Preablative stimulated thyroglobulin in predicting dynamic risk stratification after 1 year in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer

The aimThe aim of the study is to establish the utility of stimulated preablative stimulated thyroglobulin (ps-Tg) as a predictor of response to therapy and to determine a possible cut-off for ps-Tg as prognostic tool.Patients and methodsA total of 73 consecutive patients who underwent total thyroidectomy and remnant ablation with radioactive iodine therapy (RIT) were reviewed retrospectively. Patients were classified according to the dynamic risk stratification 1 year after initial treatment. The ps-Tg values were compared among the groups. ROC curve analysis was performed.ResultsThe mean age at diagnosis was 43.85 (range: 17–75) with a female-to-male ratio of 4.6. Ps-Tg value after total thyroidectomy and before RIT ranged from 0,1 to 256 ng/mL. When patients were restaged, 74% had excellent response to treatment, 12.3% indeterminate and 13.7% incomplete response 1 year after initial therapy. ROC curve analysis showed that the optimal cut-off for ps-Tg was 15 ng/mL with a sensivity of 61%; a specificity of 87%; PPV of 61% and NPV of 87%. Among the group of patients showing an excellent response to treatment after 1 year, 87% had ps-Tg < 15 ng/mL.ConclusionPs-Tg before RIT is associated with dynamic risk stratification at 1 year after therapy in patients with DTC. Higher ps-Tg levels were found in patients that had indeterminate, and particularly incomplete, response.     

Antioxidant-rich date palm fruit extract inhibits oxidative stress and nephrotoxicity induced by dimethoate in rat

Recent investigations have proved the crucial role of nutritional antioxidants to prevent the damage caused by toxic compounds. In this study, the antioxidant effect of date palm fruit extract on dimethoate-induced oxidative stress and nephrotoxicity in rat is investigated and compared with the effect of the well-known antioxidant vitamin C. Male Wistar rats were randomly divided into six groups of ten each: a control group (C), a group that received dimethoate (20 mg/kg body weight) (D), a group given Deglet Nour extract (DNE), a group treated with DNE 30 min before the administration of dimethoate (DNE + D), a group which received VitC (100 mg/kg body weight) plus dimethoate (Vit C + D), and a group given dimethoate for the first month and DNE 30 min after administration of dimethoate, during the second month (D + DNE). These components were daily administered by gavage for 2 months. After completing the treatment period, blood samples from rats were collected under inhaled diethyl ether anesthesia for serum urea, uric acid, and creatinine levels, while the rat kidneys were obtained for enzyme assays and histology. Oral administration of dimethoate in rats induced a marked renal failure characterized by a significant increase in serum creatinine and urea levels (p < 0.01) in addition to a significant decrease in serum uric acid (p < 0.05). Interestingly, these drastic modifications were accompanied by a marked enhancement of lipid peroxidation in kidney, indicating a significant induction of oxidative damage (p < 0.01) and dysfunctions of enzymatic antioxidant defenses. These biochemical alterations were also accompanied by histological changes in kidney revealed by a narrowed Bowman’s space, tubular degeneration, tubular cell desquamation, and tubular dilatation of proximal tubules. Treatment with date palm fruit extract (Deglet Nour) and also with vitamin C significantly (p < 0.05) reversed the serum renal markers to their near-normal levels when compared with dimethoate-treated rats. In addition, Deglet Nour extract and vitamin C significantly reduced lipid peroxidation, restored the antioxidant defense enzymes in the kidney, and improved the histopathology changes. The present findings indicate that in vivo date palm fruit may be useful for the prevention of oxidative stress-induced nephrotoxicity.     

l-glutamine is a key parameter in the immunosuppression phenomenon

The present work describes the influence of both vitamin C (VC) and mechanical stimulation on development of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and improvement in mechanical properties of a chondrocyte-agarose construct in a regenerating tissue disease model of hyaline cartilage. We used primary bovine chondrocytes and two types of VC, ascorbic acid (AsA) as an acidic form and ascorbic acid 2-phosphate (A2P) as a non-acidic form, and applied uniaxial compressive strain to the tissue model using a purpose-built bioreactor. When added to the medium in free-swelling culture conditions, A2P downregulated development of ECM and suppressed improvement of the tangent modulus more than AsA. By contrast, application of mechanical stimulation to the construct both increased the tangent modulus more than the free-swelling group containing A2P and enhanced the ECM network of inner tissue to levels nearly as high as the free-swelling group containing AsA. Thus, mechanical stimulation and strain appears to enhance the supply of nutrients and improve the synthesis of ECM via mechanotransduction pathways of chondrocytes. Therefore, we suggest that mechanical stimulation is necessary for homogenous development of ECM in a cell-associated construct with a view to implantation of a large-sized articular cartilage defect.     

Response-surface methodology for the production and the purification of a new H2O2-tolerant alkaline protease from Bacillus invictae AH1 strain

This work deals with the optimization of the culture conditions of Bacillus invictae AH1 in order to increase the production level of the proteolytic activity. Response-surface methodology (RSM) was applied for the most significant fermentation parameters (concentration of wheat bran and K₂HPO₄/KH₂PO₄) that were earlier identified by Plackett–Burman Design from seven possible factors. A central composite design was used and the quadratic regression model of producing active protease was built. A maximum protease activity was reached and validated experimentally, using a maximum wheat bran concentration (50 g/L) with increased K₂HPO₄/KH₂PO₄ concentration (2.275 g/L). Protease production obtained experimentally coincident with the predicted value and the model was proven to be adequate. Interestingly, the use of RSM increased the protease production by four times (7,000 U/mL) using a low-cost substrate and a culture time of 40 hr, as compared to the standard culture conditions. In the second part of this study, a H₂O₂-tolerant alkaline protease produced from B. invictae AH1 with a molecular mass of about 41 kDa, noted P3, was purified by successive steps of ultrafiltration, gel filtration and ion exchange chromatography. The K _m and V_max values of the purified protease using casein, as substrate, were about 4 mg/mL and 27 μM/min, respectively. The highest enzyme activity was found at pH 9.0 and a temperature of 60°C. In addition, the enzyme showed a quasi-total stability against H₂O₂ (5% for 1 hr) and against most of the tested solid and liquid detergents, suggesting its eventual use in bio-detergent formulations.     

Occurrence of Culicoides spp. (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in Tunisia, with emphasis on the bluetongue vector Culicoides imicola

Following the bluetongue (BT) outbreaks in Tunisia from 1999 to 2002, BTV (bluetongue virus) serotype 2 was isolated; however, no entomological investigation was performed. In the study presented here, we assessed the Culicoides species populations (particularly C. imicola) in proximity to the BT outbreaks locations, both as a retrospective analysis and to update the list of Culicoides species present in Tunisia. The insects were caught using light traps and the species identification was performed according to the standard entomological methods. This study reveaaled the presence of significant numbers of C. imicola in all the tested locations. In addition, we reported a new Culicoides species for the Tunisian fauna C. punctatus.     

The ability of Silybum marianum to phytoremediate cadmium and/or diesel oil from the soil

Phytoremediation is a new ecological and cost-effective technology applied for cleaning heavy metals and total petroleum hydrocarbon contaminated (TPH-contaminated) soils. This study was conducted to evaluate the potential of milk thistle (Silybum marianum) to phytoremediate cadmium (Cd (II)) from contaminated soils. To this end, the investigators applied a completely randomized design with the factorial arrangement and four replications. The results indicated that all the evaluated parameters of S. Marianum, including shoot and root fresh and dry weight, as well as shoot and root Cd, were significantly influenced by Cd (II) concentration and diesel oil (DO). The Cd-contaminated soil showed minor declining effects on the produced plant biomass, whereas the DO-contaminated soil had more inhibitory effects. Moreover, the soil contaminated with both Cd and DO led to adverse effects on the plant biomass. The shoot and root Cd concentration had an increasing trend in the presence of DO as the bioconcentration factor (BCF) by 1.740 (+90.78%), 1.410 (+36.89%), 2.050 (+31.41%), 1.68 (+32.28%), and 1.371 (+22.41%) compared to the soil without DO at Cd (II) concentrations of 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 mg/kg, respectively. Biological accumulation coefficient also showed the same trend as the BCF. In all the treatments, the translocation factor was >1. Therefore, it was demonstrated that milk thistle had high potential for transferring Cd from root to shoot and reducing its concentration in the soil. Moreover, the study revealed that milk thistle had high potential for absorbing Cd in the soil contaminated with Cd and DO.     

Epidemiological studies on Fasciola hepatica in Gafsa Oases (south west of Tunisia)

Epidemiological investigations on Fasciola hepatica fasciolasis were carried out from July 2004 to June 2005 in the Gafsa oases (Tunisia) after the detection of a human case. Three habitats were studied: one in El Gsar and two in Ain Soltan. The prevalence of human infection was 6.6%. The presence of the parasite was detected through serology in 14.3% of cattle, 35% of sheep and 68.4% of goats. The plants Apium nodiflorum, Oxalis cernua and Sonchus maritimus were suspected to be at the origin of animal contamination and Apium nodiflorum was incriminated in human infection. The prevalence of the infection of the intermediate host Galba truncatula (G. truncatula) was 19.2% from July 2004 to June 2005. Gafsa oases constitute a new location for the development of fasciolasis in the southern west of Tunisia.     

Effects of nitrogen rates on grain yield and nitrogen agronomic efficiency of durum wheat genotypes under different environments

Durum wheat is an important staple food crop in Tunisia and other Mediterranean countries and is grown in various climatic conditions. Production and yield are however severely limited not only by drought events but also by reduced levels of nitrogen fertilisation. A study was carried out at two locations in the sub‐humid area of Tunisia: Mateur in 2009–10 and 2010–11 and Beja in 2011–12 and 2012–13 under rainfed conditions. Four durum wheat genotypes (landraces: Bidi, Azizi; improved: Om Rabia, Khiar) were evaluated for nitrogen agronomic efficiency and related agronomic traits under various nitrogen rates: 0, 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 kg N ha^?1, with three replications. There was a significant interaction effect (P ≤ 0.001) environments × genotypes × N treatments for grain yield (GY), biomass yield (BY), harvest index (HI), partial factor productivity of applied nitrogen (PFP_N) and nitrogen agronomic use efficiencies (NAE). GY was the most affected trait by nitrogen applied showing an increase of 94% under high N treatment (250 kg N ha^?1) compared to control plots without N treatments. A significant linear regression exists between GY (0 N) and GY for the different N rates (r = 0.70; P < 0.001). This effect was more pronounced for improved genotypes than landraces for all parameters excepting BY and NAE_BY. BY showed +11% increase in landraces than improved genotypes. PFP_N showed an average decrease of 65% under high‐N fertilisation with 10% prevalence for improved genotypes. Landraces tend to promote vegetative growth while grain filling efficiency was higher for improved genotypes.     

Variation in antioxidant activity and phenolic content in different organs of two Tunisian cultivars of Olea europaea L.

This paper reports a comparative study based on the antioxidant compounds, total phenol content and antioxidant activities of leaves, stems and fruits from the main Tunisian cultivars, ‘chetoui’ and ‘chemchali’, grown in two different locations, north and south of Tunisia. The repartition of olive phenolic compounds was organ dependant. Therefore, the HPLC analysis indicated that the olive organs from the northern cultivar had the highest level of hydroxybenzoic acids, hydroxycinnamic acids and flavonoid class; which were less in the southern cultivar. Principal component analysis of the phenolic compounds showed discrimination between methanol extracts of the organs olive. Significant differences (p < 0.05) in the levels of phenols, orthodiphenols and flavonoids were found between cultivars and between organs. Antioxidant activities of the methanolic extract from aerial parts of the two studied cultivars were evaluated using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) assays. In all tests, methanolic extracts of different olive parts showed higher antioxidant activity. These results can be used to discriminate and to characterize the ‘chetoui’ and ‘chemchali’ aerial parts.