Distribution and composition of seafloor macrolitter in the trawlable fishing areas along the Algerian coast (Western Mediterranean).

A total of 254 fishing hauls were sampled with a GOC73 bottom trawl during the four demersal resource assessment research cruises, respectively, in 2016, 2019, 2021 and 2022, carried out on board the BELKACEM GRINE research vessel (R/V). We performed the hauls between 22 and 660 m of depth, after which we counted and weighed each piece of marine litter separately to the nearest 0.5 g.

The impact of immune cell interactions on virus quasi-species formation.

The process of viral infection spreading in tissues was influenced by various factors, including virus replication within host cells, transportation, and the immune response. Reaction-diffusion systems provided a suitable framework for examining this process. In this work, we studied a nonlocal reaction-diffusion system of equations that modeled the distribution of viruses based on their genotypes and their interaction with the immune response.

Essay review: the fictive history of Victorian science and empire.

In 1820 two French scientists - Pierre Joseph Pelletier and Jean Bienaimé Caventou - discovered and named the active alkaloid substance extracted from cinchona bark: quinine. The bark from the 'wondrous' fever tree, and its antimalarial properties, however, had long been known to both colonial scientists and indigenous Peruvians. From the mid-seventeenth century, cinchona bark, taken from trees that grow on the eastern slopes of the Andes, was part of a global circulation of botanical knowledge, practice and profit.

Epidemiological and genetic characteristics of clinical carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales isolates from Batna hospitals in Algeria.

Background: Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales isolates are associated with significant mortality and have emerged as a major problem in healthcare settings worldwide.

Objective: Our aim was to investigate the epidemiological and genotypic characteristics of carbapenemase-positive Enterobacterales isolates from patients hospitalised in three hospitals in the city of Batna, Algeria.

Methods: Between 2016 and 2019, a total of 5,316 clinical isolates were obtained.

Promoting the recovery of soil health in As and Sb-polluted soils: new evidence from the biochar-compost option.

The role of compost and biochar in the recovery of As and Sb-polluted soils is poorly investigated, as well as the influence of their application rates on soil health and quality. In this study, we therefore investigated the effectiveness over time (2, 4, and 6 months, M) of a municipal solid waste compost (MSWC) and a biochar (BC), applied at 10 and 30% rates, and of selected mixtures (MIX; applied at 10 and 30% total rates, 1:1 ratio of MSWC and BC), on labile As and Sb in a polluted soil from an abandoned Sb mine (Djebel Hamimat, Algeria). At the same timepoints, the amendment impact on soil chemistry was also monitored, while the activity and diversity of the resident microbial communities were investigated at 6 M.

Dichloroacetate and chloroquine in combination with arsenite suppress ROS-induced oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) development and improve BALB/c mice survival.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a disabling tumor with poor response to chemotherapy. Here, we sought to explore a new chemotherapeutic approach based on a combined induction of cytotoxic ROS and targeting of autophagy and aerobic glycolysis as central contributors to OSCC carcinogenesis and chemoresistance. To this end, tongue OSCC was generated in BALB/c mice using 4NQO.

Mapping typical LULC classes using spatiotemporal analysis and the thresholds of spectral optical satellite imagery indices: a case study in Algiers city.

Land use and land cover (LULC) dynamics have a substantial impact on human-environment interactions. Nowadays, remote sensing imagery has emerged as a useful tool for mapping and tracking LULC changes. Spectral optical indices derived from remote sensing data can provide insightful information about vegetation health, urban expansion, water bodies, deforestation patterns, and many other applications.

Theoretical insights into Z-scheme BAs/GeC van der Waals heterostructure for high-efficiency solar cell.

The urgent need for solar electricity production is critical for ensuring energy security and mitigating climate change. Achieving the optimal optical bandgap and effective carrier separation, essential for high-efficiency solar cells, remains a significant challenge when utilizing a single material. In this study, we design a BAs/GeC heterostructure using density functional theory.

Feasibility study of a grid-connected PV/wind hybrid energy system for an urban dairy farm.

This study evaluates the energy efficiency of an urban dairy farm in Tlemcen, Algeria, by assessing the feasibility of a grid-connected photovoltaic (PV)/wind hybrid energy system. Using HOMER and MATLAB software, the study explores the potential for replacing the farm's existing energy systems with a hybrid system integrated into a low-voltage electrical grid. The HOMER software determined the configuration that resulted in the lowest net present cost, energy cost in kWh, greenhouse gas emission mitigation, and renewable fraction (RF).

Doxorubicin inhibits SIRT2 and NF-kB p65 phosphorylation in Brest cell-line cancer.

Doxorubicin (DOXO) is a widely used anti-cancer agent, yet the precise mechanism underlying the induction of tumor cell death remains unclear. This study aimed to elucidate new mechanisms by which doxorubicin induces apoptosis in the EMT6 mouse breast carcinoma cell line. The role of doxorubicin was assessed using the XTT assay.

Monitoring Addiction to Pregabalin in Northern Algeria by Using Hair Testing.

Pregabalin (PGB) is a novel gamma-aminobutyric acid analog that has been recently approved for the treatment of partial-onset seizures, neuropathic pain, and fibromyalgia. Although PGB presents a low potential for abuse in comparison to other scheduled drugs, the literature reports its potential misuse, especially among individuals with former or current drug addiction. The present study aimed to develop and validate a novel method for the determination of PGB in hair to perform a retrospective observational study on the misuse of this drug in a population of addicted subjects from Northern Algeria.

Nationwide Cross-Sectional Analysis of Mortality Trends in Patients with Sarcoidosis and Non-Ischemic Cardiovascular Disease-The Impact of Gender, Ethnicity, Geographical Location, and COVID-19 Pandemic.

The epidemiological data regarding mortality rates of adults with sarcoidosis and non-ischemic cardiovascular disease (CVD) are limited. A retrospective observational analysis was conducted to identify trends and disparities related to sarcoidosis and non-ischemic cardiovascular disease mortality among the adult US population from 1999 to 2022. We used the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) WONDER database to extract death certificate data for the adult US population (≥25 years).

Wavelet Texture Descriptor for Steel Surface Defect Classification.

The accurate and efficient classification of steel surface defects is critical for ensuring product quality and minimizing production costs. This paper proposes a novel method based on wavelet transform and texture descriptors for the robust and precise classification of steel surface defects. By leveraging the multiscale analysis capabilities of wavelet transforms, our method extracts both broad and fine-grained textural features.

In Vitro and In Silico Biological Activities Investigation of Ethyl Acetate Extract of Schott Leaves Collected in Algeria.

This investigation aimed to assess the in vitro and in silico biological properties of the ethyl acetate (EtOAc) extract obtained from leaves of Schott collected in Algeria. The phytochemical screening data disclosed that flavonoids, tannins, coumarins, saponins, and anthocyanins were abundant. High levels of total phenolics, total flavonoids and flavonols (523.

Estimation of Dietary Exposure to Sodium Benzoate (E211) and Potassium Sorbate (E202) of Children and Adolescents in the Oran Region, Algeria.

Sodium benzoate (E211) and potassium sorbate (E202) are two preservatives widely used alone or in combination in the food industry in Algeria. This study aims to estimate the dietary exposure of children and adolescents to these substances in Oran Province (Algeria) and to assess the risks incurred in consuming these two preservatives. For this, a total of 116 commercial food samples were analyzed for potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate content by HPLC, and a survey was carried out on 250 children and 765 adolescents using a consumption frequency questionnaire as the method.

Fairness and Contractual Performance in Vertical Linkages Within an Uncertain Environment: A Case of a Tomato Value Chain.

In developing countries with uncertain institutional environments, ensuring fairness in contractual arrangements within food value chains is crucial to overcome modern challenges. This paper empirically investigates the vertical relationship between tomato growers and canneries in Algerian agriculture to assess the determinants of contractual performances and price fairness implications. The study is based on an analysis of a comprehensive dataset of 9127 tomato growers engaged in contract farming over four years (2018-2021).

Evaluation of Probiotic Potential and Functional Properties of Strains Isolated from Dhan, Traditional Algerian Goat Milk Butter.

Goat milk butter, locally known as "Dhan", from the Sfisfa region of Algeria, holds significant cultural and economic value. This study investigates the probiotic properties of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) present in Dhan, focusing particularly on strains. Molecular identification using 16S rRNA revealed a dominance of and , forming a substantial part of the bacterial profile.

From Binary to Multi-Class Classification: A Two-Step Hybrid CNN-ViT Model for Chest Disease Classification Based on X-Ray Images.

Background/objectives: Chest disease identification for Tuberculosis and Pneumonia diseases presents diagnostic challenges due to overlapping radiographic features and the limited availability of expert radiologists, especially in developing countries. The present study aims to address these challenges by developing a Computer-Aided Diagnosis (CAD) system to provide consistent and objective analyses of chest X-ray images, thereby reducing potential human error. By leveraging the complementary strengths of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and vision transformers (ViTs), we propose a hybrid model for the accurate detection of Tuberculosis and for distinguishing between Tuberculosis and Pneumonia.

Mitigating Algorithmic Bias in AI-Driven Cardiovascular Imaging for Fairer Diagnostics.

: The research addresses algorithmic bias in deep learning models for cardiovascular risk prediction, focusing on fairness across demographic and socioeconomic groups to mitigate health disparities. It integrates fairness-aware algorithms, susceptible carrier-infected-recovered (SCIR) models, and interpretability frameworks to combine fairness with actionable AI insights supported by robust segmentation and classification metrics. : The research utilised quantitative 3D/4D heart magnetic resonance imaging and tabular datasets from the Cardiac Atlas Project's (CAP) open challenges to explore AI-driven methodologies for mitigating algorithmic bias in cardiac imaging.

Channel and Spatial Attention in Chest X-Ray Radiographs: Advancing Person Identification and Verification with Self-Residual Attention Network.

Background/objectives: In contrast to traditional biometric modalities, such as facial recognition, fingerprints, and iris scans or even DNA, the research orientation towards chest X-ray recognition has been spurred by its remarkable recognition rates. Capturing the intricate anatomical nuances of an individual's skeletal structure, the ribcage of the chest, lungs, and heart, chest X-rays have emerged as a focal point for identification and verification, especially in the forensic field, even in scenarios where the human body damaged or disfigured. Discriminative feature embedding is essential for large-scale image verification, especially in applying chest X-ray radiographs for identity identification and verification.

Infectious Bursal Disease Virus in Algeria: Persistent Circulation of Very Virulent Strains in Spite of Control Efforts.

Infectious bursal disease (IBD) is among the most impactful immunosuppressive diseases of poultry. Its agent, infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV), is prone to both mutation and reassortment, resulting in a remarkable variability. Traditionally, IBDV characterization relies on antigenicity and pathogenicity assessment, but multiple phylogenetic classifications have been recently proposed, whose implementation in molecular surveys helps generating informative and standardized epidemiological data.

ENVIRONMENTAL MEDIATION OF COLISTIN RESISTANCE IN THE AFRICAN CONTEXT. A SYSTEMATIC SCOPING REVIEW.

Introduction: The prevalence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among Gram-negative bacteria is a major global health concern. Resistance to last-resort antibiotics like colistin is particularly alarming. This study reviews how environmental factors have contributed to colistin resistance in the African context, where reports of colistin-resistant Gram-negative organisms are emerging.

Novel two-parameter quadratic exponential distribution: Properties, simulation, and applications.

This research paper introduces a novel two-parameter quadratic exponential distribution (NTPQED), thoroughly examining its statistical properties and practical applications. The study delves into essential characteristics of the distribution, including its asymptotic behavior, moments, order statistics, and entropies. Additionally, we present fuzzy reliability, value at risk, mean excess function, limited expected value function, tail value at risk, and tail variance.

Improved exponential smoothing grey-holt models for electricity price forecasting using whale optimization.

This study introduces a ground-breaking approach, the Whale Optimization Algorithm (WOA)-based multivariate exponential smoothing Grey-Holt (GMHES) model, designed for electricity price forecasting. Key features of the proposed WOA-GMHES(1,N) model include leveraging historical data to comprehend the underlying trends in electricity prices and utilizing the WOA algorithm for adaptive optimization of model parameters to capture evolving market dynamics. Evaluating the model on authentic high- and low-voltage electricity price data from Cameroon demonstrates its superiority over competing models.