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The present study designed to determine in compositions of peripheral layer (PL) from barley and triticale. The peripheral layer is a co-product of the grain mill, it represents with the flour and the germ one of the three fractions of the milling, it is used for the chemical protection of the endosperm and the germ. Phytochemicals (phenolic compounds, vitamins and minerals) are beneficial for the health of consumers and are found abundantly in the peripheral layer of cereals. The objective of our work consists an evaluation of the phytochemical value for peripheral layers, the evaluation of the antioxidant content and the antioxidant activity of two varieties of two species of cereal in mature grain: triticale (Ksar Sbahi, Beni Haroun) and barley (Fouara, Saida); from two different regions (Sidi Bel Abbes and Constantine). Finally a comparative study was found in this work. The results obtained show that the variety of each species Triticale (Ksar Sbahi), barley (Fouara) have the highest content of polyphenol and flavonoid (0.027 mg (EAG)/g; 0.019 mg EC/g) and (0.012 mg (EAG)/g; 0.013 mg EC/g), respectively, for the antioxidant activity barley Fouara 1.91 mg/ml shows the best activity against the DPPH radical, a high level of minerals has been observed for the triticale species and a higher level of sodium for the Fouara variety of barley 33.78 mg/l. We are planning additional studies to better characterize the nature of the polyphenolic compounds existing in different histological parts of the wheat grain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to assess the conditions and methods of bank financing for SMEs in the wilaya of Bejaia, which can result in real brakes and obstacles for these companies, which are supposed to be an important lever for economic growth. For this, we have carried out a field survey in the form of a questionnaire addressed to the sixteen banking brands present in the wilaya of Bejaia. Testimonials from bankers and the summary obtained using the Sphinx IQ2 software, combined with the econometric support of the SPSS software, confirmed the fact that these companies do not often find favorable echoes from these credit institutions. Who are constantly in the process of protecting themselves against the vagaries of credit through a selectivity sometimes considered excessive towards these SMEs.

No consensus has been reached regarding the association beween the -308A/G single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the tumor necrosis factor-α gene (TNFA) and kidney allograft rejection (KAR). Our retrospective case-control study aimed to assess the association of the SNP with KAR in Algerian patients who underwent kidney transplantation. The study enrolled 313 Algerian patients: 58 kidney-transplant recipients without rejection events (PWoR); 58 kidney-transplant recipients with at least one rejection event, with or without graft loss (PWR); and 197 healthy individuals (HI). The TNFA -308A/G SNP was genotyped using a real-time polymerase chain reaction. The results demonstrated that, the frequencies of TNFA -308A allele and AA genotype were higher in the PWR than in the HI groups (p = 0.001, OR = 2.26, CI = 1.33-3.77 and p = 0.0004, OR = 5.53, CI-1.89-16.6, respectively). Furthermore, the frequencies were higher among the PWR than among the PWoR groups (p = 0.001, OR = 3.29, CI = 1.56-7.21 and p = 0.0006, OR = 28.26, CI = 1.62-493.2, respectively), particularly among PWR patients with de novo anti-human leukocyte antigens (HLA) antibodies (PG-a-HLA-Ab). However, the frequency of TNFA -308G allele was lower in the PWR group than in the PWoR group (p = 0.001, OR = 0.3, CI = 0.1-0.64) and the HI group (p = 0.001, OR = 0.44, CI = 0.27-0.44). Our results suggest an association of the TNFA -308A/G alleles with KAR in Algerian patients who underwent kidney transplantation. Carriers of TNFA -308A allele who have PG-a-HLA-Ab might have a higher risk, whereas TNFA -308G allele carriers could have a lower risk of KAR. Thus, therapeutic strategies can be adapted to minimize KAR risk in patients who have a genetic proclivity for increased pro-inflammatory TNF-α activity., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A new synthetisis method of Cu-doped ZnO nanoparticles is presented in this work, this novel approach allow one to produce Zinc oxide nanocristal owing to a modified Polyol process that makes use of triethyleneglycol (TREG) as a solvent. The structure and morphology of the nanoparticles were characterized by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), N 2 adsorption study, UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The lightly doped Zn 1-x Cu x O photocatalysts consisted in a novel nanorods structure of Zn 0.9990 Cu 0.0010 O nanoparticles. Taking the photocatalytic degradation of diuron under solar light as liquid phase test reaction, the lightly doped Zn 0.9990 Cu 0.0010 O nanorods photocatalysts showed strongly enhanced photocatalytic activity when compared to the bare ZnO counterpart. The apparent rate constant value of Zn 0.9990 Cu 0.0010 O was 22 times higher than that of pure ZnO. In order to study the environmental risk of Cu-ZnO, clams Ruditapes decussatus were exposed to Cu-ZnOC1 = 0.5 mg/L, Cu-ZnOC2 = 1 mg/L and Cu-ZnO C3 = 5 mg/L. Catalase (CAT) activities, malondialdehyde (MDA) content and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity were determined in gills and digestive gland of treated and untreated clams. Thus, no significant effects were detected in the gills of exposed clams after 7 days compared to control. Thus, MDA level and CAT activity showed significant differences in digestive glands of groups treated by the highest concentration of Cu-ZnO NPs compared to the control. No adverse effects on AChE activity was detected after Cu-ZnO NPs exposure. These results demonstrated that, although Cu-ZnO NPs is not acutely toxic to Ruditapes decussatus , it does exert oxidative stress on clams. These results are encouraging for the Cu-ZnO NPs use in variety of applications due to its high photocatalytic and low environmental toxicity.

Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic disease with worldwide distribution and a major public health problem. In fact, the zoonotic pathogen Toxoplasma gondii infects humans and almost all warm-blooded animals. One of the most common sources of human T. gondii infection is the ingestion of tissue cysts in raw or undercooked meat. The current epidemiological study was carried out in Medea (Algeria), from January to June 2017, using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Antibodies against T. gondii were determined in sera of more than one thousand pregnant women. The different age groups were: 15-20, 20-25, 25-30, 30-35, 35-40 and 40-45. Among 1,012 pregnant women analyzed, 252 (25%) were found seropositive, 49 among them showed a IgG+/IgM+ profile, and 760 (75%) were seronegative exhibiting IgG-/IgM-. Toxoplasmosis prevalence's were 44.5% and 39.5% in 15-20 and 20-25 age categories, respectively. A long-term prevention program is needed and strategies should be focused on the serodiagnosis of toxoplasmosis, especially in pregnant women. Since the consumption of raw or undercooked meat is not a part of the culinary culture in that area of study, cat exposure remains the principal factor of human infection.

The proliferative capacity of residual breast cancer (BC) disease indicates the existence of partial treatment resistance and higher probability of tumor recurrence. We explored the therapeutic potential of adding neoadjuvant metformin as an innovative strategy to decrease the proliferative potential of residual BC cells in patients failing to achieve pathological complete response (pCR) after pre-operative therapy. We performed a prospective analysis involving the intention-to-treat population of the (Metformin and Trastuzumab in Neoadjuvancy) METTEN study, a randomized multicenter phase II trial of women with primary, non-metastatic (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2) HER2-positive BC evaluating the efficacy, tolerability, and safety of oral metformin (850 mg twice-daily) for 24 weeks combined with anthracycline/taxane-based chemotherapy and trastuzumab (arm A) or equivalent regimen without metformin (arm B), before surgery. We centrally evaluated the proliferation marker Ki67 on sequential core biopsies using visual assessment (VA) and an (Food and Drug Administration) FDA-cleared automated digital image analysis (ADIA) algorithm. ADIA-based pre-operative values of high Ki67 (≥20%), but not those from VA, significantly predicted the occurrence of pCR in both arms irrespective of the hormone receptor status ( p = 0.024 and 0.120, respectively). Changes in Ki67 in residual tumors of non-pCR patients were significantly higher in the metformin-containing arm ( p = 0.025), with half of all patients exhibiting high Ki67 at baseline moving into the low-Ki67 (<20%) category after neoadjuvant treatment. By contrast, no statistically significant changes in Ki67 occurred in residual tumors of the control treatment arm ( p = 0.293). There is an urgent need for innovative therapeutic strategies aiming to provide the protective effects of decreasing Ki67 after neoadjuvant treatment even if pCR is not achieved. Metformin would be evaluated as a safe candidate to decrease the aggressiveness of residual disease after neoadjuvant (pre-operative) systemic therapy of BC patients.

Certain dietary interventions might improve the therapeutic index of cancer treatments. An alternative to the "drug plus diet" approach is the pharmacological reproduction of the metabolic traits of such diets. Here we explored the impact of adding metformin to an established therapeutic regimen on the systemic host metabolism of cancer patients. A panel of 11 serum metabolites including markers of mitochondrial function and intermediates/products of folate-dependent one-carbon metabolism were measured in paired baseline and post-treatment sera obtained from HER2-positive breast cancer patients randomized to receive either metformin combined with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and trastuzumab or an equivalent regimen without metformin. Metabolite profiles revealed a significant increase of the ketone body β-hydroxybutyrate and of the TCA intermediate α-ketoglutarate in the metformin-containing arm. A significant relationship was found between the follow-up levels of homocysteine and the ability of treatment arms to achieve a pathological complete response (pCR). In the metformin-containing arm, patients with significant elevations of homocysteine tended to have a higher probability of pCR. The addition of metformin to an established anti-cancer therapeutic regimen causes a fasting-mimicking modification of systemic host metabolism. Circulating homocysteine could be explored as a clinical pharmacodynamic biomarker linking the antifolate-like activity of metformin and biological tumor response.

Background: The minor allele ( C ) of the single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs11212617 , located near the ataxia telangiectasia mutated ( ATM ) gene, has been associated with an increased likelihood of treatment success with metformin in type 2 diabetes. We herein investigated whether the same SNP would predict clinical response to neoadjuvant metformin in women with early breast cancer (BC). Methods: DNA was collected from 79 patients included in the intention-to-treat population of the METTEN study, a phase 2 clinical trial of HER2-positive BC patients randomized to receive either metformin combined with anthracycline/taxane-based chemotherapy and trastuzumab or equivalent regimen without metformin, before surgery. SNP rs11212617 genotyping was assessed using allelic discrimination by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results: Logistic regression analyses revealed a significant relationship between the rs11212617 genotype and the ability of treatment arms to achieve a pathological complete response (pCR) in patients (odds ratio [OR] genotype×arm = 10.33, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.29-82.89, p = 0.028). In the metformin-containing arm, patients bearing the rs11212617 C allele had a significantly higher probability of pCR (OR A / C,C / C = 7.94, 95%CI: 1.60-39.42, p = 0.011). Conversely, no association was found between rs11212617 and clinical response in the reference arm (OR A / C,C / C = 0.77, 95%CI: 0.20-2.92, p = 0.700). After controlling for tumor size and hormone receptor status, the rs11212617 C allele remained a significant predictor of pCR solely in the metformin-containing arm. Conclusions: If reproducible, the rs11212617 C allele might warrant consideration as a predictive clinical biomarker to inform the personalized use of metformin in BC patients. Trial Registration: EU Clinical Trials Register, EudraCT number 2011-000490-30. Registered 28 February 2011, https://www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu/ctr-search/trial/2011-000490-30/ES.

The METTEN study assessed the efficacy, tolerability, and safety of adding metformin to neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus trastuzumab in early HER2-positive breast cancer (BC). Women with primary, non-metastatic HER2-positive BC were randomized (1:1) to receive metformin (850 mg twice-daily) for 24 weeks concurrently with 12 cycles of weekly paclitaxel plus trastuzumab, followed by four cycles of 3-weekly FE75C plus trastuzumab (arm A), or equivalent regimen without metformin (arm B), followed by surgery. Primary endpoint was the rate of pathological complete response (pCR) in the per-protocol efficacy population. pCR rate was numerically higher in the metformin-containing arm A (19 of 29 patients [65.5%, 95% CI: 47.3-80.1]) than in arm B (17 of 29 patients [58.6%, 95% CI: 40.7-74.5]; OR 1.34 [95% CI: 0.46-3.89], P = 0.589). The rate of breast-conserving surgery was 79.3% and 58.6% in arm A and B ( P = 0.089), respectively. Blood metformin concentrations (6.2 μmol/L, 95% CI: 3.6-8.8) were within the therapeutic range. Seventy-six percent of patients completed the metformin-containing regimen; 13% of patients in arm A dropped out because of metformin-related gastrointestinal symptoms. The most common adverse events (AEs) of grade ≥3 were neutropenia in both arms and diarrhea in arm A. None of the serious AEs was deemed to be metformin-related. Addition of anti-diabetic doses of metformin to a complex neoadjuvant regimen was well tolerated and safe. Because the study was underpowered relative to its primary endpoint, the efficacy data should be interpreted with caution., Competing Interests: CONFLICTS OF INTEREST The authors declared that they have no competing interests.

Context: Nanoparticles may cause adverse environmental effects but there is limited information on their interactions with marine organisms., Objective: Our aim was to examine the effects of triangular gold nanoparticles (Tr-Au NPs) on the clam, Ruditapes decussatus., Materials and Methods: Clams were exposed to Tr-Au1 = 5 µg/L and Tr-Au2 = 10 µg/L for 2 and 7 days. Effects on shell structure were investigated. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione transferase (GST) activities, protein carbonyl levels and malondialdehyde content were used to assess biochemical status., Results: Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EDX) showed that Tr-Au NPs modified shell structure and morphology. Tr-Au NPs size increased forming aggregate particles. Tr-Au NPs increased SOD, CAT and GST activities in gill and digestive gland in a concentration- and time-dependent manner indicating defence against oxidative stress. Enhanced lipid peroxidation and protein carbonyl levels confirmed oxidative stress., Conclusion: Tr-Au NPs cause oxidative stress and affect shell structure of clams. These findings may have relevance to other marine species.

The prevalence of plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) determinants was investigated in a Tunisian collection of 300 uropathogenic Escherichia coli. PMQR genes were detected in 68 isolates (22.7%) as follows: aac(6')-Ib-cr (n=66), qnrB1 (n=3), qnrA6 (n=1), and qnrS1 (n=1). Three isolates carried the 2 determinants aac(6')-Ib-cr and qnrB1. aac(6')-Ib-cr was usually carried on IncF-type plasmids (n=47/60) and frequently associated with blaCTX-M-15 (n=60). Substitutions in gyrA and parC genes were detected in 57.5% of strains. A major cluster including 29 isolates was individualized, 28 of them belonged to the virulent ST131 clone. In our hospital, the high prevalence of PMQR in E. coli isolates was due to horizontal transfer but also to the spread of ST131 clone., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Pellagra is a nutritional disease caused by the deficiency of niacin. It is a clinical syndrome characterized by four "D's": diarrhea, dermatitis, dementia and ultimately death. We describe a case of pellagra as the initial presentation of congenital duodenal diaphragm., (Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.)