The Development of an Application Conceived for the Design, Feasibility Study and Data Analysis of Photovoltaic Pumping Systems

Because of the rise in diesel and butane prices widely used for pumping, added to their negative impact on both Morocco's environment and trade balance, the use of renewable energies should sound obvious, practical and cost effective. This study offers the transformation of a traditional butane pumping system (BPS) and diesel pumping system (DPS), located on a farm nearby the city of Agadir, into an optimized solar pumping system (SPS). The suggested method is based on a techno-economic study according to the “Business-As-usual” scenario. As a first step, we have dimensioned our pumping system and chosen the elements that constitute it. As a second step, we carried out an economic analysis, based on the calculation of all costs, which makes it possible to ensure the viability of the components of our SPS over its life cycle and brought it to a discounted value. The processing of the different data is made possible thanks to the computer application “PVDesign” which we have developed. This application has allowed us to carry out a comparative study of several techniques of pumping systems. The result of the study is that the SPS beats the other systems at various levels, namely economic, environmental and technical

Independent and combined effects of all-out sprint and low-intensity continuous exercise on plasma oxidative stress biomarkers in trained judokas

The purpose of this study was to assess oxidative stress biomarkers prior to and following different forms of exercise. Ten elite male judokas (age: 18.1±1.7 years, athletic experience: 6 years with a training frequency of 6 Judo-sessions/week) performed three cycle ergometry sessions comprising a 30s Wingate test (MAX), 30 min at 60% maximal-aerobic-power-output (LOW) or these two exercise protocols combined (COMBINED) in a repeated-measures design. Venous blood-samples were collected before, and 0(P0), 5(P5), 10(P10) and 20(P20) min after each exercise protocol and assessed for malondialdehyde concentration ([MDA]), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione reductase (GR) content, and total-antioxidant-status (TAS). Plasma [MDA] was found to be increased above baseline at P0 and P5 in the MAX, LOW and COMBINED conditions (p<0.05), but was greater at P10 and P20 in the LOW condition compared to MAX and COMBINED conditions (p<0.05). Plasma GPX and SOD content increased above baseline at P0 in MAX and COMBINED and at P5 in LOW (p<0.05), with GR content being similar between groups at P0 and P5 (p>0.05). Twenty min post-exercise, plasma GPX, SOD, GR content and TAS were lower in the MAX compared to the LOW and COMBINED conditions (p<0.05). In conclusion, the findings from this study reveal that redox-related biomarkers exhibited divergent response dynamics following different forms of exercise, which might have implications for understanding the mechanisms of exercise-induced skeletal muscle fatigue and adaptive remodeling

Does observance of Ramadan affect sleep in athletes and physically active individuals? A systematic review and meta-analysis

This article presents a systematic review and meta-analysis is to provide an accurate description of the effect of Ramadan observance on sleep duration, sleep quality, daily nap duration, and daytime sleepiness in athletes and physically active individuals

A global call for action to include gender in research impact assessment

Global investment in biomedical research has grown significantly over the last decades, reaching approximately a quarter of a trillion US dollars in 2010. However, not all of this investment is distributed evenly by gender. It follows, arguably, that scarce research resources may not be optimally invested (by either not supporting the best science or by failing to investigate topics that benefit women and men equitably). Women across the world tend to be significantly underrepresented in research both as researchers and research participants, receive less research funding, and appear less frequently than men as authors on research publications. There is also some evidence that women are relatively disadvantaged as the beneficiaries of research, in terms of its health, societal, and economic impacts. Historical gender biases may have created a path dependency that means that the research system and the impacts of research are biased towards male researchers and male beneficiaries, making it inherently difficult (though not impossible) to eliminate gender bias. In this commentary, we – a group of scholars and practitioners from Africa, America, Asia, and Europe– argue that gender-sensitive research impact assessment could become a force for good in moving science policy and practice towards gender equity. Research impact assessment is the multidisciplinary field of scientific inquiry that examines the research process to maximise scientific, societal, and economic returns on investment in research. It encompasses many theoretical and methodological approaches that can be used to investigate gender bias and recommend actions for change to maximise research impact. We offer a set of recommendations to research funders, research institutions, and research evaluators who conduct impact assessment on how to include and strengthen analysis of gender equity in research impact assessment and issue a global call for action

Excess cardiovascular risk in diabetic women: a case for intensive treatment.

Diabetes is a common and rapidly growing disease that affects more than 380 million people worldwide and is an established risk factor for cardiovascular disease with differential effects on women compared to men. While the general population of women, particularly young women, has more favourable cardiovascular risk profiles than men, this protective effect has been shown to be lost or even reversed in diabetic women. Several studies have demonstrated a significant diabetes-associated excess risk of cardiovascular disease in women. Sex-specific differences in risk factors associated with diabetes and their management may be responsible for the relative excess cardiovascular risk in women with diabetes. Diabetic women need intensive treatment in order to optimize management of cardiovascular risk factors. Further studies are needed to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the excess cardiovascular risk in diabetic women in order to tailor prevention and treatment strategies

Sleep Quality and Physical Activity as Predictors of Mental Wellbeing Variance in Older Adults during COVID-19 Lockdown:ECLB COVID-19 International Online Survey

Background. The COVID-19 lockdown could engender disruption to lifestyle behaviors, thus impairing mental wellbeing in the general population. This study investigated whether sociodemographic variables, changes in physical activity, and sleep quality from pre- to during lockdown were predictors of change in mental wellbeing in quarantined older adults. Methods. A 12-week international online survey was launched in 14 languages on 6 April 2020. Forty-one research institutions from Europe, Western-Asia, North-Africa, and the Americas, promoted the survey. The survey was presented in a differential format with questions related to responses "pre" and "during" the lockdown period. Participants responded to the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire, and the short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Results. Replies from older adults (aged &gt;55 years, n = 517), mainly from Europe (50.1%), Western-Asia (6.8%), America (30%), and North-Africa (9.3%) were analyzed. The COVID-19 lockdown led to significantly decreased mental wellbeing, sleep quality, and total physical activity energy expenditure levels (all p &lt; 0.001). Regression analysis showed that the change in total PSQI score and total physical activity energy expenditure (F-(2,F- 514) = 66.41 p &lt; 0.001) were significant predictors of the decrease in mental wellbeing from pre- to during lockdown (p &lt; 0.001, R-2: 0.20). Conclusion. COVID-19 lockdown deleteriously affected physical activity and sleep patterns. Furthermore, change in the total PSQI score and total physical activity energy expenditure were significant predictors for the decrease in mental wellbeing.</p

Global Chronic Total Occlusion Crossing Algorithm: JACC State-of-the-Art Review

The authors developed a global chronic total occlusion crossing algorithm following 10 steps: 1) dual angiography; 2) careful angiographic review focusing on proximal cap morphology, occlusion segment, distal vessel quality, and collateral circulation; 3) approaching proximal cap ambiguity using intravascular ultrasound, retrograde, and move-the-cap techniques; 4) approaching poor distal vessel quality using the retrograde approach and bifurcation at the distal cap by use of a dual-lumen catheter and intravascular ultrasound; 5) feasibility of retrograde crossing through grafts and septal and epicardial collateral vessels; 6) antegrade wiring strategies; 7) retrograde approach; 8) changing strategy when failing to achieve progress; 9) considering performing an investment procedure if crossing attempts fail; and 10) stopping when reaching high radiation or contrast dose or in case of long procedural time, occurrence of a serious complication, operator and patient fatigue, or lack of expertise or equipment. This algorithm can improve outcomes and expand discussion, research, and collaboration

Global Chronic Total Occlusion Crossing Algorithm

The authors developed a global chronic total occlusion crossing algorithm following 10 steps: 1) dual angiography; 2) careful angiographic review focusing on proximal cap morphology, occlusion segment, distal vessel quality, and collateral circulation; 3) approaching proximal cap ambiguity using intravascular ultrasound, retrograde, and move-the-cap techniques; 4) approaching poor distal vessel quality using the retrograde approach and bifurcation at the distal cap by use of a dual-lumen catheter and intravascular ultrasound; 5) feasibility of retrograde crossing through grafts and septal and epicardial collateral vessels; 6) antegrade wiring strategies; 7) retrograde approach; 8) changing strategy when failing to achieve progress; 9) considering performing an investment procedure if crossing attempts fail; and 10) stopping when reaching high radiation or contrast dose or in case of long procedural time, occurrence of a serious complication, operator and patient fatigue, or lack of expertise or equipment. This algorithm can improve outcomes and expand discussion, research, and collaboration.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A Genome-Scale DNA Repair RNAi Screen Identifies SPG48 as a Novel Gene Associated with Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia

We have identified a novel gene in a genome-wide, double-strand break DNA repair RNAi screen and show that is involved in the neurological disease hereditary spastic paraplegia