mild drug (p= 0.024) and that it does not cause dependence (p= p=0.042). Conclusions: Cannabis use among Tunisian young adults residing abroad seems to be a form of poly-consumption, more common among singles, living alone and having a psychiatric vulnerability. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions and educational initiatives to address cannabis use within this specific population. Disclosure of Interest: None Declared [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work was aimed to investigate the life cycle and the effect of different initial population densities of Globodera rostochiensis on potato yield and growth on the susceptible potato cultivar, Spunta, in Algerian environmental conditions. The length of the life cycle of G. rostochiensis differed among growing seasons and was 72 days or 699 DD6.2 for potatoes planted in mid-February and 66 days or 496 DD6.2 for potatoes planted in early November. A significant reduction in growth and potato yields was observed. The increase of initial Population densities (Pi) of G. rostochiensis were associated with a significant reduction in plant growth and potato yields. The maximum yield and plant height reductions were 85 and 75%, respectively, at the highest Pi of 512 eggs g-1 soil. The final nematode Population density (Pf) increased with the increase of the initial population densities. The Reproductive factor (Rf) initially increased with the increase of Pi up to 4 eggs g-1 soil and then decreased for Pi4 ؛, suggesting an intraspecies competition. Results contribute to the knowledge of G. rostochiensis thermal time requirements in Algerian environmental conditions and can be a valuable tool to develop appropriate potato cyst nematode control strategies considering that the nematode can also cause severe damage and yield losses at very low Pi densities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiotherapy (RT) for head and neck cancer is now guided by cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). We aim to identify a CBCT radiomic signature predictive of progression to RT. A cohort of 93 patients was split into training (n = 60) and testing (n = 33) sets. A total of 88 features were extracted from the gross tumor volume (GTV) on each CBCT. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to determine the power of each feature at each week of treatment to predict progression to radio(chemo)therapy. Only features with AUC > 0.65 at each week were pre-selected. Absolute differences were calculated between features from each weekly CBCT and baseline CBCT1 images. The smallest detectable change (C = 1.96 × SD, SD being the standard deviation of differences between feature values calculated on CBCT1 and CBCTn) with its confidence interval (95% confidence interval [CI]) was determined for each feature. The features for which the change was larger than C for at least 5% of patients were then selected. A radiomics-based model was built at the time-point that showed the highest AUC and compared with models relying on clinical variables. Seven features had an AUC > 0.65 at each week, and six exhibited a change larger than the predefined CI 95%. After exclusion of inter-correlated features, only one parameter remains, Coarseness. Among clinical variable, only hemoglobin value was significant. AUC for predicting the treatment response were 0.78 (p =.006), 0.85 (p <.001), and 0.99 (p <.001) for clinical, CBCT4-radiomics (Coarseness) and clinical + radiomics based models respectively. The mean AUC of this last model on a 5-fold cross-validation was 0.80 (±0.09). On the testing cohort, the best prediction was given by the combined model (balanced accuracy [BAcc] 0.67 , p <.001). We described a feature selection methodology for delta-radiomics that is able to select reproducible features which are informative due to their change during treatment. A selected delta radiomics feature may improve clinical-based prediction models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A three-dimensional model designed mainly from surface geological trends and physical properties measurements interprets reflections throughout the upper crust of the Penninic Alps in east Switzerland as the result of the surface of basement nappes and narrow regions of sedimentary cover rocks. The reflection coefficients of reflectors imply that the simple lithologic changes bring about the observed reflections. Major faults and shear zones are not significant in the overall reflectivity, except where they juxtapose varying lithologies. The Alps reveal highly definable strategies when the subsurface reflection patterns are correlated without cropping geology.

Introduction: Psychological vulnerability and problematic psychotropic drug use among medical residents are critical and intricate areas of study in the field of healthcare and mental well-being. This topic looks into the potential links between the psychological vulnerabilities experienced by medical residents, which are frequently associated with the demanding nature of their profession, and their use of psychotropic drugs in a way that poses problems or risks. Exploring this relationship is critical for understanding the mental health challenges that medical residents face and developing effective strategies to support their psychological well-being. Objectives: to identify the psychological factors linked to problematic psychotropic drug use in medical residents. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional descriptive and analytical study among Tunisian medical residents between August and September 2022. We used a self-administered questionnaire with a data collection form, the DAST-10 (Drug Abuse Screening Test) scale, and the DASS-21 (Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale) in an online survey. Data was analyzed using the 20th version of the SPSS software. Results: The sample consisted of 80 medical residents. Among them, 23.8% (n=19) had reported a previous use of psychotropic drugs, and 15% (n=12) a misuse (without a prescription and/or without following the prescription). The DAST-10 revealed that 6 residents (31.6%) had problematic use of psychotropic drugs. A high level of stress on the DASS-21 scale was associated with a problematic use (p=0.01) and a misuse (p=0.01) of psychotropic drugs. Furthermore, residents with high stress levels were more likely to demonstrate problematic use of psychotropic drugs (p=0.004). Such problematic use was correlated with personal history of anxiety disorders (p=0.01). Furthermore, residents with problematic psychotropic drug use had higher anxiety and depression scores on the DASS-21 scale (p>0.05). Conclusions: Our findings revealed a concerning prevalence of psychotropic drug use among medical residents and an association with high stress levels. This result emphasizes the need for targeted interventions to support young doctors' mental health. Disclosure of Interest: None Declared [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Understanding adolescents perceptions of their weight status and the factors influencing these perceptions is pivotal for developing targeted interventions and policies to counteract the rising obesity trends. Objectives: This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the accuracy of weight status perceptions among Tunisian adolescents compared to objective metrics and to identify sociodemographic characteristics and life habits associated with the underestimation of weight status. Methods: A cross-sectional, school-based study was conducted among a randomized sample of adolescents attending secondary schools in Sousse, Tunisia. A total of 1399 students participated, with anthropometric measurements taken, and a pre-tested Arabic questionnaire administered to gather sociodemographic data and perceived weight status, assessed using the Figure Rating Scale (FRS). The accuracy of perceived weight status was determined by comparing the measured weight status with participants; self-reported perceptions. We evaluated the association between body weight distortion and life habits which included regular physical activity, screen time (time spent on internet per day), number of fruits and vegetables consumed per day, and fast-food consumption. Results: The study achieved an 86.68% response rate, with over half of the participants being female (60.5%), and the average age being 17 years. The majority of adolescents (41%) perceived themselves as having normal body weight, while 34.5% perceived themselves as underweight, 16.6% as overweight, and 7.9% as obese. However, based on BMI categories, 72.6% had a normal measured weight, 20.4% were overweight, and 6.9% were obese. A substantial proportion of participants (45.6%) underestimated their weight status, with a significant proportion being objectively overweight or obese (26%). Furthermore, we found a significant association between the perception of weight accuracy with four correlates: gender, mother educational level, regular physical activity, and the number of fruits and vegetables consumed per day. Conclusions: The findings revealed a disparity between perceived and actual weight status among Tunisian adolescents, with a significant underestimation of weight status, particularly among those who are overweight or obese. The results highlighted the crucial need for interventions that address weight perception inaccuracies and promote healthy weight awareness and management among adolescents in Tunisia. The study underscored the importance of further research to understand the development and progression of body weight underestimation throughout adolescence and the roles of lifestyle behaviors in shaping weight perceptions. Disclosure of Interest: None Declared [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]