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Swarm electrification-driven communities face significant challenges, including implementing advanced distributed control in areas with limited ICT access and establishing trust among villagers hesitant to grant access to their assets. This paper proposes a distributed DC microgrid architecture for P2P energy exchange in these communities, ensuring stability and an effective exchange operation. By implementing a Blockchain marketplace specifically designed to suit the rural context, the proposed architecture ensures tracing of exchange transactions to fairly settle participants. Validation experiments demonstrate its efficacy in achieving peak shaving. It provides 11% of the requester’s total demand from the community even while maintaining the constraint of reducing discharge–charge cycles to one per day, thereby preserving battery life. Additionally, the solution reduces prosumer production losses by 16% of the total PV production.

Objective: In this work the design of a fourth-order Reconfigurable Sigma Delta analog-to-digital converter (ΣΔ ADC) for 5MHz, 7MHz or 10MHz channel bandwidths are presented. Materials and methods: Our design technique aims to keep the same ADC architecture in response to multi-band and multi-mode aspects of Mobile WiMAX standard. To this end, we set each sampling frequency corresponding to each channel bandwidth, in order that the same OSR value would be kept for the different channel bandwidths. This technique is intended to optimize the power and area of the ADC that efficiently covers varying channel bandwidths. Moreover, we use the pole placement method to calculate the optimized filter coefficients of Continuous-Time Sigma-Delta (CT ΣΔ) ADC. Results and discussion: Over 5MHz, 7MHz and 10MHz channel bandwidths, the ADC achieved 72.89dB, 67.26dB and 66.47dB peak SNR values, respectively and a dynamic range of 73.5dB, 69.47dB and 66.5dB respectively with only 28mW, 28.2mW and 28.6mW power consumption respectively. Conclusions: The design of the proposed reconfigurable ADC intended for use in the mobile WiMAX standard were achieved. Moreover, the results obtained are satisfactory and are in accordance with theoretical expectations.

The human gut mycobiome, a minor but integral component of the gut microbiome, has emerged as a significant player in host homeostasis and disease development. While bacteria have traditionally been the focus of gut microbiome studies, recent evidence suggests that fungal communities (mycobiota) may also play a crucial role in modulating health, particularly in neuropsychiatric disorders. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of current knowledge on the relationship between the gut mycobiome and neuropsychiatric disorders, exploring the potential of targeting fungal communities as a novel therapeutic strategy. We summarized recent findings from metagenomic analyses that characterize the diversity and composition of gut mycobiota and discuss how these communities interact with the host and other microorganisms via the gut-brain axis. Key methodologies for studying mycobiota, such as high-throughout sequencing and bioinformatics approaches, were also reviewed to highlight advances in the field. Emerging research links gut mycobiota dysbiosis to conditions such as schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, autism spectrum disorders, bipolar disorder, and depression. Studies indicate that specific fungal populations, such as and , may influence neuroinflammation, gut permeability and immune responses, thereby affecting mental health outcomes. Understanding the gut mycobiome's role in neuropsychiatric disorders opens new avenues for therapeutic interventions, including antifungal treatments, probiotics, and dietary modifications. Future research should integrate multi-omics approaches to unravel the complex interkingdom interactions within the gut ecosystem, paving the way for personalized medicine in mental health care.

The interplay between human microbiota and various physiological systems has garnered significant attention in recent years. The gut microbiota plays a critical role in maintaining physiological homeostasis and influences various aspects of human health, particularly via the gut brain axis. Since 2017, the challenging concept of the gut-retina axis has emerged thanks to a network analysis emphasizing the potential role of the gut microbiota disruption in the development of the age-related macular degeneration and further retinal damages. Many other ocular disorders have been linked to the dysbiosis of the gut microbiota, including uveitis and glaucoma. It has been shown that age related macular degeneration can be prevented or reversed using a diet that induces changes in the gut microbiota. The potential link between the gut microbiota as well as others types of microbiota such as the ocular surface microbiota and the development/progression of age related as well as inherited retinal degenerations and other degenerative eye diseases, has recently been broadened. Therefore, the pathogenesis of several eye diseases has recently been associated with a larger perception called the gut eye axis. This mini-review examines the potential mechanisms underlying the gut eye axis and suggests implications for the management of eye diseases. By understanding the modulation of the gut microbiota and its impact on eye disease, this mini-review provides insight into potential therapeutic interventions and avenues for future research.

Background Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is a rare and aggressive form of breast cancer, characterized by distinct clinicopathological features and a relatively high frequency in North African countries. While several studies have explored the genetic basis of breast cancer, limited research has looked into the specific genetic features of this aggressive form. This study aims to investigate the genetic factors associated with IBC in North Africa, particularly among Tunisian patients. Methods Whole exome sequencing was performed for 13 patients with IBC. Clinicopathological data have been collected to assess the phenotype-genotype correlation. Both germline point mutations and copy number variations (CNVs) were analyzed. Genes and variants were prioritized through phenotype and genotype-driven approaches. Variants were filtered based on pathogenicity predictions and ACMG classification. A Gene-Disease association analysis was conducted using DisGeNET data and the VarElect online tool to select candidate genes most likely involved in disease onset. The predictive and prognostic values of the relevant genes were assessed using publicly available datasets. Results Our investigations revealed relevant genetic variants within established cancer predisposing genes, inflammatory pathways, and potential candidate predisposing genes, including BRCA2 c.1794_1798del, a novel mutation in RAD54L gene (c.1712T > C) and c.555_559del in IFNAR2 gene. CNVs in ABRAXAS1, XRCC2 and FANC genes were identified. We have also found that the high expression levels of RAD54L and MTHFR are correlated with good survival rates. The genetic makeup of IBC seems to be very heterogeneous. For the same patient, we have detected several relevant variants that might explain disease development and progression, and this was consistent with the family history of cancer observed in the investigated families. Conclusions Our findings revealed a complex and heterogeneous genetic background of IBC in the Tunisian population that might contribute to disease susceptibility and impact disease prognosis. The genetic features of IBC presented in this study provide valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the disease offering not only a deeper understanding within the context of Tunisia but also shedding light on its relevance to other North African populations characterized by similar epidemiological and genetic features.

Background Cancer represents an independent risk factor for venous thromboembolic disease (VTE). The main objective of this study is to analyze the cancer profile as well as the related VTE risk factors. Materials and methods A retrospective, descriptive, and analytical study was conducted in the Gabes University Hospital from January 2017 to May 2021. The data study collection focused on patients hospitalized with VTE-associated cancer. Input data and statistical analysis were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 26 (Released 2019; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States). Results The study involved 135 patients. The average age of the patients was 59.21 years, ranging from 17 to 94 years, and the sex ratio of 1.81. Lung, pancreatic, and bladder cancers significantly increased the risk of VTE by 1.48 (95% CI [1.19-1.85]), 2.60 (95% CI [1.31-5.3]), and 2.61 (95% CI [1.26-5.4]), respectively. Among the patients with metastatic cancer, the risk of developing VTE was 1.55 times higher than patients without metastatic cancer (95% CI [1.1-2.1]). Small cell, squamous cell, and urothelial carcinoma significantly increased (p<0.001) the risk of VTE occurrence by 2.79 (95% CI [1.69-4.6]), 2.41 (95% CI [1.38-4.13]), and 3.03 (95% CI [1.33-6.8]), respectively. Conclusion Among the patients with metastatic cancer, the risk of developing VTE was higher than patients without metastatic cancer. In addition, small cell, squamous cell, and urothelial carcinoma significantly increased the risk of VTE. Problems and knowledge of the VTE risk factors among cancer patients allow for cancer management improvement as well as avoiding further thromboembolic complications.

Purpose We aimed to determine the incidence of tardive sleep disturbances among patients hospitalized for COVID-19 infection, and to analyze their predictive factors. Methods It was a prospective cohort study, conducted in the department of respiratory diseases and Allergy, at Hedi Chaker University Hospital (Sfax-Tunisia). It included inpatients with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, who were discharged alive from hospital. The study protocol included 2 steps. First, patients were evaluated during their hospitalization. Then, each eligible patient was assessed 6–9 months after discharge. We thus asked them about fatigability, cognitive impairment and the following scales: the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) to assess sleep disturbances; the visual analog scale (VAS) to assess pain; the modified British Medical Research Council (mMRC scale) to evaluate dyspnea; the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) to assess depressive symptoms and the Euroqol 5 Dimensions 3 Levels Questionnaire (EQ-5D-3L) to assess the quality of life. Results The median age of the participants was 59 years [IQR (53–68)]. Among them, 51.2% were females. According to PSQI, the incidence of sleep disturbances after COVID was 48.8%. In multivariate analysis, predictive factors of sleep disturbances were: VAS score ( β  = 0.35; p  = 0.007); fatigability ( β  = 1.78; p  = 0.016); anxiety/depression ( β  = 4.25; p  < 0.001) and unmarried status ( β  = − 2.56; p  = 0.044). Conclusion Our study highlighted the burden of sleep disturbances in COVID-19 survivors. Screening for these disorders in long haulers helps to maintain a good quality of life, and to prevent ulterior physical or mental complications, in order to promote good health and well-being on physical, psychological and social aspects.

Sexual harassment at work is receiving increasing attention, particularly as women’s participation rates in the labor force increase. The purpose of this study was to evaluate women doctors’ perception of sexual harassment (SH) and assess SH prevalence in this population, compared with a control group. A cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of Tunisian women doctors compared with a control group. We used a questionnaire exploring the knowledge of the participants about SH and personal experience. 154 women received the questionnaire. The response rate was 62.3% (65 women doctors and 31 non-medical women). Only 32.3% of female physicians were able to provide a formal definition of SH versus 22.6% in the non-physician group. We didn’t find a difference between the two groups concerning the perception of nonverbal forms of SH. Doctors said they were more victims of SH at work than non-medical women (27.7% vs. 16.1%). We found a statistically significant relationship between being a witness of SH and being a victim of SH at work in the group of doctors. Most women in Tunisia do not seem to recognize SH. Therefore, studies on a larger scale as well as educational and informative campaigns seem to be necessary.