Using Multiple Linear Regression and Artificial Neural Network Techniques for Predicting CCR5 Binding Affinity of Substituted 1-(3, 3-Diphenylpropyl)-Piperidinyl Amides and Ureas

Quantitative structure–activity relationship (QSAR) models were developed to predict for CCR5 binding affinity of substituted 1-(3, 3-diphenylpropyl)-piperidinyl amides and ureas using multiple linear regression (MLR) and artificial neural network (ANN) techniques. A model with four descriptors, including Hydrogen-bonding donors HBD(R7), the partition coefficient between n-octanol and water logP and logP(R1) and Molecular weight MW(R7), showed good statistics both in the regression and artificial neural network with a configuration of (4-3-1) by using Bayesian and Leven-berg-Marquardt Methods. Comparison of the descriptor’s contribution obtained in MLR and ANN analysis shows that the contribution of some of the descriptors to activity may be non-linear.

Contribution to the Study of Paleoproterozoic Materials for the Improvement of Social Housing in the Kedougou Region: Case of Mako Andesitic Meta-Tuffs

The objective of this project is the valorization of Mako andesitic volcanic tuffs for use in social housing in the Kedougou region. To achieve these objectives, a geotechnical characterization of the tuff samples was carried out and the geopolymerization stabilization was adopted for the manufacture of bricks. These bricks stabilized by an alkaline activation offer compressive strengths that exceed the threshold value (2.9 MPa) set by the standard (NF P14-304). The best compressive strengths (12.14 MPa) and flexural tensile strengths (5.43 MPa) are obtained in the series of bricks made with 35% of the mass of a solution of caustic soda at 12 molars concentration with a curing temperature cooking of 185°C and an average absorbance of 13.21%.

Qualitative Assessment of Table Salt Production Techniques in Southern Benin Republic, and Related Mangrove Destruction and Health Issues

This research was conducted in the framework of the feasibility study related to FOCUSED-Benin project, the 5th work package of the YES-PV NIG BEN project financed by the German Government through its Ministry of Research and High Education (BMBF). The FOCUSED Benin project’s major objective is to protect the environment through the utilization of solar energy for drying agricultural products and table salt harvesting. Salt is important in human daily life. It is used for conservation of food, softening water, industrial processes, road de-icing, food seasoning, etc. Seawater evaporation, salt mining, and salt brine are the major sources of salt production worldwide. However, in West Africa, particularly in Benin Republic, table salt is produced using methods that negatively impact the ecology of the mangrove. This study aimed at investigating the current status of salt production in Benin Republic, its impact on the mangrove and its related health issues. Field visits, meeting with associations of women salt producers in the coastal region of the country, allowed to quantify the number of women associations dealing with salt production, their difficulties, and the impacts on the mangrove. Salt is a seasonal activity and is produced from January to May. One kilogram salt production, along with health issues reported by salt producers, requires approximately 1 kg of firewood obtained by cutting down mangrove. Salt price varies from 250CFA (€0.38) to 400FCFA (€0.61) per kg depending on the season. The women salt producers are not aware of the ecological consequences of mangrove destruction. Sources of firewood are becoming increasingly scarce and prices prohibitive. Sensitization is not efficient. An alternative method of harvesting salt by solar drying and new ideas for implementing this activity in a participatory approach was discussed with the different associations of salt producers.

Insight into Genetic Diversity of Cultivated Lima Bean (Phaseolus lunatus L.) in Benin

Lima bean is a tropical and subtropical legume from the genus Phaseolus which is cultivated for its importance in food and in medicine, but which remains a Neglected and Underutilized Crop in Benin. Understanding the genetic diversity of a species’ genetic resources is useful for the establishment of appropriate conservation strategies and breeding programs and for sustainable use. We use 6 out of ten SSR markers to analyze the diversity and population structure of 28 Lima bean landraces collected in Benin. A total of 28 alleles with an average of 4.16 alleles per SSR were amplified. The Polymorphic Information Content value ranged from 0.079 to 0.680 with an average of 0.408. The analysis of population structure revealed three subpopulations. PCoA revealed three well-separated clusters among the analyzed accessions in accordance with the population structure results and the clustering based on the Neighbor-Joining tree. AMOVA showed highly significant (p = 0.001) diversity among and within populations. Hence, 32% of the genetic variation was distributed among the population and 68% was distributed within populations. A high PhiP value (0.321) was found between the three sub-subpopulations indicating a high genetic differentiation between these sub-subpopulations. By exhibiting the highest average number of alleles, Shannon-Weaver information and Shannon-Weaver diversity indices, and the highest mean number of private alleles, subpopulation 1 is the main gene pool of the analyzed collection. The present study is an important starting point for the establishment of appropriate conservation strategies and breeding programs for Lima bean genetic resources.

Characterization of the Natural and Organomodified Clay Soil of Moukosso (Republic of Congo) by Dimethylsulfoxide: Application to the Adsorption of Lead (II) in Aqueous Solution

In this study, the authors characterized the raw clayey soil of Moukosso and modified by dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) by several analytical methods, namely: X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and gravimetric thermal analysis (TGA). The cation exchange capacity (CEC) was also determined. Mineralogical analysis by XRD revealed the presence of muscovite (29.7%), kaolinite (8.9%), anatase (2.4%) and quartz (58.9%). The characterization of the organo-clay by infrared and by thermogravimetric analysis confirmed the intercalation of DMSO by the presence of vibration bands at 1008 cm-1 and 1070 cm-1 and a strong increase in the loss of mass. The cation exchange capacity of the raw material is 7.4 meq/100g. Rapid adsorption of Pb2+ ions was observed between 5 and 15 minutes of stirring time in both cases (raw clay and organomodified clay). The modeling of the isotherms by the models of Langmuir and Freudlich showed that these are of type S with a maximum amount of adsorption of 22.471 mg/g for the fine fraction and 41.493 mg/g for the clay intercalated with DMSO. Langmuir’s model best reproduces the experimental data of this study.

16S rRNA Gene-Based Metagenomic Analysis of Soil Bacterial Diversity in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo

Soil contains a great diversity of microorganisms, among which are bacteria. This study aimed to explore bacterial diversity in soil samples in Brazzaville in the Republic of the Congo. Environmental DNA was extracted. The illumina MiSeq sequencing was held and the diversity indices have been computed. Illumina MiSeq sequencing revealed 21 Phyla, four of which were abundant: Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes. Soil microbial communities in the studied samples were phylogenetically diverse but with a stable community structure. 17 classes are represented with relative abundances of Rihzobiales, Bacillales, Actinomycetales and Acidobacteriales. 40 families, the Alphaproteobacteria, the Bacilli and the 12 Actinobacteria. 83 orders among which the Rhizobiales are the most abundant followed by Bacillales and the least abundant followed by the Flavobacteriaceae. Of the 28 genera listed, the Bradyrhizobium is the most dominant in Mw3 and Mw4. 25 listed species, Bradyrhizobium, Bacillus, Actinoplanes, and Candidatu coribacter Acidobacterium are the most abundant species. The Shannon indices of Mw3 and Mw4 are equal, the H’max of Mw4 is greater than the H’max of Mw3. The Simpson index of Mw4 is equal to the Simpson index of Mw3, and the Pielou index (J) of Mw4 is less than the R of Mw3, but very close. This study opens interesting perspectives on the knowledge and exploitation of telluric bacteria in several areas of life.

Modeling and Study Influence of the Temperature Parameter on Corrosion Factors in the Atmospheric Distillation Column of Crude Oil

Atmospheric distillation is the first step in separating crude oil into by-products. It uses the different boiling temperatures of the components of crude oil to separate them. But crude oil contains a large quantity of acids and corrosive gases, including sulfur compounds, naphthenic acids, carbon dioxide, oxygen, etc. However, the temperature has an important influence on the aggressiveness of the corrosion factors in the atmospheric distillation column. This paper aims to investigate the role of temperature on corrosive products in the atmospheric distillation column. The results of the developed model show that the temperature increases the corrosion rate in the atmospheric distillation column but above a certain temperature value (about 600 K), it decreases. This illustrates the dual role played by temperature in the study of corrosion within the atmospheric distillation column.

Endometrial Cancer: Epidemiological, Histological and Therapeutic Aspects in the Gynecology-Obstetrics Department of the Donka National Hospital, CHU of Conakry

Objective: To study the epidemiological, histological and therapeutic characteristics of endometrial cancer in the Gynecology-Obstetrics department of the Donka National Hospital, CHU of Conakry. Methods: We conducted a retrospective descriptive study of 86 patients with endometrial cancer treated in the Gynecology-Obstetrics department of the Donka National Hospital from January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2021, based on their medical records. We analysed the epidemiological, histological and therapeutic aspects of the disease. Results: Endometrial cancer accounted for 3.1% of the 2793 gynecological pathology cases registered in the department during the study period, ranking third. The mean age of the patients was 63 ± 5 years. Most of them were uneducated (59.3%), postmenopausal (91.9%), nulliparous (30.2%), obese (65.1%) and hypertensive (77.1%). More than half of the patients (53.4%) were diagnosed at stage I. Endometrioid adenocarcinoma was the predominant histological type (68.6%). Surgery was performed in 96.6% of the patients, and chemotherapy in 14.0%. After a mean follow-up of 15 months, 84.5% of the patients were alive. Conclusion: Endometrial cancer is a common gynecological malignancy in our department. Endometrioid adenocarcinoma is the most frequent histological subtype. Surgery is the main treatment modality.

RETRACTED:Effect of Long-Term Inorganic Fertilization on Diversity and Abundance of Bacterial and Archaeal Communities at Tillage in Irrigated Rice Field

Short Retraction Notice The paper does not meet the standards of "Advances in Bioscience and Biotechnology". This article has been retracted to straighten the academic record. In making this decision the Editorial Board follows COPE's Retraction Guidelines. The aim is to promote the circulation of scientific research by offering an ideal research publication platform with due consideration of internationally accepted standards on publication ethics. The Editorial Board would like to extend its sincere apologies for any inconvenience this retraction may have caused. Editor guiding this retraction: Prof. Abass Alavi (EiC of ABB). Please see the article page for more details. The full retraction notice in PDF is preceding the original paper which is marked "RETRACTED".

Multi-Elemental Analysis and 2D Image Mapping within Roots, Leaves and Seeds from O. glaberrima Rice Plants Using Micro-PIXE Technique

Understanding metal accumulation at organ level in roots, leaves and seeds in O. glaberrima (OG) is crucial for improving physiological and metabolic aspects in growing Asian and African rice in salted areas. The micro-analytical imaging techniques are required to reveal its accumulation and distribution within plant tissues. PIXE studies have been performed to determine different elements in rice plants. The existing microbeam analytical technique at the iThemba LABS will be applied for the 2D image mapping of fresh rice tissues to perform a concentration of low atomic mass elements (such as Al, Si, P, S, Cl, Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe, Cu, Br, Zn and K) with detection limits of typically 1-10 μg/g. Comparison of the distribution of the elements between leaves, root and seed samples using uptake and distribution of elements in particular environmental conditions with potential amount of salt in water have been performed. We are also expecting to indicate metal exclusion as salt tolerance strategies from leaves, root, and seed compartments using matrix correlation between samples and between elements on rice species.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder among Defence and Security Forces in Northern Benin (2023)

Introduction: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is defined as “actual exposure to death or the threat of death, serious injury or sexual violence”, either directly or indirectly, resulting in a symptomatic procession of repetition, avoidance, neurovegetative hyperactivity and individualized symptoms, with or without negative cognitive and mood changes. It therefore goes without saying that the defence and security forces constitute a high-risk population in need of attention. Objective: To study post-traumatic stress disorder in defence and security forces in the city of Parakou in 2023. Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study conducted from December 2022 to July 2023. The study population consisted of active military, republican police and firefighters in the city of Parakou in 2023. Non-proportional stratified sampling was used, given the inaccessibility of the source population size for national security reasons. Post-traumatic stress disorder was assessed using the “post-traumatic stress disorder checklist-5 (PCLS-5) scale. Results: A total of 305 subjects participated in the survey. Males dominated 90.2%. The most represented corps was the Republican Police (41.6%), most of whom were non-commissioned officers (46.6%). The majority count between 11 and 20 years of service (48.9%), with 2 to 5 missions completed (67.5%). The calculated prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder was 11.8%, based on the post-traumatic stress disorder checklist-5 (PCL-5). Of the 36 respondents with post-traumatic stress disorder, 20 (55.6%) had experienced an armed attack, 25 (69.4%) had witnessed a violent death, 18 (50.0%) had witnessed the agony of a colleague, 15 (41.7%) had been exposed to a fire or explosion, while 26 (72.2%) had been traumatized by physical and/or verbal aggression. 5 (13.9%) had consulted a specialist psychiatrist, while 6 (16.7%) were on medication and 26 (72.2%) used sport as a means of maintaining physical and mental health. Respectively 22 (61.1%) and 21 (58.3%) had definite symptoms of anxiety and depression. Multivariate analysis revealed a significant association between post-traumatic stress disorder and the following variables: total number of children ≤ 2 (p = 0.015), comorbidities such as arterial hypertension (p = 0.007), history of hepatitis (p = 0.017), work accidents (p = 0.016), alcohol dependence (p = 0.004), domestic violence (p = 0.004), psychological violence (p = 0.017) and anxiety disorders (p Conclusion: Defence and security personnel can also be prey to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which needs to be systematically taken into account when they are subjected to trauma in the course of their duties. Mental health should be an integral part of the periodic medical check-up objectives for defence and security forces throughout the country.

Maternal Burnout: Prevalence and Associated Factors in Northern Benin (2023)

Introduction: Also known as maternal burnout syndrome, maternal burnout is a state of physical, emotional and mental exhaustion generated by prolonged stress in the family environment. It is experienced by women in their role as mothers. Those affected can develop psychological disorders, sleep disturbances, etc., all of which impair their day-to-day lives, and thus their maternal role. The repercussions affect both the child and other family members. Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate maternal burnout among female users of public and private health facilities in the commune of Parakou in 2023. Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2022 to July 2023 among all mothers using public and private health facilities in the commune of Parakou. All healthy mothers with at least one biological or adoptive child fully dependent on them and living at home, who came for a consultation in one of the health facilities or for an appointment at the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) and gave their free and informed consent. Sampling was done for non-exhaustive convenience were included in the study. Burnout was assessed using the Parental Burnout Assessment (PBA) scale. Results: A total of 888 mothers meeting the inclusion criteria were surveyed. The prevalence of burnout calculated using the Parental Burnout Assessment (PBA) scale was 6.19%. The risk factors for maternal burnout were poor relationships with family and friends (OR = 8.90;p = 0.045), moderate (OR = 11.71;p = 0.020) and severe depression (OR = 40.85;p = 0.001), followed by the presence of repeated nocturnal awakening (OR = 5.14;p = 0.014). Conclusion: This is a subject that is almost never discussed in African society, but whose reality is revealed by the present study, which provided statistical data on maternal burnout. From now on, the risk of burnout will no longer be discussed solely in the family context. It will also need to be explored within the family unit to prevent its deleterious consequences for children and adults alike.

Profile of Autoantibodies and Clinical Symptoms in Guinean Patients with Connective Tissue Diseases

Connective tissue diseases (CTDs) are Autoimmune diseases (AIDs) characterized by the appearance of autoantibodies, which are diagnostic markers. Investigations of these autoantibodies play a major role in the management of several autoimmune diseases. The objective of this study was to describe the profile of anti-ENA antibodies according to the clinical symptoms of mixed CTDs in Conakry teaching Hospital. We performed a cross-sectional study during six months. A total of 20 patients was recruited and we measured antibodies using the ELISA technique. The mean age of our patients was 36.5 years, with a predominance of females. Cutaneous and rheumatological signs were the main clinical manifestations. SLP was the most frequent CTDs;the threshold of ENA antibodies positivity was higher in scleroderma with and SLP. Anti-ENA identification reveals the frequency of anti-SSA (83.33%), anti-U1RNP (66.66%) and anti-histone (50%) antibodies. Antinuclear antibodies (ANA) react with various components of the cell nucleus. Their detection is of major interest in the diagnosis of CTDs. Our results highlight the importance of determining the specificity of these antibodies to guide differential diagnosis.

Problematic Use of Video Games in Schools in Northern Benin (2023)

Objective: To study the problematic use of video games among secondary school students in the city of Parakou in 2023. Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in the commune of Parakou from December 2022 to July 2023. The study population consisted of students regularly enrolled in public and private secondary schools in the city of Parakou for the 2022-2023 academic year. A two-stage non-proportional stratified sampling technique combined with simple random sampling was adopted. The Problem Video Game Playing (PVP) scale was used to assess problem gambling in the study population, while anxiety and depression were assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Results: A total of 1030 students were included. The mean age of the pupils surveyed was 15.06 ± 2.68 years, with extremes of 10 and 28 years. The [13 - 18] age group was the most represented, with a proportion of 59.6% (614) in the general population. Females predominated, at 52.8% (544), with a sex ratio of 0.89. The prevalence of problematic video game use was 24.9%, measured using the Video Game Playing scale. Associated factors were male gender (p = 0.005), pocket money under 10,000 cfa (p = 0.001) and between 20,000 - 90,000 cfa (p = 0.030), addictive family behavior (p < 0.001), monogamous family (p = 0.023), good relationship with father (p = 0.020), organization of video game competitions (p = 0.001) and definite anxiety (p Conclusion: Substance-free addiction is struggling to attract the attention it deserves, as it did in its infancy everywhere else. This study complements existing data and serves as a reminder of the need to focus on this group of addictions, whose problematic use of video games remains the most frequent due to its accessibility and social tolerance. Preventive action combined with curative measures remains the most effective means of combating the problem at national level.

Trends of Land Use and Land Cover Change in the Savannah Ecological of the Protected Area Reserve Partielle de Dosso, Niger

Information on the dynamics of savannah is important to a country's plan to overcome the problems of uncontrolled development and environmental hazards. Taking the reserve partielle de Dosso, Niger as the case study area, this paper analyzed the long-term land use land cover change from 2002 to 2022. Satellite images were processed by using Google Earth Engine (GEE). Therefore, four major land cover classes were identified based on spectral characteristics of Land sat, namely, built-up, vegetation, cropland, bare land and water. The result revealed that barren and built-up areas increased at the expense of vegetation and water. From the four major land use land cover the large area is covered by vegetation which comprises about 192963.5 hectares followed by cropland and water consisting of 32506.43 and 1596.4 hectares respectively. The built-up area gained substantial area (most) during the study period. The reduction in some of the land cover/uses underlines the dangerous trend of the pressure poised by population growth and the changing functionality. Land cover change is influenced by a variety of societal factors operating on several spatial and temporal levels. The area estimates and spatial distributions of the LULC classes produced from the current study will assist local authorities, managers, and other stakeholders in decision-making and planning regarding forest land cover and uses.

Pyrolysis of olive residue/low density polyethylene mixture：Part Ⅰ Thermogravimetric kinetics

This paper demonstrates the thermal pyrolysis of olive residue,low density polyethylene(LDPE) and olive residue/LDPE mixture in an inert atmosphere of N2 using thermogravimetric analysis(TGA).Measurements were carried out in the temperature range 300K^973K at heating rates of 2K/min,10K/min,20K/min and 50K/min.Based on the results obtained,three temperature regimes were selected for studying the non-isothermal kinetics of olive residue/LDPE mixture.The first two were dominated by the olive residue pyrolysis,while the third was linked to the LDPE pyrolysis,which occurred at much higher temperatures.Discrepancies between the experimental and calculated TG/DTG profiles were considered as a measurement of the extent of interactions occurring on co-pyrolysis.The maximum degradation temperatures of each component in the mixture were higher than those the individual components;thus an increase in thermal stability was expected.The kinetic parameters associated with thermal degradation were determined using Friedman isoconversional method.

Evidence of increasing L1014F kdr mutation frequency in Anopheles gambiae s.l.pyrethroid resistant following a nationwide distribution of LLINs by the Beninese National Malaria Control Programme

Objective:To determine the susceptibility status to pyrethroid in Anopheles gambiae s.l.(An.gambiae),the distribution of kdr"Leu-Phe"mutation in malaria vectors in Benin and to compare the current frequency of kdr"Leu-Phe"mutation to the previous frequency after long-lasting insecticide treated nets implementation.Methods:Larvae and pupae of An.gambiae s.l.mosquitoes were collected from the breeding sites in Littoral,Zou.Borgou and Alibori provinces.CDC susceptibility tests were conducted on unfed females mosquitoes aged 2-5 d old.An.gambiae mosquitoes were identified to species using PCR techniques.Molecular assays were also carried out to identify kdr mutations in individual mosquitoes.Results:The results showed that An.gambiae Malanville and Suru-lere populations were resistant to deltamethrin.Regarding An.gambiae Parakou and Bohicon populations,they were resistant to permethrin.PCR revealed 100%of mosquitoes tested were An.gambiae s.s.The L1014F kdr mutation was found in An.gambiae s.s.Malanville and Parakou at various allelic frequencies.The increase of kdr allelic frequency was positively correlated with CDC bioassays data.Conclusions:Pyrethroid resistance is widespread in malaria vector in Benin and kdr mutation is the main resistance mechanism involved.More attention may be paid for the future success of malaria control programmes based on LLINs with pyrethroids in the country.

Ecological Structure and Prediction Equations for Estimating Tree Age, and Dendometric Parameters of <i>Acacia senegal</i>in the Senegalese Semi-Arid Zone—Ferlo

The development of equations to predict tree height, crown diameter, crown depth from stem diameter of a tree species enables arborists, researchers, and urban forest managers to model costs and benefits, analyze alternative management scenarios, and determine the best management practices for sustainable forests. The objective of this study was to develop regression prediction models for tree age, tree height, crown diameter, crown ratio and crown depth for A. senegal growing in Ferlo, in the northern Senegal. Four plantations of different years old (ISRA, 10 years old plantations, Ndodj, 8 years old plantations, Boulal, 5 years old plantations and Déali, 4 years old plantations) were selected. The following dendometric variables: crown height, crown diameter, stem diameter at the breast height, stem basal diameter (at 0.30 m) and the height from the tree base to first branch were measured on a total of 489 trees. The results suggested that the ecological structure of the different year old A. Senegal plantation revealed a bell-shaped form with left dissymmetric distribution indicating a predominance of individuals with small diameter at breast height. Allometry study of A. Senegal showed highly significant positive correlations (p = 0.00) between stem diameter at breast height, stem basal diameter, tree height, crown diameter and crown depth. Positive correlations were also found between crown diameter, tree height and crown height. Prediction models derived from these relationships can be used to estimate the tree height, stem diameter at breast height and crown depth from crown diameter with greater precision. As for A. Senegal age estimation, the established model is not strong as it can explain only 49.1% of the age variation.

New materials based on carbazole for optoelectronic device applications:Theoretical investigation

量化学药品调查在上结构并且二材料的 optoelectronic 性质基于咔唑被执行。目的是显示 grafting 的效果他们的 optoelectronic 和物理化学的性质上的氟的符号原子。除了在在几何参数的极性溶剂和修正的溶解度，氟的符号的替换使动摇 HOMO 和 LUMO 层次，减少乐队差距精力和加薪变化形式长度。这些性质作为 optoelectronic 应用的一个好候选人建议代替的氟的符号混合物。

The Exact Formulation of the Inverse of the Tridiagonal Matrix for Solving the 1D Poisson Equation with the Finite Difference Method

A new method for solving the 1D Poisson equation is presented using the finite difference method. This method is based on the exact formulation of the inverse of the tridiagonal matrix associated with the Laplacian. This is the first time that the inverse of this remarkable matrix is determined directly and exactly. Thus, solving 1D Poisson equation becomes very accurate and extremely fast. This method is a very important tool for physics and engineering where the Poisson equation appears very often in the description of certain phenomena.