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Openings in plate structures are essential in various engineering applications, particularly in vibro-acoustic systems where airflow is required. This paper investigates noise control in vibro-acoustic systems with noise barriers incorporating structural openings, focusing on active noise control and Active Structural Acoustic Control (ASAC). It also introduces a novel approach, Dual-Actuator-Type Active Noise Control (DATANC), which combines loudspeakers and inertial actuators into the same barrier to address the challenges of noise reduction. A sound power estimation method is proposed to account for sound transmission through the opening and is integrated into an analytical model for optimizing actuator placement; predictions show strong agreement with observed behavior. Among the ASAC configurations, experimental analysis shows that actuators placed near the edge of the opening achieve the greatest noise reduction in the 100–200 Hz range, where acoustic leakage is dominant. DATANC consistently outperformed all single-actuator configurations, delivering superior attenuation of dominant vibro-acoustic resonances while maintaining reasonable computational complexity. The analysis is extended to a plate with a transparent lid over the opening to evaluate the contribution of acoustic leakage to the system performance. The findings of this study demonstrate that optimized actuator placement, combined with DATANC, provides a practical solution for noise control in systems where structural openings are required.

This prospective clinical study aimed to establish a new classification system for TMJ internal derangement based on MRI in correlation with clinical findings contributing to a nonsurgical treatment protocol. A consecutive sample of 435 internal derangement patients was enrolled in the study. Clinical and MRI studies were used to establish the new classification system. A total of 747 joints were classified according to our staging system and received treatment according to the associated nonsurgical treatment protocol. The primary outcome variables were maximum voluntary mouth opening and visual analogue scale pain scores. The secondary outcome variable was joint sound. Statistical analysis of the differences between pretreatment and posttreatment measurements showed an increase in mouth opening throughout the study period ( P  < 0.001 at 12 m posttreatment). Statistical analysis of the VAS scores showed a statistically significant decrease in all study groups during all study periods, with P  < 0.0001 at 12 months posttreatment. Statistical analysis of joint sounds showed significant improvement during all study periods. The new classification system is a simple, & reasonable including a detailed description of all the pathologic changes of the joint. The nonsurgical treatment protocol was Simple, effective and specific depending on the pathological changes in joint.

The present study was designed to elucidate the protective effect mechanism of Zinc (Zn) and Selenium (Se) on cadmium (Cd)-induced oxidative stress in zebrafish. For this purpose we investigate the response of oxidative stress markers, metallothionein accumulation and gene expression in liver and ovary of female zebrafish exposed to 0,4 mg/l Cd in water and supplemented with Zn (5 mg kg −1 ) and/or Se (2 mg kg −1 ) for 21 days in their diet. Liver and ovary Cd uptake was evaluated after the exposure period. Cd exposure significantly inhibited the antioxidant enzyme activities termed as catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxydase (GPx) and caused a pronounced malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation in both organs. Co-administration of Zn and Se reversed the Cd-induced toxicity in liver and ovary measured as MDA accumulation. Interestingly, gene expression patterns of Cat, CuZnSod and Gpx were up-regulated when related enzymatic activities were altered. Zebrafish metallothionein transcripts (zMt) significantly decreased in tissues of fish supplemented with Zn and/or Se when compared to Cd-exposed fish. Our data would suggest that Zn and Se protective mechanism against Cd-induced oxidative stress is more depending on the correction of the proteins biological activities rather than on the transcriptional level of related genes.

An experiment was conducted in one of the plastic houses at the Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, University of Anbar, during the spring season of 2023. The experiment was designed to investigate the effects of spraying with potassium, a combination of alcohol sugar (Sorbitol), and Boron on the yield and quality of melon under protected cultivation conditions. The study included two factors: the first factor was spraying with potassium at three concentrations: 0, 4, and 8 gm/L, and it was coded as K0, K1, and K2, respectively. The second factor was spraying with a combination of sorbitol and boron at five concentrations that were coded as T0, T1, T2, T3, and T4. Potassium was sprayed when 50% of the flowers appeared and until the fruit ripened at a rate of one spray per week. The combination of Boron and Sorbitol was sprayed on the plants at age of 6-8 true leaves with three times, two weeks interval between sprays. The experiment was conducted as a factorial experiment within a Complete Randomized Block Design with three replicates. The study showed that the second Potassium concentration K1 was superior and achieved the highest (fruit weight, number of fruits per plant, plant yield, and plastic house yield) of 1.238 kg, 3.887 (fruit plant -1 ), 4.827 (kg plant -1 ), and 5.793 (tons per house -1 ). This was compared to the lowest values achieved by the control plants, which were 1.100 kg, 3.533 (fruit plant -1 ), 3.900 (kg plant -1 ), and 5.386 (tons per greenhouse -1 ), respectively. The combination of boron and sorbitol had a significant effect on yield traits, as treatment T4 significantly achieved the highest values in fruit weight, number of fruits, and total greenhouse yield of 1.281 kg, 4.078 (fruit plant -1 ), 5.232 (kg plant -1 ) and 6.279 (tons greenhouse -1 ), compared to the control treatment, which gave the lowest values for the same traits of 1.109 kg, 3.243 (fruit plant -1 ), 3.604 (kg plant -1 ), and 4.324 (tons per greenhouse -1 ). Spraying plants with potassium, especially at level K1, led to a significant increase in fruit quality traits, including fruit pulp thickness, total sugar content, and beta-carotene content, and gave the highest values of 6.550 mm, 10.770 (%), and 10.770 (μg g -1 fresh weight), compared to the lowest values achieved by the control plants, which gave the lowest values of 35.815 mm, 0.7449 (%), and 19.300 (μg g -1 fresh weight) for the same traits, respectively. The combination of sorbitol and boron had a significant effect on fruit quality traits, as treatment T4 plants achieved the highest values for fruit pulp thickness, total sugar content, and beta-carotene content of 48.618 mm, 11.272 %, and 20.754 (μg g -1 fresh weight) compared to the lowest values achieved by the control plants, which were 48.618 mm, 9.434 %, and 19.020 (μg g -1 fresh weight) for the same traits, respectively.

Against the backdrop of 10 years of civil war in Syria, with millions of refugees, this study aimed to explore sense of community coherence and the acculturation strategies of separation and competition as factors that might explain mental-health problems among adolescent Syrian refugees in Greece. Data were gathered from 173 adolescents aged 13–18 (M = 15.85; SD = 1.49); female adolescents accounted for 60.7% of the sample. Participants filled out a self-reported questionnaire regarding internalizing and externalizing problems, as well as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They were also asked about their sense of community coherence, their use of different acculturation strategies, and sociodemographic factors (i.e., gender, age, amount of time spent in the camp, and parents' education), as well as contextual factors such as exposure to war events, appraisal of danger, and whether they had received aid from various organizations. The female adolescents reported a stronger sense of community coherence and that they had received more aid from organizations than the male adolescents reported receiving. The male adolescents reported more externalizing problems. Exposure and appraisal of danger, as well as sense of community coherence and the use of the acculturation strategies of separation and competition all significantly explained the various mental-health problems. This article underscores the significance of gender, community coherence, and acculturation strategies in the prediction of mental health. It presents the results of this research in the context of the salutogenic and acculturation models. •Community coherence and receiving aid were higher among refugee female adolescents.•Community coherence, appraisal of danger, and competition predicted psychological problems.•Appraisal of danger and Community coherence were prominent for male adolescents.•Acculturation strategy of competition was more powerful for female adolescents.

Despite the strategic localization of Tunisia in the Mediterranean Sea, no phylogeographic study on sponges has been investigated along its shores. The demosponge Chondrosia reniformis, descript only morphologically along Tunisian coasts, was chosen to estimate the influence of natural oceanographic and biogeographic barriers on its genetic differentiation and its Phylogeography. The cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene was amplified and analyzed for 70 Mediterranean Chondrosia reniformis, collected from eight localities in Tunisia. Polymorphism results revealed high values of haplotype diversity (Hd) and very low nucleotide diversity (π). Thus, these results suggest that our sponge populations of C. reniformis may have undergone a bottleneck followed by rapid demographic expansion. This suggestion is strongly confirmed by the results of neutrality tests and “mismatch distribution.” The important number of haplotypes between localities and the high genetic differentiation (Fst ranged from 0.590 to 0.788) of the current C. reniformis populations could be maintained by the limited gene flow Nm (0.10–0.18). Both haplotype Network and the biogeographic analysis showed a structured distribution according to the geographic origin. C. reniformis populations are subdivided into two major clades: Western and Eastern Mediterranean. This pattern seems to be associated with the well‐known discontinuous biogeographic area: the Siculo‐Tunisian Strait, which separates two water bodies circulating with different hydrological, physical, and chemical characteristics. The short dispersal of pelagic larvae of C. reniformis and the marine bio‐geographic barrier created high differentiation among populations. Additionally, it is noteworthy to mention that the “Mahres/Kerkennah” group diverged from Eastern groups in a single sub‐clade. This result was expected, the region Mahres/Kerkennah, presented a particular marine environment. Both haplotype Network and the biogeographic analysis showed a structured distribution according to the geographic origin. C. reniformis populations are subdivided into two major clades: Western and Eastern Mediterranean. This pattern seems to be associated with the well‐known discontinuous biogeographic area: the Siculo‐Tunisian Strait, which separates two water bodies circulating with different hydrological, physical, and chemical characteristics.

ABSTRACT The uncontrolled expansion of gold mining operations and unplanned urban development has triggered a global groundwater contamination crisis. Nowhere is this more apparent than in Guinea’s Siguiri Prefecture, where artisanal and industrial mining have severely polluted local aquifers. Toxic waste from improper mining practices – including mercury and cyanide residues – continues to infiltrate shallow groundwater supplies, creating widespread risks to drinking water and public health while exposing critical gaps in environmental regulation. This study assesses groundwater vulnerability in Siguiri Prefecture using a GIS-based modified DRASTIC model, aiming to provide a goal-oriented framework for mitigating pollution risks and protecting groundwater resources. Integration of remote sensing satellite imagery, climatic records, hydrogeological drilling data, statistical analysis, and spatial analysis tools was employed to generate a comprehensive database. This database facilitated a multidisciplinary framework to produce a thematic groundwater vulnerability map, validated using bicarbonate (HCO3−) and Arsenic (As) concentrations from groundwater samples. The results reveal that approximately 12% of the area exhibits very high groundwater vulnerability, while 20% shows high vulnerability, indicating uncertain hydrogeological protection. The applied approach deepens the understanding of aquifer vulnerability to wastewater from gold mining, providing actionable insights for stakeholders.

The use of wastewater for irrigation in sandy soil increases the pollution risk of the soil and may infiltrate to the shallow groundwater aquifer. In such environment, some important parameters need to be obtained for monitoring the wastewater in the unsaturated zone over the aquifer. These parameters include clay content, heterogeneities of the upper soils, depth to the aquifer and the variations of groundwater quality. In the present work, the efficiency of DC resistivity method in forms of 1-D and 2-D measurements was studied for wastewater monitoring in the Gabal el Asfar farm, northeast of Cairo, Egypt. Forty-one Schlumberger soundings (VES) were performed then followed by three pole-dipole 2-D profiles along some considered regions within the area. The resistivity measurements were integrated with the boreholes, hydrogeological and hydrochemical (surface and groundwater samples) information to draw a clear picture for the subsurface conditions. The obtained results were presented as cross sections and 3-D visualization to trace the clay intercalations within the unsaturated zone. In addition, a vulnerability map was created using the obtained results from 1-D Schlumberger survey and confirmed with the 2-D resistivity profiling. The obtained results have shown that the 2-D resistivity imaging technique is a powerful tool for mapping the small-scale variability within the unsaturated zone and the wastewater infiltration. However, limitations of resistivity techniques were observed in the area with limited resistivity contrast such as thin clay layers with brackish water background. Under that condition, the measured pattern of resistivity distributions depends on the applied electrode array, electrode spacing and using the available geological information during the inversion process.

The present study concerns the problem of natural and double diffusive natural convection inside differentially heated cavity filled with a binary mixture composed of air and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). Temperature and CO 2 concentration gradients are imposed on both perpendicular left and right walls. Simulations have been performed using the CFD commercial code ANSYS Fluent by solving continuity, momentum, energy and species diffusion equations. Numerical results obtained have been compared to data from the literature for both natural convection thermosolutal cases under laminar and turbulent regimes. For turbulent runs the RNG k-ε model has been selected. A good agreement has been noted between the different types of data for both cases for Rayleigh number ranging between 10 3 and 10 10 and buoyancy ratio between -5 and +5. Entropy generation rates due to thermal, viscous and diffusive effects have been calculated in post processing for all cases.

The present study illustrates an analysis of spinal deformities associated with metal accumulation in natural populations of Zosterisessor ophiocephalus derived from polluted (S1) and unpolluted (S2) areas in the Gulf of Gabès in Tunisia. Three basic types of spinal deformities were detected: kyphosis, scoliosis and lordosis. These basic deformities frequently co-occur. Spinal deformities were observed in 10.72% of the total examined fish (n = 494). Deformed fish were 3.85 times more frequent in S1 than in S2. In both sexes, the highest occurrence of deformities was observed in the 111-120 mm class decreasing thereafter with fish length. Hepatic concentrations of cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) were significantly higher in Z. ophiocephalus from S1 than those from S2. Comparisons between fish in each site showed that liver concentrations of Cd and Zn were significantly higher in deformed fish than in normal fish. The relationship between metals accumulation and observed spinal deformities as well as the suitability of this kind of studies for environmental monitoring are discussed.