Common RBC antigens in O type Tunisian blood donors and their importance in alloimmunization.

Background: The presence of some red blood cell (RBC) antigens may affect the preference for using type O blood in emergency situations because they may induce complex or multiple alloimmunization in special circumstances.

Methods: A subgroup of 77 type O blood Tunisian donors were genotyped for 19 common blood alleles using the single specific primer-polymerase chain reaction method. The statistical analysis was done using HaploView software.

The CD28 IVS3 + 17 T/C polymorphism and the GVHD occurrence in Tunisian patients receiving an HLA-identical sibling HSCs transplant.

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a potentially serious complication ofallogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Graft-contaminating T cells (donor T cells) arecrucial for the development ofGVHD since they are able to react against the recipient's antigens. In this study we aim toevaluatethepotentialassociation between the IVS3 + 17 T/C gene variation in the CD28 molecule, a T cells costimulatory factor, and the GVHD occurrence in a Tunisian group of recipients of allo-HSCTs.

Effect of maturation level on normative specific-agility performance metrics and their fitness predictors in soccer players aged 11-18 years.

Background: In sports sciences, normative data serve as standards for specific physical performance attributes, enhancing talent identification within a specific population. The aim of this study was to provide standard data for Agility-15 m, Ball-15 m tests, and skill index, considering maturation level, specifically age at peak height velocity (PHV). The study also investigated the relationship between relative performances in these tests and anthropometrics, jumping (squat jump [SJ], countermovement jump [CMJ]), and sprinting abilities (S-5 m, S-10 m, S-20 m, S-30 m) in young soccer players.

Global pandemic crisis and risk contagion in GCC stock markets.

This study investigates how the COVID-19 outbreak has shaped the volatility spillover between oil and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) stock markets. Contagion analysis is conducted by implementing a vector error correction (VECM) asymmetric BEKK model, wherein both cointegration and asymmetric features are considered. Financial market uncertainty caused by the recent health crisis is captured using Baker et al.

Minor histocompatibility antigens HA-8 and PANE1 in the TUNISIAN population.

Background: Minor histocompatibility antigens (mHAgs) are endogenous immunogenic peptides initially identified due to complications detected in several contexts of HLA geno-identical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). In this study, we chose to examine the molecular polymorphism of the mHAgs HA-8 and PANE1 in the Tunisian population.

Material And Methods: This study was conducted on 150 healthy and unrelated individuals.

Trichobezoar: A case report of a double gastric and ilial localization revealed by an occlusion.

Introduction And Importance: A bezoar is an agglutination of ingested materials forming an indigestible and insoluble mass inside the gastrointestinal tract. Trichobezoars formed by ingested hair are rare. The stomach tends to be the typical location.

Polyphasic OKJIP Chlorophyll Fluorescence Transient in a Landrace and a Commercial Cultivar of Sweet Pepper (, L.) under Long-Term Salt Stress.

In a soilless long-term salt-stress experiment, we tested the differences between the commercial sweet pepper cultivar "Quadrato d'Asti" and the landrace "Cazzone Giallo" in the structure and function of PSII through the JIP test analysis of the fast chlorophyll fluorescence transients (OKJIP). Salt stress inactivated the oxygen-evolving complex. Performance index detected the stress earlier than the maximum quantum yield of PSII, which remarkably decreased in the long term.

Yield and quality of Amaranthus hypochondriacus grain amaranth under drought and salinity at various phenological stages in southern Italy.

Background: Several studies have shown that grain amaranth (Amaranthus spp.) is tolerant to abiotic stresses such as drought and salinity. Irrigation applied only during sensitive growth stages can stabilize yield and improve water use efficiency.

Agronomic Practices and Performances of Quinoa under Field Conditions: A Systematic Review.

Quinoa ( Willd.) is one of the most popular emerging food crops in the Andean region. It is tolerant to environmental stresses and characterized by interesting nutritional traits.

Field phenotyping and quality traits of grass pea genotypes in South Italy.

Background: Grass pea (Laithyrus sativus L.) is a rustic plant whose seeds are rich in polyphenols and antioxidants, and it has been consumed as food by human beings since ancient times. This study was conducted in Italy between 2017and 2019 to evaluate, under field conditions, the stability of seed yield, biomass and 1000-seed weight (THS) and to assess the antioxidant composition and activity of 11 grass pea accessions.

Identification of a new natural gastric lipase inhibitor from star anise.

The identification and isolation of bioactive compounds are of great interest in the drug delivery field, despite being a difficult task. We describe here an innovative strategy for the identification of a new gastric lipase inhibitor from star anise for the treatment of obesity. After plant screening assays for gastric lipase inhibition, star anise was selected and investigated by bioactivity guided fractionation.

Monoacylglycerol and diacylglycerol production by hydrolysis of refined vegetable oil by-products using an immobilized lipase from Serratia sp. W3.

Unlike the synthetic surfactants, mono- and diacylglycerols have the advantage to be biodegradable and non-toxic. In the present work, the hydrolysis of lipid fraction by-products of refined vegetable oils was performed by Serratia sp. W lipase immobilized on CaCO by combined adsorption and precipitation.

Inhibition of pancreatic lipase and amylase by extracts of different spices and plants.

The aim of this study is to search new anti-obesity and anti-diabetic agents from plant and spices crude extracts as alternative to synthetic drugs. The inhibitory effect of 72 extracts was evaluated, in vitro, on lipase and amylase activities. Aqueous extracts of cinnamon and black tea exhibited an appreciable inhibitory effect on pancreatic amylase with IC values of 18 and 87 μg, respectively.

Valorization of antioxidants extracted from olive mill wastewater.

Antioxidants are highly important gradients used to preserve cosmetic products and reduce the effect of oxidative stress on the skin. The present work explores the possibility of using phenolic compounds of olive mill wastewater (OMW) as effective alternatives to the commercial antioxidants used in cosmetic formulations deemed by their allergic and carcinogenic effects. Esterification of tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol extracted from OMW with various fatty acids was conducted using Novozyme 435 lipase as a biocatalyst.

Industrial wastewater as raw material for exopolysaccharide production by Rhizobium leguminosarum.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the exopolysaccharide (EPS) production by Rhizobium leguminosarum cultivated in wastewater generated by oil companies (WWOC1 and WWOC2) and fish processing industry (WWFP). The results obtained in Erlenmeyer flasks indicated that the rhizobial strain grew well in industrial wastewater. Generally, wastewater composition affected the growth and the EPS production.

Cactus juice as bioflocculant in the coagulation-flocculation process for industrial wastewater treatment: a comparative study with polyacrylamide.

Most industries in the world treat their wastewaters with a conventional coagulation-flocculation process using alum as coagulant, polyacrylamide (PAM) as flocculant and lime as coagulant aid. To reduce the use of chemical products in the process, experiments were conducted to substitute the PAM with cactus juice (CJ) as flocculant. From the obtained data, it was concluded that the substitution of PAM with CJ in the coagulation-flocculation process was very effective, compared with PAM.

Lipophilization of ascorbic acid: a monolayer study and biological and antileishmanial activities.

Ascorbyl lipophilic derivatives (Asc-C2 to Asc-C(18:1)) were synthesized in a good yield using lipase from Staphylococcus xylosus produced in our laboratory and immobilized onto silica aerogel. Results showed that esterification had little effect on radical-scavenging capacity of purified ascorbyl esters using DPPH assay in ethanol. However, long chain fatty acid esters displayed higher protection of target lipids from oxidation.

Optimization of marine waste based-growth media for microbial lipase production using mixture design methodology.

Lipase production by Staphylococcus xylosus and Rhizopus oryzae was investigated using a culture medium based on a mixture of synthetic medium and supernatants generated from tuna by-products and Ulva rigida biomass. The proportion of the three medium components was optimized using the simplex-centroid mixture design method (SCMD). Results indicated that the experimental data were in good agreement with predicted values, indicating that SCMD was a reliable method for determining the optimum mixture proportion of the growth medium.

A thermoactive secreted phospholipase A₂ purified from the venom glands of Scorpio maurus: relation between the kinetic properties and the hemolytic activity.

A lipolytic activity was located in the scorpion venom glands (telsons), from which a phospholipase A₂ (Sm-PLVG) was purified. Like known phospholipases A₂ from scorpion venom, which are 14-18 kDa proteins, the purified Scorpio maurus-Phospholipase from Venom Glands (Sm-PLVG) has a molecular mass of 17 kDa containing long and short chains linked by disulfide bridge. It has a specific activity of 5500 U/mg measured at 47 °C and pH 8.

[Bone metabolism, biochemical markers of bone resorption and formation processes and interleukine 6 cytokin level during coeliac disease].

Background: Celiac disease (CD) is characterized by a malabsorption syndrom. The bone anomalies are one of the principal complications of this disease. The osteoporosis frequency is high: 3.

Enzymatic transesterification of palm stearin and olein blends to produce zero-trans margarine fat.

Background: Food industries aim to replace trans fat in their products by formulations having equivalent functionality and economic viability. Enzymatic transesterification can be a technological option to produce trans free fats targeting commercial applications.

Results: Palm stearin and palm olein blends in different ratios were enzymatically transesterified in a solvent free system using a Rhizopus oryzae lipase immobilised onto CaCO3 to produce a suitable fat for margarine formulation.

A thermoactive uropygial esterase from chicken: purification, characterisation and synthesis of flavour esters.

A lipolytic activity was located in the chicken uropygial glands, from which a carboxylesterase (CUE) was purified. Pure CUE has an apparent molecular mass of 50 kDa. The purified esterase displayed its maximal activity (200 U/mg) on short-chain triacylglycerols (tributyrin) at a temperature of 50°C.

Evidence that erythrocyte DARC-positive phenotype can affect the GVHD occurrence after HLA-identical sibling HSCT.

Chemokine receptors are very important players in the pathogenesis of GVHD. The aim of this study is to test the hypothesis that the lack of expression of the DARC receptor on erythrocytes can affect the GVHD incidence. A total of 105 recipients and their 105 respective sibling donors of HSCs were enrolled in this study.

Do FY antigens act as minor histocompatibility antigens in the graft-versus-host disease paradigm after human leukocyte antigen-identical sibling hematopoietic stem cell transplantation?

FY antigens are candidate minor histocompatibility antigens relevant to renal allograft rejection, but no data have been reported about their role in graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) incidence after human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-identical siblings hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). The aim of this study was to examine the effect of donor/recipient disparity at FY antigens on the incidence of GVHD in Tunisian patients receiving an HLA-identical HSCT. This work enrolled 105 Tunisian pairs of recipients and their HLA-identical sibling donors of HSCs.

Immobilized Rhizopus oryzae lipase catalyzed synthesis of palm stearin and cetyl alcohol wax esters: optimization by response surface methodology.

Background: Waxes are esters of long-chain fatty acids and long-chain alcohols. Their principal natural sources are animals (sperm whale oil) and vegetables (jojoba) which are expensive and not easily available. Wax esters synthesized by enzymatic transesterification, using palm stearin as raw material, can be considered as an alternative to natural ones.