Insights into the Middle Eastern paternal genetic pool in Tunisia: high prevalence of T-M70 haplogroup in an Arab population

To obtain refreshed insights into the paternal lineages of Tunisian populations, Y-chromosome diversity was assessed in two populations belonging to an Arab genealogical lineage, Kairouan and Wesletia, as well as in four Tunisian Andalusian populations, Testour, Slouguia, Qalaat-El-Andalous and El Alia. The Arabs from Kairouan revealed 73.47% of E-M81 and close affinities with Berber groups, indicating they are likely arabized Berbers, clearly differentiated from the Arabs from Wesletia, who harbored the highest frequency (71.8%) of the Middle Eastern component ever observed in North Africa. In the Tunisian Andalusians, the North African component largely prevailed, followed by the Middle Eastern contribution. Global comparative analysis highlighted the heterogeneity of Tunisian populations, among which, as a whole, dominated a set of lineages ascribed to be of autochthonous Berber origin (71.67%), beside a component of essentially Middle Eastern extraction (18.35%), and signatures of Sub-Saharan (5.2%), European (3.45%) and Asiatic (1.33%) contributions. The remarkable frequency of T-M70 in Wesletia (17.4%) prompted to refine its phylogeographic analysis, allowing to confirm its Middle Eastern origin, though signs of local evolution in Northern Africa were also detected. Evidence was clear on the ancient introduction of T lineages into the region, probably since Neolithic times associated to spread of agriculture.This work was partially financed by FEDER-Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional funds through the COMPETE 2020-Operacional Programme for Competitiveness and Internationalisation (POCI), Portugal 2020, and by Portuguese funds through FCT-Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia/Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação in the framework of the projects “Institute for Research and Innovation in Health Sciences (i3S)” (POCI-01-0145-FEDER007274). IPATIMUP integrates the i3S research unit. VG is supported by FCT under the program contract provided in Decree-Law no.57/2016 of August 29

Simulation-Optimization Framework for Synthesis and Design of Natural Gas Downstream Utilization Networks

Many potential diversification and conversion options are available for utilization of natural gas resources, and several design configurations and technology choices exist for conversion of natural gas to value-added products. Therefore, a detailed mathematical model is desirable for selection of optimal configuration and operating mode among the various options available. In this study, we present a simulation-optimization framework for the optimal selection of economic and environmentally sustainable pathways for natural gas downstream utilization networks by optimizing process design and operational decisions. The main processes (e.g., LNG, GTL, and methanol production), along with different design alternatives in terms of flow-sheeting for each main processing unit (namely syngas preparation, liquefaction, N-2 rejection, hydrogen, FT synthesis, methanol synthesis, FT upgrade, and methanol upgrade units), are used for superstructure development. These processes are simulated using ASPEN Plus V7.3 to determine the yields of different processing units under various operating modes. The model has been applied to maximize total profit of the natural gas utilization system with penalties for environmental impact, represented by CO2eq emission obtained using ASPEN Plus for each flowsheet configuration and operating mode options. The performance of the proposed modeling framework is demonstrated using a case study.NSERCQatar Universit

Effects of hospital facilities on patient outcomes after cancer surgery: an international, prospective, observational study

Background Early death after cancer surgery is higher in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) compared with in high-income countries, yet the impact of facility characteristics on early postoperative outcomes is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the association between hospital infrastructure, resource availability, and processes on early outcomes after cancer surgery worldwide.Methods A multimethods analysis was performed as part of the GlobalSurg 3 study-a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study of patients who had surgery for breast, colorectal, or gastric cancer. The primary outcomes were 30-day mortality and 30-day major complication rates. Potentially beneficial hospital facilities were identified by variable selection to select those associated with 30-day mortality. Adjusted outcomes were determined using generalised estimating equations to account for patient characteristics and country-income group, with population stratification by hospital.Findings Between April 1, 2018, and April 23, 2019, facility-level data were collected for 9685 patients across 238 hospitals in 66 countries (91 hospitals in 20 high-income countries; 57 hospitals in 19 upper-middle-income countries; and 90 hospitals in 27 low-income to lower-middle-income countries). The availability of five hospital facilities was inversely associated with mortality: ultrasound, CT scanner, critical care unit, opioid analgesia, and oncologist. After adjustment for case-mix and country income group, hospitals with three or fewer of these facilities (62 hospitals, 1294 patients) had higher mortality compared with those with four or five (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 3.85 [95% CI 2.58-5.75]; p<0.0001), with excess mortality predominantly explained by a limited capacity to rescue following the development of major complications (63.0% vs 82.7%; OR 0.35 [0.23-0.53]; p<0.0001). Across LMICs, improvements in hospital facilities would prevent one to three deaths for every 100 patients undergoing surgery for cancer.Interpretation Hospitals with higher levels of infrastructure and resources have better outcomes after cancer surgery, independent of country income. Without urgent strengthening of hospital infrastructure and resources, the reductions in cancer-associated mortality associated with improved access will not be realised

Déshydrogénation de l'isopropanol catalysée par quelques oxynitrures de métaux de transition

La déshydrogénation de l'isopropanol, en phase gazeuse, a été étudiée en présence des oxynitrures simples de Mo, W, Co, Ni et des oxynitrures mixtes de molybdène et nickel ou cobalt. L'oxynitrure de nickel est le catalyseur le plus actif et le plus sélectif en déshydrogénation. A 100°C il donne un taux de conversion de 11 % avec une sélectivité de 100 %. L'analyse aux rayons X du catalyseur après test montre que celui-ci conserve sa structure. Les autres catalyseurs étudiés à 150°C, dorment de faibles taux de conversion. L'oxynitrure de tungstène, s'est montré plutôt sélectif en déshydratation. L'addition du cobalt ou du nickel à l'oxynitrure de molybdène augmente sa sélectivité en déshydrogénation

A Novel Nano-Composite CSNPs/PVP/CoONPs Coating for Improving Corrosion Resistance of Ti-6Al-4V Alloy as a Dental Implant

A new nano-coating of chitosan nanoparticles/polyvinylpyrrolidone/cobalt oxide nanoparticles (CSNPs/PVP/CoONPs) was performed in this work. The newly designed nano-coating comprises a copolymer and inorganic matrices. This nano-coating was used to cover the Ti-6Al-4V alloy surface as a newly designed dental alloy, and then its corrosion properties were studied through different electrochemical techniques. The results reveal that this novel coating improved the corrosion resistance of the Ti-6Al-4V alloy in artificial saliva solution by reaching 17.7 MΩ cm2. The new fabricated biocompatible coating (CSNPs/PVP/CoONPs) greatly enhanced the electrochemical corrosion resistance by giving a high protection efficiency of 90.87% and a low hydrogen evolution rate in artificial saliva solution at 37 °C. The observed results were confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Vickers microhardness testing, coating thickness tests, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX)

Hydrodésazotation de la pyridine sous pression atmosphérique catalysée par des oxynitrures de Ni, Mo, et des oxynitrures mixtes MoNi, MoPNi, AlNi et AlPNi

La réaction d'hydrodésazotation de la pyridine a été réalisée, sous pression atmosphérique, en présence de catalyseurs oxynitrures de molybdène, de nickel et leurs solutions solides ainsi que sur les catalyseurs mixtes MoNi, MoPNi, AlNi et AlPNi. Dans tous les cas, les principaux produits de réaction observés sont le n-pentane et la N- pentylpipéridine, quel que soit le taux de conversion. Les résultats cinétiques obtenus en régime intégral, en présence de l'oxynitrure de nickel, suggèrent un schéma réactionnel successif où l'hydrogénation de la pyridine serait l'étape limitante. L'oxynitrure de molybdène et les solutions solides Mo-Ni-N, testés à des températures supérieures ou égales à 500 ○C, ont montré une bonne stabilité catalytique et structurale mais une faible activité catalytique. En revanche, l'oxynitrure de nickel présente une activité catalytique plus importante à des températures de réaction beaucoup plus basses (190 ○C–250 ○C). Cependant, l'analyse aux rayons X du catalyseur usagé, indique qu'il est entièrement réduit à l'état métallique; ceci laisse supposer que le nickel métallique est la phase active. Dans les mêmes conditions expérimentales, les catalyseurs mixtes sont relativement moins actifs que l'oxynitrure de nickel, mais plus sélectifs vis-à-vis de la formation du n-pentane

Measurement and prediction of ozone levels around a heavily industrialized area: a neural network approach

This paper presents an artificial neural network model that is able to predict ozone concentrations as a function of meteorological conditions and precursor concentrations. The network was trained using data collected during a period of 60 days near an industrial area in Kuwait. A mobile monitoring station was used for data collection. The data were collected at the same site as the ozone measurements. The data fed to the neural network were divided into two sets: a training set and a testing set. Various architectures were tried during the training process. A network of one hidden layer of 25 neurons was found to give good predictions for both the training and testing data set. In addition, the predictions of the network were compared to measurements taken during other times of the year. The inputs to the neural network were meteorological conditions Žwind speed and direction, relative humidity, temperature, and solar intensity. and the concentration of primary pollutants Žmethane, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, non-methane hydrocarbons, and dust.. A backpropagation algorithm with momentum was used to prepare the neural network. A partitioning method of the connection weights of the network was used to study the relative % contribution of each of the input variables. It was found that the precursors carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide had the most effect on th

DOI: 10.1080/00986440390171107 EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF CRUDE OIL DESALTING AND DEHYDRATION

Oil produced in most oil fields is accompanied by water in the form of an emulsion that must be treated. In addition, this water normally contains dissolved salts, principally chlorides of sodium, calcium, and magnesium. If crude oil is left untreated, when it is processed in a refinery the salt can cause various operating problems. This paper investigates experimentally the effect of five factors (gravity settling, chemical treatment, freshwater injection, heating, and mixing) on the efficiency of the dehydration=desalting process for a Kuwaiti crude oil and a commercial demulsifier (Servo CC 3408). These factors are systematically varied and efficiency is analyzed. Two efficiencies are defined: a Salt Removal (S=R) efficiency and a Water Cut (W=C) dehydration efficiency. The investigation was carried out through changes made to a single factor at a time as well as multiple variations of factors. Plots, based on experimental data, showing the variation of the two efficiencies as a function of the various factors are given. Two main conclusions are drawn for the system studied. First, excessive amounts of a demulsifying agent ha

Usefulness of COMT gene polymorphisms in North African populations

The COMT gene encodes for catechol-O-methyl-transferase, an enzyme playing a major role in regulation of synaptic catecholamine neurotransmitters. Investigating 4 markers of the COMT gene (rs2020917, rs4818, rs4680, rs9332377) in 6 Tunisian populations and a pool of Libyans. Our objective was to determine the distribution of allelic, genotypic and haplotypic frequencies by comparison to other populations of the 1000 genomes project and 59 populations from the Kidd Lab dataset. The allelic frequencies established for these SNPs in the North African populations are similar to those of Europeans and South Asians. Linkage disequilibrium between these SNPs and haplotypes frequencies are different between populations whose clustering in principal components analysis (PCA) according to their geographic origin was more significant using haplotypic frequencies. COMT activity prediction by haplotypes genotyping could be limited to rs4818-rs4680 micro-haplotypes. The Low activity haplotype (CG) displays the highest frequency in African populations (55%), in the 59 Kidd Lab populations we found also that Sub-Saharan Africans, Native Americans, and some East Asian and Pacific Island populations all have frequencies in the 50-81% range for (CG) where as its lowest frequency was found in Europeans (10%), this results have been also confirmed for Southwest Asians. North Africans and South Asians with intermediate frequencies have approximately similar values (20% and 25%). Europeans show the highest frequencies of haplotypes with predicted High and Medium activity in contrast to Africans. North Africans and South Asians present similar results for all the category of the COMT activity prediction by haplotypes genotyping. The high level of genetic diversity of COMT haplotypes, not only allows distinction between populations according to their history settlement, origin and ethnicity, it constitutes a basis for studies of association of the COMT gene polymorphism with pathologies, drugs response and for forensic investigation in North African populations.This work was partially supported by the Tunisian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research as well as by the University of Tunis El Manar . Special thanks go to the thousands of individuals around the world who volunteered to give blood and saliva samples to made this study possible.Scopu