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Quality assessment of melon-based fruit cocktail: Chemical analysis and sensory acceptability
No full textThis study aimed to develop and evaluate a melon-based fruit cocktail as a value-added product to extend melon shelf life and enhance its market potential. Fresh melon (
Cucumis melo L.) was processed into three formulations: untreated, blanched, and citric acid-pretreated, in a standardized syrup solution. Sensory evaluation and chemical analyses were conducted to assess quality attributes. Results showed that citric acid pretreatment significantly increased total soluble solids (TSS) and reducing sugar. However, the untreated sample achieved the highest sensory acceptance (overall score 4.24±0.66), maintaining desirable aroma, texture, and flavor balance. Its vitamin C and reducing sugar contents were also higher than those of fresh melon, likely due to improved extractability during processing. The inclusion of papaya and pineapple contributed additional sugars, enzymes, and organic acids that enhanced TSS and flavor complexity. Overall, the study demonstrates that controlled formulation and mild processing can produce a stable, nutritious, and consumer-preferred melon cocktail suitable for commercialization and waste reduction
Contribution of photovoltaic cover to reducing evaporation in the context of Climate Change: Experimentation and modelling
No full textMorocco is one of the countries most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Reduced rainfall, rising temperatures and declining availability of water resources are likely to plunge the country into a situation of extreme water stress. In agriculture, water loss through evaporation is a critical issue in Morocco. Although the country currently has approximately 154 large dams, with a total storage capacity of about 20.7 billion cubic meters, significant water losses through evaporation have been reported. For instance, it is estimated that nearly one billion cubic meters of water evaporate annually from approximately 90 major dams, which together store about 13 billion cubic meters. Reducing evaporation from water bodies therefore remains a major challenge, particularly in semi-arid agricultural regions such as the Béni Mellal-Khénifra region (Morocco). Our experimental protocol presents an innovative approach to reducing the amount of water evaporated from small water bodies (irrigation ponds, swimming pools, etc.). In this context, we have adopted the photovoltaic cover approach, which not only reduces evaporation but also generates energy for various uses (pumping, lighting, localized irrigation, etc.). The experimental process used is installed at the climatological station of the Faculty of Science and Technology in Béni Mellal. It is based on two rectangular tanks of the same dimensions, one of which is covered by a solar panel, while the other remains in the open air. Parameters (water level, TDS, air temperature, water temperature, air humidity) are measured daily by hand and instantaneously by sensors.Initial results from this experimental approach show a remarkable difference between the evaporation rates of the two tanks. By way of example: over a 33-day period (from 17/04/2025 to 19/05/2025), measurements show a loss of 112.2 liters of water through evaporation in the open basin, compared with 93.72 liters in the covered basin, i.e. a difference of 18.48 liters, equivalent to a reduction in the evaporation rate of around 16.5% thanks to the photovoltaic cover. Admittedly, this percentage is greatly increased during the summer season (22/05/2025 - 22/07/2025) with a percentage of 20% due to the intense sunshine which causes great warming. In this context, we calculated the correlations between various hydro-climatic parameters to better understand the evaporation phenomenon. Predictive models were then developed using Support Vector Regression (SVR), Random Forest, and Gradient Boosting. Their performance metrics (e.g., RMSE and R2) are presented in the Machine Learning section, demonstrating the models' ability to accurately capture the dynamics of evaporation under both experimental conditions. So, this new approach, which is part of the integrated management of water resources, is a promising solution with a dual role: on the one hand, it will help us generate electricity, and on the other, it will preserve the maximum amount of water stored in water bodies
Induction of embryonic callus from several Arabica coffee varieties using a combination of plant growth regulator formulations
No full textThis study aimed to investigate embryonic callus formation in four Arabica coffee varieties (Andungsari 1, Orange Bourbon, Gayo, and Lini S-795), conducted at Politeknik Negeri Jember in two stages. The first stage is the induction of primary callus from leaf explants of four Arabica varieties in four combination concentratrion of 2,4-D and Kinetin using 1/2 MS+Vitamin B5 (Gamborg) as the base medium. The observed variables included: time of primary callus formation; fresh weight; texture and callus color. The next experiment was to test four Arabica varieties for their regeneration capacity for embryonic callus formation. This study used a non-factorial completely randomized design, with four treatments and five replications. For this test, the primary callus were cultured using medium supplemented with 2,4D and BAP. Observation variables included the time of embryonic callus formation; callus texture; percentage of embryonic callus formation; percentage of proembryo formation. The conclusion of the study was that each variety showed a different response to the added PGRs formulation, in addition, the use of 2,4-D 2 ppm + 1 ppm kinetin was able to stimulate primary callus formation from leaf explants. Gayo and Orange Burbon varieties showed the development of embryonic callus towards the proembryo phase
Effect of sweet potato flour substitution on the sensory characteristics of mini bun bread using principal component analysis
No full textIndonesia’s growing dependence on imported wheat flour highlights the need to incorporate local carbohydrate sources into bakery products. This study evaluated mini bun bread in which wheat flour was partially substituted with orange-fleshed sweet potato flour (0–30%) and examined the resulting sensory characteristics using both univariate and multivariate approaches. Mini buns were produced using a completely randomized design and assessed by 25 semi-trained panelists for colour, aroma, taste, and texture on a five-point hedonic scale. ANOVA and Tukey’s test were applied, followed by principal component analysis (PCA) of mean sensory scores. Substitution levels of 10–20% yielded hedonic scores for all attributes comparable to the control, with 20% substitution providing the most desirable colour and aroma, and 10% the highest scores for taste and texture. At 30%, texture decreased significantly. PCA showed that two principal components explained 100% of the variance, with colour and aroma closely associated with 20% substitution and texture negatively associated with 30%. Overall, 10–20% sweet potato flour is recommended as an optimal range, whereas higher levels would require technological improvements to maintain texture
Reduction of histamine levels in tuna fish with micro nano bubble ozone venturi system treatment
No full textHistamine content is a key indicator of marine fish safety. Histamine levels above 15 ppm may trigger allergic reactions, while concentrations exceeding 100 ppm can cause poisoning. This study aimed to reduce histamine levels in tuna using the Micro Nano Bubble Ozone (MNBO) venturi system. The research employed three treatments: untreated tuna (control) and washed tuna with MNBO for 15, 30, 45, and 60 minutes. Tuna samples weighed an average of 250 g. The MNBO system consisted of a 20 g/h ozone generator, a 900 L ozonized water tank equipped with a 150 W submersible pump, and a ¾- inch venturi injector, connected to a 1.0 × 1.5 × 0.7 m washing tank. During washing, dissolved ozone concentrations range from 0.09 to 0.19 ppm. Histamine was analyzed using a spectrofluorometric method following SNI 2354.10:2016. The 45-minute MNBO treatment produced the most significant reduction, achieving a decrease of 1.76 log cycles. These findings demonstrate that MNBO technology is effective in lowering histamine levels in tuna and has potential applications in enhancing seafood safety during post-harvest handling
Energy Efficient Random Search in Euclidean Space using Lévy Flight
No full textAgents operating in unknown environments commonly rely on fundamental random search strategies to locate targets without prior knowledge of their surroundings. This research is motivated by the need to identify the most efficient movement strategy in autonomous robotics applications. Previous works often focus on specific aspects, lacking a comparative analysis of the random walk movements. Here, we investigate the comparative performance of agents utilizing random walk movements such as Random Waypoint, Brownian Motion, and Lévy Flight. The simulations were performed using the Opportunistic Network Environment (ONE) simulator. Each movement was tested under similar conditions, where targets were spread using a spatial Poisson random distribution and a spatial clustered distribution. We evaluated their performance based on the coverage over time for each movement under various target distributions and analyzed the best parameter for Lévy Flight on the defined target distributions. Results offer practical insights for agent designs during random search and validate whether Lévy Flight demonstrates superior performance as suggested in previous studies
Co-pyrolysis product analysis of coffee husk and LDPE plastic mixture
No full textThe main energy source in Indonesia is fossil fuels, but this energy source has a detrimental impact on the environment such as global warming. One solution to reduce fossil fuel consumption is to use alternative energy sources derived from biomass. Coffee husks are one of the biomass that is abundantly available and has the potential as an alternative energy. To optimize coffee husk waste as an alternative fuel, it is mixed with low-density polyethylene (LDPE) plastic which has a high calorific value, thereby improving the quality of the mixed product. In this research, the slow pyrolysis method without a condenser was used with a temperature of 600 oC, a grain size of 60 mesh, with variations in the treatment of raw coffee husks without the addition of LDPE plastic, the addition of 25% LDPE, and the addition of 50% LDPE plastic. Pyrolysis without the addition of LDPE obtained a yield of 35.9% solid material, 19.9% liquid, and 44.2% gas. Pyrolysis results with the addition of 25% LDPE obtained solid yield of 28%, liquid 21.1%, and gas as much as 50.9%. Meanwhile, the addition of 50% LDPE obtained a solid yield of 19.6%, liquid 42.4%, and gas as much as 38.1%
Zoonotic potential of the parasites of the Khuman Wadi: Environmental and health repercussions in Moulay Idriss Zerhoun, Morocco
No full textThe Oued Khoumane river, which flows through the city of Moulay Idriss Zerhoun, receives discharges of raw wastewater, posing a risk to public health and the environment. To assess the extent of intestinal parasitosis, 72 water samples were collected monthly in 2022 from six sites.Analyses, conducted using a concentration technique (WHO method) for helminth eggs and MIF staining for protozoan cysts, revealed significant and diverse parasitic contamination. A total of 17 parasite genera were identified, with a predominance of protozoa (50.5%), followed by nematodes (29.8%), cestodes (16.2%), and trematodes (3.5%). This study highlights an alarming parasitic load, of both human and animal origin, which poses a direct threat to the health of populations using this water and degrades the aquatic ecosystem. It underscores the urgent need to implement preventive and corrective measures
Euclid Quick Data Release (Q1). LEMON -- LEns MOdelling with Neural networks. Automated and fast modelling of Euclid gravitational lenses with a singular isothermal ellipsoid mass profile
No full textThe Euclid mission aims to survey around 14000 of extragalactic sky, providing around 10^5 gravitational lens images. Modelling of gravitational lenses is fundamental to estimate the total mass of the lens galaxy, along with its dark matter content. Traditional modelling of gravitational lenses is computationally intensive and requires manual input. In this paper, we use a Bayesian neural network, LEns MOdelling with Neural networks (LEMON), to model Euclid gravitational lenses with a singular isothermal ellipsoid mass profile. Our method estimates key lens mass profile parameters, such as the Einstein radius, while also predicting the light parameters of foreground galaxies and their uncertainties. We validate LEMON's performance on both mock Euclid datasets, real lenses observed with ̋ST (HST) that have been degraded to match observations with the same depth of the Euclid Wide Survey, and real Euclid lenses, demonstrating the ability of LEMON to predict parameters of both simulated and real lenses. Results show promising accuracy and reliability in predicting the Einstein radius, mass and light ellipticities, effective radius, Sérsic index, lens magnitude, and unlensed source position for simulated lens galaxies. The application to real data, including the latest Quick Release 1 strong lens candidates, provides encouraging results in the recovery of the parameters for real lenses. We also verified that LEMON has the potential to accelerate traditional modelling methods, by giving to the classical optimiser the LEMON predictions as starting points, resulting in a speed-up of up to 26 times the original time needed to model a sample of gravitational lenses, a result that would be impossible with randomly initialised guesses. Moreover, LEMON can be used to cross-validate results from the traditional modelling methods, and thus has the potential to reduce the failure rate of the Euclid modelling pipeline. This work represents a significant step towards efficient, automated gravitational lens modelling, which is crucial for handling the large data volumes expected from Euclid
An overview of cyber attacks on critical cyber-physical systems and government infrastructures
No full textThis study aimed to analyze the nature, scale, and consequences of cyberattacks on critical cyber-physical systems in Ukraine over the past decade, using a methodology based on classifying attacks by type, threat actor (including Russian hacking groups Sandworm, Fancy Bear, and Ember Bear responsible for half of the 22 analyzed incidents), target sector, and temporal patterns. It also included comparative analysis of cyber defense strategies. The Chinese group Volt Typhoon also demonstrated high risk through living-off-the-land techniques. While phishing remained the primary attack vector (7 cases), sophisticated supply chain attacks like NotPetya caused significant damage, with the energy sector being most targeted (7 incidents) due to its strategic importance. Six attacks involved manipulation of Industrial Control Systems/Operational Technology protocols, while four employed destructive wiper malwares. The Spoofing, Tampering, Repudiation, Information Disclosure, Denial of Service, Elevation of Privilege (STRIDE) analysis of digital platforms concluded that modern challenges require innovative solutions like Cybersecurity Mesh Architecture, digital immunity systems, and artificial intelligence, along with international coordination, while addressing barriers such as legacy systems, workforce shortages, and regulatory fragmentation, ultimately providing an evidence base for improving cybersecurity strategies at national and international levels