In this  study, we have studied the length-weight relationship, condition factor (Kr), gonado-somatic index (GSI) and size at first maturity of two Cichlidae species (Tilapia zillii and Hemichromis bimaculatus) from two lakes (Megarine and Temacine) of the northern Sahara (Algeria). Some 159 specimens of H. bimaculatus and 52 T. zillii were sampled between September 2012 and July 2013. The length-weight relationship revealed an isometric value b (3.0) for H. bimaculatus from Lake Megarine, while there was no significant difference for T. zillii from Lake Temacine. We noted a negative allometric growth pattern (b<3) of males and females of H. bimaculatus. Both sexes of T. zillii grew isometrically. The Kr did not differ significantly between months for the two studied species. It was less than 1 only in November and July for H. bimaculatus. For T. zillii, the monthly mean of Kr was always greater than 1 for all the studied period. The first sexual maturity of 50% of males was observed at 52.75mm in H. bimaculatus and 61mm in T. zillii. The smallest mature female had a total length of 60.26mm and 66mm for H. bimaculatus and T. zillii respectively. The reproduction period of H. bimaculatus and T. zillii begins in March with an extended spawning period. The overall sex ratio was in favor of females (1: 0.7) in H. bimaculatus, and in favor of males in T. zillii (1: 1.33). For both species, the sex ratio varied according to months and size classes.

The health systems in many countries are still unable to control the evolution and persistence of the COVID-19 pandemic despite the large mobilisation of national resources. International attention has focussed on finding a cure, and preventive measures and national and international strategies to be adopted and implemented with regard to other future pandemics have been neglected despite their predictability and high probability of occurrence. This work aims to anticipate a reading on experience feedback in light of the current pandemic situation, and to identify the main spatial elements of vulnerability in Batna, Algeria, which seems to control the ability of an urban area to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. We used a digital model based on a multi-criteria approach implemented in a geo-decisional GIS database to serve as a decision support tool for dealing with an epidemiological situation as a preventive or curative action. The results from the model seem to adequately reflect the reality of confirmed incidents in Batna. In addition, the results of the analysis of the spatiotemporal evolution of the virus clearly confirm that the urban sectors characterised by high vulnerability are those that have recorded an increasing number of confirmed COVID-19 incidents since the start of the epidemic until December 2020.

Let A, A_{1},  A_{2}, B, B_{1}, B_{2}, C_{1} and C_{2} be linear bounded operators on Hilbert spaces. In this paper, by using generalized inverses, we establish necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of a common solution and give the form of the general common solution of the operator equations A_{1}XB_{1}=C_{1} and A_{2}XB_{2}=C_{2}, we apply this result to determine new necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of Hermitian solutions  and give the form of the general Hermitian solution to the operator equation AXB=C. As a consequence, we give necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of Hermitian solution to the operator equation AXA^{*}+BYB^{*}=C.

In wireless sensor networks (WSNs), multi-channel communication represents an attractive field due to its advantage in improving throughput and delivery rate. However, the major challenge that faces WSNs is the energy constraint. To overcome the channel assignment problem in an energy-efficient way, reinforcement learning (RL) approach is used. Though, RL requires several iterations to obtain the best solution, creating a communication overhead and time-wasting. In this paper, a heuristically accelerated reinforcement learning approach for channel assignment (HARL CA) in WSNs is proposed to reduce the learning iterations. The proposal considers the selected channel by the neighboring sender nodes as external information, used to accelerate the learning process and to avoid collisions, while the bandwidth of the used channel is regarded as an important factor in the scheduling process to increase the delivery rate. The results of extensive simulation experiments show the effectiveness of our approach in improving the network lifetime and performance.

The design and the evaluation of communication protocols in WSNs is a crucial issue. Generally, researchers use simulation methods to evaluate them. However, formal modelling and analysis techniques are an efficient alternative to simulation methods. Indeed, these techniques allow performance evaluation and model verification. In this paper, a formal approach is proposed to modelling and to evaluating the Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance (CSMA/CA) MAC protocol with a star topology. Moreover, the proposed approach deals with some properties that are not stated in most existing works. The approach uses Hierarchical Timed Coloured Petri Nets (HTCPNs) formalism to model the protocol and exploits the CPN-Tools to analyse the generated models. HTCPNs provide timed aspect which facilitates the consideration of time constraints inherent to the CSMA/CA protocol.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of food supply in garbage dumps on the reproductive fitness of Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis and offspring losses. A total of 236 nests were monitored during two distinct periods of 2 years for each: 146 nests during a period without food supply in dumps (1998–1999) and 90 with food supply in dumps (2007–2008). The study was carried out in the colony of El-Kseur in the Lower Soummam Valley (northeast Algeria). For the entire study period, the mean of clutch size, average number of hatched chicks, productivity, and breeding success varied significantly between years (Kruskal–Wallis test: p < .05). Also, the average calculated losses for eggs, chicks, and total offspring vary significantly (Chi2 test: p > .0001). The clutch size and the number of hatched chicks per nest were highest during the period with food supply in garbage dump (respectively: 3.46 ± 0.86; 2.85 ± 1.11), compared to the period when cattle egrets feed in natural or agricultural habitats (3.04 ± 0.87; 2.54 ± 1.03). However, productivity and breeding success were highest during the period without food supply (respectively: 2.11 ± 1.16 fledging’s/nest; 0.70 ± 0.35) than in the period with food supply (1.14 ± 0.91; 0.35 ± 0.30). While egg losses were substantially similar between the two study periods, chick’s mortality (59.9%) and total offspring losses (36.7%) were higher during the period with food supply. The generalized linear mixed model (GLMM) analysis indicated a large negative effect of food supply in dumps on the productivity, on the chick’s losses; and a positive effect on the total offspring losses (p < .001). Also, feed in dump garbage revealed a significant negative effect on the breeding success linear mixed model (LMM, p = .01). However, no significant effects (GLMM, p > .05) of food supply in dumps were noted on average clutch size, the mean number of hatched chicks per nest, and egg losses.

Introduction: Traditional medicine has an important place in human history and this since antiquity. Indeed, during Egyptian and Chinese civilization era, many detailed manuscripts, describing the therapeutic effect of plants, were found which suggest that folk medicine is the basis of the actual medicine. Objective: To investigate the phytochemical and pharmacological properties of the n-butanol (n-BuOH) and ethyl acetate (EA) extracts of the aerial part of Centaurea tougourensis. Methods: The phytochemical evaluation was done based on HPLC-DAD approach. The antioxidant activity was determined by DPPH and cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC), while the hemostatic effect was performed using plasma recalcification time (PRT) method. The antidiabetic capacity was investigated by alpha-amylase inhibition assay and the photoprotective test was evaluated by the measurement of sun protection factor (SPF). Results: 13 phenolic compounds were identified in both extracts of C. tougourensis. These extracts showed antioxidant, haemostatic, antidiabetic and photoprotective properties with a dose-dependent manner. Amounts of n-BuOH activities were found higher, with a respective IC50 value of 0.72±0.07 μg/ml in DPPH assay, an A0.50 value lower than 3.125 μg/ml in CUPRAC assay besides a shortening rate percentage of coagulation (86.71%) in haemostatic assay, a moderate inhibition effect on alpha amylase activity with an IC50 value of (711.5±0.03 μg/ml) and a maximum sun protection factor of (56.035). These results were mostly found highly significant (p<0.001) when compared to respective standards. Conclusion: This study demonstrated some pharmacological effects of C. tougourensis which suggests that our plant could be a good candidate to treat some illnesses related to oxidative stress, bleeding or skin cancer.

In this paper, we address the integration of a two-level supply chain with multiple items. This two-level production-distribution system features a capacitated production facility supplying several retailers located in the same region. If production does occur, this process incurs a fixed setup cost and unit production costs. Besides, deliveries are made from the plant to the retailers by a limited number of capacitated vehicles, routing costs incurred. This work aims to implement a minimization solution that reduces the total costs in both the production facility and retailers. The methodology adopted based on a hybrid heuristic, greedy and genetic algorithm uses strong formulation to provide a suitable solution of a guaranteed quality that is as good or better than those provided by the MIP optimizer. The results demonstrate that the proposed heuristics are effective and performs impressively in terms of computational efficiency and solution quality.

In recent years, some efforts have been devoted to nonlinear dynamics of fractional discrete-time systems. A number of papers have so far discussed results related to the presence of chaos in fractional maps. However, less results have been published to date regarding the presence of hyperchaos in fractional discrete-time systems. This paper aims to bridge the gap by introducing a new three-dimensional fractional map that shows, for the first time, complex hyperchaotic behaviors. A detailed analysis of the map dynamics is conducted via computation of Lyapunov exponents, bifurcation diagrams, phase portraits, approximated entropy and Co complexity. Simulation results confirm the effectiveness of the approach illustrated herein.

Most of the papers published so far on fractional discrete systems are related to theoretical results on their chaotic behaviors or to applications based on the mathematical modeling of the chaotic phenomena. No paper has been published to date regarding the hardware implementation of hyperchaotic fractional maps. This manuscript makes a contribution to the topic by presenting the first example of hardware implementation of hyperchaotic fractional maps. In particular, by exploiting the Grunwald–Letnikov difference operator, the paper introduces a new version of the fractional Grassi–Miller map. The system dynamics are analyzed via bifurcation diagrams and Lyapunov exponents, showing that the conceived map is hyperchaotic when the fractional order � belongs to the interval [0.966,1]. Finally, a hardware implementation of the fractional map is illustrated, with the aim to concretely highlight the presence of hyperchaos in physical systems described by fractional difference equations. Arduino, an open-source platform, has been used to illustrate the simplicity as well as the feasibility of the implementation.

Tunnel FETisone of thealternativedevicefor low power electronics having steep subthreshold swing and lower leakage current than conventional MOSFET. In this research work, we have implemented the idea of high -k gate dielectric ondouble gate Tunnel FET, DG-TFETfor improvement of device features.An extensive investigation for the analog/RF and linearity feature of DG-TFET has been donehere for low power circuit and system development.Several essential analog/RF and linearity parameters like transconductance(gm), transconductance generation factor (gm/IDS) its high-order derivatives (gm2, gm3), cut-off frequency (fT), gain band width product (GBW), transconductance generation factor (gm/IDS) has been investigated for low power RF applications.The VIP2, VIP3, IMD3, IIP3, distortion characteristics (HD2, HD3), 1- dB the compression point, delay and power delay product performancehave also been throughly studied.It has been observed that the device features discussed for circuitry applications are found to be sensitiveto of gate materials, design configuration and input signals.

This paper focuses on the efficient control of a photovoltaic device's voltage. Under irradiation variation and constant load, a robust controller is proposed. The second-order sliding mode controller for buck converter based on super twisting algorithm is designed to ensure both the reliability and robustness of the global system. The proposed control strategy's reliability is demonstrated by experimental results using dSpace 1104.

This paper presents MRAS speed sensorless control of induction motor using type-2 fuzzy logic controller (T2FLC). These controllers replace the PI ones, in the new MRAS strategy proposed in Benlaloui et al. (IEEE Trans Energy Convers 30(2):588–595, 2015), in order to improve the induction motor performances and robustness at low speed region. Indeed, the choice of these controllers is made because of their adaptation-based schemes which permit to handle nonlinear uncertain systems without the need of precise mathematical model required when using PI controllers. Comparative study had shown a better rejection of disturbance and high insensitivity to stator resistance compared to the PI and the T1FLC controllers. The effectiveness of the proposed speed-based T2FLC estimation method and its good robustness are validated by simulation and by experimental results.

New 2-pyridone derivatives were hemi-synthetised in situ using essential oils of endemic Algerian plants; Ammodaucus Leucotrichus and eucalyptus citriodora as source of chiral aldehydes (perillaldehyde and citronellal respectively). The one pot reaction was carried out in Ethanol including cyanoacetohydrazide, essential oil, and malononitrile. The reaction mixture was catalysed by potassium carbonate. In the present work, two new compounds of highly functionalized 2-pyridones were obtained as privileged medicinal scaffolds. The structures of 2-pyridone derivatives were confirmed by 1H NMR, 13C and 2D

Background

Diabetes mellitus is a serious complex multifactorial disorder that imposes huge health and economic burden on societies. Because the currently available medications have many drawbacks, it's important to look for alternative therapies. Medicinal plants utilized in folk medicine are ideal candidates. Therefore, this work assessed the antidiabetic action of n-butanol extract from the whole plant Atractylis flava Desf (BEAF). These ethnomedicinal properties of BEAF were scientifically validated using in vitro and in vivo assays. In vitro antidiabetic effect of the BEAF was conducted using α-Glucosidase and α-Amylase assays. While the antihyperglycemic activity was assessed using two rat models: Alloxan-induced diabetic rats and oral glucose challenged rats. Experimental diabetes was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of alloxan at a dose of 150 mg/kg and animals with fasting blood glucose levels (BGL) > 200 mg/dL were considered diabetic. Glibenclamide (5 mg/kg) was used as a typical drug.

Results

The BEAF at all tested dose levels (100, 250, and 500 mg/kg) showed a significant decrease in blood glucose level in all the two animal models. Besides, the plant extract exhibited a potent inhibitory effect on α-Amylase and α-Glucosidase activity at a concentration of 1000 µg/mL with 76.17% and 89.37%, respectively.

Conclusion

BEAF exerts in vitro and in vivo antidiabetic effects, these results suggest that the plant extract can be a therapeutic resource in the treatment of diabetes and hyperlipidemia.

Context: More than 500 Centaurea species compose the Asteraceae family, and most of the recent studies made on the species of this genus proved their pharmacological potential, especially to treat chronic illnesses. Aims: To evaluate for the first time the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective and anti-microbial properties of the n-butanol (nBuOH) and ethyl acetate (EA) extracts of the aerial part of Centaurea tougourensis. Methods: The antioxidant activity was determined by ABTS, galvinoxyl radical, phenanthroline, and reducing power assays, while the antiinflammatory effects were assessed by heat-induced hemolysis and egg albumin denaturation assays. The neuroprotective activity was assessed against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and the anti-microbial activity by the agar disk diffusion method. Results: Both extracts possess a great antioxidant capacity, but it was considered higher in the n-BuOH extract with respective IC50 values of 8.04 ± 0.21 μg/mL in ABTS assay and 4.25 ± 0.6 μg/mL in GOR assay, while the A0.50 values were 4.46 ± 0.55 μg/mL in phenanthroline assay and 11.16 ± 0.64 μg/mL in reducing power assay. The n-BuOH extract also showed a remarkable anti-inflammatory activity with an EC50 of 120.81 ± 0.2 μg/mL in egg albumin denaturation assay and 154.15 ± 0.14 μg/mL in heat-induced hemolysis assay. The neuroprotective activity of the n-BuOH extract was very strong in both AChE and BChE inhibitory assays with respective IC50 values of 9.8 ± 0.62 μg/mL and 173.53 ± 0.04 μg/mL. EA extract was more active on microbial strains. Conclusions: These encouraging results showed once again the pharmacological potential of Centaurea species

The short circuit is among one of the most dangerous electrical faults in induction motors, which leads to serious implications on the motor operation and its performance. The present paper deals with the influence of the stator short circuit fault in its early stage in terms of performances and service continuity of an electric vehicle (EV) using a dual induction motor’s structure piloted by Backstepping control. An equivalent induction motor model with turn-to-turn fault on one stator phase, without already assuming the temperature effect through an intrinsic model, is investigated and thereafter its impacts on electric vehicle performance using simulation tests are presented and discussed.

Managing software architecture represents a big challenge throughout the development lifecycle. The complexity of the involved structural elements and the relations among them make the specified models look oversized and fuzzy, which makes the architecture incomprehensible, hard to maintain, and difficult to assess its quality. This paper's goal is to propose a powerful methodology for simplifying and reducing models' complexity to increase understandability, smoothing maintenance, and facilitating architecture monitoring and assessment. For this purpose, the authors rely heavily on two major concepts, multi-view modeling, and incremental model projection. The multi-viewing requires that all models must have two main views to describe the architecture and the mapping to its relevant quality attributes. The incremental projection is a methodology used to specialize and minimize models progressively to make them simpler and clearer. The results show that projecting models incrementally can reduce and narrow them significantly.

Studying the influence of climate variability indices on extreme precipitation will help to understand the variability of extreme precipitation. However, the influence of climate indices on extreme precipitation over the world has received little attention. In this work, a stationary generalized extreme value (GEV) model and nonstationary GEV models on the annual maximum 1-day precipitation (Rx1day) at the global scale are developed. The Bayesian framework is adopted in this study. Four climate variability indices such as the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO), North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) are used independently as covariates. The results showed that nonstationary GEV models are preferred over the stationary GEV model based on Deviance Information Criterion (DIC) and the significant covariates for a large number of grid cells which indicates that the influence of climate index is not a negligible component in the GEV model. In addition, the positive and negative influences of the covariates are analyzed. At the global, the effect of ENSO on the location parameter is greater than the effect of the other covariates, indicating that ENSO has a strong influence on extreme precipitation in large parts of the world.

With the evolution of the internet of things (IoT), and due to its significant need in the industry, Industrial IoT (IIoT) becomes the suitable naming for this accompaniment. IIoT changed the view of the industry intelligently and over the internet. This overlapping of IoT and industry requires special treatment when systems deal with heterogeneous devices in a distributed environment and complex tasks. In this paper, we propose a middleware solution based on multi-agents system (MAS) to handle the distributed control of complex systems autonomously in an industrial environment. The proposed middleware enables machine-to-machine (M2M) communications among the system's components. In this work, we also addressed the distributed diagnostic for real industrial system using MAS with a new suitable communication strategy to support the heterogeneity and interoperability issued in IIoT and assure real-time monitoring and control. Finally, we present a qualitative evaluation of our solution on real case study (cement factory).