The aim of this study was to characterize the biological stability and maturity degree of compost during a controlled pile-composting trial of mixed vegetable residues （VR） collected from markets of Tunis City with ...The aim of this study was to characterize the biological stability and maturity degree of compost during a controlled pile-composting trial of mixed vegetable residues （VR） collected from markets of Tunis City with residues of Posidonia oceanica （PoR）, collected from Tunis beaches. The accumulation in beaches （as well as their removal） constitutes a serious environmental problem in all Mediterranean countries particularly in Tunisia. Aerobic-thermophilic composting is the most reasonable way to profit highly-valuable content of organic matter in these wastes for agricultural purposes. The physical, chemical, and biological parameters were monitored during composting over 150 d. The most appropriate parameters were selected to establish the maturity degree. The main result of this research was the deduction of the following maturity criterion： （a） C/N ratio 〈 15; （b） NH4^＋-N 〈 400 mg/kg; （c） CO2-C 〈 2000 mg CO2-C/kg; （d） dehydrogenase activity 〈 1 mg TPF/g dry matter; （e） germination index （GI） 〉 80%. These five parameters, considered jointly are indicative of a high maturity degree and thus of a high-quality organic amendment which employed in a rational way, may improve soil fertility and soil quality. The mature compost was relatively rich in N （13.0 g/kg）, P （4.74 g/kg） and MgO （15.80 g/kg）. Thus composting definitively constitutes the most optimal option to exploit these wastes.展开更多
Oxy-fuel firing is more energy efficient and environmental friendly than conventional air-fuel firing and its application to reheating furnaces has begun since 1990s. A computational method was presented to predict th...Oxy-fuel firing is more energy efficient and environmental friendly than conventional air-fuel firing and its application to reheating furnaces has begun since 1990s. A computational method was presented to predict the steady heat transfer to the billets and temperature distribution in a continuous pusher type reheating furnace in which combustion air was enhanced by oxygen. Radiation heat flux calculated from the radiation heat exchange within the furnace was modeled using the FVM considering the effects of furnace walls and billets. Energy consumption per ton of steel, production rate and thermal efficiency of furnace, and trend of NOx emission in various levels of oxygen enrichment were investigated by comparing with baseline furnace （21% of O2 in air）. The results showed that the best range of oxygen enrichments was between 21% and 45% by volume, as the higher slope of flame temperature and production increase occur in this range. The reduction of energy consumption can be obtained up to 18% per ton of steel for oxygen enrichment of 60 % by volume.展开更多
Autotrophic ammonia-oxidizing bacteria （AOB） have been widely studied in constructed wetlands systems, while mixotrophic AOB have been less thoroughly examined. Heterotrophic bacteria were isolated from wastewater a...Autotrophic ammonia-oxidizing bacteria （AOB） have been widely studied in constructed wetlands systems, while mixotrophic AOB have been less thoroughly examined. Heterotrophic bacteria were isolated from wastewater and rhizospheres of macrophytes of constructed wetlands, and then cultivated in a mixotrophic medium containing ammonium and acetic acid. A molecular characterization was accomplished using ITS-PCR amplification, and phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene Sequences. Results showed the presence of 35 bacteria, among 400 initially heterotrophic isolates, that were able to remove ammonia. These 35 isolates were classified into 10 genetically different groups based on ITS pattern. Then, a collection of 10 isolates were selected because of their relatively high ammonia removal efficiencies （ARE≥ 80%） and their phylogenetic diversity. In conditions of mixotrophy, these strains were shown to be able to grow （increase of optical density OD660 during incubation with assimilation of nitrogen into cellular biomass） and to oxidize ammonia （important ammonia oxidation efficiencies, AOE between 79% and 87%）. Among these facultative mixotrophic AOB, four isolates were genetically related to Firmicutes （Bacillus and Exiguobacterium）, three isolates were affiliated to Actinobacteria （Arthrobacter） and three other isolates were associated with Proteobacteria （Pseudomonas, Ochrobactrum and Bordetella）.展开更多
Secondary hyperparathyroidism (HPT) is frequent in dialysis patients. Parathyroidectomy (PTX) is indicated for patients who failed medical therapy. We reviewed the data from 184 dialysis patients who underwent PTX bet...Secondary hyperparathyroidism (HPT) is frequent in dialysis patients. Parathyroidectomy (PTX) is indicated for patients who failed medical therapy. We reviewed the data from 184 dialysis patients who underwent PTX between January 2015 and January 2023. We aimed to evaluate the short and long term outcomes of PTX in dialysis patients, comparing the conservative 3/4 versus 7/8 techniques in this population.166 dialysis patients with secondary HPT were included. A conservative subtotal PTX (sPTX) 7/8 was performed in 72% of patients and sPTX 3/4 in 28% of them. Severe postoperative hypocalcaemiaocurred in 45 patients (27%). Hypocalcaemia was significantly more frequent in the sPTX 7/8 group (p = 0.012). One case of persistent HPT (0.6%) and 20 cases of recurrence (12%) were diagnosed. Recurrence was more frequent in the sPTX 3/4 group (15%). No deaths were reported during the perioperative period.展开更多
The production of MoO3 from Sarcheshmeh molybdenite concentrate via a pyro-hydrometallurgical process was studied.The molybdenite concentrate and sodium carbonate were premixed and fused under air atmosphere.Then the ...The production of MoO3 from Sarcheshmeh molybdenite concentrate via a pyro-hydrometallurgical process was studied.The molybdenite concentrate and sodium carbonate were premixed and fused under air atmosphere.Then the fused products were leached in water and the dissolved molybdenum was recovered as ammonium molybdate.The ammonium molybdate was then calcined to produce mo-lybdic oxide.At the fusion stage,the effect of the mass ratio of carbonate to sulfide on the reaction products and the solubility of the products was investigated.The results show that during the fusion,sodium molybdate and sodium sulfate are the final reaction products and sodium sulfide is detected as an intermediate reaction product.By melting at 850℃with 5wt%excess carbonate,the maximum solubility of the products is obtained.The molybdenum is recovered from the solutions as ammonium molybdate.展开更多
The development of statistical tools based on machine learning(ML)and deep networks is actively sought for materials design problems.While structure-property relationships can be accurately determined using quantum me...The development of statistical tools based on machine learning(ML)and deep networks is actively sought for materials design problems.While structure-property relationships can be accurately determined using quantum mechanical methods,these firstprinciples calculations are computationally demanding,limiting their use in screening a large set of candidate structures.Herein,we use convolutional neural networks to develop a predictive model for the electronic properties of metal halide perovskites(MHPs)that have a billions-range materials design space.We show that a well-designed hierarchical ML approach has a higher fidelity in predicting properties of the MHPs compared to straight-forward methods.展开更多
Introduction: Sarcoidosis is a granulomatous systemic disease. Renal damage is rare but it can evolve to chronic renal failure (CRF). The aim of our work is to describe the clinical, paraclinical, histological and evo...Introduction: Sarcoidosis is a granulomatous systemic disease. Renal damage is rare but it can evolve to chronic renal failure (CRF). The aim of our work is to describe the clinical, paraclinical, histological and evolutionary profile of renal involvement during sarcoidosis and to identify the progression factors leading to CRF. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective descriptive study from January 2009 to December 2022. We collected the medical records of patients with sarcoidosis and renal involvement. To study the progression factors leading to CRF we identified two groups of patients: the group with normal renal function and the group that developed CRF. Results: We included in our study 17 patients with renal sarcoidosis. Their mean age was 45 ± 14.7 years and the sex ratio was 0.4. Renal involvement is revealing of sarcoidosis in 76% of cases. Renal failure was diagnosed in 88% of patients. Proteinuria was positive in 76.5% of cases, leukocyturia in 59% of patients and hematuria in 41% of patients. Renal biopsy was performed in 15 patients showing tubulointerstitial nephropathy in all biopsies. Epithelioid and gigan-to-cellular granuloma without caseous necrosis was found in 46% of cases. Associated glomerular involvement such as segmental and focal hyalinosis was found in 2 patients. Corticosteroid therapy was initiated in 88% of patients for a median duration of 15 months. Normalization of renal function was achieved in 41% of patients, while 59%, i.e. 10 patients, retained a CRF, including 2 who were on dialysis. We showed a statistically significant relationship between the evolution towards CRF and the presence of interstitial fibrosis > 25%. Conclusion: Despite its rarity, renal involvement can be revealing of sarcoidosis, which can condition the prognosis and lead to CRF. Its detection allows an early diagnosis and treatment.展开更多
Objective:To determine the distribution,phenotypic and genetic background of extended spectrumβ-lactamases(ESBL)-producing Klebsiella(K.)pneumoniae clinical isolates associated with K1 and K2 serotypes in two selecte...Objective:To determine the distribution,phenotypic and genetic background of extended spectrumβ-lactamases(ESBL)-producing Klebsiella(K.)pneumoniae clinical isolates associated with K1 and K2 serotypes in two selected hospitals in Malaysia.Methods:A total of 192 K.pneumoniae isolates were collected and subjected to antibiotic susceptibility,hypermucoviscosity test and multiplex PCR to detect the presence of K1-and K2-serotype associated genes.Multilocus sequence typing(MLST)was performed on ESBL-producing K.pneumoniae isolates presented with K1 and K2 serotypes,followed by phylogenetic analysis.Results:A total of 87 out of 192(45.3%)of the K.pneumoniae isolates collected were ESBL producers.However,only 8.3%(16/192)and 10.9%(21/192)of the total isolates were detected to carry K1-and K2-serotype associated genes,respectively.Statistical analysis showed that K1 and K2 capsular serotypes were not significantly associated with ESBL phenotype(P=0.196).However,they were significantly associated with hypervirulent,as demonstrated by the positive string test(P<0.001).MLST analysis revealed that ST23 as the predominant sequence type(ST)in the K1 serotype,while the ST in the K2 serotype is more diverse.Conclusions:Although the occurrence of ESBL-producing isolates among the hypervirulent strains was low,their coexistence warrants the need for continuous surveillance.MLST showed that these isolates were genetically heterogeneous.展开更多
One of the challenges of Informationcentric Networking(ICN)is finding the optimal location for caching content and processing users’requests.In this paper,we address this challenge by leveraging Software-defined Netw...One of the challenges of Informationcentric Networking(ICN)is finding the optimal location for caching content and processing users’requests.In this paper,we address this challenge by leveraging Software-defined Networking(SDN)for efficient ICN management.To achieve this,we formulate the problem as a mixed-integer nonlinear programming(MINLP)model,incorporating caching,routing,and load balancing decisions.We explore two distinct scenarios to tackle the problem.Firstly,we solve the problem in an offline mode using the GAMS environment,assuming a stable network state to demonstrate the superior performance of the cacheenabled network compared to non-cache networks.Subsequently,we investigate the problem in an online mode where the network state dynamically changes over time.Given the computational complexity associated with MINLP,we propose the software-defined caching,routing,and load balancing(SDCRL)algorithm as an efficient and scalable solution.Our evaluation demonstrates that the SDCRL algorithm significantly reduces computational time while maintaining results that closely resemble those achieved by GAMS.展开更多
The aim of this research project is to assess indirect water consumption,that represents the water consumed in the upstream part of the production life cycle.Estimations are provided for agriculture related companies,...The aim of this research project is to assess indirect water consumption,that represents the water consumed in the upstream part of the production life cycle.Estimations are provided for agriculture related companies,as agriculture represents 70%of water consumption on Earth.This consumption varies greatly according to the countries where supply chain is located.The estimation is attempted for 27 European listed companies in sectors relying on agriculture in its supply chain.A data is estimated for 22 companies,showing that indirect water consumption is much more important than direct one.Strategic questions raised through the estimation of indirect water consumption in various subsectors show the interest in this data,which represents the equivalent of Carbon Scope 3 for water issues.展开更多
Drought stress is a major factor affecting plant growth and crop yield production.Plant extracts as natural biostimulants hold great potential to strengthen plants to overcome drought impacts.To explore the effect of ...Drought stress is a major factor affecting plant growth and crop yield production.Plant extracts as natural biostimulants hold great potential to strengthen plants to overcome drought impacts.To explore the effect of Polygonum minus extract(PME)in enhancing drought tolerance in plants,a study was set up in a glasshouse environment using 10 different treatment combinations.PME foliar application were designed in CRD and effects were closely observed related to the growth,physiology,and antioxidant system changes in maize(Zea mays L.)under well-watered and drought conditions.The seaweed extract(SWE)was used as a comparison.Plants subjected to drought stress exhibited a significant reduction in fresh weight,dry weight,relative water content(RWC),and soluble sugar,but they stimulated the phenolic,flavonoid,proline,glutathione(GSH),malondialdehyde(MDA)and antioxidant enzyme(catalase,CAT;peroxidase,POD;superoxide dismutase,SOD)activities.Foliar application of PME improved fresh and dry weight(FW:33.1%~41.4%;DW:48.0%~43.1%),chlorophyll content(Chl b:87.9%~100.76%),soluble sugar(23.6%~49.3%),and soluble protein(48.6%~56.9%)as well as antioxidant enzyme activities(CAT and POD)compared to CK under drought conditions.while decreasing the level of MDA.Notably,the mitigating effect of PME application with high concentration was more effective than those of SWE.Our study reveals that PME could alleviate drought stress by regulating osmoprotectant content and antioxidant defense system and can be used as an economical and environmentally friendly biostimulants for promoting maize growth under drought stress.展开更多
Inaccuracies of traffic sensors during traffic counting and vehicle classification have persisted as transportation agencies have been prompted to calibrate sensors periodically.Detection of multiple objects,heavy occ...Inaccuracies of traffic sensors during traffic counting and vehicle classification have persisted as transportation agencies have been prompted to calibrate sensors periodically.Detection of multiple objects,heavy occlusions,and similar appearances in congested places are some causes of computer vision model inaccuracies.This paper used the YOLOv5 model for detection and the DeepSORT model for tracking objects.Due to the nature of the reported problem caused by many misses and mismatches,the power of quantum computing with the alternating direction method of multipliers(ADMM)optimizer was leveraged.A basic Kalman filter and the Hungarian algorithm features were used in combination with a quantum optimizer to present robust multiple object tracking(MOT)algorithms.This hybrid combination of the classical and quantum model has fastened learning the occludes during frame matching of tracks and detections by generating minimum quantum cost function value.Comparisons with the existing models indicated a significant increase in the primary MOT metric multiple object tracking accuracy(MOTA)by 16%more than the regular YOLOv5-DeepSORT model when using a quantum optimizer.Also,a 6%multiple object tracking precision(MOTP)increases and a 6%identification metrics(F_(1))score increase were observed using the quantum optimizer with identity switching reduced from 6 to 4.This model is expected to assist transportation officials in improving the accuracy of traffic counts and vehicle classification and reduce the need for regular computer vision software calibration.展开更多
Seven Colletotrichum acutatum strains isolated from strawberries were cultivated on various culture media and tested in vitro and in vivo on Fragaria x ananassa for anthracnose symptoms. PDA caused an optimum growth o...Seven Colletotrichum acutatum strains isolated from strawberries were cultivated on various culture media and tested in vitro and in vivo on Fragaria x ananassa for anthracnose symptoms. PDA caused an optimum growth of all isolates, MEA, ML and Strawberry allowed a good but not optimal growth. Czapeck, Sabouraud and the organic medium from potato gave the lowest growth rate of all isolates. PDA allowed a good sporulation of isolates follow-up by strawberry, MEA;in contrast, ML, Czapeck and Sabouraud gave a low sporulation. The fungal development is maximal at 25°C and 27°C for all the isolates studied. No growth was observed at 5°C and 37°C. The studied strains developed at all pH values. They didn’t develop at 0.6, 0.65 and 0.7 aw but mycelial growth was perfect at 1 and 0.95 aw. The in vitro test of the pathogenicity caused by C. acutatum strains on strawberry’s leaves showed an increasing percentage of infection with time and different infection rates among C. acutatum strains, strain Ca6 having a pathogenic power very high compared to the other isolates. After in vivo inoculation and incubation of the seedlings, all isolates caused severe symptoms related to anthracnose on leaflets and petioles of the studied strawberry plants.展开更多
Purpose: The endovascular treatment of intracranial aneurysms was proven safe and effective compared to the alternative method of surgical clipping, despite the high recurrence rate. Follow-up of embolized intracrania...Purpose: The endovascular treatment of intracranial aneurysms was proven safe and effective compared to the alternative method of surgical clipping, despite the high recurrence rate. Follow-up of embolized intracranial aneurysms is mandatory for the early detection of recurrence and improved outcomes. DSA is used as the reference standard for this assessment. To determine the effectiveness of MRA in follow-up evaluations of intracranial aneurysms after embolization by comparing DSA, CE-MRA, and TOF-MRA. Materials and Methods: Sixty-eight consecutive patients undergoing DSA, TOF-MRA, and CE-MRA during an interval of <1 week were enrolled in this 6-month study. Images were evaluated for occlusion status, patency of the parent vessels, and artifacts. The modified Raymond-Roy occlusion classification and Aneurysm Embolization Grades were used to assess the occlusion status and initial DSA images for detection of recurrence in two filtered study phases with optimized selection criteria. Seventeen observers(phase I: 9, phase II: 8) independently interpreted the double-blinded images. Agreement was expressed with a Fleiss kappa value; p < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: This study included 68 patients with 77 aneurysms; 38(49.35%) were treated with coil alone and 39(50.65%) with stent-assisted coiling. In both phases, DSA was superior to TOF-MRA and CE-MRA using MRRC(Phase I: k = 0.567, p ≤ 0.001; k = 0.287, p ≤ 0.001; k = 0.117, p ≤ 0.001, respectively; Phase II: k = 0.503, p ≤ 0.001; k = 0.303, p ≤ 0.001; k = 0.115, p = 0.038, respectively). TOF-MRA was as effective as DSA(TOF: k = 0.335, p ≤ 0.001; DSA: k = 0.323, p ≤ 0.001) for recurrence detection. Conclusion: We suggest TOF-MRA as a first-line follow-up tool to detect aneurysm recurrence, and DSA to quantify the filling space to make a definite decision on re-embolization.展开更多
Industrial application of microwave, as a heating source for material processing, was reviewed. The feasibility of carbothermic reduction of zinc oxide concentrate, as well as the effect of operating parameters was in...Industrial application of microwave, as a heating source for material processing, was reviewed. The feasibility of carbothermic reduction of zinc oxide concentrate, as well as the effect of operating parameters was investigated, using a home style microwave oven at 2.45 GHz. Zinc oxide concentrate does not effectively absorb microwave energy, while any source of carbon, which is used as the reduction agent, absorbs microwave energy very well. In this respect coke breeze was found to be the best, and thus, coke was used both as the reducing agent and the absorbent of microwave energy. It was also found that any increase in the carbon content and size, increases the reduction rate. Increasing the microwave power and the size of the sample could also increase the reduction rate. Further investigation shows that when zinc oxide is exposed to the microwave for some time, the rate of the reduction by conventional method increases.展开更多
Glucocorticoids(GCs)have been the mainstay of immunosuppressive therapy in solid organ transplantation(SOT)for decades,due to their potent effects on innate immunity and tissue protective effects.However,some SOT cent...Glucocorticoids(GCs)have been the mainstay of immunosuppressive therapy in solid organ transplantation(SOT)for decades,due to their potent effects on innate immunity and tissue protective effects.However,some SOT centers are reluctant to administer GCs long-term because of the various related side effects.This review summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of GCs in SOT.PubMed and Scopus databases were searched from 2011 to April 2021 using search syntaxes covering“transplantation”and“glucocorticoids”.GCs are used in transplant recipients,transplant donors,and organ perfusate solution to improve transplant outcomes.In SOT recipients,GCs are administered as induction and maintenance immunosuppressive therapy.GCs are also the cornerstone to treat acute antibody-and T-cell-mediated rejections.Addition of GCs to organ perfusate solution and pretreatment of transplant donors with GCs are recommended by some guidelines and protocols,to reduce ischemia-reperfusion injury peri-transplant.GCs with low bioavailability and high potency for GC receptors,such as budesonide,nanoparticle-mediated targeted delivery of GCs to specific organs,and combination use of dexamethasone with inducers of immuneregulatory cells,are new methods of GC application in SOT patients to reduce side effects or induce immune-tolerance instead of immunosuppression.Various side effects involving different non-targeted organs/tissues,such as bone,cardiovascular,neuromuscular,skin and gastrointestinal tract,have been noted for GCs.There are also potential drug-drug interactions for GCs in SOT patients.展开更多
The capability of a system to fulfill its mission promptly in the presence of attacks,failures,or accidents is one of the qualitative definitions of survivability.In this paper,we propose a model for survivability qua...The capability of a system to fulfill its mission promptly in the presence of attacks,failures,or accidents is one of the qualitative definitions of survivability.In this paper,we propose a model for survivability quantification,which is acceptable for networks carrying complex traffic flows.Complex network traffic is considered as general multi-rate,heterogeneous traffic,where the individual bandwidth demands may aggregate in complex,nonlinear ways.Blocking probability is the chosen measure for survivability analysis.We study an arbitrary topology and some other known topologies for the network.Independent and dependent failure scenarios as well as deterministic and random traffic models are investigated.Finally,we provide survivability evaluation results for different network configurations.The results show that by using about 50%of the link capacity in networks with a relatively high number of links,the blocking probability remains near zero in the case of a limited number of failures.展开更多
In this study some soil phosphorous sorption parameters(PSPs)by using different machine learning models(Cubist(Cu),random forest(RF),support vector machines(SVM)and Gaussian process regression(GPR))were predicted.The ...In this study some soil phosphorous sorption parameters(PSPs)by using different machine learning models(Cubist(Cu),random forest(RF),support vector machines(SVM)and Gaussian process regression(GPR))were predicted.The results showed that using the topographic attributes as the sole auxiliary variables was not adequate for predicting the PSPs.However,remote sensing data and its combination with soil properties were reliably used to predict PSPs(R^(2)=0.41 for MBC by RF model,R^(2)=0.49 for PBC by Cu model,R^(2)=0.37 for SPR by Cu model,and R^(2)=0.38 for SBC by RF model).The lowest RMSE values were obtained for MBC by RF model,PBC by SVM model,SPR by Cubist model and SBC by RF model.The results also showed that remote sensing data as the easily available datasets could reliably predict PSPs in the given study area.The outcomes of variable importance analysis revealed that among the soil properties cation exchange capacity(CEC)and clay content,and among the remote sensing indices B5/B7,Midindex,Coloration index,Saturation index,and OSAVI were the most imperative factors for predicting PSPs.Further studies are recommended to use other proximally sensed data to improve PSPs prediction to precise decision-making throughout the landscape.展开更多
Hydrogen fuel has been embraced as a potential long-term solution to the growing demand for clean energy.A membrane-assisted separation is promising in producing high-purity H_(2).Molecular sieving membranes(MSMs)are ...Hydrogen fuel has been embraced as a potential long-term solution to the growing demand for clean energy.A membrane-assisted separation is promising in producing high-purity H_(2).Molecular sieving membranes(MSMs)are endowed with high gas selectivity and permeability because their well-defined micropores can facilitate molecular exclusion,diffusion,and adsorption.In this work,MXene nanosheets intercalated with Ni^(2+) were assembled to form an MSM supported on Al_(2)O_(3) hollow fiber via a vacuum-assisted filtration and drying process.The prepared membranes showed excellent H_(2)/CO_(2) mixture separation performance at room temperature.Separation factor reached 615 with a hydrogen permeance of 8.35×10^(-8) mol·m^(-2)·s^(-1) ·Pa^(-1).Compared with the original Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)/Al_(2)O_(3) hollow fiber membranes,the permeation of hydrogen through the Ni^(2+)-Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)/Al_(2)O_(3) membrane was considerably increased,stemming from the strong interaction between the negatively charged MXene nanosheets and Ni^(2+).The interlayer spacing of MSMs was tuned by Ni^(2+).During 200-hour testing,the resultant membrane maintained an excellent gas separation without any substantial performance decline.Our results indicate that the Ni2+tailored Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)/Al_(2)O_(3) hollow fiber membranes can inspire promising industrial applications.展开更多
Pedestrians, much like drivers, have always been engaged in multi-tasking like using handheld devices, listening to music, snacking, or reading while walking. The effects are similar to those experienced by distracted...Pedestrians, much like drivers, have always been engaged in multi-tasking like using handheld devices, listening to music, snacking, or reading while walking. The effects are similar to those experienced by distracted drivers. However, distracted walking has not received similar policies and effective interventions as distracted driving to improve pedestrian safety. This study reviewed the state-of-practice on policies, campaigns, available data, identified research needs, and opportunities pertaining to distracted walking. A comprehensive review of literature revealed that some of the agencies/organizations disseminate useful information about certain distracting activities that pedestrians should avoid while walking to improve their safety. Various walking safety rules/tips have been given, such as not wearing headphones or talking on a cell phone while crossing a street, keeping the volume down, hanging up the phone while walking, being aware of traffic, and avoiding distractions like walking with texting. The majority of the past observational-based and experimental-based studies reviewed in this study on distracted walking is in agreement that there is a positive correlation between distraction and unsafe walking behavior. However, limitations of the existing crash data suggest that distracted walking may not be a severe threat to the public health. Current pedestrian crash data provide insufficient information for researchers to examine the extent to which distracted walking causes and/ or contributes to actual pedestrian safety problems.展开更多
基金The study is part of the 1999–2002 research program "Municipal solid waste treatment and compost agriculture application" which is supported jointly by the Tunisian Secretariat of Scientific Research and Technology
文摘The aim of this study was to characterize the biological stability and maturity degree of compost during a controlled pile-composting trial of mixed vegetable residues （VR） collected from markets of Tunis City with residues of Posidonia oceanica （PoR）, collected from Tunis beaches. The accumulation in beaches （as well as their removal） constitutes a serious environmental problem in all Mediterranean countries particularly in Tunisia. Aerobic-thermophilic composting is the most reasonable way to profit highly-valuable content of organic matter in these wastes for agricultural purposes. The physical, chemical, and biological parameters were monitored during composting over 150 d. The most appropriate parameters were selected to establish the maturity degree. The main result of this research was the deduction of the following maturity criterion： （a） C/N ratio 〈 15; （b） NH4^＋-N 〈 400 mg/kg; （c） CO2-C 〈 2000 mg CO2-C/kg; （d） dehydrogenase activity 〈 1 mg TPF/g dry matter; （e） germination index （GI） 〉 80%. These five parameters, considered jointly are indicative of a high maturity degree and thus of a high-quality organic amendment which employed in a rational way, may improve soil fertility and soil quality. The mature compost was relatively rich in N （13.0 g/kg）, P （4.74 g/kg） and MgO （15.80 g/kg）. Thus composting definitively constitutes the most optimal option to exploit these wastes.
文摘Oxy-fuel firing is more energy efficient and environmental friendly than conventional air-fuel firing and its application to reheating furnaces has begun since 1990s. A computational method was presented to predict the steady heat transfer to the billets and temperature distribution in a continuous pusher type reheating furnace in which combustion air was enhanced by oxygen. Radiation heat flux calculated from the radiation heat exchange within the furnace was modeled using the FVM considering the effects of furnace walls and billets. Energy consumption per ton of steel, production rate and thermal efficiency of furnace, and trend of NOx emission in various levels of oxygen enrichment were investigated by comparing with baseline furnace （21% of O2 in air）. The results showed that the best range of oxygen enrichments was between 21% and 45% by volume, as the higher slope of flame temperature and production increase occur in this range. The reduction of energy consumption can be obtained up to 18% per ton of steel for oxygen enrichment of 60 % by volume.
基金supported by a grant from the Tunisian Higher Education and Scientific Research Ministry
文摘Autotrophic ammonia-oxidizing bacteria （AOB） have been widely studied in constructed wetlands systems, while mixotrophic AOB have been less thoroughly examined. Heterotrophic bacteria were isolated from wastewater and rhizospheres of macrophytes of constructed wetlands, and then cultivated in a mixotrophic medium containing ammonium and acetic acid. A molecular characterization was accomplished using ITS-PCR amplification, and phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene Sequences. Results showed the presence of 35 bacteria, among 400 initially heterotrophic isolates, that were able to remove ammonia. These 35 isolates were classified into 10 genetically different groups based on ITS pattern. Then, a collection of 10 isolates were selected because of their relatively high ammonia removal efficiencies （ARE≥ 80%） and their phylogenetic diversity. In conditions of mixotrophy, these strains were shown to be able to grow （increase of optical density OD660 during incubation with assimilation of nitrogen into cellular biomass） and to oxidize ammonia （important ammonia oxidation efficiencies, AOE between 79% and 87%）. Among these facultative mixotrophic AOB, four isolates were genetically related to Firmicutes （Bacillus and Exiguobacterium）, three isolates were affiliated to Actinobacteria （Arthrobacter） and three other isolates were associated with Proteobacteria （Pseudomonas, Ochrobactrum and Bordetella）.
文摘Secondary hyperparathyroidism (HPT) is frequent in dialysis patients. Parathyroidectomy (PTX) is indicated for patients who failed medical therapy. We reviewed the data from 184 dialysis patients who underwent PTX between January 2015 and January 2023. We aimed to evaluate the short and long term outcomes of PTX in dialysis patients, comparing the conservative 3/4 versus 7/8 techniques in this population.166 dialysis patients with secondary HPT were included. A conservative subtotal PTX (sPTX) 7/8 was performed in 72% of patients and sPTX 3/4 in 28% of them. Severe postoperative hypocalcaemiaocurred in 45 patients (27%). Hypocalcaemia was significantly more frequent in the sPTX 7/8 group (p = 0.012). One case of persistent HPT (0.6%) and 20 cases of recurrence (12%) were diagnosed. Recurrence was more frequent in the sPTX 3/4 group (15%). No deaths were reported during the perioperative period.
文摘The production of MoO3 from Sarcheshmeh molybdenite concentrate via a pyro-hydrometallurgical process was studied.The molybdenite concentrate and sodium carbonate were premixed and fused under air atmosphere.Then the fused products were leached in water and the dissolved molybdenum was recovered as ammonium molybdate.The ammonium molybdate was then calcined to produce mo-lybdic oxide.At the fusion stage,the effect of the mass ratio of carbonate to sulfide on the reaction products and the solubility of the products was investigated.The results show that during the fusion,sodium molybdate and sodium sulfate are the final reaction products and sodium sulfide is detected as an intermediate reaction product.By melting at 850℃with 5wt%excess carbonate,the maximum solubility of the products is obtained.The molybdenum is recovered from the solutions as ammonium molybdate.
基金W.A.S.acknowledges the financial support from the National Science Foundation(Award No.DMR-1809085)。
文摘The development of statistical tools based on machine learning(ML)and deep networks is actively sought for materials design problems.While structure-property relationships can be accurately determined using quantum mechanical methods,these firstprinciples calculations are computationally demanding,limiting their use in screening a large set of candidate structures.Herein,we use convolutional neural networks to develop a predictive model for the electronic properties of metal halide perovskites(MHPs)that have a billions-range materials design space.We show that a well-designed hierarchical ML approach has a higher fidelity in predicting properties of the MHPs compared to straight-forward methods.
文摘Introduction: Sarcoidosis is a granulomatous systemic disease. Renal damage is rare but it can evolve to chronic renal failure (CRF). The aim of our work is to describe the clinical, paraclinical, histological and evolutionary profile of renal involvement during sarcoidosis and to identify the progression factors leading to CRF. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective descriptive study from January 2009 to December 2022. We collected the medical records of patients with sarcoidosis and renal involvement. To study the progression factors leading to CRF we identified two groups of patients: the group with normal renal function and the group that developed CRF. Results: We included in our study 17 patients with renal sarcoidosis. Their mean age was 45 ± 14.7 years and the sex ratio was 0.4. Renal involvement is revealing of sarcoidosis in 76% of cases. Renal failure was diagnosed in 88% of patients. Proteinuria was positive in 76.5% of cases, leukocyturia in 59% of patients and hematuria in 41% of patients. Renal biopsy was performed in 15 patients showing tubulointerstitial nephropathy in all biopsies. Epithelioid and gigan-to-cellular granuloma without caseous necrosis was found in 46% of cases. Associated glomerular involvement such as segmental and focal hyalinosis was found in 2 patients. Corticosteroid therapy was initiated in 88% of patients for a median duration of 15 months. Normalization of renal function was achieved in 41% of patients, while 59%, i.e. 10 patients, retained a CRF, including 2 who were on dialysis. We showed a statistically significant relationship between the evolution towards CRF and the presence of interstitial fibrosis > 25%. Conclusion: Despite its rarity, renal involvement can be revealing of sarcoidosis, which can condition the prognosis and lead to CRF. Its detection allows an early diagnosis and treatment.
基金supported by the Ministry of Higher Education under the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme(FRGS/1/2021/SKK0/UPM/02/8)the Universiti Putra Malaysia Research University Grant Scheme(GP/IPS/2021/9702000).
文摘Objective:To determine the distribution,phenotypic and genetic background of extended spectrumβ-lactamases(ESBL)-producing Klebsiella(K.)pneumoniae clinical isolates associated with K1 and K2 serotypes in two selected hospitals in Malaysia.Methods:A total of 192 K.pneumoniae isolates were collected and subjected to antibiotic susceptibility,hypermucoviscosity test and multiplex PCR to detect the presence of K1-and K2-serotype associated genes.Multilocus sequence typing(MLST)was performed on ESBL-producing K.pneumoniae isolates presented with K1 and K2 serotypes,followed by phylogenetic analysis.Results:A total of 87 out of 192(45.3%)of the K.pneumoniae isolates collected were ESBL producers.However,only 8.3%(16/192)and 10.9%(21/192)of the total isolates were detected to carry K1-and K2-serotype associated genes,respectively.Statistical analysis showed that K1 and K2 capsular serotypes were not significantly associated with ESBL phenotype(P=0.196).However,they were significantly associated with hypervirulent,as demonstrated by the positive string test(P<0.001).MLST analysis revealed that ST23 as the predominant sequence type(ST)in the K1 serotype,while the ST in the K2 serotype is more diverse.Conclusions:Although the occurrence of ESBL-producing isolates among the hypervirulent strains was low,their coexistence warrants the need for continuous surveillance.MLST showed that these isolates were genetically heterogeneous.
文摘One of the challenges of Informationcentric Networking(ICN)is finding the optimal location for caching content and processing users’requests.In this paper,we address this challenge by leveraging Software-defined Networking(SDN)for efficient ICN management.To achieve this,we formulate the problem as a mixed-integer nonlinear programming(MINLP)model,incorporating caching,routing,and load balancing decisions.We explore two distinct scenarios to tackle the problem.Firstly,we solve the problem in an offline mode using the GAMS environment,assuming a stable network state to demonstrate the superior performance of the cacheenabled network compared to non-cache networks.Subsequently,we investigate the problem in an online mode where the network state dynamically changes over time.Given the computational complexity associated with MINLP,we propose the software-defined caching,routing,and load balancing(SDCRL)algorithm as an efficient and scalable solution.Our evaluation demonstrates that the SDCRL algorithm significantly reduces computational time while maintaining results that closely resemble those achieved by GAMS.
文摘The aim of this research project is to assess indirect water consumption,that represents the water consumed in the upstream part of the production life cycle.Estimations are provided for agriculture related companies,as agriculture represents 70%of water consumption on Earth.This consumption varies greatly according to the countries where supply chain is located.The estimation is attempted for 27 European listed companies in sectors relying on agriculture in its supply chain.A data is estimated for 22 companies,showing that indirect water consumption is much more important than direct one.Strategic questions raised through the estimation of indirect water consumption in various subsectors show the interest in this data,which represents the equivalent of Carbon Scope 3 for water issues.
基金This paper was supported by Universiti Putra Malaysia,Innohub Grant Scheme(Vote No.9005004)D’Khairan Farm Sdn Bhd(Vote No.6300349).
文摘Drought stress is a major factor affecting plant growth and crop yield production.Plant extracts as natural biostimulants hold great potential to strengthen plants to overcome drought impacts.To explore the effect of Polygonum minus extract(PME)in enhancing drought tolerance in plants,a study was set up in a glasshouse environment using 10 different treatment combinations.PME foliar application were designed in CRD and effects were closely observed related to the growth,physiology,and antioxidant system changes in maize(Zea mays L.)under well-watered and drought conditions.The seaweed extract(SWE)was used as a comparison.Plants subjected to drought stress exhibited a significant reduction in fresh weight,dry weight,relative water content(RWC),and soluble sugar,but they stimulated the phenolic,flavonoid,proline,glutathione(GSH),malondialdehyde(MDA)and antioxidant enzyme(catalase,CAT;peroxidase,POD;superoxide dismutase,SOD)activities.Foliar application of PME improved fresh and dry weight(FW:33.1%~41.4%;DW:48.0%~43.1%),chlorophyll content(Chl b:87.9%~100.76%),soluble sugar(23.6%~49.3%),and soluble protein(48.6%~56.9%)as well as antioxidant enzyme activities(CAT and POD)compared to CK under drought conditions.while decreasing the level of MDA.Notably,the mitigating effect of PME application with high concentration was more effective than those of SWE.Our study reveals that PME could alleviate drought stress by regulating osmoprotectant content and antioxidant defense system and can be used as an economical and environmentally friendly biostimulants for promoting maize growth under drought stress.
基金the contributions from the Center for Connected Multimodal Mobility(C2M2)(Tier 1 University Transportation Center)administered by the transportation program of the South Carolina State University(SCSU)and Benedict College(BC)for the quantum training knowledge.
文摘Inaccuracies of traffic sensors during traffic counting and vehicle classification have persisted as transportation agencies have been prompted to calibrate sensors periodically.Detection of multiple objects,heavy occlusions,and similar appearances in congested places are some causes of computer vision model inaccuracies.This paper used the YOLOv5 model for detection and the DeepSORT model for tracking objects.Due to the nature of the reported problem caused by many misses and mismatches,the power of quantum computing with the alternating direction method of multipliers(ADMM)optimizer was leveraged.A basic Kalman filter and the Hungarian algorithm features were used in combination with a quantum optimizer to present robust multiple object tracking(MOT)algorithms.This hybrid combination of the classical and quantum model has fastened learning the occludes during frame matching of tracks and detections by generating minimum quantum cost function value.Comparisons with the existing models indicated a significant increase in the primary MOT metric multiple object tracking accuracy(MOTA)by 16%more than the regular YOLOv5-DeepSORT model when using a quantum optimizer.Also,a 6%multiple object tracking precision(MOTP)increases and a 6%identification metrics(F_(1))score increase were observed using the quantum optimizer with identity switching reduced from 6 to 4.This model is expected to assist transportation officials in improving the accuracy of traffic counts and vehicle classification and reduce the need for regular computer vision software calibration.
文摘Seven Colletotrichum acutatum strains isolated from strawberries were cultivated on various culture media and tested in vitro and in vivo on Fragaria x ananassa for anthracnose symptoms. PDA caused an optimum growth of all isolates, MEA, ML and Strawberry allowed a good but not optimal growth. Czapeck, Sabouraud and the organic medium from potato gave the lowest growth rate of all isolates. PDA allowed a good sporulation of isolates follow-up by strawberry, MEA;in contrast, ML, Czapeck and Sabouraud gave a low sporulation. The fungal development is maximal at 25°C and 27°C for all the isolates studied. No growth was observed at 5°C and 37°C. The studied strains developed at all pH values. They didn’t develop at 0.6, 0.65 and 0.7 aw but mycelial growth was perfect at 1 and 0.95 aw. The in vitro test of the pathogenicity caused by C. acutatum strains on strawberry’s leaves showed an increasing percentage of infection with time and different infection rates among C. acutatum strains, strain Ca6 having a pathogenic power very high compared to the other isolates. After in vivo inoculation and incubation of the seedlings, all isolates caused severe symptoms related to anthracnose on leaflets and petioles of the studied strawberry plants.
文摘Purpose: The endovascular treatment of intracranial aneurysms was proven safe and effective compared to the alternative method of surgical clipping, despite the high recurrence rate. Follow-up of embolized intracranial aneurysms is mandatory for the early detection of recurrence and improved outcomes. DSA is used as the reference standard for this assessment. To determine the effectiveness of MRA in follow-up evaluations of intracranial aneurysms after embolization by comparing DSA, CE-MRA, and TOF-MRA. Materials and Methods: Sixty-eight consecutive patients undergoing DSA, TOF-MRA, and CE-MRA during an interval of <1 week were enrolled in this 6-month study. Images were evaluated for occlusion status, patency of the parent vessels, and artifacts. The modified Raymond-Roy occlusion classification and Aneurysm Embolization Grades were used to assess the occlusion status and initial DSA images for detection of recurrence in two filtered study phases with optimized selection criteria. Seventeen observers(phase I: 9, phase II: 8) independently interpreted the double-blinded images. Agreement was expressed with a Fleiss kappa value; p < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: This study included 68 patients with 77 aneurysms; 38(49.35%) were treated with coil alone and 39(50.65%) with stent-assisted coiling. In both phases, DSA was superior to TOF-MRA and CE-MRA using MRRC(Phase I: k = 0.567, p ≤ 0.001; k = 0.287, p ≤ 0.001; k = 0.117, p ≤ 0.001, respectively; Phase II: k = 0.503, p ≤ 0.001; k = 0.303, p ≤ 0.001; k = 0.115, p = 0.038, respectively). TOF-MRA was as effective as DSA(TOF: k = 0.335, p ≤ 0.001; DSA: k = 0.323, p ≤ 0.001) for recurrence detection. Conclusion: We suggest TOF-MRA as a first-line follow-up tool to detect aneurysm recurrence, and DSA to quantify the filling space to make a definite decision on re-embolization.
文摘Industrial application of microwave, as a heating source for material processing, was reviewed. The feasibility of carbothermic reduction of zinc oxide concentrate, as well as the effect of operating parameters was investigated, using a home style microwave oven at 2.45 GHz. Zinc oxide concentrate does not effectively absorb microwave energy, while any source of carbon, which is used as the reduction agent, absorbs microwave energy very well. In this respect coke breeze was found to be the best, and thus, coke was used both as the reducing agent and the absorbent of microwave energy. It was also found that any increase in the carbon content and size, increases the reduction rate. Increasing the microwave power and the size of the sample could also increase the reduction rate. Further investigation shows that when zinc oxide is exposed to the microwave for some time, the rate of the reduction by conventional method increases.
文摘Glucocorticoids(GCs)have been the mainstay of immunosuppressive therapy in solid organ transplantation(SOT)for decades,due to their potent effects on innate immunity and tissue protective effects.However,some SOT centers are reluctant to administer GCs long-term because of the various related side effects.This review summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of GCs in SOT.PubMed and Scopus databases were searched from 2011 to April 2021 using search syntaxes covering“transplantation”and“glucocorticoids”.GCs are used in transplant recipients,transplant donors,and organ perfusate solution to improve transplant outcomes.In SOT recipients,GCs are administered as induction and maintenance immunosuppressive therapy.GCs are also the cornerstone to treat acute antibody-and T-cell-mediated rejections.Addition of GCs to organ perfusate solution and pretreatment of transplant donors with GCs are recommended by some guidelines and protocols,to reduce ischemia-reperfusion injury peri-transplant.GCs with low bioavailability and high potency for GC receptors,such as budesonide,nanoparticle-mediated targeted delivery of GCs to specific organs,and combination use of dexamethasone with inducers of immuneregulatory cells,are new methods of GC application in SOT patients to reduce side effects or induce immune-tolerance instead of immunosuppression.Various side effects involving different non-targeted organs/tissues,such as bone,cardiovascular,neuromuscular,skin and gastrointestinal tract,have been noted for GCs.There are also potential drug-drug interactions for GCs in SOT patients.
文摘The capability of a system to fulfill its mission promptly in the presence of attacks,failures,or accidents is one of the qualitative definitions of survivability.In this paper,we propose a model for survivability quantification,which is acceptable for networks carrying complex traffic flows.Complex network traffic is considered as general multi-rate,heterogeneous traffic,where the individual bandwidth demands may aggregate in complex,nonlinear ways.Blocking probability is the chosen measure for survivability analysis.We study an arbitrary topology and some other known topologies for the network.Independent and dependent failure scenarios as well as deterministic and random traffic models are investigated.Finally,we provide survivability evaluation results for different network configurations.The results show that by using about 50%of the link capacity in networks with a relatively high number of links,the blocking probability remains near zero in the case of a limited number of failures.
文摘In this study some soil phosphorous sorption parameters(PSPs)by using different machine learning models(Cubist(Cu),random forest(RF),support vector machines(SVM)and Gaussian process regression(GPR))were predicted.The results showed that using the topographic attributes as the sole auxiliary variables was not adequate for predicting the PSPs.However,remote sensing data and its combination with soil properties were reliably used to predict PSPs(R^(2)=0.41 for MBC by RF model,R^(2)=0.49 for PBC by Cu model,R^(2)=0.37 for SPR by Cu model,and R^(2)=0.38 for SBC by RF model).The lowest RMSE values were obtained for MBC by RF model,PBC by SVM model,SPR by Cubist model and SBC by RF model.The results also showed that remote sensing data as the easily available datasets could reliably predict PSPs in the given study area.The outcomes of variable importance analysis revealed that among the soil properties cation exchange capacity(CEC)and clay content,and among the remote sensing indices B5/B7,Midindex,Coloration index,Saturation index,and OSAVI were the most imperative factors for predicting PSPs.Further studies are recommended to use other proximally sensed data to improve PSPs prediction to precise decision-making throughout the landscape.
基金This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.21776165,21878179 and 21978157)Naitao Yang gratefully thanks the support via Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province(ZR2019MB056)Shaomin Liu acknowledges the financial support provided by the Australian Research Council(DP180103861).
文摘Hydrogen fuel has been embraced as a potential long-term solution to the growing demand for clean energy.A membrane-assisted separation is promising in producing high-purity H_(2).Molecular sieving membranes(MSMs)are endowed with high gas selectivity and permeability because their well-defined micropores can facilitate molecular exclusion,diffusion,and adsorption.In this work,MXene nanosheets intercalated with Ni^(2+) were assembled to form an MSM supported on Al_(2)O_(3) hollow fiber via a vacuum-assisted filtration and drying process.The prepared membranes showed excellent H_(2)/CO_(2) mixture separation performance at room temperature.Separation factor reached 615 with a hydrogen permeance of 8.35×10^(-8) mol·m^(-2)·s^(-1) ·Pa^(-1).Compared with the original Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)/Al_(2)O_(3) hollow fiber membranes,the permeation of hydrogen through the Ni^(2+)-Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)/Al_(2)O_(3) membrane was considerably increased,stemming from the strong interaction between the negatively charged MXene nanosheets and Ni^(2+).The interlayer spacing of MSMs was tuned by Ni^(2+).During 200-hour testing,the resultant membrane maintained an excellent gas separation without any substantial performance decline.Our results indicate that the Ni2+tailored Ti_(3)C_(2)T_(x)/Al_(2)O_(3) hollow fiber membranes can inspire promising industrial applications.
文摘Pedestrians, much like drivers, have always been engaged in multi-tasking like using handheld devices, listening to music, snacking, or reading while walking. The effects are similar to those experienced by distracted drivers. However, distracted walking has not received similar policies and effective interventions as distracted driving to improve pedestrian safety. This study reviewed the state-of-practice on policies, campaigns, available data, identified research needs, and opportunities pertaining to distracted walking. A comprehensive review of literature revealed that some of the agencies/organizations disseminate useful information about certain distracting activities that pedestrians should avoid while walking to improve their safety. Various walking safety rules/tips have been given, such as not wearing headphones or talking on a cell phone while crossing a street, keeping the volume down, hanging up the phone while walking, being aware of traffic, and avoiding distractions like walking with texting. The majority of the past observational-based and experimental-based studies reviewed in this study on distracted walking is in agreement that there is a positive correlation between distraction and unsafe walking behavior. However, limitations of the existing crash data suggest that distracted walking may not be a severe threat to the public health. Current pedestrian crash data provide insufficient information for researchers to examine the extent to which distracted walking causes and/ or contributes to actual pedestrian safety problems.
