Environmental impact and performance assessment of a new Zigbee-based shotgun training system

Only a few research works have studied the risks involving young athletes in shooting activities such as noise and risk of projectile impact. Besides, limited studies have explored the environmental concerns caused by remaining projectile fragments scattered into the environment. In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in integrating computing, modeling, and IoT-based applications and used connected add-ons (e.g., steams Virtual Reality VR, virtual guns, and game controllers) in sports activities displayed in virtual reality gaming environments. The aim of this paper is, first, to present a multi-aspect Zigbee-based protocol system used to assess and to improve reaction time and score prediction abilities of Shotgun sports practitioners indoor and outdoor. Second, B-percept would be presented as a training solution to reduce environmental scattered wastes of used Clays. After 8 weeks of training, there was significant improvement (p < .001) of participants' reaction time by using the B-percept simulator. In addition, improvement in real clay shotgun results (p < .0002) but it was difficult to correctly predict more than 60% of correct scores after the test. The results of this study encourage continuing to improve the B-percept to use wireless moving targets for training purposes

Zeitoun Ennwader: Un nouveau cultivar d’olive à huile en Tunisie à bonne qualité d’huile et à alternance de production faible

The most outstanding olive oil cultivar ‘Chemlali Sfax’ has low oleic acid level and high palmitic acid content and a tendency to biennial bearing. Cross breeding program of this cultivar was undertaken in Tunisia since 1994 using local and foreign cultivars. Selected hybrids were planted in a comparative trial since 2005. This study aim to characterize a new olive cultivar 'Zeitoun Ennwader' better than the original cultivar. Data on morphologic, agronomic and oil quality were recorded for the new cultivar. This cultivar is distinguishable from the original cultivar due to its morphological parameters of the fruit (shape, symmetry and apex) and the endocarp (symmetry, position of maximum transverse diameter and apex). This cultivar is different from the original variety on the agronomic plan by its low alternate bearing, its early bearing and its moderate sensitivity to verticillium. The oil of the new cultivar is different from the original variety by its better fatty acid composition (higher oleic acid content and lower palmitic acid content). The adoption of this cultivar will be of great benefit to farmers (high and more regular production) and to exporters (high oil quality). Key words: Olive, Chemlali Sfax, Improvement, Oleic acid, Alternate bearing, Agronomy, MorphologyLe cultivar d’olive à huile le plus remarquable 'Chemlali Sfax' a un faible niveau d'acide oléique, une teneur élevée en acide palmitique et une tendance à une alternance biennale. Le programme de croisement de ce cultivar a été entrepris en Tunisie depuis 1994 en utilisant des cultivars locaux et étrangers. Des hybrides sélectionnés ont été plantés dans un essai comparatif depuis 2005. Cette étude vise à caractériser un nouveau cultivar d'olivier 'Zeitoun Ennwader' supérieur à celui du cultivar d'origine. Des données sur les caractères morphologiques, agronomiques et chimiques de l’huile ont été enregistrées pour le nouveau cultivar. Ce cultivar se distingue du cultivar original par ses paramètres morphologiques du fruit (forme, symétrie et Apex) et de l'endocarpe (symétrie, position du diamètre transversal maximal et apex). Ce cultivar est différent de la variété originale sur le plan agronomique par sa faible indice d’alternance, son entrée précoce en production et sa sensibilité modérée au Verticillium. L'huile du nouveau cultivar est différente de la variété originale par sa meilleure composition en acides gras (teneur plus élevée en acide oléique et plus faible en acide palmitique). L’adoption de ce cultivar sera d’un grand intérêt pour les agriculteurs (production élevée et plus régulière) et pour les exportateurs (huile de bonne qualité). Mots clés: olive, chemlali Sfax, amélioration, acide oléique, alternance, agronomie, morphologi

Zeitoun Ennwader: Un nouveau cultivar d’olive à huile en Tunisie à bonne qualité d’huile et à alternance de production faible

The most outstanding olive oil cultivar ‘Chemlali Sfax’ has low oleic acid level and high palmitic acid content and a tendency to biennial bearing. Cross breeding program of this cultivar was undertaken in Tunisia since 1994 using local and foreign cultivars. Selected hybrids were planted in a comparative trial since 2005. This study aim to characterize a new olive cultivar 'Zeitoun Ennwader' better than the original cultivar. Data on morphologic, agronomic and oil quality were recorded for the new cultivar. This cultivar is distinguishable from the original cultivar due to its morphological parameters of the fruit (shape, symmetry and apex) and the endocarp (symmetry, position of maximum transverse diameter and apex). This cultivar is different from the original variety on the agronomic plan by its low alternate bearing, its early bearing and its moderate sensitivity to verticillium. The oil of the new cultivar is different from the original variety by its better fatty acid composition (higher oleic acid content and lower palmitic acid content). The adoption of this cultivar will be of great benefit to farmers (high and more regular production) and to exporters (high oil quality). Key words: Olive, Chemlali Sfax, Improvement, Oleic acid, Alternate bearing, Agronomy, MorphologyLe cultivar d’olive à huile le plus remarquable 'Chemlali Sfax' a un faible niveau d'acide oléique, une teneur élevée en acide palmitique et une tendance à une alternance biennale. Le programme de croisement de ce cultivar a été entrepris en Tunisie depuis 1994 en utilisant des cultivars locaux et étrangers. Des hybrides sélectionnés ont été plantés dans un essai comparatif depuis 2005. Cette étude vise à caractériser un nouveau cultivar d'olivier 'Zeitoun Ennwader' supérieur à celui du cultivar d'origine. Des données sur les caractères morphologiques, agronomiques et chimiques de l’huile ont été enregistrées pour le nouveau cultivar. Ce cultivar se distingue du cultivar original par ses paramètres morphologiques du fruit (forme, symétrie et Apex) et de l'endocarpe (symétrie, position du diamètre transversal maximal et apex). Ce cultivar est différent de la variété originale sur le plan agronomique par sa faible indice d’alternance, son entrée précoce en production et sa sensibilité modérée au Verticillium. L'huile du nouveau cultivar est différente de la variété originale par sa meilleure composition en acides gras (teneur plus élevée en acide oléique et plus faible en acide palmitique). L’adoption de ce cultivar sera d’un grand intérêt pour les agriculteurs (production élevée et plus régulière) et pour les exportateurs (huile de bonne qualité). Mots clés: olive, chemlali Sfax, amélioration, acide oléique, alternance, agronomie, morphologi

Evaluation of resistance to temephos insecticide in Culex pipiens pipiens larvae collected from three districts of Tunisia

Background: Mosquitoes are considered as the main groups of arthropods that cause nuisance and public health problems. Objectives: Evaluation of resistance to temephos insecticide in Culex pipiens pipiens larvae collected from three districts of Tunisia. Methods: Late third and early fourth instars larvae of Culex pipiens pipiens were collected in three localities of Northern and Southern Tunisia. Field collected populations were tested against temephos insecticide and compared to bioassays of a susceptible reference strain. The cross-resistance between temephos and propoxur, and the polymorphism of over-produced esterases and AChE 1 were investigated. Results: Studied populations exhibited tolerance to temephos with low and high levels of resistance. The resistance ratio (RR50) values of temephos ranged from 1.34 to 114. Synergists and starch electrophoresis showed that the metabolic resistances were involved in the recorded resistance. Likewise, the resistant target site (acetyl cholinesterase: AChE 1) was responsible for the recorded resistance to temephos compound in Culex pipiens pipiens. Conclusion: The low and high resistance recorded to temephos insecticides is particularly interesting, because it leaves a range of tools useable by vector control services. However, further studies are needed to determine its spread and anticipate vector control failure where these insecticides are used. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ahs.v19i1.8 Cite as: Tabbabi A, Daaboub J, Laamari A, Cheikh RB, Feriani M, Boubaker C, Jha IB, Cheikh HB. Evaluation of resistance to temephos insecticide in Culex pipiens pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae) larvae collected from three districts of Tunisia. Afri Health Sci. 2019;19(1): 1361-1367. https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ahs.v19i1.

Resistance status to deltamethrin pyrethroid of Culex pipiens pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae) collected from three districts of Tunisia

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to determine the susceptibility status of Culex pipiens pipiens populations against deltamehtrin insecticide. Methods: Larvae of Culex pipiens pipiens were collected from three breeding places in Northern and Southern Tunisia between 2003 and 2005. Early third and late fourth instars were tested against deltamethrin pyrethroid insecticide. Cross-resistance with DDT resistance was evaluated in studied samples to estimate the role of target site insensitivity and two synergists including piperonyl butoxide (Pb) and S,S,S-tributyl phosphorotrithioate (DEF) were used to estimate the role of detoxification enzymes. Results: Our results revealed that the level of deltamehtrin resistance ranged from 0.67 to 31.4. We also showed the non-involvement of kdr resistance in pyrethroid resistance and no cross-resistance with DDT resistance was detected in all studied populations including the most resistant one. Synergists study on the resistant population (sample # 1) showed the involvement of CYP450 in the recorded resistance to the deltamethrin insecticide. Conclusion: The results obtained from this study should be considered in the current control programs to combat mosquitoes in Tunisia

Beyond gender diversity: How specific attributes of female directors affect earnings management

We apply the system GMM regression estimation approach to a matched sample of French firms listed on Euronext Paris during the period 2001–2010 in order to investigate the relationship between female directors and earnings management by considering their specific (statutory and demographic) attributes. We first find that the presence of female directors deters managers from managing earnings. However, this finding does not hold when the statutory and demographic attributes of female directors are taken into account, thus showing that the detection and the correction of earnings management require particular competencies and skills. Interestingly, we find that business expertise and audit committee membership are key attributes of female directors that promote the effective monitoring of earnings management. An important implication of our findings is that the decision to appoint women on corporate boards should be based more on their statutory and demographic attributes than on blind implementation of gender quotas. Finally, our supplementary analysis reveals that female CEOs and CFOs are strongly inclined to reduce earnings management

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

A year of genomic surveillance reveals how the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic unfolded in Africa.

The progression of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic in Africa has so far been heterogeneous, and the full impact is not yet well understood. In this study, we describe the genomic epidemiology using a dataset of 8746 genomes from 33 African countries and two overseas territories. We show that the epidemics in most countries were initiated by importations predominantly from Europe, which diminished after the early introduction of international travel restrictions. As the pandemic progressed, ongoing transmission in many countries and increasing mobility led to the emergence and spread within the continent of many variants of concern and interest, such as B.1.351, B.1.525, A.23.1, and C.1.1. Although distorted by low sampling numbers and blind spots, the findings highlight that Africa must not be left behind in the global pandemic response, otherwise it could become a source for new variants

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance.

Investment in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing in Africa over the past year has led to a major increase in the number of sequences that have been generated and used to track the pandemic on the continent, a number that now exceeds 100,000 genomes. Our results show an increase in the number of African countries that are able to sequence domestically and highlight that local sequencing enables faster turnaround times and more-regular routine surveillance. Despite limitations of low testing proportions, findings from this genomic surveillance study underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic and illuminate the distinct dispersal dynamics of variants of concern-particularly Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron-on the continent. Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve while the continent faces many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century