Distribution of surgical hydatidosis in Tunisia, results of 2001-2005 study and trends between 1977 and 2005

We have performed an exhaustive retrospective study in all surgical wards (54 services in 35 hospitals) which usually carry out surgical treatment of hydatic cysts in the country, covering the period between January 2001 and December 2005, in order to determine the annual surgical incidence of human cystic hydatidosis in Tunisia. A total of 6249 surgical interventions were recorded during the period 2001-2005. The highest proportion was recorded in the hospitals of Tunis District (42.9%). The service of thoracic surgery from Ariana hospital occupies the first rank (95%). The yearly incidence rate varies between 11 and 13.6 per 100,000. Calculated over the 5 years period, the incidence rate is 63.2 per 100,000 inhabitants, which means an average yearly incidence rate of 12.6 per 100,000 [12.28-12.99]. Governorates of the North West and the Western Central regions of the country are the most endemic area with an average annual incidence rates varying between 19.2 and 33.9 per 100,000, which is at least once and half higher than the national level. After 30 years (1977-2005), the average annual incidence rate slightly dropped, from 15 to 12.6 per 100,000, proving that such zoonosis remains a problem of public health in Tunisia. In order, to control in more or less short term this heavy burden disease and public health expenditure, the only efficient way is the prevention of the diseases with a mass treatment campaign of dogs, principal host of the parasite.     

Cliophysics: socio-political reliability theory, polity duration and African political (in)stabilities

Quantification of historical sociological processes have recently gained attention among theoreticians in the effort of providing a solid theoretical understanding of the behaviors and regularities present in socio-political dynamics. Here we present a reliability theory of polity processes with emphases on individual political dynamics of African countries. We found that the structural properties of polity failure rates successfully capture the risk of political vulnerability and instabilities in which , , , and of the countries with monotonically increasing, unimodal, U-shaped and monotonically decreasing polity failure rates, respectively, have high level of state fragility indices. The quasi-U-shape relationship between average polity duration and regime types corroborates historical precedents and explains the stability of the autocracies and democracies.     

Experimental and theoretical assessment of maximum productivities for the microalgae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii in two different geometries of photobioreactors

The validity of a simple, reliable, and useful recently published formula enabling to calculate the maximum volumetric biomass productivities in photobioreactors (PBRs) was investigated through the cultivation of the microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Experimental maximum kinetic performances accurately obtained in two different, artificially lightened torus‐plane and cylindrical reactors having the same specific illuminated area confirmed the availability, power, and robustness of such formula. The predictive kinetic parameters previously proposed and validated with cyanobacteria were then proved general and robust in case of eukaryotic microalgae, as postulated in the founding article. In this case, an additional criterion requiring rigorous control of the working illuminated fraction γ = 1 ± (15%) inside the reactor is demonstrated. For this, the usefulness and reliability of a generalized two‐flux model accurately describing the radiation field inside turbid culture media of C. reinhardtii were also established in this article. These important results contribute to identify the main engineering factors governing light‐limited PBRs functioning and then to clarify some misinterpretations widely reported in the literature. Together with the referenced previous work, this article gives a framework toward optimal conception of PBRs on a strong physical basis. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2010     

Purification and biochemical characterization of a turkey preduodenal esterase

A preduodenal esterase was purified to homogeneity from turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) pharyngial tissue. Pure turkey pregastric esterase (TPrE) was obtained after anion exchange chromatography (DEAE-cellulose), Sephacryl S-200 gel filtration, anion exchange chromatography (Mono-Q sepharose) and affinity chromatography (Blue-Gel Affi Gel). The pure enzyme has an apparent molecular mass of 50 kDa, as determined by SDS/PAGE analysis. The optimum pH and temperature for enzyme activity using tributyrin as substrate were 8.5 and 48 °C, respectively. Under these conditions, the specific activity measured was 650 U/mg. No significant lipolytic activity was found when was tested on triolein or liprocil as substrates or with monolayer dicaprin with TPrE. In contrast, TPrE displayed a maximal activities of 800, 680 and 520 U/mg with vinyl acetate, vinyl propionate and vinyl butyrate, respectively. This enzyme retained 75% of its maximal activity when incubated for 30 min at pH 4 and 50 °C, but it was completely inactivated after an incubation for 10 min at 60 °C. The TPrE N-terminal amino acid sequence showed similarities to the N-terminal sequence of a thioesterase from mallard duck, but no similarity with known preduodenal lipases was found.     

In vitro sulfation of N-acetyllactosaminide by soluble recombinant human beta-Gal-3'-sulfotransferase

Membrane-bound beta-Gal-3'-sulfotransferase (GP3ST) was expressed and used for in vitro sulfation of Tamm-Horsfall glycoprotein. Further, the regioselective transfer of sulfate to an N-acetyllactosamine derivative could be realised with soluble chimeric GP3ST, also in combination with Lac transglycosylation by means of beta-galactosidase. Two alternative straightforward chemical syntheses for the target compound could be elaborated.     

Effects of cement dust on volatile oil constituents and antioxidative metabolism of Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis) needles

The effects of cement dust on the chemical composition of essential oil, lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzyme activities of Aleppo pine (P. halepensis) needles were studied. Cement dust resulted in a significant decrease in the yield of essential oil with the effect being more pronounced in the close vicinity of the cement factory. A concomitant decrease in all components of the oil was observed and ??-2-carene, trans-carveol, trans-carvyl acetate, ??-terpinyl acetate, ??-copaene, (E,E)-??-farnesene, ??-calacorene, ??-cadinene, spathulenol, humulene oxide II, 8-epi-??-eudesmol, ?-muurolol, cubenol and ethyl hexadecanoate have been proposed as biological indicators of cement dust. Moreover, a redirection of the secondary metabolism toward the biosynthesis of monoterpenes has been evidenced. Malondialdehydes (MDA), a decomposition product of polyunsaturated fatty acids, often considered as a suitable biomarker for lipid peroxidation was induced in the needles exposed to cement dust. Similarly, a remarkable induction of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) activities was noticed. The positive relationships were observed among activities of antioxidant enzymes, and between MDA content and activities of antioxidant enzymes, indicating the cooperative action of these antioxidant enzymes to cope with the oxidative stress induced by cement dust. The results obtained indicate that P. halepensis needles are useful bio-monitors of cement dust pollution.     

Association between TNF promoter −308 G>A and LTA 252 A>G polymorphisms and systemic lupus erythematosus

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and lymphotoxin alpha (LTA) are pivotal cytokines in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). To investigate the possible association of the polymorphism of the TNF promoter gene ?308 and that of the LTA gene 252 with susceptibility to SLE and with phenotypic disease features in Egyptian patients. A case control study involving 100 SLE patients and 100 unrelated healthy controls. Polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism methods were applied to detect genetic polymorphism. We found that TNF?308 genotype AA was significantly increase by 26 % in SLE patients compared to 10 % in the control group (p = 0.003; OR 3.16; CI 1.43–6.98) and the frequency of the A allele of the TNF promoter ?308 was significantly higher in the SLE patients (42 %) than in the control subjects (24 %) (p < 0.001; OR 2.29; 95 % CI 1.49–3.52). Genotype LTA 252 GG showed a significant increase by 22 % in SLE patients compared to 6 % in the control group (p = 0.001; OR 4.42; 95 % CI 1.71–11.44), and the frequency of the G allele of the LTA was significantly higher in the SLE patients (38 %) than in the control subjects (21 %) (p < 0.001; OR 2.31; 95 % CI 1.48–3.6). Genotype (AA+GA) of TNF was significantly associated with clinical manifestations as malar rash, arthritis, oral ulcers, serositis and systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index. Genotype (GG+GA) of LTA was significantly associated with arthritis. These results suggest that TNF and LTA genetic polymorphisms contribute to SLE susceptibility in the Egyptian population and are associated with disease characteristics. TNF?308 and LTA+252 polymorphic markers may be used for early diagnosis of SLE and early prediction of clinical manifestations, like arthritis.