Nasopharyngeal Carriage of in Tunisian Healthy under-Five Children during a Three-Year Survey Period (2020 to 2022).

We aimed to assess the prevalence of nasopharyngeal pneumococcal carriage and to determine serotype distribution, antibiotic susceptibility patterns, and evolutionary dynamics of isolates in healthy under-five children. Nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from healthy children over three survey periods between 2020 and 2022. All pneumococcal isolates were serotyped and tested for antimicrobial susceptibility.

Group B and Perinatality in the South of Tunisia: Epidemiology, Serotype Distribution, and Antibiotic Susceptibility.

Introduction: In the lack of updated Tunisian epidemiological data, we sought to describe the epidemiology of Group B (GBS) in pregnant women and newborns.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective analysis of GBS neonatal invasive infections and a cross-sectional study evaluating the prevalence of maternal GBS colonization were conducted. GBS isolates were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility, serotyped, and assessed for the appurtenance to the hypervirulent ST17 clone.

Combined Nivolumab and Ipilimumab in Octogenarian and Nonagenarian Melanoma Patients.

Data regarding elderly melanoma patients treated with anti-PD-1 or anti-CTLA-4 antibodies are in favor of tolerability outcomes that are similar to those of younger counterparts. However, there are very few studies focusing on elderly patients receiving nivolumab combined with ipilimumab (NIVO + IPI). Here, we ask what are the current prescribing patterns of NIVO + IPI in the very elderly population and analyze the tolerance profile.

Role of Serum Amyloid A as a Biomarker for Predicting the Severity and Prognosis of COVID-19.

Objective: To detect biomarkers that can be used to predict COVID-19 severity to identify patients with high probability of disease progression and poor prognosis.

Methods: Of the 102 patients with confirmed COVID-19 who were admitted to King Fahd General Hospital, Jeddah City, Saudi Arabia, from July 1, 2021 to August 5, 2021, 50 were included in this cross-sectional study to investigate the influence of serum amyloid A (SAA) on disease severity and survival outcomes of COVID-19 patients. Dynamic shifts in SAA, C-reactive protein (CRP), white blood cell (WBC), lymphocytes, neutrophils, biochemical markers, and disease progression were examined.

Heterotopic ossification and COVID 19: Imaging analysis of ten consecutive cases.

Purpose: Heterotopic ossification (HO) is defined by the formation of mature lamellar bone in periarticular soft tissue due to prolonged immobility. This study aimed to explore the imaging features of HOs in immobilized COVID-19 patients compared to other causes previously described in the literature.

Method: This retrospective single centre study included patients with severe COVID-19 hospitalized in intensive care unit (ICU) with mechanical ventilation and affected by HOs between March 2020 and December 2021.

Validation of a deep learning segmentation algorithm to quantify the skeletal muscle index and sarcopenia in metastatic renal carcinoma.

Objectives: To validate a deep learning (DL) algorithm for measurement of skeletal muscular index (SMI) and prediction of overall survival in oncology populations.

Methods: A retrospective single-center observational study included patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma between 2007 and 2019. A set of 37 patients was used for technical validation of the algorithm, comparing manual vs DL-based evaluations.

Relationship Between Serotypes and Antimicrobial Nonsusceptibility of Clinical Isolates in Tunisia.

remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide despite the overall success of the vaccine programs. In Tunisia, pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV)10 was introduced in the national immunization program in April 2019. We sought to determine the relationship between serotypes and antimicrobial nonsusceptibility of isolates recovered from clinical samples in the prevaccination period in the south of Tunisia.

Neuroprotective effects of PACAP against paraquat-induced oxidative stress in the Drosophila central nervous system.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative movement disorder that can arise after long-term exposure to environmental oxidative stressors, such as the herbicide paraquat (PQ). Here we investigated the potential neuroprotective action of vertebrate pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) against PQ in Drosophila. We found that pre-treatment with this neuropeptide applied to the ventral nerve cord (VNC) at low doses markedly extended the survival of wild-type decapitated flies exposed to neurotoxic levels of PQ or dopamine (DA).

Antioxidant and Anti-Apoptotic Activity of Octadecaneuropeptide Against 6-OHDA Toxicity in Cultured Rat Astrocytes.

Oxidative stress, associated with various neurodegenerative diseases, promotes ROS generation, impairs cellular antioxidant defenses, and finally, triggers both neurons and astroglial cell death by apoptosis. Astrocytes specifically synthesize and release endozepines, a family of regulatory peptides, including the octadecaneuropeptide (ODN). We have previously reported that ODN acts as a potent neuroprotective agent that prevents 6-OHDA-induced apoptotic neuronal death.

[Symmetrical peripheral gangrene: 4 cases].

Background: Symmetric peripheral gangrene (SPG) is a symmetrical distal ischemic lesion on at least 2 or more extremities in the absence of proximal arterial obstruction and vasculitis. It is a rare and severe clinical entity. The aim of this study was to describe clinical symptoms, etiological agents and the management of SPG through a series of 4 cases.

[Early detection of COPD in smoking cessation outpatients].

Background: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is among the leading causes of chronic morbidity and mortality throughout the world. Potentially, COPD can be prevented by the early detection of COPD, which generally entails spirometry. Physicians in smoking cessation outpatient are in an ideal position to detect early-stage of COPD by the simple examination of the patient.

Predictive Factors of Febrile Neutropenia Induced by Anticancer Chemotherapy in the South of Tunisia.

Introduction: Febrile Neutropenia (FN) secondary to chemotherapy is the most common and the earliest hematological complication. The aim of this work is to study the predictive factors of FN. Materiel and Methods: This is a retrospective study including 186 episodes of FN induced by chemotherapy treated in the department of oncology at Sfax in southern Tunisia during the period between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2010.

Neonatal purulent meningitis in southern Tunisia: Epidemiology, bacteriology, risk factors and prognosis.

Objectives: To study the epidemiological, clinical and bacteriological aspects and outcome of purulent neonatal meningitis (PNM).

Methodology: Retrospective analysis of 55 cases of PNM hospitalized in the pediatric ward of Hedi Chaker Hospital from 1990 to 2012. Infants less than 29 days of age were included.

[Bacterial meningitis in children: epidemiological data and outcome].

Background: The bacterial meningitis in children remains a worrisome affection both by its frequency and by its gravity.

Aim: describe the epidemiological, clinical and evolutionary data of bacterial meningitis in children aged between 3 months and 15 years.

Methods: we conducted a retrospective study of all cases of bacterial meningitis collected in the department of pediatrics of Hedi Chaker hospital, during a period of 6 years (2006-2011).

[The announcement of the lung age it is a motivation to quit smoking?].

Background: Smoking represents an ever-increasing problem of public health in the world, the impact of which is actually rising. The majority of smokers wish to stop smoking one day. This fact is one of the major acts leading to a better health and wellbeing.

Antioxidant potential of Ulva rigida extracts: protection of HeLa cells against H₂O₂ cytotoxicity.

The rising demand for natural antioxidants instead of synthetic materials, especially in biomedical applications, has led to increased interest in the search for bioactive compounds with potent antioxidant activity. In the present study, we tested the antioxidant effect of both a crude extract and an ethanol precipitate of Ulva rigida in HeLa cells exposed to hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂). HeLa cells treated with H₂O₂ (1 mmol l⁻¹ for 3 h) exhibited significant damage to their morphology, a significant decrease in cell survival, and a remarkable leakage of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH).

Predicting left ventricular dysfunction after valve repair for mitral regurgitation due to leaflet prolapse: additive value of left ventricular end-systolic dimension to ejection fraction.

Aims: Left ventricular (LV) dysfunction is the first cause of late mortality after mitral valve surgery. In this retrospective analysis, we studied the association between preoperative echocardiographic LV measures and occurrence of LV dysfunction after mitral valve repair (MVR).

Methods And Results: Between 1991 and 2009, 335 consecutive patients underwent MVR for severe mitral regurgitation due to leaflet prolapse in our institution.

[MR imaging features of tuberculosis of the sellar region].

Purpose: Tuberculosis of the sellar region, especially the pituitary gland, is rare. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate through a review of five clinical cases the value of imaging, especially MR imaging, in the evaluation of this pathology.

Patients And Methods: CT and MRI of the brain were obtained in all cases along with a chest radiograph.

Left atrial size is a potent predictor of mortality in mitral regurgitation due to flail leaflets: results from a large international multicenter study.

Background: Left atrium (LA) enlargement is common in organic mitral regurgitation (MR) and is an emerging prognostic indicator. However, outcome implications of LA enlargement have not been analyzed in the context of routine clinical practice and in a multicenter study.

Methods And Results: The Mitral Regurgitation International DAtabase (MIDA) registry enrolls patients with organic MR due to flail leaflets, diagnosed in routine clinical practice, in 5 US and European centers.