Genetic variations in CYP2A6, CYP2E1, GSTM1, GSTT1 genes and the risk of Nasopharyngeal carcinoma in North African population.

Background: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a multifactorial malignancy associated with both genetic and environmental factors. Polymorphic deletions of the phase I and phase II genes involved in the detoxification of potential carcinogens may be a risk factor for nasopharyngeal carcinoma. In this study, we investigated the relationship between CYP2E1 (rs3813867), CYP2A6, GSTM1(rs1183423000) and GSTT1(rs1601993659) gene variations and NPC risk in North African countries with the highest incidence of NPC (Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia).

Association between single nucleotide polymorphisms in DNA repair genes and the efficacy of radiotherapy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients.

Introduction: Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in DNA repair genes are mainly correlated with the response to radiotherapy in nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC). In NPC patients, previous research has studied the association between X-ray repair cross-complementing group 1 and 3 (XRCC1 and XRCC3) polymorphisms and radio-therapeutic response. The objective of our study was to test the association between XRCC1 Arg399Gln and XRCC3 Thr241Met polymorphisms and the response to radiotherapy in the NPC Moroccan population.

Epidemiological, Clinicopathological and Prognosis Features of Moroccan Patients with Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma.

Proposal: A distinct epidemiology, etiology, clinical characteristics, and therapeutic outcomes characterize nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) from other head and neck cancers. An actualized analysis of NPC patients' features enables a global view of NPC management. Accordingly, the current study investigated the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of Moroccan patients with NPC, as well as their 4-years survival outcomes and influencing prognostic factors.

Genetic Polymorphisms in ERCC1 Gene and Their Association with Response to Radiotherapy in Moroccan Patients with Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma.

Objective: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a severe malignant disease. Despite its low frequency, NPC is very common in North African population. Radiotherapy is the standard therapeutic treatment of NPC.

The Dynamic Change in Plasma Epstein-Barr Virus DNA Load over a Long-Term Follow-Up Period Predicts Prognosis in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma.

The current study was designed to investigate the changes in the circulating Epstein−Barr virus DNA load (EBV DNA) at various time points before and after treatment and its clinical significance in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). A total of 142 patients with NPC were prospectively enrolled in this study. The plasma EBV DNA concentration was measured before and after treatment using qPCR.

Pretreatment [F]FDG PET/CT and MRI in the prognosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Objective: The present study aimed to assess the prognostic interest of metabolic and anatomic parameters derived from 2-deoxy-2-[F]fluoro-D-glucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography ([F]FDG PET/CT) and head and neck magnetic resonance imaging (HN-MRI) for better management of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

Methods: In this study, pre-treatment [F]FDG PET/CT and HN-MRI parameters of NPC patients diagnosed between January 2017 and December 2018, were prospectively investigated. Correlation between those parameters and 4-year patient's survival outcomes was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier and Cox-regression analyses.

Genotypic diversity of multi- and pre-extremely drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates from Morocco.

In Morocco, the prevalence of multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) continues to increase especially within previously treated cases; these MDR cases may evolve to extensively drug resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) raising major concern to TB control programs. From an epidemiological window, scarce informations are available about the genetic diversity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) strains fueling these forms of resistance. The aim of this study was to assess to genetic diversity of MDR-MTB strains.

MicroRNAs: Key Regulators in Lung Cancer.

Noncoding RNAs have emerged as key regulators of the genome upon gene expression profiling and genome-wide sequencing. Among these noncoding RNAs, microRNAs are short noncoding RNAs that regulate a plethora of functions, biological processes and human diseases by targeting the messenger RNA stability through 3'UTR binding, leading to either mRNA cleavage or translation repression, depending on microRNA-mRNA complementarity degree. Additionally, strong evidence has suggested that dysregulation of miRNAs contributes to the etiology and progression of human cancers, such as lung cancer, the most common and deadliest cancer worldwide.

Circulating cell-free epstein-barr virus DNA levels and clinical features in Moroccan patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Background: The identification of effective prognosis biomarkers for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is crucial to improve treatment and patient outcomes. In the present study, we have attempted to evaluate the correlation between pre-treatment plasmatic Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA load and the conventional prognostic factors in Moroccan patients with NPC.

Methods: The present study was conducted on 121 histologically confirmed NPC patients, recruited from January 2017 to December 2018.

The displacement study of Tc-DTPA-Human serum albumin binding in presence of furosemide and metformin by using equilibrium dialysis and molecular docking.

The Tc-DTPA (Technetium diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid), is a radiopharmaceutical used in renal scintigraphy. The human serum albumin (HSA) binding site(s) for the Tc-DTPA have never been characterized. This study will cover in vitro the binding rates of Tc-DTPA on HSA and the Tc-DTPA competition interactions with two drugs having known human serum albumin binding sites.

Crystal structure, Hirshfeld surface analysis and DFT study of (2)-2-(4-fluoro-benzyl-idene)-4-(prop-2-yn-1-yl)-3,4-di-hydro-2-1,4-benzo-thia-zin-3-one.

The title compound, CHFNOS, is built up from a 4-fluoro-benzyl-idene moiety and a di-hydro-benzo-thia-zine unit with a propynyl substituent, with the heterocyclic portion of the di-hydro-benzo-thia-zine unit adopting a shallow boat conformation with the propynyl substituent nearly perpendicular to it. The two benzene rings are oriented at a dihedral angle of 43.02 (6)°.

Effect of Melatonin Implants during the Non-Breeding Season on the Onset of Ovarian Activity and the Plasma Prolactin in Dromedary Camel.

To examine a possible control of reproductive seasonality by melatonin, continual-release subcutaneous melatonin implants were inserted 4.5 months before the natural breeding season (October-April) into female camels (Melatonin-treated group). The animals were exposed to an artificial long photoperiod (16L:8D) for 41 days prior to implant placement to facilitate receptivity to the short-day signal that is expected with melatonin implants.

HPV and cofactors for invasive cervical cancer in Morocco: a multicentre case-control study.

Background: Limited national information is available in Morocco on the prevalence and distribution of HPV-sub-types of cervical cancer and the role of other risk factors. The aim was to determine the frequency of HPV-sub-types of cervical cancer in Morocco and investigate risk factors for this disease.

Methods: Between November 2009 and April 2012 a multicentre case-control study was carried out.

A review of the infection-associated cancers in North African countries.

Cancer is typically classified as a leading non-communicable disease; however, infectious agents, such as Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human papilloma virus (HPV), contribute significantly to the pathogenesis of various cancers. Less developed countries, including countries of the North African (NA) region, endure the highest burden of infection-related cancers.

Rifoligotyping assay: an alternative method for rapid detection of rifampicin resistance in isolates from Morocco.

One of the greatest threats to global tuberculosis (TB) control is the growing prevalence of drug resistant strains. In the past decades, considerable efforts have been made upon the development of new molecular technologies and methodologies for detection of drug resistance in (MTB). A sensitive, specific reverse line blot assay, called rifoligotyping (RIFO), for the detection of genotypic resistance to rifampicin (RIF), was designed and evaluated.

Decolorization of the anthraquinone dye Cibacron Blue 3G-A with immobilized Coprinus cinereus in fluidized bed bioreactor.

Coprinus cinereus, which was able to decolorize the anthraquinone dye Cibacron Blue 3G-A (CB) enzymatically, was used as a biocatalyst for the decolorization of synthetic solutions containing this reactive dye. Coprinus cinereus was immobilized in both calcium alginate and polyacrylamide gels, and was used for the decolorization of CB from synthetic water by using a fluidized bed bioreactor. The highest specific decolorization rate was obtained when Coprinus cinereus was entrapped in calcium alginate beads, and was of about 3.

The ascorbic acid cycle mediates signal transduction leading to stress-induced stomatal closure.

Using a combination of pharmacological approaches, mutation analysis and a gene silencing strategy, we present evidence that treatment of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) plants with exogenous ascorbate (AsA) subsequently increases the level of cellular AsA and causes stomatal closure. Using the ABA-deficient mutants flacca and sitiens, we show that the AsA-mediated induction of stomatal closure requires the participation of ABA.