Gallstone disease is a serious public health problem worldwide. However, studies on gallstone characteristics within the Moroccan community are limited. A detailed investigation of gallstones is essential to identify the causal factors and understand their formation process. This study aimed to classify and characterize gallstones from sixty-five Moroccan patients. Gallstone samples were first analyzed by attenuated total reflectance – Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) to determine their functional groups and then classified into different types. The morphological, microstructural, and compositional characteristics of each gallstone type were determined using scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. Based on ATR-FTIR results, gallstones were classified into pure cholesterol stones (n= 20; 30.8%), pure pigment stones (n= 2; 3.1%), and mixed stones (n= 43; 66.1%). SEM-EDX results revealed that each type of gallstone exhibited a distinct microstructure, closely associated with its elemental composition. Using the XRF technique, both pigment and mixed gallstones were found to contain various elements such as Ca, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb, S, Br, and K, while pure cholesterol gallstones contained only Ca, Fe, and Zn. XRD analysis showed that pure cholesterol gallstones were crystalline and mainly composed of anhydrous cholesterol, while pigment gallstones were amorphous. Mixed gallstones exhibited a heterogeneous composition, containing several crystalline phases of calcium salts, including the polymorphs of calcium carbonate (calcite, vaterite, aragonite), calcium phosphate (hydroxyapatite), calcium fatty acids (calcium palmitate hydrate and calcium stearate). These findings reveal the heterogeneity of gallstones, leading to a better understanding of their formation and guiding strategies for prevention and non-surgical treatment.

Abstract The widespread reuse of contaminated face masks during supply shortages has shifted global focus toward effective decontamination strategies. Since pathogen attachment is closely regulated by the physicochemical characteristics of mask fibers, any material alteration could compromise both filtration efficiency and safety. Despite this, the relationship between decontamination-induced surface changes and subsequent viral risk remains poorly understood. This study evaluates how ethanol, ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, and dry heat modify surgical mask surface properties and influence the predicted adhesion of three viruses: MS2, human adenovirus 5 (HAdV-5), and human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV). Contact angle measurements and thermodynamic modeling were used to assess wettability, surface free energy, and virus-surface interaction energies (ΔGTotal). Results showed significant physicochemical modifications after treatments (p < 0.001). UV and dry heat decreased the electron-acceptor component (γ+) from 21.5 to 0.2 and 1.8 mJ m−2, respectively, while dry heat increased the electron-donor component (γ−) from 3.5 to 16 mJ m−2. The Lifshitz–van der Waals component decreased across all treatments. UV irradiation caused the greatest variation in surface free energy, shifting from −10.89 to −78.9 mJ m−2. Thermodynamic predictions indicated that dry heat consistently reduced viral adhesion, whereas ethanol and UV reduced MS2 adhesion but enhanced it for HAdV-5 and HRSV. These findings highlight the need for virus-specific decontamination strategies to ensure safe mask reuse.

Legionnaires' disease is an infection caused by Legionella, a waterborne pathogen found in aquatic environments, particularly hot water plumbing systems and cooling towers. A selection of 29 Legionella pneumophila strains isolated from hotels hot water systems were typed by monoclonal antibodies, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and new generation sequencing (NGS). MAb analysis results demonstrated a prevalence of MAb 3/1 negative isolates (n = 100%), with six subgroups of Camperdown (30%), seven Oxford (35%) and seven OLDA (35%). PFGE analysis showed three different clones, some of which are present in several buildings in different Moroccan cities. After sequencing, SBT (sequence-based type) analysis showed 3 sequence types (STs) with a high prevalence of ST1 found in 13 strains (65%), followed by ST560 in 4 (20%), and a new ST was found in 3 samples (15%), to which ESGLI assigned the ST number ST2897. 46% of ST1 are Oxford, 23% of Camperdown and 31% of OLDA. These findings revealed the genetic diversity of environmental L. pneumophila strains in Morocco, enriching the database and providing a useful basis for epidemiological investigations related to travel-associated diseases.HIGHLIGHTSGenetic diversity of environmental L. pneumophila sg1 isolates in Morocco. SBT analysis revealed three sequence types (STs) with a high prevalence of ST1. A new ST was discovered in three samples (15%), to which ESGLI assigned the ST number ST2897. PFGE analysis showed three different clones, some of which are present in several buildings in different Moroccan cities.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a Gram-negative pathogen widely isolated from various environments, including soil, water, and clinical settings. The capacity to persist, form biofilm and resist to antibiotics makes this bacterium a significant public health concern. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of P. aeruginosa isolated from well groundwater samples collected from diverse sites, and to evaluate the antimicrobial susceptibility profiles, Biofilm formation capacity, and the surface physicochemical properties of the isolates. A total of 80 samples were analyzed and the antibiotic susceptibility was determined using EUCAST standardized disk diffusion method. Biofilm formation and surface physicochemical characterization were evaluated. Our study revealed a 17.5% (14/80) prevalence of P. aeruginosa in well water samples, with resistance to some commonly used antibiotics; 35.7% of the isolates were classified as Multidrug-resistant (MDR). The studied strains showed a strong capability to form biofilms exceeding 7 Log CFU/cm2 on galvanized steel. A significant correlation was observed between biofilm formation, surface physicochemical properties, and MDR. This study highlights the importance of monitoring groundwater quality and application of effective strategies to reduce health risks associated with P. aeruginosa contamination.

The widespread use of face masks, along with the various textiles used in their manufacture, has raised increasing concerns regarding the risk of bacterial contamination and transmission of infection. This form of contamination begins with the adhesion of microorganisms to mask surfaces and may progress to biofilm formation. However, results on the kinetics of microbial adhesion and biofilm development remain scarce, and information enabling the determination of optimal wearing times specific to each mask type is limited. This study investigated the adhesion kinetics of Staphylococcus aureus on four types of masks (FFP2, surgical, cloth, and disposable protective masks) over 4 h and evaluated biofilm formation after 24 h. Bacterial adhesion increased for all masks, ranging from 4.2 to 6.1 log10 CFU/cm2 for surgical masks, 5.41-6.54 log10 CFU/cm2 for cloth masks, 4.1-6.15 log10 CFU/cm2 for disposable protective masks, and 5.55-6.33 log10 CFU/cm2 for FFP2 masks. Biofilm accumulation was highest on cloth masks (7.68 log10 CFU/cm2) and lowest on FFP2 masks (6.71 log10 CFU/cm2). These findings highlight the differences in bacterial colonization potential among mask types and provide a basis for developing guidelines on the selection and use of textile materials in healthcare environments.

Employing machine learning (ML) for predictive maintenance represents a promising approach for enhancing the reliability and efficiency of critical water infrastructure, particularly in reverse osmosis (RO) desalination plants where high-pressure pumps, which play a critical role in RO operation, operate under demanding industrial conditions to address growing water scarcity. Against this backdrop, the objective of this study is to develop and validate an industrial ML-based predictive maintenance framework for early fault prediction in high-pressure pumps operating in RO desalination plants. To achieve this, real-time sensor data from 5000-labeled observations including vibration, temperature, pressure, displacement, and electrical parameters were employed in combination with six classification algorithms: random forest (RF), support vector machine, k-nearest neighbors, decision tree, artificial neural network, and naive Bayes. Furthermore, a comparative analysis was conducted to assess the performance of these algorithms, considering accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score, and AUC metrics. Results show that the RF model demonstrated superior performance, achieving 97.3% overall accuracy, a weighted F1-score of 0.97, and an AUC of 0.96, with particularly strong performance on minority fault classes (F1-scores ranging from 0.85 to 0.94). These findings highlight the potential of integrating multisensor industrial monitoring and ML-based analysis for predictive maintenance applications in RO desalination infrastructures operating under real industrial conditions.

Resins are widely used as adhesives for coatings due to their mechanical, adhesive and strength properties. However, these polymers still have limited performance against bacterial adhesion, which poses a critical problem for healthcare facilities. Preventive strategies have therefore been developed to improve the antiadhesive activity of resin coating surfaces against bacterial adhesion. In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of treating epoxy, acrylic and nitrocellulose resin surfaces with olive mill wastewater (OMW) to improve their surface properties against the adhesion of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The contact angle results showed that the relatively hydrophobic epoxy (theta w = 71.4 +/- 0.5 degrees), acrylic (theta w = 78.5 +/- 1.8 degrees) and nitrocellulose (theta w = 87.4 +/- 2.2 degrees) were turned into relatively hydrophilic with increased electron donor (gamma-) character after OMW treatment, thus improving its physicochemical properties. In addition, the bacterial adhesion results showed that epoxy, acrylic and nitrocellulose surfaces treated with OMW had a significant antiadhesion activity against S. aureus and P. aeruginosa adhesion, compared with untreated surfaces, as well as a good correlation was observed between the wettability and electron donor properties of resin surfaces and the bacterial coverage rate. These results provide insights into the development of effective, eco-friendly, and antiadhesive resin surfaces against bacterial adhesion.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, colored cloth masks became popular for their attractive designs and reusability. However, the effect of dyeing on the masks’ fabric properties and microorganism adhesion remains largely unexplored. This study investigates how mask coloration influences the adhesive behavior of bacterial and viral strains on colored cloth mask. Four masks (white, light blue, dark blue, and grey), composed of two textile layers, were analyzed. The surface properties were assessed using contact angle measurements, while the morphological structure was evaluated using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The biocontamination risk was studied with a thermodynamic approach using three bacterial strains (Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), and Escherichia coli (E. coli)) and three viruses (HDV5, HSRV, and MS2). The results indicated that the internal surface, which is the same across all masks, exhibited hydrophobic properties with a water contact angle of 118.8° and a surface free energy (∆Giwi) of − 60.5 mJ/m². The electron acceptor character was 5.5 mJ/m². while the electron donor character was 0.1 mJ/m². The outer layer of the white mask was hydrophilic (θwater = 22°) with a surface free energy (∆Giwi) of 38.47 mJ/m², while the other masks were hydrophobic, with contact angles ranging from 101° to 110.3° and a surface free energy ranging from − 45.18 mJ/m² to − 78.5 mJ/m². The electron donor character was higher for the white mask compared to the other colors, while the electron acceptor character remained consistent across all masks. Predictive adhesion, measured by total free energy (ΔGtot), indicated that adhesion was generally unfavorable on the white mask and more favorable on the dark blue mask. The color effect is most noticeable in E. coli adhesion and the two respiratory viruses (HADV5 and HRSV). Risk analysis classified the biocontamination risk in descending order as: dark blue > grey > light blue > white mask.

Salmonella Typhi can adhere to and build biofilms on the surface of gallstones causing abnormal gallbladder mucosa, which could lead to carcinogenesis. The surface physicochemical properties of microbial cells and materials have been shown to play a crucial role in adhesion. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate, for the first time, the surface properties of nine gallstones and to evaluate the influence of these parameters on the theoretical adhesion of S. Typhi to gallstone surfaces. The physicochemical properties were determined by SEM–EDX and contact angle measurements (CAM) while the predictive adhesion of S. Typhi on gallstones was estimated using the XDLVO approach. SEM–EDX analysis revealed that cholesterol is the principal component on the surface of all gallstones, with carbon and oxygen as the main elements. Aluminum was detected as a trace element in only three gallstones: GS2, GS4, and GS5. S. Typhi CIP5535 has a hydrophilic character (ΔGiwi = 33.54 mJ m−2), as well as strong electron donor (γ− = 55,80 mJ m−2) and weak electron acceptor properties (γ+ = 1,95 mJ m−2). Regarding gallstones, it was found that they have a hydrophobic character (ΔGiwi between −29,9 mJ m−2 and −75,2 mJ m−2), while their electron donor/acceptor characters change according to each gallstone. Predictive adhesion showed that all gallstones could be colonized by S. Typhi ( Δ G_XDLVO^Total < 0) except GS1, GS5, and GS6 ( Δ G_XDLVO^Total > 0) . Understanding the interfacial phenomena implicated in the process of bacterial adhesion makes it possible to limit or even inhibit the adhesion of S. Typhi on gallstone surfaces.

This study investigates the application of Machine Learning (ML) models for classifying feedwater quality in a large Reverse Osmosis (RO) desalination plant in Morocco. The main objective is to anticipate membrane fouling and improve operational efficiency, to reduce water production costs. Five classification algorithms were evaluated: eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGB), Random Forest (RF), Multilayer Perceptron (MLP), K-Nearest Neighbors (K-NN), and Support Vector Machine (SVM). The models were assessed using key performance metrics, including accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score, and the Matthews Correlation Coefficient (MCC). The K-NN classifier achieved the highest accuracy (99.23

Salty environments are susceptible to biological contamination by halotolerant microorganisms, by the phenotypic adaptation of microbial populations through the induction of survival mechanisms such as stress response pathways, and biofilm formation. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the bio-contamination risks posed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli in salted environments. The adhesion of the strains to glass and the surface energies were monitored in an aqueous medium at varying concentrations of sodium chloride (NaCl) (0%, 3%, 6%, 13%, 26%). Bacterial adhesion was observed by the optical microscopy, and the surface energies were estimated using the contact angle method. Surface energy measurements showed that NaCl was able to increase the electron donor (γ-) and acceptor (γ+) characters, and the hydrophobicity (ΔGiwi) of the bacterial surfaces at 3%. At 6%, 13%, and 26%, bacterial surfaces gradually regained their normal hydrophobicity. Similarly, the hydrophobicity of the glass surface increased and even reversed at 26%. The adhesion images showed an agglutination of the bacterial cells of both strains at 3% and 6%. However, at 6%, 13% and 26%, the adhesion becomes more dispersed and lighter. In brief, these findings suggest that NaCl may contribute to the enhancement of contamination in salted environments. Consequently, this raises concerns regarding the potential for bio-contamination in salty foods.

Conditioning films on surfaces employed in the dairy industry serve as the precursors to the formation of pathogenic biofilms that impact product quality and consumer safety. Conditioning films have been studied several aspects. However, there has been no study that evaluated the effect of raw milk conditioning film on the sion of Escherichia coli. This study investigated the adhesion of E. coli on glass and stainless-steel surfaces conditioned with raw milk and explored the surface properties potentially influencing this adhesion using the contact angle method. The results showed that after treating surfaces with raw milk, the adhesion of the bacteria on stainless steel and was significantly altered. Adhesion increased significantly on stainless steel (from 0.55 log10 to 2.8 log10) but it decreased on glass (from 1.56 log10 to 0.8 log10). Significant alterations were observed in the physicochemical properties surfaces. Glass was initially relatively hydrophilic (46.33 degrees), while stainless steel was relatively hydrophobic (82.5 degrees). treatment, the glass became relatively more hydrophobic (74.6 degrees), and stainless steel became relatively more hydrophilic (69.4 degrees). The electron donor/acceptor components of glass decreased after the treatment, while these components creased for stainless steel. The significant changes in adhesion were hypothesized to be due to the modification face properties by the raw milk.

Sodium chloride (NaCl) has previously been proposed as a disinfectant for water networks, where it was able to detach a bacterial adherent of Pseudomonas aeruginosa within 1 h of treatment. The purpose here was to verify the effectiveness of NaCl against P. aeruginosa and E. coli bacterial adherents over time. To this end, the NaCl effects on the bacterial adherents' stability and the surface properties of glass and strains were estimated respectively by the optical microscopy and the contact angle method. The optical microscopy' results showed a clear detachment of both bacterial adherents after 1 h of treatment. Though, a progressive re-adhesion and formation of micro- colonies took place during the following hours of treatment. The contact angle data showed that the changes in the hydrophobicity (Delta Giwi)of P. aeruginosa and E. coli were random throughout the treatment, while their electrons donor characters (gamma-) were unchanged. Meanwhile, the hydrophobicity of the glass has been reversed during the first hour (40.7 to-31.7 mJ/m2) and its electrons donor character have weakened (51.9-7.4 mJ/m2). However, glass gradually regains its natural surface properties (Delta Giwi:-10.3, 0.80, 18.0 mJ/m2, gamma- : 14, 27.4, 48.3 mJ/m2). In short, the findings suggested that the reinstallation of bacterial adherents could be an energetic phenomenon related to the energetic properties of the surfaces.

Electrostatic charge significantly influences microorganism–surface interactions, including viral adhesion and transmission. While bacterial surface charges are well characterized using electrophoretic mobility and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), similar studies for viruses are limited. This work bridges the gap by estimating the negative surface charge of the Phi6 bacteriophage using XPS data. A novel approach is applied, combining chemical functionalities derived from XPS with a system of equations to quantify surface polysaccharides, proteins, hydrocarbons, and negatively charged groups (RCOO− and R2PO4−). The results indicate a predominance of proteins on the viral surface and a pH-dependent negative charge: phosphate groups dominate at low pH (1–3), while both groups contribute equally at pH 4–9. These findings provide a deeper understanding of virus–surface interactions and underscore the importance of pH in modulating viral surface charge. This method, which surpasses traditional electrophoretic mobility techniques, offers new perspectives for studying viral adhesion and developing improved antiviral materials and disinfection strategies.

Salty environments are susceptible to biological contamination by halotolerant microorganisms, by the phenotypic adaptation of microbial populations through the induction of survival mechanisms such as stress response pathways, and biofilm formation. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the bio-contamination risks posed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli in salted environments. The adhesion of the strains to glass and the surface energies were monitored in an aqueous medium at varying concentrations of sodium chloride (NaCl) (0%, 3%, 6%, 13%, 26%). Bacterial adhesion was observed by the optical microscopy, and the surface energies were estimated using the contact angle method. Surface energy measurements showed that NaCl was able to increase the electron donor (γ-) and acceptor (γ+) characters, and the hydrophobicity (ΔGiwi) of the bacterial surfaces at 3%. At 6%, 13%, and 26%, bacterial surfaces gradually regained their normal hydrophobicity. Similarly, the hydrophobicity of the glass surface increased and even reversed at 26%. The adhesion images showed an agglutination of the bacterial cells of both strains at 3% and 6%. However, at 6%, 13% and 26%, the adhesion becomes more dispersed and lighter. In brief, these findings suggest that NaCl may contribute to the enhancement of contamination in salted environments. Consequently, this raises concerns regarding the potential for bio-contamination in salty foods.

This paper aimed to valorize two varieties of date palm mesh, Washingtonia robusta (S1) and Phoenix Dactylifera L. (S2) by extracting their fibrous cellulose structures for potential application in wound dressings. The extracted fibrous dressings were analyzed by using Fourier Transforms Infrareded (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Additionally, mechanical properties, water absorption, and antimicrobial activity were analyzed. The results showed that S2 contained significantly higher fiber content (37.21 %) compared to S1 (12.63 %). FTIR analysis confirmed successful cellulose extraction from both palm varieties. SEM images showed that S1 fibers had a smooth-surface with smaller pores, contributing to a higher absorption capacity of 1289 ± 93 %. Therefore, S2 exhibited rougher-surfaced fibers, which enhanced its mechanical properties, as demonstrated by stress-strain tensile tests, and Young's modulus. Notably, S2 revealed superior mechanical strength compared to S1 fiber dressings. Water absorption for S2 was calculated at 509 ± 93 %. Both S1 and S2 exhibited high crystalline index (61.17 % and 62.88 %), with crystalline size of 3.54 nm for S1 and 10.03 nm for S2. Finally, Eugenol-enriched fibers showed significant activity against E. coli (3.8 mm and 2.3 mm), S. aureus (4.00 mm and 2.05 mm), and S. epidermidis (2.7 mm and 1.6 mm) for S1 and S2, respectively, suggesting their potential as effective new wound dressing materials.