Prevalence of comorbid asthma in Tunisian patients with COVID-19: clinical features and outcomes.

Introduction: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has resulted in around 1 million COVID-19 infection cases and over 29,000 deaths in Tunisia thus far. There is great variability in the prevalence of asthma among patients with COVID-19, but the impact of asthma on patients with COVID-19 is not clear. We sought to describe the clinical features of Tunisian patients with COVID-19 and to compare asthmatic and non-asthmatic patients.

Comparative study of the effect of oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol rich extracts on the reproductive toxicity induced by bisphenol A in male rats: biochemical, histopathological, and molecular analyses.

Bisphenol A, or BPA, goes into the composition of a large number of products including sunglasses, infant's feeding bottles, receipts, or food packaging. Nowadays, there is a growing evidence that BPA may be at the origin of several physiological malignancies. Oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol extracted from olive leaves are highly investigated for numerous health benefits.

Is Intussusception in an Adult with Active COVID-19 Infection a Surprise?

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS COV2) had rapidly spread and caused a global pandemic worldwide. The most common symptoms in adults are respiratory with dry cough, dyspnea, and fever. Occasionally, extra-respiratory presentations may be seen such as gastrointestinal involvement with diarrhea, vomiting or abdominal pain.

Comparative Study on Beneficial Effects of Hydroxytyrosol- and Oleuropein-Rich Olive Leaf Extracts on High-Fat Diet-Induced Lipid Metabolism Disturbance and Liver Injury in Rats.

Oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol, as major compounds of olive leaves, have been reported to exert numerous pharmacological properties, including anticancer, antidiabetic, and anti-inflammatory activities. The purpose of this study is to evaluate and compare the protective effect of oleuropein- and hydroxytyrosol-rich extracts, derived from olive leaves, on high-fat diet-induced lipid metabolism disturbance and liver injury in rats. In this respect, four groups of male rats (8 per group) were used: control group (Control), group treated with high-fat diet (HFD), group treated with HFD and oleuropein (HFD + OLE), and group treated with HFD and hydroxytyrosol (HFD + HYD).

Oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol rich extracts from olive leaves attenuate liver injury and lipid metabolism disturbance in bisphenol A-treated rats.

In the present study, we investigated the protective effects of oleuropein- and hydroxytyrosol-rich extracts obtained from olive leaves against bisphenol A (BPA)-induced hyperlipidemia and liver injury in male rats. For this purpose, four groups of male rats (8 per group) were used: control group (Control), rats treated with BPA, rats treated with both BPA and oleuropein (OLE-BPA), and rats treated with both BPA and hydroxytyrosol (HYT-BPA). After 60 days of treatment, the results obtained using the DXA technique showed that treatment with BPA (10 mg per kg b.

Oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol protect rats' pups against bisphenol A induced hypothyroidism.

Bisphenol A (BPA) can disturb the endocrine system and the organs that respond to endocrine signals in organisms, indirectly exposed during prenatal and/or early postnatal life. The present study was designed to assess the protective effect of phenolic compounds from olive leaves against BPA induced thyroid dysfunction and growth perturbation in young rats during lactation. The BPA disrupting effect on thyroid function was investigated by measuring changes in plasma levels of thyroid hormones.

Alumina-fluorapatite composite coating deposited by atmospheric plasma spraying: An agent of cohesion between bone and prostheses.

In order to remedy the poor biological and tribological properties of 316L stainless steel (SS), plasma sprayed bio-ceramic coatings have been widely investigated. In the present study, a small amount of fluorapatite (Fap) was introduced into alumina in order to enhance its bioactivity. The powder feedstock was sprayed on 316L substrate by Atmospheric Plasma Spraying (APS) technology.

Integrating semantic dimension into openEHR archetypes for the management of cerebral palsy electronic medical records.

Purpose: Integrating semantic dimension into clinical archetypes is necessary once modeling medical records. First, it enables semantic interoperability and, it offers applying semantic activities on clinical data and provides a higher design quality of Electronic Medical Record (EMR) systems. However, to obtain these advantages, designers need to use archetypes that cover semantic features of clinical concepts involved in their specific applications.

Endothelial Cells Promote Pigmentation through Endothelin Receptor B Activation.

Findings of increased vascularization in melasma lesions and hyperpigmentation in acquired bilateral telangiectatic macules suggested a link between pigmentation and vascularization. Using high-magnification digital epiluminescence dermatoscopy, laser confocal microscopy, and histological examination, we showed that benign vascular lesions of the skin have restricted but significant hyperpigmentation compared with the surrounding skin. We then studied the role of microvascular endothelial cells in regulating skin pigmentation using an in vitro co-culture model using endothelial cells and melanocytes.

Oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol protect from bisphenol A effects in livers and kidneys of lactating mother rats and their pups'.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical found in hard plastics and the coatings of food and drinks cans which can behave in a similar way to estrogen and other hormones in the human body. This study aimed to evaluate the significance of the treatment with oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol olive leaves rich extracts in reducing functional perturbations and oxidative stress arising from BPA treatment in livers and kidneys of lactating mother rats and their pups'. For this, four groups of lactating mothers were used: controls (group A), treated with bisphenol A (group B), treated with bisphenol A and oleuropein (group C) and with bisphenol A and hydroxytyrosol (group D).

Risk of female breast cancer and serum concentrations of organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls: a case-control study in Tunisia.

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between serum concentrations of a group of organochlorine pesticides/polychlorinated biphenyls with xenoestrogenic potential and the risk of breast cancer in a female population from Tunisia. The relationship between serum levels of the pollutants and the risk of cancer was assessed using logistic regression analyses. In the unadjusted models, β-hexachlorocyclohexane (β-HCH), hexachlorobenzene, heptachlor, polychlorinated biphenyl congeners 138, 153, and 180, and p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE) were positively associated with breast cancer risk.

Zearalenone and its metabolites in urine and breast cancer risk: a case-control study in Tunisia.

Zearalenone (ZON) is a non-steroidal estrogenic mycotoxin produced by Fusarium species. The exposure risk to humans and animals is the consumption of contaminated food and animal feeds. It has been reported that ZON and some of its metabolites promote the development of hormone-dependent tumors.

[Management of ocular and orbital complications in acute sinusitis].

Purpose: Describe the clinical presentations of orbital complications of acute sinusitis and discuss therapeutic approaches.

Methods: Retrospective study of 29 cases of acute sinusitis with orbital extension hospitalized over a period of 12years (2000 to 2012).

Results: There were 23 men and 6 women.

Validation of a UHPLC-MS/MS method for quantification of zearalenone, α-zearalenol, β-zearalenol, α-zearalanol, β-zearalanol and zearalanone in human urine.

Humans can be exposed to mycotoxins through the diet. Evaluation of exposure levels to mycotoxins can be performed by direct determination in urine. The present work proposes a sensitive ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) method for the determination of zearalenone (ZON) and its five metabolites (α-zearalenol [α-ZOL], β-zearalenol [β-ZOL], α-zearalanol [zeranol, α-ZAL], β-zearalanol [teranol, β-ZAL] and zearalanone [ZAN]) in human urine samples.

A case of linear atrophoderma of Moulin successfully treated with methotrexate.

Linear atrophoderma of Moulin is an acquired rare and self-limited skin condition. It is characterized by atrophic bandlike skin lesions that often show hyperpigmentation and always follow the lines of Blaschko. Usually it begins in childhood or adolescence and there is no evidence of any long term progression.

Potential Toxic Levels of Cyanide in Almonds (Prunus amygdalus), Apricot Kernels (Prunus armeniaca), and Almond Syrup.

Under normal environmental conditions, many plants synthesize cyanogenic glycosides, which are able to release hydrogen cyanide upon hydrolysis. Each year, there are frequent livestock and occasional human victims of cyanogenic plants consumption. The present work aims to determine the hydrocyanic acid content in different samples of cyanogenic plants, selected from the Tunisian flora, and in the almond syrup.

Biochemical and histological liver changes occurred after iron supplementation and possible remediation by garlic consumption.

Iron liver excess is associated to biochemical and histological liver perturbations. Our aim was to know even if fresh garlic consumption can remediate these problems. Three groups of rats were utilized: control group A, iron overload group B and garlic and iron overload group C.

Aflatoxin determination in commonly consumed foods in Tunisia.

Background: To investigate natural aflatoxin occurrence, a total of 180 samples of different foods widely consumed in Tunisia were analysed by an in-house-validated high-performance liquid chromatography method including affinity column clean-up and post-column bromination techniques.

Results: The method used appeared to be rapid, selective and reproducible, and its performances were established. Detection limits were 0.

Fumonisin determination in tunisian foods and feeds. ELISA and HPLC methods comparison.

A survey for fumonisins B1 and B2 (FB1 and FB2, respectively) was performed on 180 samples of high-consumption food commodities and 15 feed samples randomly collected from various regions of Tunisia. The determination of fumonisin level was performed by an in-house validated high-performance liquid chromatography and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) methods. Detection limit by ELISA for fumonisins sum was 25 microg/kg, and those by HPLC were 50 microg/kg for FB1 and 70 microg/kg for FB2.

Serum levels of ochratoxin A in healthy subjects and in nephropathic patients in Tunisia.

Ochratoxin A is a fungal toxin produced by Aspergillus and Penicillinium. These Fungi oftenly contaminate plant-derived products, and can generate deleterious toxic effects in man. In this study, ochratoxin A was determined in human serum samples collected in Tunisia, using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and fluorescence detection.