Evaluation ofthe Middle East and North Africa Land Data Assimilation System

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is dominated by dry, warm deserts, areas of dense population, and inefficient use of fresh water resources. Due to the scarcity, high intensity, and short duration of rainfall in the MENA, the region is prone to hydro climatic extremes that are realized by devastating floods and times of drought. However, given its widespread water stress and the considerable demand for water, the MENA remains relatively poorly monitored. This is due in part to the shortage of meteorological observations and the lack of data sharing between nations. As a result, the accurate monitoring of the dynamics of the water cycle in the MENA is difficult. The Land Data Assimilation System for the MENA region (MENA LDAS) has been developed to provide regional, gridded fields of hydrological states and fluxes relevant for water resources assessments. As an extension of the Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS), the MENA LDAS was designed to aid in the identification and evaluation of regional hydrological anomalies by synergistically combining the physically-based Catchment Land Surface Model (CLSM) with observations from several independent data products including soil-water storage variations from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) and irrigation intensity derived from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). In this fashion, we estimate the mean and seasonal cycle of the water budget components across the MENA

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection among horses in Tunisia.

International audienceBACKGROUND: The present study was conducted to investigate the serological survey of Toxoplasma antibodies in local.horses from three major regions: a neighbourhood of a city in the North (Sidi Thabet), a neighbourhood of a city on the coast (Monastir) and a neighbourhood of a city in the middle (Battan) of Tunisia (North of Africa). METHODS: A total of 158 serum samples were obtained from clinically healthy horses which consisted of 111 (32 female, 79 male) 2-10 years old and 47 (11 female, 36 male) older than 10 years. All of the horses were tested for antibodies to T. gondii using the Modified Agglutination Test (MAT). RESULTS: According to MAT results, antibodies to T. gondii were found in 28 (17.7%) of 158 sera with the titers of 1:20 in 20 horses, 1:40 in 1 horse, 1:80 in 2 horses, 1:160 in 2 horses, 1:320 in 1 horse and ≥1:640 in 2 horses. Anti-T. gondii antibodies were found in 18 (16.2%) of 111 horses (2-10 years old) and 10 (21.2%) of 47 horses (older than 10 years old). Six (13.9%) out of 43 female had anti-toxoplasma antibodies and 22 (19.1%) from 115 males remained positive. CONCLUSION: Statistically significant differences in age groups and genders were observed between the seropositive and seronegative horses using the Chi square X(2) test. Other statistical correlation was also reported concerning horse breed

Assessing hydrological vulnerability to future droughts in a Mediterranean watershed: combined indices-based and distributed modeling approaches

Understanding the spatiotemporal distribution of future droughts is essential for effective water resource management, especially in the Mediterranean region where water resources are expected to be scarcer in the future. In this study, we combined meteorological and hydrological drought indices with the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model to predict future dry years during two periods (2035–2050and 2085–2100) in a typical Mediterranean watershed in Northern Morocco, namely, Bouregreg watershed. The developed methodology was then used to evaluate drought impact on annual water yields and to identify the most vulnerable sub-basins within the study watershed. Two emission scenarios (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5) of a downscaled global circulation model were used to force the calibrated SWAT model. Results indicated that Bouregreg watershed will experience several dry years with higher frequency especially at the end of current century. Significant decreases of annual water yields were simulated during dry years, ranging from -45.6% to -76.7% under RCP4.5, and from -66.7% to -95.6% under RCP8.5, compared to baseline. Overall, hydrologic systems in sub-basins under the ocean or high-altitude influence appear to be more resilient to drought. The combination of drought indices and the semi-distributed model offer a comprehensive tool to understand potential future droughts in Bouregreg watershed

Sécurité des médicaments à usage rhumatologique en âge de procréation

L’objectif de cette revue de la littérature est de faire une synthèse des informations disponibles quant à la sécurité des médicaments rhumatologiques en âge de procréation. Les patients traités par médicaments cytotoxiques doivent être informés des risques d’atteinte de la fertilité. Pendant la grossesse, les anti-inflammatoires non stéroïdiens (AINS) doivent être stoppés après 32 semaines d’aménorrhée (SA); les corticoïdes sont à éviter à forte dose et parmi les traitements de fond, la sulfasalazine (SLZ) et les anti-paludéens de synthèse (APS) sont les seuls utilisés avec sécurité. La cyclosporine et l’azathioprine peuvent être prescrits si le contrôle de la maladie l’impose. Les AINS, les corticoïdes, les APS et la SLZ sont permis au cours de l’allaitement maternel. Les conseils précédant la conception, la planification et le monitorage attentif de la grossesse sont les seuls garants de la bonne santé du couple, de la mère et de l’enfant

On the computer simulations of carbon nanoparticles porosity: statistical mechanics model for CO2 and N2 adsorption isotherms

International audienc

Between representation and simulation: a paradigm shift in contemporary architectural drawing

[EN] Contemporary architectural drawing has undergone a series of major transformations in both its methodologies as well as concepts since the introduction of the computer. Though continuous, this process has been directly tied to technological advances in each phase of the so-called digital revolution, the latest transformations of which are directly related to the progressively greater capacity for replicating reality in an increasingly hyperrealistic manner, as well as interface innovations that create immersive experiences nearly indiscernible from a direct sensory experience. The result is architectural drawing’s shift away from parameters based on the principles of representation, a concept upon which the trade’s theoretical concepts have been built, towards a graphical image based on the principles of what has come to be called simulation. A conceptual shift that profoundly transforms the theoretical principles of architectural design.[ES] El dibujo arquitectónico contemporáneo ha sido sometido a toda una serie de profundas transformaciones, tanto metodológicas como conceptuales, producto del impacto derivado de la introducción del ordenador. Este proceso, aunque continuo, ha ido directamente vinculado a los progresos tecnológicos propios de cada fase de la denominada revolución digital, cuyas últimas transformaciones están directamente relacionadas con la progresivamente mayor capacidad de replicar la realidad de una manera cada vez más hiperrealista, así como de nuevos modos de interacción que posibilitan una experiencia inmersiva, casi indiscernible de la experiencia sensorial directa. El resultado es el tránsito del dibujo arquitectónico desde unos parámetros basados en los principios de la representación, concepto sobre el que se ha construido la propia conceptualización teórica del área, hacia una imagen gráfica asentada sobre los principios de lo que se ha dado en llamar simulación. Un tránsito conceptual que transforma profundamente los propios principios teóricos del dibujo arquitectónico.Llopis Verdú, J. (2018). Entre representación y simulación. Un cambio de paradigma en el dibujo arquitectónico contemporáneo. EGA. Revista de Expresión Gráfica Arquitectónica. 23(34):180-193. doi:10.4995/ega.2018.10860180193233

New insights on estimating pore size distribution of latex particles: Statistical mechanics approach and modeling

New statistical mechanics approach for pore size distribution applied in wide the relative pressure range is proposed. The new proposed model was applied to nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms at 77 K onto five functionalized polystyrene latices. Results showed that the proposed model can reproduce all results found by traditional methods such as NLDFT, BJH and VBS where some of them can be applied only for a specific range of pore size. A segmentation procedure is adopted and it is shown that the corresponding algorithm can be successfully applied for determining pore size distributions over a wide range of pore size. When this method is applied an isotherms Type II and III (materials with larger mesopores and/or macropores) gives additional information that is not obtained with the other methods. The obtained results showed that the copolymerization plays an important role in the porosity and the specific surface area, whereas, the high polydispersity index, PDI, can reduce the porosity. The samples studied within the present work present small and large mesopores and even macropores as it is suggested by the new proposed model, and part of this porosity could be related to the interparticle and also to the intraparticle porosity.Fil: Bergaoui, Manel. Université de Monastir; TúnezFil: Khalfaoui, Mohamed. Université de Monastir; TúnezFil: Villarroel Rocha, Jhonny. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto de Física Aplicada "Dr. Jorge Andrés Zgrablich". Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Ciencias Físico Matemáticas y Naturales. Instituto de Física Aplicada "Dr. Jorge Andrés Zgrablich"; ArgentinaFil: Barrera Diaz, Deicy Amparo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto de Física Aplicada "Dr. Jorge Andrés Zgrablich". Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Ciencias Físico Matemáticas y Naturales. Instituto de Física Aplicada "Dr. Jorge Andrés Zgrablich"; ArgentinaFil: Al Muhtaseb, Shaheen. Qatar University; QatarFil: Enciso, Eduardo. Universidad Complutense de Madrid; EspañaFil: Sapag, Manuel Karim. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto de Física Aplicada "Dr. Jorge Andrés Zgrablich". Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Ciencias Físico Matemáticas y Naturales. Instituto de Física Aplicada "Dr. Jorge Andrés Zgrablich"; ArgentinaFil: Ben Lamine, Abdelmottaleb. Université de Monastir; Túne