Perspectives on Preparedness for Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Threats in the Middle East and North Africa Region: Application of Artificial Intelligence Techniques

Over the past 3 decades, the diversity of ethnic, religious, and political backgrounds worldwide, particularly in countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), has led to an increase in the number of intercountry conflicts and terrorist attacks, sometimes involving chemical and biological agents. This warrants moving toward a collaborative approach to strengthening preparedness in the region. In disaster medicine, artificial intelligence techniques have been increasingly utilized to allow a thorough analysis by revealing unseen patterns. In this study, the authors used text mining and machine learning techniques to analyze open-ended feedback from multidisciplinary experts in disaster medicine regarding the MENA region's preparedness for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) risks. Open-ended feedback from 29 international experts in disaster medicine, selected based on their organizational roles and contributions to the academic field, was collected using a modified interview method between October and December 2022. Machine learning clustering algorithms, natural language processing, and sentiment analysis were used to analyze the data gathered using R language accessed through the RStudio environment. Findings revealed negative and fearful sentiments about a lack of accessibility to preparedness information, as well as positive sentiments toward CBRN preparedness concepts raised by the modified interview method. The artificial intelligence analysis techniques revealed a common consensus among experts about the importance of having accessible and effective plans and improved health sector preparedness in MENA, especially for potential chemical and biological incidents. Findings from this study can inform policymakers in the region to converge their efforts to build collaborative initiatives to strengthen CBRN preparedness capabilities in the healthcare sector

Comparative study between adsorbents based on magnetic nanoferrite. Application to the removal of methyl orange from wastewater

Magnetic ferrite (Mg-doped bismuth ferrite) and its clay-based composite (Mg-doped bismuth ferrite-bentonite) were prepared by self-combustion method utilizing glycine as fuel and served for the removal of methyl orange (MO) from aqueous solutions. The ferrite-based adsorbents were characterized by the measurement of specific surface area (BET), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD). The different experimental parameters that affect the performance of this reaction such as: temperature, contact time, initial dye concentration and mass of adsorbent were investigated. The point of zero charge pH (pHPZC) was determined for the two adsorbents. Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption models were employed to provide a description of the equilibrium isotherms. Adsorption tests showed that the equilibrium time is a function of the initial concentration of dye. The adsorption kinetic study indicated that the equilibrium adsorption is established after 300 minutes for Mg-doped bismuth ferrite, while it is established after 180 minutes for Mg-doped bismuth ferrite-bentonite composite. Furthermore, this suggests that the adsorption of MO on both adsorbents can be perfectly described by pseudo-second order kinetics. The maximum adsorption capacity determined by the mathematical model of Langmuir is equal to 181.8 mg.g-1 for Mg-doped bismuth ferrite and to 188.7 mg.g-1 for its composite, at 298 K. Adsorption isotherms shows that the Freundlich model perfectly represents adsorption of methyl orange to the prepared Mg-doped bismuth ferrite. The ferrite/bentonite composite has 2-50 nm-sized pores and is indeed a mesoporous material. The small pores observed on the surface of the adsorbents are in line with type IV isotherm, with possible capillary condensation of the adsorbate. Moreover, Langmuir model seems to be the most suitable model for the absorption of methyl orange on the Mg-doped bismuth ferrite-bentonite composite. The thermodynamic parameters related to the sorbent/adsorbate system indicate that adsorption is spontaneous and exothermic. The determination of isosteric heat of adsorption suggested that it is indeed a physisorption characterized by weak intermolecular forces between MO and the surface

Tunus'ta toplanan Thymbra capitata L. ve Mentha pulegium L. esansiyel yağlarının Galleria mellonella L. üzerine etkisi

The wax moth is one of the honeybee pests that cause a lot of damage and loss for the beekeepers in Tunisia. The use of insecticides is more and more used although they are known to contaminate wax and honey. This study aims to test the essential oils of two North African common plants Thymbra capitata L. and Mentha pulegium L. efficacy as alternative method by fumigation on instars of Galleria mellonela L. We also determined the duration of the development stages of the great wax moth (GWM) presented in Tunisia. Results showed that under a temperature ranged between 30 and 33°C, the total duration from eggs to adults of GWM lasted 51 days. The fumigant test showed the toxicity of both oils on larvae instars tested. The second larvae instar was more susceptible than the 4th instar. Moreover, M. pulegium was more toxic against the 2nd larvae instar than T. capitata with an LC50 at 48h of 41.82 and 456.27 µl/L air, respectively. The essential oils present a good alternative to the insecticides to control wax moths.The wax moth is one of the honeybee pests that cause a lot of damage and loss for the beekeepers in Tunisia. The use of insecticides is more and more used although they are known to contaminate wax and honey. This study aims to test the essential oils of two North African common plants Thymbra capitata L. and Mentha pulegium L. efficacy as alternative method by fumigation on instars of Galleria mellonela L. We also determined the duration of the development stages of the great wax moth (GWM) presented in Tunisia. Results showed that under a temperature ranged between 30 and 33°C, the total duration from eggs to adults of GWM lasted 51 days. The fumigant test showed the toxicity of both oils on larvae instars tested. The second larvae instar was more susceptible than the 4th instar. Moreover, M. pulegium was more toxic against the 2nd larvae instar than T. capitata with an LC50 at 48h of 41.82 and 456.27 µl/L air, respectively. The essential oils present a good alternative to the insecticides to control wax moths

Apport des outils hydrogéochimiques à l'évaluation de la qualité et l'aptitude des eaux souterraines à l'irrigation : cas de la nappe phréatique de la basse vallée de Medjerda, Tunisie Nord-Orientale

L'investigation hydrogéochimique des eaux de la nappe phréatique de la basse vallée de Medjerda a permis de préciser les conditions d'acquisition de la charge saline des eaux dans un contexte méditerranéen. En effet, la chimie des éléments majeurs a montré que la minéralisation des eaux souterraines est contrôlée principalement par la dissolution des minéraux évaporitiques, la dédolomitisation et les échanges de base avec les argiles, relativement abondants dans les environnements semi-arides à arides. D'autre part, l'utilisation excessive des engrais chimiques est à l'origine de la contamination des eaux par les fortes teneurs en nitrates en relation avec le phénomène de retour des eaux d'irrigation. Par ailleurs, l'utilisation d'autres paramètres tels que la salinité traduite par la conductivité électrique et le SAR (indice d'adsorption du sodium, aussi appelé pouvoir alcalinisant) ont permis de déterminer l'aptitude des eaux étudiées à l'irrigation. Ces deux paramètres ont montré, généralement, une dégradation de la qualité des eaux pour l'irrigation et par conséquent un risque de salinisation des sols

Morphological Variation of the African Green Toad, Bufo boulengeri (Amphibia: Anura) in Tunisia

Abstract.-This study describes patterns of geographic variation in morphometric characters of the African green toad Bufo boulengeri, from Tunisia (11 populations). Body size differences of 89 specimens were analysed with univariate statistics, and body proportions with multivariate methods. Among-groups differences in morphometric characters included both size and shape. Southern populations were found to have larger body size than northern ones, and there was an association between climatic factors and morphological characters. The observed clinal variation in both body size and weight may result from phenotypic plasticity correlated with local environmental factors

Molecular characterization of <i>Fasciola</i> spp. from the endemic area of northern Iran based on nuclear ribosomal DNA sequences

Fasciolosis caused by Fasciola spp. (Platyhelminthes: Trematoda: Digenea) is considered as the most important helminth infection of ruminants in tropical countries, causing considerable socioeconomic problems. In the endemic regions of the North of Iran, Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica have been previously characterized on the basis of morphometric differences, but the use of molecular markers is necessary to distinguish exactly between species and intermediate forms. Samples from buffaloes and goats from different localities of northern Iran were identified morphologically and then genetically characterized by sequences of the first (ITS-1) and second (ITS-2) Internal Transcribed Spacers (ITS) of nuclear ribosomal DNA (rDNA). Comparison of the ITS of the northern Iranian samples with sequences of Fasciola spp. from GenBank showed that the examined specimens had sequences identical to those of the most frequent haplotypes of F. hepatica (n = 25, 48.1%) and F. gigantica (n = 20, 38.45%), which differed from each other in different variable nucleotide positions of ITS region sequences, and their intermediate forms (n = 7, 13.45%), which had nucleotides overlapped between the two Fasciola species in all the positions. The ITS sequences from populations of Fasciola isolates in buffaloes and goats had experienced introgression/hybridization as previously reported in isolates from other ruminants and humans. Based on ITS-1 and ITS-2 sequences, flukes are scattered in pure F. hepatica, F. gigantica and intermediate Fasciola clades, revealing that multiple genotypes of Fasciola are able to infect goats and buffaloes in North of Iran. Furthermore, the phylogenetic trees based upon the ITS-1 and ITS-2 sequences showed a close relationship of the Iranian samples with isolates of F. hepatica and F. gigantica from different localities of Africa and Asia. In the present study, the intergenic transcribed spacers ITS-1 and ITS-2 showed to be reliable approaches for the genetic differentiation of Fasciola spp., providing bases for further studies on F. hepatica, F. gigantica and their intermediate forms in the endemic areas in Asia

Molecular characterization of <i>Fasciola hepatica</i> from Sardinia based on sequence analysis of genomic and mitochondrial gene markers

The aim of the present study is to investigate for the first time the genetic diversity of samples identified morphologically as Fasciola hepatica (Platyhelminthes: Trematoda: Digenea) (n= 66) from sheep and cattle from two localities of Sardinia and to compare them with available data from other localities by partial sequences of the first (ITS-1), the 5.8S, and second (ITS-2) Internal Transcribed Spacers (ITS) of nuclear ribosomal DNA (rDNA) genes, the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase subunit I (ND1) genes. Comparison of the sequences from Sardinia with sequences of Fasciola spp. from GenBank confirmed that all samples belong to the species F. hepatica. The nucleotide sequencing of ITS rDNA showed no nucleotide variation in the ITS-1, 5.8S and ITS-2 rDNA sequences among all Sardinian samples, comparing with two ITS-2 haplotypes in standard F. hepatica, showing a substitution C/T in 20 position 859, reported previously from Tunisia, Algeria, Australia, Uruguay and Spain. The present study shows that in Sardinian sheep and cattle there is the most frequent haplotype (FhITS-H1) of F. hepatica species from South Europe. Considering NDI sequences, the phylogenetic trees showed reliable grouping among the haplotypes of F. hepatica from Sardinia and the mitochondrial lineage I, including the main N1 haplotype, observed previously from Europe (Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and Bulgaria), Armenia, West Africa (Nigeria), America (Uruguay and USA), Asia (Turkey, Japan, and China), Georgia, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Australia. Furthermore, common haplotypes FhCOI-H1 and FhCOI-H2 of F. hepatica from Sardinia also corresponded mostly to the first lineage including the main C1 haplotype reported previously from Eastern European and Western Asian populations, they belonged just to a phylogenically distinguishable clade, as F. hepatica from Australia, France, Turkey, Uruguay, Russia, Armenia, Ukraine, Belarus, Turkmenistan, USA, Tunisia and Algeria, indicating that this is the main haplotype involved in the spread of F. hepatica throughout all continents

Occurrence and molecular identification of Anisakis spp. from the North African coasts of Mediterranean Sea

Larval forms of the genus Anisakis were reported infecting several fish species from the North African coasts of central Mediterranean Sea. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis was used to investigate the occurrence of larval forms of different Anisakis species in teleost fishes and squid from North African coasts of the Mediterranean Sea and to establish the geographical and host range of these parasites in this area. A total of 282 Anisakis larvae were identified by PCR-RFLP from 13 teleost fish species and one cephalopod species captured at different sites off the Algerian, Tunisian and Libyan coasts. The type I larvae were found with a frequency of 93.62% and were identified as belonging to the following species: Anisakis simplex s.str., Anisakis pegreffii, A. simplex s.str/A. pegreffii hybrids and Anisakis typica. The type II larvae were found to belong to Anisakis physeteris, with the frequency of 6.38%. The record of A. simplex s.str/A. pegreffii hybrids, previously recorded from the Spanish and Portuguese Atlantic coasts and the Alboran Sea, extends their geographic distribution to the Tunisian coasts. The occurrence of A. simplex s.str. and hybrids away from their known area of distribution may predict the successful use of Anisakis larvae for tagging Scomber scombrus fish stocks for fisheries management purposes. Moreover, the results reported provide valuable information regarding the diversity of Anisakis species in the study area, indicating that several Anisakis sibling and morphospecies coexist in the North African coasts of the Mediterranean Sea

Desenvolvimento de um processo tecnológico para a reciclagem de descartes de cabos de fibra óptica

Orientador: Haroldo Araújo PontesDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Tecnologia, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Meio Ambiente Urbano e Industrial, SENAI PR e Universität Stuttgart. Defesa : Curitiba, 05/11/2019Inclui referências: p. 99-105Resumo: O desenvolvimento socioeconômico, os atuais padrões de industrialização e consumo ocasionaram um aumento na geração de diversos tipos de resíduos e, consequentemente, um aumento no descarte destes na natureza, contribuindo para o processo de degradação ambiental. No setor de telecomunicações, com o aumento das instalações em fibra óptica, visando ampliar o acesso à banda larga, são geradas toneladas de sucatas e resíduos anualmente. Neste trabalho é descrito e analisado o desenvolvimento de um processo tecnológico para reciclagem de descartes de cabos de fibra ópticas, o projeto se mostrou complexo, pois não existem na literatura ou no mercado nacional, parâmetros de comparação que abordem o tema da reciclagem dos descartes na sua essência, ou seja, transformar os elementos constituintes dos cabos ópticos em coisas completamente novas. Foram analisadas e descritas às características intrínsecas do material, os volumes de geração, a legislação vigente para os vários tipos de destinação legal, além da descrição destes processos. Também foram pesquisadas e analisadas as opções de máquinas e equipamentos existentes no mercado nacional, que permitiriam o desenvolvimento do processo de reciclagem. A partir destas análises, foi possível iniciar um piloto do processo de reciclagem, que forneceu os parâmetros necessários para análise, e permitiu o avanço no desenvolvimento de um processo eficiente e economicamente viável para reciclagem deste importante resíduo. Atualmente o processo se encontra consolidado e este projeto apresenta as etapas e premissas da operação, mostrando que o mesmo é uma alternativa viável com forte apelo sustentável para tratamento dos descartes de fibra óptica. Palavras-chave: Telecomunicações. Descartes de cabos ópticos. Reciclagem. Desenvolvimento de processo sustentável.Abstract: Socioeconomic development, current patterns of industrialization and consumption have led to an increase in the generation of various types of waste and, consequently, an increase in their disposal in nature, contributing to the process of environmental degradation. In the telecommunications sector, with the increase in optical fiber installations, in order to expand broadband access, tons of waste are created annually. In this work, the development of a technological process for the recycling of scrap from optical fiber cables is described and analyzed. The project was complex because there are no comparative parameters in the literature or in the national market that address the topic of scrap recycling in its essence, that is, transform the constituent elements of optical cables into completely new things. The intrinsic characteristics of the material, the generation volumes, the legislation in force for the various types of legal destination, and the description of these processes were analyzed and described. We also researched and analyzed the options of machines and equipment available in the domestic Market were researched and analyzed, which would allow the development of the recycling process. From these analyzes, it was possible to start a pilot of the recycling process, which provided the necessary parameters for analysis, and allowed progress in the development of an efficient and economically feasible process for recycling this important waste. Currently the process is consolidated and this project presents the steps and premises of the operation, showing that it is a viable alternative with a strong sustainable appeal for the treatment of fiber optic scrap. Keywords: Telecommunications. Scrap optical cables. Recycling. Sustainable process development