This study presents an integrated and reliable approach for identifying optimal sites for check dam construction in the Al-Kabir Al-Shimali River Basin, Syria. The methodology combines Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for spatial analysis with the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) for multi-criteria decision-making. Eight topographic and hydrological indicators derived from a 30-m Digital Elevation Model (DEM)—including the Topographic Wetness Index (TWI), Terrain Ruggedness Index (TRI), Topographic Position Index (TPI), The Sediment Transport Index (STI), Stream Power Index (SPI), Slope, Drainage Density (DD), Strahler Stream Order (SO)—were analyzed to evaluate land suitability for check dam placement. The resulting suitability map classifies the basin into low, medium, and high suitability zones. Highly suitable areas are concentrated along main and secondary streams, especially in the central and southern basin. Detailed insets show that these areas often align with tributary channels and depressions that exhibit favorable conditions for water harvesting and sediment control. A complementary map highlights specific proposed check dam locations, primarily distributed along smaller tributaries and the upper to middle stream segments. This pattern supports early interception of runoff and sediment before reaching downstream areas, thereby mitigating erosion and flood risks. The high site density provides decision-makers with flexibility to choose feasible sites based on logistics, accessibility, and local resources. The model's accuracy was validated using the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve, achieving an Area under the Curve (AUC) of (88.8
Freight decisions are simultaneously cost decisions, service decisions and disclosable emission decisions, yet in almost every deployed analytics stack the optimiser sees only the first two. We present a cloud-native architecture that moves the emission calculation onto the operational data path, so that a carbon figure can shape a fulfilment decision rather than document one after the fact. The design combines a streaming emission operator conformant with ISO 14083, a leakage-pruned predictive layer, an online assignment rule whose carbon budget is enforced by a Lagrangian multiplier, and an autoscaler whose set point derives from a queueing-stability condition. We evaluate on the DataCo Global supply chain release: 180,501 usable order lines, geocoded to city level for 99.12% of records, with modal emission factors taken from the EPA GHG Emission Factors Hub. Three findings stand out. Cost and carbon turn out to be aligned rather than opposed in this network, because surface transport is both the cheapest and the cleanest option, so the binding trade-off is service level against emissions rather than money against emissions. Against a service-oriented baseline the controller cuts transport emissions by 35.0% for 1.54 days of additional mean lead time, holding SLA attainment at 100%, and the reduction is sign-stable across every declared assumption we sweep. The platform’s own carbon is negligible at this scale, 0.047% of logistics emissions, with the incremental cost of running the controller amounting to 0.0039% of what it saves. Finally, and independently of the framework, models trained on the unpruned DataCo frame achieve perfect separation because four columns are realised only after delivery; removing them lowers PR-AUC by 0.171 (95% CI 0.166 to 0.176).
Objectives > Apical root resorption and alveolar bone loss are potential complications associated with orthodontic treatment. This study aimed to assess apical root resorption and alveolar bone height following orthodontic treatment of moderate crowding with labial vs. lingual fixed appliances using CBCT imaging. Subjects and methods > Subjects and methods > All patients meeting the eligibility criteria were included from March 2022 to June 2022 at the University of Damascus Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Orthodontics. The study involved patients diagnosed with Class I malocclusion and moderate crowding in both arches that could be treated on a non-extraction basis. Participants were randomly divided into two groups. One group was treated using lingual appliances (DTC (R) IN-Tendo JK-SL, DTC Medical Apparatus Co., Hangzhou, China) with a 0.018-inch slot. The sequence of archwires used included 0.012", 0.014 0.016" nickel-titanium, 0.016" x 0.022" TMA, 0.016" x 0.022" stainless steel, and 0.017" x 0.025" stainless steel. The other group received treatment with labial straight-wire appliances (AO Mini Master (R) - MBT System, metal brackets, Sheboygan, WI, USA) also featuring a 0.018-inch slot. The sequence of archwires used was 0.012", 0.014", 0.016" nickel-titanium, 0.016" x 0.022" nickel-titanium, 0.016 and 0.017 '' x 0.025" stainless steel. The CBCT images were taken before the commencement of treatment (TO) and one day following the end of treatment (T1). The apical root resorption and alveolar bone height of the upper and lower teethwere assessed at these assessment times. Paired-sample t-test used to analyse the intergroup differences, while a two-sample t-test was employed to assess intragroup changes. The significance level was set at P < 0.004 after adjustment using Bonferroni's correction. Results > Out of forty patients, nineteen patients in each group were included in the statistical analysis (16 men and 24 women; mean age: 21.3 years). In both groups, there was a significant decrease in the lengths of all studied teeth at T1 (P < 0.004). The apical resorption was significantly greater in the lingual appliance group for lower central and lateral incisors compared to the labial appliance group (0.64 mm, 0.7, respectively). The mean lingual bone loss in the lingual appliances was statistically greater than that in the labial appliances for lower central incisors (0.53 mm), while the mean buccal bone loss in the labial appliance group was statistically greater than that in the lingual appliance group for the lower lateral incisors (0.52 mm). Conclusions > The use of DTC (R) lingual or AO Mini Master (R) labial brackets with archwire sequences is associated with clinically acceptable mild to moderate root resorption and clinically insignificant alveolar bone loss when treating moderate crowding. The record resorption in both cases is less than 1.34 mm. The lingual appliances cause greater resorption of lower incisors than labial appliances. Lingual bone loss is greater with lingual orthodontic appliances for lower central incisors, while vestibular bone loss is greater with labial orthodontic appliances for the lower later al incisors.
Importance:Public awareness of oral cancer is crucial for prevention, early detection, and improved survival rates. Knowledge gaps in Middle Eastern and North African countries and areas for public education need to be assessed. Objective:To evaluate public knowledge and awareness of oral cancer, including risk factors, signs and symptoms, and protective measures, in Middle Eastern and North African countries. Design, Setting, and Participants:This cross-sectional study was conducted using an open, web-based questionnaire from January to December 2022 across 13 Middle Eastern and North African countries (Saudi Arabia, Syria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Sudan, Morocco, Algeria, Yemen, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Oman). Participants were recruited from the general adult population via social media platforms. Main Outcomes and Measures:Primary outcomes included knowledge of risk factors, signs and symptoms, and protective measures. Factors associated with good knowledge were evaluated based on age, sex, education level, country income level, smoking status, smokeless tobacco use, and exposure to dental education on oral cancer. Results:Among 4197 participants (2243 aged 18-30 years [53.4%]; 2372 female [56.5%] and 1825 male [43.5%]), 1559 participants (37.2%) demonstrated good knowledge of oral cancer risk factors, 2028 participants (48.4%) were aware of its signs and symptoms, and 2478 participants (59.1%) recognized associated protective measures. Factors associated with good knowledge across all domains included university education (eg, risk factor knowledge: odds ratio [OR] vs ≤intermediate school, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.20-1.92), no tobacco use (eg, risk factor knowledge: OR for never smoking, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.20-1.74), and receiving education from a dentist (eg, risk factor knowledge: OR, 8.60; 95% CI, 7.33-10.08) at the P < .05 significance threshold. Being female (eg, 1491 females [62.9%] vs 987 males [54.1%] with good knowledge) and residing in upper-middle- or high- vs low- and lower-middle-income countries (eg, 1230 of 1891 participants [65.1%] vs 1248 of 2306 participants [54.2%] with good knowledge) were also associated with increased awareness of protective measures at the P < .00036 significance threshold with Bonferroni adjustment. Conclusions and Relevance:This study found a significant lack of oral cancer awareness in Middle Eastern and North African populations, particularly among individuals with lower levels of education and those who used tobacco. Findings also underscore the critical role of dental professionals in improving public knowledge of oral cancer through targeted educational interventions.
The temporal and spatial variation of 18 water quality indicators were studied in this study over a period of 16 years in seven stations along Qattinah Lake; to develop water quality standards and improve the evaluation of the water suitability for various uses. To determine the indicators correlation in order to classify different pollution levels cluster analysis was used, it gave two clusters. Discriminant analysis was applied to classify the indicators based on their similar characteristics. It led to a significant decrease in the number of variables needed to determine the type of pollution. The best results were for temporal changes, it gave four basic variables that have a significant impact on water quality: (T, COD, PO4, NO3) with a variance ratio of 100% of the total variance which is considered an excellent ratio for determining water quality.
