Emerging organic compounds in surface and groundwater reflect the urban dynamics in sub-Saharan cities.

Rapid and uncontrolled urbanization in sub-Saharan Africa has led to an increased production and expansion of synthetic chemicals, resulting in significant pollution of the aquatic environments, particularly by Emerging Organic Contaminants (EOCs). Due to the low income of the population in this region, there is often a lack of control over water and fishery resources prior to consumption. Therefore, the current study aims to use EOCs as markers of water resource quality degradation, and to assess the potential environmental risk of these compounds on some aquatic organisms.

Emerging organic compounds as markers of the degradation of groundwater qualitative and quantitative equilibrium in a context of rapid urban expansion.

With the neo-metamorphosis of the residential landscape worldwide and sluggish sanitation strategies in urban environments, rudimentary on-site sanitation systems remain commonly used, especially in developing countries, despite the risks of groundwater contamination. The effective management of such water resources relies on assessment of the sensitivity of anthropized aquifers to man-made impact, including groundwater behavioural alteration, in terms of both quality and quantity. Associated with tracking of changes in land use, this study proposes an approach involving emerging organic contaminants (EOCs) as indicators of the alteration of groundwater balance due the exposure of shallow aquifers to the risks of infiltration of untreated wastewater from soak pits.

Rapid Detection of Beta-Lactamases Genes among in Urine Samples by Using Real-Time PCR.

The objective of this study was to develop and evaluate newly improved, rapid, and reliable strategies based on real-time PCR to detect the most frequent beta-lactamase genes recorded in clinical strains, particularly in Tunisia ( , , , , , , , and ) directly from the urine. Following the design of primers for a specific gene pool and their validation, a series of real-time PCR reactions were performed to detect these genes in 78 urine samples showing high antibiotic resistance after culture and susceptibility testing. Assays were applied to DNA extracted from cultured bacteria and collected urine.

Renal Amyloidosis: Epidemiological, Clinical, and Laboratory Profile in Adults from One Nephrology Center.

Background: Renal amyloidosis is one of the main differential diagnoses of nephrotic proteinuria in adults and the elderly. The aim of this study with the most important series in our country is to contribute to the epidemiological, clinical, and etiological study of the renal amyloidosis.

Methods: In a retrospective study carried out between 1975 and 2019, 310 cases of histologically proven and typed renal amyloidosis were selected for this study.

End-stage renal disease at dialysis initiation: Epidemiology and mortality risks during the first year of hemodialysis.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) treated by hemodialysis (HD) is a worldwide major public health problem. Its incidence is getting higher and higher, leading to an alarming social and economic impact. The survival of these patients is significantly low, especially during the first year of treatment.

Recent Advances in Vision-Based On-Road Behaviors Understanding: A Critical Survey.

On-road behavior analysis is a crucial and challenging problem in the autonomous driving vision-based area. Several endeavors have been proposed to deal with different related tasks and it has gained wide attention recently. Much of the excitement about on-road behavior understanding has been the labor of advancement witnessed in the fields of computer vision, machine, and deep learning.

Investigating the current environmental situation in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region during the third wave of COVID-19 pandemic: urban vs. rural context.

Background: Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic led to a massive global socio-economic tragedy that has impacted the ecosystem. This paper aims to contextualize urban and rural environmental situations during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region.

Results: An online survey was conducted, 6770 participants were included in the final analysis, and 64% were females.

A critical assessment of widely used techniques for nitrate source apportionment in arid and semi-arid regions.

The assessment of nitrate pollution origin using stable isotope techniques is a fundamental prerequisite for the application of sustainable groundwater management plans. Although nitrate pollution is a worldwide groundwater quality problem, existing knowledge on the origin of nitrate pollution in arid and semi-arid regions is still scarce. Using the example of the Grombalia aquifer (NE Tunisia), this work summarizes the main strengths and constraints of multi-isotope techniques targeting at nitrate source identification and apportionment The results highlighted that, even in the case of well-established methodologies, like those of isotope hydrogeochemistry (δN, δ O and δ B) and mixing modelling for source apportionment, it is fundamental to take into account regional and local end-members to avoid biased data interpretation and to fully exploit the potential of such accurate tools.

Frailty screening of Tunisian older adults: feasibility and usefulness in the Emergency Department.

Introduction: Frail older adults are at an increased risk for adverse outcomes after an Emergency Department (ED) visit. Several tools exist for the screening of frailty among these patients. However, no tool has been validated in Tunisia.

PLA2R antibody, PLA2R rs4664308 polymorphism and PLA2R mRNA levels in Tunisian patients with primary membranous nephritis.

Background: Primary membranous nephritis (PMN) is an autoimmune disease induced by the deposit of antibodies (Ab) to the phospholipase receptor A2 receptor (PLA2R) on podocytes. In this context, we aimed to assess the relationships between anti-PLA2R Ab, PLA2R rs4664308 SNP, PLA2R mRNA levels and PMN susceptibility and outcome.

Methods: Sixty-eight PMN patients, 30 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with secondary MN and 30 healthy control subjects served for anti-PLA2R Ab measurement by ELISA and PLA2R rs4664308 SNP genotyping by a commercial real-time PCR.

Deep Learning for Real-Time 3D Multi-Object Detection, Localisation, and Tracking: Application to Smart Mobility.

In core computer vision tasks, we have witnessed significant advances in object detection, localisation and tracking. However, there are currently no methods to detect, localize and track objects in road environments, and taking into account real-time constraints. In this paper, our objective is to develop a deep learning multi object detection and tracking technique applied to road smart mobility.

Groundwater quality assessment in semi-arid regions using integrated approaches: the case of Grombalia aquifer (NE Tunisia).

As many arid and semi-arid regions in the Mediterranean Basin, the Grombalia coastal aquifer (NE Tunisia) is affected by severe groundwater exploitation and contamination. Therefore, quality assessments are becoming increasingly important as the long-term protection of water resources is at stake. Multidisciplinary investigations, like the one presented in this paper, are particularly effective in identifying the different origins of mineralization within an aquifer and investigating the impact of anthropogenic activities on groundwater quality.

Morphological and molecular characterization of Fusarium spp. associated with olive trees dieback in Tunisia.

Dieback and wilting symptoms caused by complex soilborne fungi are nowadays the most serious threatening disease affecting olive trees (Olea europaea) in Tunisia and presumably in many Mediterranean basin countries. Fusarium is one of the important phytopathogenic genera associated with dieback symptoms of olive trees. The objective of the present study was to confirm the pathogenicity of Fusarium spp.

Integrated socio-hydrogeological approach to tackle nitrate contamination in groundwater resources. The case of Grombalia Basin (Tunisia).

Nitrate contamination still remains one of the main groundwater quality issues in several aquifers worldwide, despite the perduring efforts of the international scientific community to effectively tackle this problem. The classical hydrogeological and isotopic investigations are obviously of paramount importance for the characterization of contaminant sources, but are clearly not sufficient for the correct and long-term protection of groundwater resources. This paper aims at demonstrating the effectiveness of the socio-hydrogeological approach as the best tool to tackle groundwater quality issues, while contributing bridging the gap between science and society.

Molecular Detection of the Three Major Pathogenic Vibrio Species from Seafood Products and Sediments in Tunisia Using Real-Time PCR.

Unlabelled: Vibrio spp. have emerged as a serious threat to human health worldwide. V.

Non-linear backstepping control of five-phase IM drive at low speed conditions-experimental implementation.

In this paper non-linear backstepping control (BSC) is employed for high performance five-phase induction motor drive for low speed operation. The traditional control approaches such as direct torque control and indirect rotor field oriented control introduces stability problem at low speed. The proposed BSC is shown to offer stable operation in the sense of Lyapunov and high dynamics at low speed.

Sensorless sliding mode observer for a five-phase permanent magnet synchronous motor drive.

This paper deals with the sensorless vector controlled five-phase permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) drive based on a sliding mode observer (SMO). The observer is designed considering the back electromotive force (EMF) of five-phase permanent magnet synchronous motor. The SMO structure and design are illustrated.

Acute myocardial infarction in a patient with hypofibrinogenemia: a case report.

Introduction: Congenital fibrinogen deficiency is a rare coagulation disorder usually responsible for hemorrhagic diathesis. However, it can be associated with thrombosis and there have been limited reports of arterial thrombotic complications in these patients.

Case Presentation: A 42-year-old Tunisian man with congenital hypofibrinogenemia and no cardiovascular risk factors presented with new onset prolonged angina pectoris.

Elderly patient's mortality and morbidity following trochanteric fracture. A prospective study of 100 cases.

Background: Trochanteric fractures are a major source of mortality, morbidity and functional impairment in the elderly. Morbidity is closely related to the degree of instability and comminution and is substantially influenced by the quality of reduction and internal fixation. Advanced age and associated co-morbidities are two decisive factors of mortality secondary to trochanteric fracture.