Evaluation using GEANT4 of the transit dose in the Tunisian gamma irradiator for insect sterilization.

A simulation study of the Tunisian Gamma Irradiation Facility for sterile insects release programs has been realized using the GEANT4 Monte Carlo code of CERN. The dose was calculated and measured for high and low dose values inside the irradiation cell. The calculated high dose was in good agreement with measurements. However, a discrepancy between calculated and measured values occurs at dose levels commonly used for sterilization of insects. We argue that this discrepancy is due to the transit dose absorbed during displacement of targets from their initial position towards their irradiation position and displacement of radiation source pencils from storage towards their irradiation position. The discrepancy is corrected by taking into account the transit dose.     

Photocatalytic Activity of Silicon Nanowires Decorated with PbS Nanoparticles Deposited by Pulsed Laser Deposition for Efficient Wastewater Treatment

The present work aims to study the photocatalytic properties of nanohybrids composed of silicon nanowires (SiNWs) decorated with PbS nanoparticles (NPs). The elaborated material was intended to be utilized in wastewater treatment. The SiNWs were elaborated from the Metal Assisted Chemical Etching route (MACE), while the PbS NPs were deposited at room temperature onto SiNWs using the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique. The influence of decorating SiNWs (having different lengths) with PbS-NPs on their structural, morphological, optoelectronic, and photocatalytic properties was scrutinized. PbS/SiNWs nanohybrids exhibited enhanced photocatalytic degradation towards Black Amido (BA) dye for 20 µm SiNWs length and 0.2% of BA volume concentration. These optimized conditions may insinuate that this nanocomposite-like structure is a promising efficient photocatalytic systems contender, cost-effective, and recyclable for organic compound purification from wastewaters.     

An animal component free medium that promotes the growth of various animal cell lines for the production of viral vaccines

IPT-AFM is a proprietary animal component free medium that was developed for rabies virus (strain LP 2061) production in Vero cells. In the present work, we demonstrated the versatility of this medium and its ability to sustain the growth of other cell lines and different virus strains. Here, three models were presented: Vero cells/rabies virus (strain LP 2061), MRC-5 cells/measles virus (strain AIK-C) and BHK-21 cells/rabies virus (strain PV-BHK21). The cell lines were first adapted to grow in IPT-AFM, by progressive reduction of the amount of serum in the culture medium. After their adaptation, BHK-21 cells grew in suspension by forming clumps, whereas MRC-5 cells remained adherent. Then, kinetics of cell growth were studied in agitated cultures for both cell lines. In addition, kinetics of virus replication were investigated.     

Intelligent Monitoring System for Intensive Care Units

We address in the present paper a medical monitoring system designed as a multi-agent based approach. Our system includes mainly numerous agents that act as correlated multi-agent sub-systems at the three layers of the whole monitoring infrastructure, to avoid non informative alarms and send effective alarms at time. The intelligence in the proposed monitoring system is provided by the use of time series technology. In fact, the capability of continuous learning of time series from the physiological variables allows the design of a system that monitors patients in real-time. Such system is a contrast to the classical threshold-based monitoring system actually present in the Intensive Care Units (ICUs) which causes a huge number of irrelevant alarms.     

Soft‐tissue tumor of the perineum: an exceptional case of bilateral perineal myoma

Perineal myomas in female are exceptional. We report the second case in literature of perineal myomas. It is a case of bilateral perineal myomas lifting the skin occurring in a female patient of 49 years old. She was operated by perineal incisions. Histopathology confirmed the fibromatous nature without signs of malignancy.