• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.61 no.4
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• pp.132-134
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• 2018

We report a unique case of intestinal duplication detected on posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) in a 13-year-old girl. She was admitted to the pediatric Emergency Department because of generalized seizures. Radiological assessment revealed a large, well-defined, thick-walled cystic lesion in the mid abdomen, suggestive of duplication cyst associated to a PRES. Exploration confirmed the diagnosis of ileal duplication cyst, and the mass was resected. The postoperative course was uneventful. Both hypertension and neurological dysfunction resolved after the mass resection. A follow-up brain magnetic resonance imaging was performed 9 months later and showed complete resolution of the cerebellar changes. Although extrinsic compression of the retroperitoneal structures has not been reported in the literature as a complication of duplication cyst, we strongly believe that this is the most logical and plausible hypothesis that would explain the pathogenesis of PRES in our patient.

• Entomological Research
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.400-404
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• 2018

In this study, we investigated resistance to the organophosphates chlorpyrifos in Tunisian populations of Culex pipiens pipiens. Three field populations were collected from Northern and central Tunisia between 2003 and 2005 and used for the bioassays tests. Our results registered moderate and high levels of resistance to chlorpyrifos which ranged from 33.8 to 111. The chlorpyrifos resistant populations were highly resistant to propoxur indicated an insensitive acetylcholinesterase 1 (AChE 1). The highest frequency of AChE 1 resistant phenotypes (64%) was recorded in the most resistant population (sample # 1). Bioassays conducted in the presence of synergists showed that not esterases were involved as the resistance mechanism to chlorpyrifos. However, CYP450 was partly involved in the resistance of the most resistant sample (# 1). Starch electrophoresis showed that three esterases were present in studied samples: A2-B2, A4-B4 and B12. Results are discussed in relation to the selection pressure caused by insecticide treatments.

• International Journal of Computer Science & Network Security
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.1-12
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• 2022

In order to overcome the power fluctuation issues in photovoltaic (PV) smart grid-connected systems and the inverter nonlinearity model problem, an adaptive backstepping command-filter and a double second order generalized Integrators (DSOGI) controller are designed in order to tune the AC current and the DC-link voltage from the DC side. Firstly, we propose to present the filter mathematical model throughout the PV system, at that juncture the backstepping control law is applied in order to control it, Moreover the command filter is bounded to the controller aiming to exclude the backstepping controller differential increase. Additionally, The adaptive law uses Lyapunov stability criterion. Its task is to estimate the uncertain parameters in the smart grid-connected inverter. A DSOGI is added to stabilize the grid currents and eliminate undesirable harmonics meanwhile feeding maximum power generated from PV to the point of common coupling (PCC). Then, guaranteeing a dynamic effective response even under very unbalanced loads and/or intermittent climate changes. Finally, the simulation results will be established using MATLAB/SIMULINK proving that the presented approach can control surely the smart grid-connected system.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Geographic Information Studies
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.91-107
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• 2018

It is required to monitor and assess the desertification in Tunisia, where the Sahara Desert, which is located in the southern part of Tunisia, is recently expanding northward. In this study, by using remote sensed data, land cover changes were examined, and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Topsoil Grain Size Index (TGSI) and Albedo are used to monitor and assess desertification in Tunisia. Decision Tree was constructed, and the frequencies and trends of each assessment indicator, desertification degree and land cover were identified. In addition, we analyzed the correlation between assessment indicators and precipitation. As a result, desertification is generally intensifying northward, especially in areas with high levels of desertification. Also, bivariate correlation analysis showed that Albedo, NDVI and TGSI were all highly correlated with precipitation. It indicates that changes in precipitation have also been shown to affect Tunisian desertification. In conclusion, this study has improved the usability of various methodologies considering the assessment indicators based on satellite imagery, Decision Tree, which is a method of evaluating them complexly, and trends of land cover change.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.369-382
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• 2018

Novel design of interdigitated electrodes capable of increasing the performance of piezoelectric transducers are proposed. The new electrodes' geometry improve the electromechanical coupling by offering an enhanced adaptation of the electric field to the interdigitated electrode configuration. The proposed analysis is based on finite element modeling and takes into account local polarization effect. It is shown that the proposed electrodes considerably increase the strain generation compared to flat electrode arrangement used for Macro Fiber Composite (MFC) and Active Fiber Composite (AFC) actuators. Also, electric field singularities are reduced allowing better reliability of the transducer against electric failure.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.1277-1280
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• 2015

Aim: To report epidemiologic and anatomoclinical transitions of inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) in Tunisia. Materials and Methods: Data including clinico-pathological data for 208 cases of T4d or PEV 3 non-metastatic breast cancer diagnosed between 2005 and 2010 were collected from patient records. Chi2 and Z tests were used to compare variables with two Tunisian historical series and a series about Arab-American patients. Results: Thirty three percent of our patients had their first child before 23 years of age and 56% had their menarche before 12 years, 75% never receiving oral contraception. Obesity was observed in 42% of women and IBC occurred during pregnancy in 13% of cases. Tumor grade was II-III in 90% of cases, HR was negative in 52%, HER2 was over expressed in 31% and invasion of more than 3 axillary nodes occurred in 18% of patients. We observed a pCR rate of 19% after neoadjuvant treatment (anthracyline-taxane used in 79%, trastuzumab in 27% ). Compared to historical Tunisian series (since 1996), IBC epidemiology remained stable in terms of median age, menopausal status and obesity. However we observed a significant decrease in median clinical tumor size and number of positive axillary lymph nodes. Comparison to IBC in Arab-Americans showed a significant difference in terms of median age, menopausal status, positivity of hormonal receptors and educational level. Conclusions: Our assessment of epidemiologic transition showed a reduction of clinco-pathological stage of IBC, keeping the same characteristics as compared to Tunisian historical series over a period of 14 years. Features seem to be different in Arab-American patients, probably related to migration, "occidentalization" of life style and improvement in socio-economic level.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.399-406
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• 2010

• International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.97-104
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• 2010

The crushed limestone sand is an abundant material in Tunisia, which induces many environmental problems. Indeed, available stocks of siliceous sand drastically decrease because of its massive use in hydraulic concrete. Some recent research works, carried out in Tunisia, concluded that crushed limestone sand may be used in concrete manufacture instead of siliceous sand traditionally used. In this context, an experimental study was achieved in order to quantify the influence of a partial or total substitution of siliceous sand by crushed limestone sand on hydraulic concrete performances. Preliminary chemical and physical tests on crushed sand indicated that it presented the minimum requirement for its use as aggregate in hydraulic concrete. 79 concretes were then prepared with siliceous sand, crushed limestone sand and a mix of the two sands. Their slump value and compressive strengths were measured on plain concretes. Complementary structural tests on reinforced concrete beam were also performed. The results proved that crushed limestone sand concretes showed workability and mechanical performances closed to those of siliceous sand concretes.

• Asian review of World Histories
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.81-104
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• 2014

The popular uprisings that took place in the Arab world, and led to the overthrow of four heads of states, namely Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali (January 14, 2011) of Tunisia, Hosni Mubarak (February 11, 2011) of Egypt, Muammar al-Gaddafi (August 23, 2011) of Libya and Ali Abdullah Saleh (November 23, 2011) of Yemen, have attracted the attention of the world media and policy makers in the West and the Middle East, and triggered their concern for the political future of the region. This article does not offer a comprehensive assessment of these uprisings, but rather analyzes the coverage of Time and Newsweek of the underlying causes of the uprisings and their anticipated consequences. It also investigates how the two magazines have highlighted the scenarios that may pose a real challenge to Arab regimes supported by the American administration, and internationally reshape the priorities of American foreign policy in the region. These issues are examined from the two magazines' perspectives, which under line the features of U.S. foreign policy in the region, where the White House is more concerned about the security of the state of Israel, control of the Arab oil and suppression of "Muslim fundamentalism."

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.479-496
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• 2015

In this work, a novel artificial circular muscle based on shape memory alloy (S.M.A.) is proposed. The design is inspired from the natural circular muscles found in certain organs of the human body such as the small intestine. The heating of the prestrained SMA artificial muscle will induce its contraction. In order to measure the mechanical work provided in this case, the muscle will be mounted on a silicone rubber cylindrical tube prior to heating. After cooling, the reaction of the rubber tube will involve the return of the muscle to its prestrained state. A finite element model of the new SMA artificial muscle was built using the software "ABAQUS". The SMA thermomechanical behavior law was implemented using the user subroutine "UMAT". The numerical results of the finite element analysis of the SMA muscle are presented to shown that the proposed design is able to mimic the behavior of a natural circular muscle.