Loss of Sour Taste Is the Striking Feature among Four Basic Taste Qualities in Tunisian COVID-19 Patients.

Background: Taste disorders (TDs) have been reported to be very common in patients suffering from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. In most of the hitherto conducted studies, a gustatory assessment was performed on the basis of surveys or self-reports by patients. The aim of our study was to undertake an objective assessment of four basic taste qualities by conducting tasting sessions that allowed detection thresholds in COVID-19 Tunisian patients and to study their associations with inflammation.

Palatal swelling revealing a secondary hyperparathyroidism: A case report.

• Secondary hyperparathyroidism is a common complication of chronic renal disease. • Brown tumors are rare benign bone tumors caused by exposure to excessive parathyroid hormone secretion during hyperparathyroidism. • Head and neck brown tumors are rare.

Sleep habits and quality among war and conflict-affected Palestinian adults in the Gaza strip.

Objectives/background: Sleep may be affected by traumatic experiences leading to an increased risk of poor quality of life and daily functioning. However, studies related to sleep habits and problems in conflict-affected areas are still sparse. The present study attended to describe sleep habits, estimate the prevalence rate of sleep disturbances, and identify associated factors in the Gaza strip.

EMERGENCY SURGERY FOR OBSTRUCTING COLON CANCER: MORBIDITY AND RISK FACTORS OF EARLY POSTOPERATIVE MORTALITY - A COHORT STUDY OF 118 CASES.

Background: Occlusion is the most common complication of colon cancer. Surgical treatment is associated with the highest morbidity and mortality rate (10-27%) and has the worst prognosis. It is necessary for immediate management, avoiding colic perforation and peritonitis.

Effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy on CD147, ACE2 and HLA-G expression.

Introduction: Recent studies reported a differential expression of both ACE2 and CD147 in pregnant women associated to SARS-CoV-2 placental infection. The aim of this study is to further investigate the placental SARS-CoV-2 infection and the potential effect on protein expression (ACE2, CD147, HLA-G and CD56).

Methods: The study was on three subgroups: i) 18 subjects positive for SARS-CoV-2 swab at delivery; ii) 9 subjects that had a positive SARS-CoV-2 swab during pregnancy but resulted negative at delivery; iii) 11 control subjects with physiological pregnancy and with no previous or concomitant SARS-CoV-2 swab positivity.

Biosynthesis and Characterization of Silver Nanoparticles from the Extremophile Plant and Their Antioxidant, Antimicrobial and Anti-Diabetic Capacities.

The present paper described the first green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) from the extremophile plant . The characterization of the biosynthesized silver nanoparticles was carried out by using UV-Vis, FTIR and STM analysis. The antioxidant, antidiabetic and antimicrobial properties were also reported.

BRAF V600E and Novel Somatic Mutations in Thyroid Cancer of Libyan Patients.

Background: Thyroid cancer (TC) is a common endocrine malignancy that frequently harbours the oncogenic V600E BRAF mutation. This mutation has received considerable attention in recent years for its potential utility in the risk stratification and management of TC. This study aims to investigate BRAF mutational status in thyroid cancer of Libyan patients and their association with clinicopathological factors.

The root transcriptome dynamics reveals new valuable insights in the salt-resilience mechanism of wild grapevine ( subsp).

Introduction: Most of elite cultivated grapevine varieties ( L.), conventionally grafted on rootstocks, are becoming more and more affected by climate changes, such as increase of salinity. Therefore, we revisited the valuable genetic resources of wild grapevines () to elaborate strategies for a sustainable viticulture.

Spinal radiographic progression is correlated with preclinical atherosclerosis in spondyloarthritis.

Background: A higher prevalence of cardiovascular risk was observed in spondyloarthritis (SpA). The relationship between disease-related factors structural damage and subclinical atherosclerosis is still unknown.

Objective: The aim of our study was to evaluate the association of subclinical atherosclerosis with radiographic structural damage in patients with SpA.

SARS-CoV-2 Serology: Utility and Limits of Different Antigen-Based Tests through the Evaluation and the Comparison of Four Commercial Tests.

Introduction: SARS-CoV-2 serology have several indications. Currently, as there are various types available, it is important to master their performance in order to choose the best test for the indication. We evaluated and compared four different commercial serology tests, three of them had the Food and Drug Administration Emergency Use Authorization (FDA-EUA).

Surgical resection of a massive residual retroperitoneal mass after chemotherapy for a paratesticular rhabdomyosarcoma: a case report.

Introduction: Paratesticular rhabdomyosarcoma is a rare and aggressive mesenchymal tumor, accounting for only 7% of all rhabdomyosarcomas. It is mainly encountered in children and adolescents. The standard treatment consists of radical orchidectomy with negative surgical margins.

Enriched PUFA environment of Leishmania infantum promastigotes promotes the accumulation of lipid mediators and favors parasite infectivity towards J774 murine macrophages.

Leishmania parasites are the causative agents of visceral or cutaneous leishmaniasis in humans and of canine leishmaniosis. The macrophage is the predilected host cell of Leishmania in which the promastigote stage is transformed into amastigote. We previously showed changes in the fatty acid composition (FA) of lipids in two strains of Leishmania donovani upon differentiation of promastigote to amastigote, including increased proportions of arachidonic acid (AA) and to a less extent of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

RADICAL VERSUS CONSERVATIVE METHODS IN ONE-STAGE PILONIDAL ABSCESS SURGERY: THE EXPERIENCE OF A TUNISIAN CENTER.

Background: Surgical treatment for pilonidal abscess is the gold standard, but not yet well codified. Different techniques proposed can be conservative or radical.

Aims: The aim of our study was to compare postoperative outcomes of both methods in one-stage treatment strategy.

Association between Rheumatic Disease Comorbidity Index and factors of poor prognosis in a cohort of 280 patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is commonly associated with higher rates of comorbidities. Recent recommendations highlight screening comorbidities during the disease course because of their impact on patients' ability to function, on disease outcome, but also on treatment choices. Hence the interest of our study that aimed to quantify the impact of comorbidities among RA patients using a validated tool the Rheumatic Disease Comorbidity Index (RDCI) and to explore the association between comorbidities and disease characteristics.

Global burden of gout in 1990-2019: A systematic analysis of the Global Burden of Disease study 2019.

Background And Aims: Although gout is one of the most common rheumatic diseases, world data are lacking because most studies have focused on industrialized countries. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the global burden of gout and its associations with the year of diagnosis, age, geographical region, sociodemographic status and various further risk factors.

Methods: Retrospective data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) were used, initially collected between 1990 and 2019.

Culture filtrate protein 32 as a potential target to attenuate the heterogeneous antibody response against Antigens in different endemic settings.

Background: We previously reported the development of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the detection of the immunoglobulin G (IgG) response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis virulence factor - culture filtrate protein 32 (CFP32). The assay achieved high performance in comparing healthy Bacillus Calmette-Guerin-vaccinated controls with active tuberculosis (TB) patients from the Tunisian population. Herein, we aimed to assess the anti-CFP32 IgG response in suspected or confirmed active pulmonary TB individuals in different endemic settings.

Risk factors for rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease: a retrospective study.

Background: The objective of this study was to assess clinical and imaging features of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) associated with interstitial lung disease (ILD), (RA-ILD) group, in comparison to RA without ILD (RA-C) and to identify the associated factors to ILD.

Methods: This was a retrospective comparative study (from June 2015 to March 2022) including RA patients aged ≥18 years. The RA-C control group was matched according to age (±2 years), gender, and RA duration (±2 years).

Nonpharmaceutical interventions reduce the incidence and mortality of COVID-19: A study based on the survey from the International COVID-19 Research Network (ICRN).

The recently emerged novel coronavirus, "severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2)," caused a highly contagious disease called coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). It has severely damaged the world's most developed countries and has turned into a major threat for low- and middle-income countries. Since its emergence in late 2019, medical interventions have been substantial, and most countries relied on public health measures collectively known as nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs).

Aspergillus flavus genetic structure at a turkey farm.

Background: The ubiquitous environmental fungus Aspergillus flavus is also a life-threatening avian pathogen.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the genetic diversity and population structure of A. flavus isolated from turkey lung biopsy or environmental samples collected in a poultry farm.

Oxiapoptophagy in Age-Related Diseases. Comment on Ouyang et al. 7-Ketocholesterol Induces Oxiapoptophagy and Inhibits Osteogenic Differentiation in MC3T3-E1 Cells. 2022, , 2882.

Due to the increase in life span and life expectancy, which can, however, be more or less pronounced depending on the economic, social and cultural context [...

Foot Functional Disability in Rheumatoid Arthritis: The Involvement of Body Mass Index.

Introduction: Overweight and obesity are common in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), with a probable impact on bearing foot joints.

Aim: Our study aimed to explore the impact of Body Mass Index (BMI) on foot health parameters in RA patients.

Methods: It was a cross-sectional study.

Influencing Factors in Tunisian Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients' Quality of Life: Burden and Solutions.

Background: Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a disease with a heavy functional, psychological, and socioeconomic impact. The management of Quality of Life (QoL) as a therapeutic objective is a fairly recent notion, especially in Tunisia. We aimed to evaluate QoL in RA patients and to identify its affecting factors.

Zoledronate-Associated Seizure in Chronic Recurrent Multifocal Osteomyelitis.

Chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis (CRMO) is an auto-inflammatory disease characterised by sterile bone lesions. We report a case of a seven-year-old female patient who presented at a university hospital in 2010 and 2018 with CRMO. While the most promising results have been observed in patients under treatment with bisphosphonates (BPs), the initial decision to treat the current patient with a dose of zoledronic acid every six months was recalled as the patient developed tonic-clonic seizures immediately following the second dose BP administration.