Publications

Reservoir dams in Algeria face reduced lifespans and diminished water resources due to sedimentation, which often leads to out-of-service states. To address this issue, topo-bathymetry has been identified as the preferred technique for predicting silting in dam basins. Consequently, the seek for optimal interpolation methods to conduct topo-bathymetric surveys has become increasingly important. This study compares two primary interpolation methods, deterministic and geostatistical, to determine the most effective approach for these surveys. Three specific techniques were examined in this research: inverse distance weighting, radial basis function (deterministic), and ordinary kriging (geostatistical). The study focused on five reservoir dams in Algeria, using cross-validation to assess the performance of each interpolation method. The results revealed that the geostatistical approach outperformed deterministic estimations across all five sites. The superiority of the geostatistical method was further supported by the performance metrics used in the study. Based on these findings, ordinary kriging emerged as the most suitable method for interpolating topo-bathymetric surveys for all sites, regardless of variations in morphology and spatial sampling density. This research contributes valuable insights for enhancing reservoir dam management in Algeria in order to optimize water resource allocation.

Recent climatic shifts and the growth of agricultural land have escalated the incidence of wheat field fires, presenting severe risks to both food security and local economies. This study aims to develop advanced predictive models to effectively forecast significant wheat fires in Barika, Algeria. We utilized a comprehensive dataset spanning from 2015 to 2023, which includes information on fire incidents and meteorological factors like temperature, humidity, precipitation, and wind speed. A sophisticated ensemble machine learning model was crafted, combining Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), Recurrent Neural Network (RNN), and Random Forest (RF) in a stacked configuration to predict wheat fire events. Our analysis indicates that the ensemble model significantly outperforms traditional single-model approaches in terms of both accuracy and reliability. Employing these cutting-edge predictive techniques significantly bolsters firefighting measures, enhances resource management, and reduces the adverse effects of fires in agricultural zones. The employment of ensemble learning highlights its utility as a formidable tool in environmental management and crisis response. With more precise forecasts, this model facilitates improved emergency preparedness and strategic intervention plans, aiming to safeguard essential agricultural assets and support rural communities against the backdrop of mounting environmental pressures.

Nowadays, the physiopathological and molecular mechanisms of multiple diseases have been identified, thus helping scientists to provide a clear answer, especially to those ambiguities related to chronic illnesses. This has been accomplished in part through the contribution of a key discipline known as bioinformatics. In this study, the bioinformatics approach was applied on four compounds identified in Centaurea tougourensis, using two axes of research: an in silico study to predict the molecular characteristics, medicinal chemistry attributes as well as the possible cardiotoxicity and adverse liability profile of these compounds. In this context, four compounds were selected and named, respectively, 2,5-monoformal-l-rhamnitol (compound 1), cholest-7-en-3.beta.,5.alpha.-diol-6.alpha.-benzoate (compound 2), 7,8-epoxylanostan-11-ol, 3-acetoxy- (compound 3), and 1H-pyrrole-2,5-dione, 3-ethyl-4-methyl- (compound 4). The second part looked into molecular docking, which objective was to evaluate the possible binding affinity between these compounds and the serotonin 5-hydroxytryptamine 2A (5-HT2A) receptor. Results indicated that compounds 1 and 4 were respecting Pfizer and giant Glaxo-SmithKline rules, while compounds 2 and 3 exhibited an optimal medicinal chemistry evolution 18 score. The structural and molecular features of almost all tested compounds could be considered optimal, indicating that these phyto-compounds may possess drug-likeness capacity. However, only compounds 1 and 4 could be considered non-cardiotoxic, but with a level of confidence more pronounced for compound 1 (80%). In addition, these four biocompounds could preferentially interact with G protein-coupled receptor, ion channel, transporters, and nuclear receptors. However, the heat map was less pronounced for compound 2. Data also indicated that these four compounds could possibly interact with serotonin 5-HT2A receptor, but in an antagonistic way. This research proved once again that plants could be crucial precursors of pharmaceutical substances, which could be helpful to enrich the international pharmacopoeia.

The current investigation is centered on the characterization of specific apple cultivars in the Garza region, within the Teniet El Abed municipality, situated 55 km east of Batna (NE-Algeria). Utilizing descriptors outlined by UPOV 2015 pertaining to apples, the study focuses on morphological parameters of leaves, fruits, and terminal shoots across three varieties: Golden Delicious, Royal Gala, and Starkrimson. Additionally, soil analysis was conducted to ascertain its suitability for apple cultivation. The examination revealed limited morphological diversity among the investigated apple cultivars, with some descriptors, particularly those related to fruit traits, showing insignificant differences between cultivar types. Overall, the studied varieties - Golden Delicious, Royal Gala, and Starkrimson - exhibit distinct physiological and morphological characteristics. Variations in size, shape, skin color, flesh attributes, as well as sugar and acid content, contribute to the uniqueness of each variety. Whether one prefers sweet or tart apples, or favors larger or smaller fruits, there exists an apple variety to cater to individual tastes. Our findings complement molecular analyses and underscore the need for further exploration of apple germplasm, alongside sustained conservation efforts.

Introduction. The overhaul of the first cycle of medical graduation studies in Algeria began in 2018. The programs of this overhaul provided for, in addition to curricular changes, content, teaching, and assessment methods. Our aim is to evaluate the new curriculum for the first cycle of medical studies at the Faculty of Medicine of Batna 2 University in Algeria. Materials and methods. This was a quantitative study. The evaluation protocol of the Conférence internationale des Doyens et des Facultés de Médecine d'Expression Française (CIDMEF) was contextualized for the process of evaluating undergraduate medical curricula. This study involved both students and teachers. The evaluation covered organization, content, timetable, objectives, teaching methods, and assessment methods. The questionnaires were prepared using Google Forms and distributed online. The variables were scored using a Lickert scale from 1 to 5. Anonymity was respected. Results. Out of 1893 students enrolled in the first, second, and third years of medicine, 878 completed the questionnaires, with a participation rate of 46.38%. The general objectives of the programs were achieved with mean scores of 2.40 ±0.054 for the students and 3.81 ±0.148 for the teachers. The timetable for most subjects was respected. Lecturing proved to be the dominant method of theoretical teaching, to the benefit of active contextual learning (distance learning, work placements, simulation, etc.), which remained underdeveloped. MCQs were considered to be the most suitable assessment method for students (3.52 ±0.067) and even less so for teachers (2.82 ±0.242). Conclusion. Evaluation of the undergraduate medical curriculum has revealed positive elements that need to be consolidated and weaknesses that need to be remedied.

Water resources are facing significant challenges in result of rapidly growing demand, deteriorating quality, and the effects of climate change. Today, water quantity and quality issues have become prevalent in various regions across the globe, affecting both northern and southern territories. Among the sectors reliant on this resource, irrigation stands out as the largest consumer of water. When surface water becomes inaccessible due to insufficient precipitation or other factors, the use of groundwater becomes the only viable alternative for irrigation. The Remila Plain (Khenchela) is located in an endorean watershed in northeastern Algeria and extends over 250 km2 in a synclinal basin filled with water from the Mio-Plio Quaternary - the main aquifer of the region, widely used for irrigation. The aim of this work is to study the hydrochemistry of these waters, as well as the evolution of mineralisation, the identification of the origin of the chemistry, and the suitability of these waters for irrigation. Initial results indicate an evolution of mineralisation in the direction of groundwater flow, with electrical conductivity values varying between 1000μS/cm in the recharge zones, and 2700μS/cm at the outlet. This mineralisation is mainly due to the dissolution of evaporitic minerals and the alteration of silicates. In addition, the various water quality indices used indicate that the water can be used for irrigation without major risk to plants and soils.

This paper reports a study of the physicochemical quality and the drying behavior of regal seedless grapes (RSG), pretreated with a novel solution (Olive oil: 2%, calcium carbonate: 2% and distilled water: 96%), then open sundried and dried in an indirect solar dryer. To show the effect of soaking time and temperature of the solution, two soaking times are carried out (120 and 240 s) at two temperatures (333.15 and 353.15 K). Quality indicat or such as shrinkage, color, rehydration capacity, titratable acidity, power of hydrogen (pH) and polyphenol content are evaluated. The results show that the time required to dry treated RSG varies from 220 to 328h during indirect solar drying (ISD) (during 428 h for untreated samples), and from 164 to 180 h during open sun drying (OSD) (during 290 h for untreated samples). The effective moisture diffusivity of solar-dried RSG ranges from 0.316 to 3.030 mm2 s − 1 and that of open sun-dried regal seedless grape ranges from 0.706 to 5.700 mm2 s − 1 . Pretreatment affects the pH values significantly, whereas the rehydration capacity showes a large difference between the treated and untreated RSG. The solar-dried RSG has more stable color and ISD retains more of their polyphenol content.

Ilex aquifolium L. is an endemic species in Algeria’s Tellian and Saharan Atlas mountains in the country’s center and east, and it is on the verge of extinction owing to a variety of reasons. To help preserve it, we devised an in vitro micropropagation technique. The cuttings with axillary buds were cultured on different media supplemented with different combinations and concentrations of plant growth regulators. The best results were obtained on Woody Plants Medium (WPM) supplemented with 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP: 1.5 mg/LL, 3 mg/L) and naphthalene acetic acid (NAA: 1.5 mg/LL) in combination with BAP (1.5 mg/ L); BAP (1.5 mg/ L) with Gibberellins (GA3: 0.5 mg/ L). The best shoot proliferation rates were obtained on WPM supplemented with 1.5 mg/LL (BAP) and BAP: 1.5 mg/L; GA3: 0.5 mg/L; or BAP: 1.5 mg/L + ANA: 1.5 mg/L. The highest rooting rate (100%) was obtained with shoots grown on WPM medium supplemented with NAA (1.5 mg/LL). Absence of routing formation was observed in media containing indolacetic acid (IAA: 1 mg/ L) alone or combined with BAP: 0.5 mg/ L) The best-rooted shoots must be acclimatized to a substrate consisting of a mixture of peat and sand (1:1 v/vv), the seedlings have been acclimatized successfully.

Inspired by a real-work case, this paper introduces a profit maximization model for dynamic lot sizing considering substitution and multiple usage of returns for refurbishing at different levels of quality or for disassembly to extract key parts that will be used in the manufacturing process. This model allows studying the interactions between different types of returns and decisions. To analyze the impact of uncertainty on these interactions, we develop a robust two-stage stochastic program with uncertainty on demands and returns. The resulting problems are mixed-integer linear programs that we solve using an efficient relax-and-fix and fix-and-optimize heuristic. Extensive numerical experiments are conducted to study the different trade-offs when integrating multi-usage of returns with substitution and accordingly derive managerial insights. The experiments have revealed, for example, that: (i) the profit margin of the refurbished items is the main determinant of the total profit and when such margin in high, the total profit becomes more sensitive to different cost variations; (ii) collection efficiency becomes very sensitive to collection cost and much less sensitive to refurbishing cost especially with large profit margins; (iii) when demand and returns are uncertain parameters, substitution becomes the best option as uncertainty and prices increase; (iv) when the gap between prices of different quality levels is high, lost sales occur mainly on the lowest quality product and downgrading decreases together with substitution; and (v) Sharing the production line between refurbishing and manufacturing for low-quality products is highly motivated by small upgrading costs and their substitution level increases with increasing upgrading costs.