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A practical and promising protocol was developed for N-arylations of various aromatic amines. This protocol was carried out through the coupling reaction between various aryl halides and phenylboronic acid using iron (III). The processes are efficiently promoted by the catalyst system involving the environmentally benign iron (III) and the state PPh3. The advantages of this method are its versatility, convenient operation and low cost, along with the yields, which are remarkably improved under ultrasonic irradiation, and the high purity of the products obtained. The catalyst can be magnetic recycled via an external magnet and reused several times without considerable loss of its catalytic activity.

Important mineralization of 14C-chlorpyrifos was found in a Tunisian soil exposed repeatedly to this insecticide. A bacterial strain able to grow in minimal salt medium (MSM) supplemented with 25 mg L− 1 of chlorpyrifos was isolated from this soil. It was characterized as Serratia rubidaea strain ABS 10 using morphological and biochemical analyses, as well as 16S rRNA sequencing. In liquid culture S. rubidaea stain ABS 10 was able to almost entirely dissipate chlorpyrifos within 48 hours of incubation. Although, S. rubidaea strain ABS 10 was able to grow on MSM supplemented with chlorpyrifos and to dissipate it in liquid culture, it was not able to mineralize 14C-chlorpyrifos. Therefore, one can conclude that the dissipation capability of this bacteria might be attributed to its capacity to adsorb CHL. In both non-sterile and sterile soil inoculated with S. rubidaea strain ABS 10, chlorpyrifos was more rapidly dissipated than in respective controls.

Eucalyptus marginata L. has a significant value in traditional medicine and recently has been shown to possess many pharmacological properties in vitro. The main goal of the present study was to optimize the extraction parameters of phenolic compounds from Eucalyptus marginata L. leaves using the extraction technique assisted by ultrasound in comparison with maceration using response surface methodology as a predicted tool. Therefore, total phenolic and flavonoid contents have been optimized, taking into account four variables: extraction time, temperature, liquid-to-solid ratio, and ethanol concentration. The optimum ultrasound-assisted extraction method for total phenolic and total flavonoid contents was obtained by ensuring the following parameters: t = 49.9 min, T = 74.9°C, liquid-to-solid ratio = 39.5 ml/g, and ethanol = 58.48%. The optimum extract has been subjected to LC-ESI-MS analysis. This technique allowed us to identify ten phenolic compounds: four phenolic acids mainly gallic acid (27.77 ± 0.06 µg/g DW) and protocatechuic acid (37.66 ± 0.04 µg/g DW) and six flavonoid compounds such as quercetrin (150.78 ± 0.02 µg/g DW) and hyperoside (39.19 ± 0.03 µg/g DW). These green and efficient procedures should be a promising option to guide industrial design for the production of phenolic-rich plant extracts.

Mitigation of CO2 is a very popular research currently, it is ultimately beneficial to find new ways that are sustainable, low cost and gas emission friendly. Therefore, with biochar’s characteristics and properties it has great potential to be used as a CO2 capture and storage media. The objectives of reducing palm waste by using the low-cost, sustainable method for reducing and storing CO2, characterize the DPL biochar through FTIR, XRD, SEM, EDX, and then evaluate the efficiency of the date palm leaf waste biochar in adsorbing CO2 through the Gas–Solid analyzer technology. Date palm leaf was set in pyrolysis process at 500°C peak at a 10°C per min rate for 5 h. The peaks of maximum intensity are approximately 1000 to 1500 cm −1; two peaks are approximately 1110 and 1600 cm-1 as the transition rises when the peaks are wider and shorter. Carbonyls, Alkenes, Alkynes, and others were found in feature groups, but the maximum area with O-H and C-H bonds and vibration picks is reduced and nearly non-existent. Biochar showed porous and heterogeneous structures with various magnifications, which give a greater amount of surface for adsorption. XRD analysis indicated that cellulose could progressively be decreased. The weighing of each component was 83.56% for Carbon, 12.43% for Oxygen, 1.12% for Potassium, 1.64% for Calcium, 0,83% for Phosphorus and 0.4% for Magnesium. The presence of these metals gives a strong CO2 attraction. The area value was found to have been approximately 3.117, reflecting the total CO2 obtained by the date palm leaf biochar. This shows that 300 gr of DPL biochar have been consumed by just one third of CO2. Date palm leaf of biochar’s shows a carbon dioxide adsorption efficiency of 20% and measured CO2 adsorption per g of biochar DPL of 0.017 g at 500 °C pyrolysis temperature and conditions set.

The aim of this study was to investigate the chemical diversity of Pinus nigra Arn. essential oils. The research was carried out on the needles collected from eighteen provenances of black pine grown in common garden located in West-Northern Tunisia and belonging to four different subspecies (Pinus nigra subsp. nigra, Pinus nigra subsp. salzmannii, Pinus nigra subsp. pallasiana, and Pinus nigra subsp. laricio). Essential oil yields ranged from 0.19% to 0.68%. The obtained essential oils have been analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS apparatus. Twenty-three constituents accounting about 98% of total essential oil composition were identified. The essential oil compositions appeared to be very different according to their origin. Thus, five main essential oil chemotypes were identified in Pinus nigra plants: caryophyllene oxide, camphene, ß-caryophyllene, α-amorphene, and germacrene D. The chemotaxonomic value of the essential oil compositions was discussed in relation to the results of the multivariate statistical test, including a detailed survey of the available literature data.

Long-term protection of arid ecosystems changes the vegetation and soil structures. The quantification of aboveground biomass and carbon content are among the principal indicators to evaluate these...

Pistacia atlantica Desf. (Atlas Pistachio) is an Anacardiaceae tree traditionally used in Tunisia for the treatment of ophthalmic, stomatitis, and digestive tract diseases. In the present study, the Pistacia atlantica Desf. roots extract (PR) was phytochemically analyzed, for the first time, by LC-ESI-MS for phenolic and flavonoid contents, in vitro tested for its potential antioxidant activity based on the 2.2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and the reduced power essays (FRAP), and in vivo tested for its ability to shield against ethanol-induced gastric ulcer in mice. The LC-ESI-MS analysis proved the identification of 12 compounds, including Quinic, Gallic, and Protocatechuic, as major phenolic acids and high levels of flavonoids, such as Catechin, Epicatechin, and Cirsiliol. PR also exhibited a mild in vitro antioxidant activity when compared with ascorbic acid. In vivo pretreatment of ethanol-ulcerated mice with PR doses 50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg body weight (b.w) significantly reduced (P

The effect of cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanoparticles synthesized by hydrothermal method on the structural properties and on the excess conductivity of yttrium-based compound (YBa2Cu3Oy) and bismuth-based compound ((Bi,Pb)2Sr2Ca2Cu3Oδ) was reported. The electrical resistivity versus temperature, $$\rho (T)$$ , in the paraconductive region, was analyzed using the Aslamazov–Larkin model. Different fluctuation regions indicated by the short-wave region, mean-field region, and critical region were identified. The coherence length $${\xi }_{c}(0)$$ , the effective layer thickness $$d$$ , the penetration depth $${\lambda }_{c}(0)$$ , the lower and upper critical magnetic fields, $${B}_{c1}\left(0\right)$$ and $${B}_{c2}\left(0\right)$$ , the critical current densities $${J}_{c}\left(0\right)$$ , and numerous other superconducting parameters are determined. It was found that the intrinsic properties are much more improved in the CdS-added samples, which suggests that the addition of CdS nanoparticles in the superconducting matrix leads to the enhancement of the grain connectivity, the formation of strong pinning centers contributing to the reduction of magnetic vortex motion and therefore, the improvement of the conduction properties in the yttrium- and bismuth-based materials.

Undoped, Eu- and La-doped CuS nanoparticles stabilized by l-cysteine were synthesized by a low-temperature soft aqueous route. Their structural properties were investigated by X-ray powder diffraction, their morphological properties were scrutinized using scanning electron microscopy, their microstructural properties were carried out using transmission electron microscopy, their optical properties were examined using ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, and their electrical properties were studied using complex impedance spectroscopy. It was found that Cu0.99La0.01S nanoparticles exhibit the smallest particle size, the highest optical bandgap, the highest values of electrical conductivity and dielectric constant, and the lowest values of dielectric loss tangent when compared with CuS and Cu0.99Eu0.01S nanoparticles. To investigate the effect of the as-synthesized nanoparticles on the superconducting properties of bismuth-based compound ((Bi,Pb)2Sr2Ca2Cu3Oδ), its structural properties were examined by X-ray powder diffraction, its transport properties were analyzed by the standard four-probe technique, its intrinsic properties were investigated using the Aslamazov–Larkin approach and its pinning properties were studied using the thermally activated flux flow model. It was found that Cu0.99La0.01S added sample exhibits the highest Bi-2223 phase concentration, the lowest residual resistivity, the highest critical transition temperature, the lowest value of coherence length, the highest values of penetration depth, upper critical magnetic field and critical current density, the narrowest shift of the zero-resistivity temperature, the highest effective pinning energies and the highest global critical current densities, when compared with pure, CuS and Cu0.99Eu0.01S added samples.

International audience; Gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) are used in up to 35% of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations and are associated with an excellent safety profile. Nevertheless, two main issues have arisen in the last two decades: the risk of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis and the risk of gadolinium deposition and retention. As a first step, this article reviews the different categories of GBCAs available in neuroradiology, their issues, and provides updates regarding the use of these agents in routine daily practice. Recent advances in MRI technology, as well as the development of new MRI sequences, have made GBCA injection avoidable in many indications, especially in patients with chronic diseases when iterative MRIs are required and when essential diagnostic information can be obtained without contrast enhancement. These recent advances also lead to changes in recommended MRI protocols. Thus, in a second step, this review focuses on consensus concerning brain MRI protocols in 10 common situations (acute ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, cerebral venous thrombosis, multiple sclerosis, chronic headache, intracranial infection, intra- and extra-axial brain tumors, vestibular schwannoma and pituitary adenoma). The latter allowing the standardization of practices in neuroradiology. Recommendations were also made concerning the use of GBCAs in neuroradiology, based on evidence in the literature and/or by consensus between the different coauthors.

Eugenol, a known vanilloid, was frequently used in dentistry as a local analgesic in addition, antibacterial and neuroprotective effects were also reported. Eugenol, capsaicin and many vanilloids are interacting with the transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) in mammals and the TRPV1 is activated by noxious heat. The pharmacological manipulation of the TRPV1 has been shown to have therapeutic value. Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) express TRPV orthologs (e.g. OCR-2, OSM-9) and it is a commonly used animal model system to study nociception as it displays a well-defined and reproducible nocifensive behavior. After exposure to vanilloid solutions, C. elegans wild type (N2) and mutants were placed on petri dishes divided in quadrants for heat stimulation. Thermal avoidance index was used to phenotype each tested C. elegans experimental groups. The results showed that eugenol, vanillin and zingerone can hamper nocifensive response of C. elegans to noxious heat (32-35 °C) following a sustained exposition. Also, the effect was reversed 6 h post exposition. Furthermore, eugenol and vanillin did not target specifically the OCR-2 or OSM-9 but zingerone did specifically target the OCR-2 similarly to capsaicin. Further structural and physicochemical analyses were performed. Key parameters for quantitative structure-property relationships (QSPR), quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR) and frontier orbital analyses suggest similarities and dissimilarities amongst the tested vanilloids and capsaicin in accordance with the relative anti-nociceptive effects observed.

Echinops spinosissimus Turra subsp. roots was investigated, after extraction with two different solvents: ethanol and ethyl acetate, for its phenolic profile as well as biological activities. Echinops spinosissimus Turra subsp. spinosus roots ethanolic extract was characterized by the highest content of total polyphenols (19.3 mg GAE/100 g of DW). In addition, the phenolic profiles of the two studied extracts were analysed using HPLC-UV, where p-coumaric (8.59 mg/kg of DW) and cinnamic acids (4.68 mg/kg of DW) were detected as the most abundant phenolic acids, and kaempferol was the predominant flavonoids (30.37 mg/kg of DM) followed by quercetin and rutin in the ethanolic extract. While, only p-coumaric acid, epicatechin, kaempferol and quercetin were identified and quantified in ethyl acetate roots extract. All tested extracts exhibited an antimicrobial effect against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. These findings indicate that Echinops spinosissimus Turra subsp. spinosus roots can be regarded as a new source of edible oil having health benefits and nutritional properties.

Silage represents a major part of the feed ration for livestock, being a potential cause of mycotoxicosis as it can be contaminated with toxigenic fungi capable of producing mycotoxins in suitable environmental conditions. In the present work, the presence of natural mycotoxins in samples collected of silage from the main producing areas in Tunisia (Ariana, Bizerte, Beja and Jendouba) was assessed based on different plant material (oat, barley, triticale, artichoke, sulla or raygrass). Mycotoxins were evaluated during three periods in green forage (P1) and subsequently in ensiled products after 60 days (P2) and 100 days (P3) of fermentation. Samples were extracted by a QuEChERS procedure and analyzed by mass spectrometry for the determination of 23 mycotoxins. The results showed the presence of Fusarium mycotoxins, deoxynivalenol (DON), HT-2 toxin, zearalenone (ZEA), enniatins (ENA1, ENB, ENB1) and beauvericine (BEA); as well as one Alternaria mycotoxin tentoxin (TENT). The highest values detected were for DON in the three periods. DON maximum value were 381, 2053 and 916 µg/kg for P1, P2 and P3, respectively. This study demonstrated the presence of fungi and DON, ZEA and ENs contamination in Tunisian silage without a recognized risk on the ruminants or further in humans. However, a continuous enhancement of the silage quality, and management and control of mycotoxins, should be implemented to ensure safe ensilable plant material.

Kefir grains are a microbial consortium of different genera of bacteria and yeasts. In this study, the performance of Tunisian Kefir grains during the biological treatment of a mixture of Gouda cheese whey and white wastewaters (GCW) in ratio 1:1 with very high organic matter concentration is investigated. The biological process was evaluated and optimized through the response surface methodology. Under the optimum conditions, Kefir grains concentration of 1.02%, temperature at 36.68 °C, and incubation time of 5.14 days, the removal efficiencies of COD, PO43−, and NO3− were 87, 37.48, and 39.5%, respectively. Interestingly, the reusability tests of the grains proved not only their high resistance to harsh environmental conditions but also their great potential for more practical applications. Particularly, different strains were isolated from the grains and identified as Kluyveromyces marxianus, Lactoccocus lactis, Lactobacillus kefiri, and Bacillus spp. using 16S rDNA sequence analysis and rep-PCR fingerprinting. At the biological level, the raw GCW (RGCW) has a negative impact on the Hordeum vulgare both on seed germination, and on the growth parameters of seedlings. Interestingly, after Kefir grains treatment, the treated GCW (TGCW) allow a seedlings growth and germination rate similar to those soaked in water.

Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes, commonly used as food, is loaded with biochemicals that fend diabetes, cancer, high cholesterol and it improves the general human health. The present study aimed at evaluating the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of leaves, flesh and peel extracts of B. oleracea var. gongylodes cultivated in Tunisia. Besides, biochemical, phenolic and nutritional composition was investigated. Phenolics and ascorbic acid were detected and quantified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method, while fatty acids and sugars were identified by gas chromatography flame ionization detector (GC-FID). Nutritional composition was determined for each plant part. Antioxidant activities were estimated by DPPH, ABTS and reducing power assays. Agar disk diffusion and micro-dilution methods were adopted to determine antibacterial activity. Leaves showed significantly high antiradical (EC50 = 0.26–0.32 mg/mL), antioxidant (EC50 = 0.46 mg/mL) and antibacterial (MIC = 0.625 mg/mL) activities. Chlorogenic acid, catechol, epigallocatechin and epicatechin 3-O-gallate were present in leaves. Isorhamnetin-3-O-glucoside was detected in peel and flesh. Gallic acid was present only in flesh. Peel showed higher ascorbic acid content (223.2 mg/100 g DW) than flesh and leaves. Hemicellulose, chlorophylls, proteins, Na, P and microelements amounts were significantly elevated in leaves. Sucrose is the main sugar in stem tissues. Linoleic, palmitic and oleic acids were the major fatty acids in this species. The present study provides important data on phytochemical, nutritional composition, bioactivities and emphasizes B. oleracea var. gongylodes as a potential nutraceutical and functional food. Moreover, this species can be employed as an alternative and complementary therapy for the running of related diseases of oxidative stress.

International audience; Several studies have shown the evidence of GBCAs’environmentalpollution and Gd3+toxicity both in aquatic organisms and humans. This short communication provides a roadmap using recent quan-titative data on GBCAs’consumption, medical use and waste, towardsenvironmental pollution mitigation and sustainable development

Resiniferatoxin (RTX) is a metabolite extracted from Euphorbia resinifera. RTX is a potent capsaicin analog with specific biological activities resulting from its agonist activity with the transient receptor potential channel vanilloid subfamily member 1 (TRPV1). RTX has been examined as a pain reliever, and more recently, investigated for its ability to desensitize cardiac sensory fibers expressing TRPV1 to improve chronic heart failure (CHF) outcomes using validated animal models. Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) expresses orthologs of vanilloid receptors activated by capsaicin, producing antinociceptive effects. Thus, we used C. elegans to characterize the antinociceptive properties and performed proteomic profiling to uncover specific signaling networks. After exposure to RTX, wild-type (N2) and mutant C. elegans were placed on petri dishes divided into quadrants for heat stimulation. The thermal avoidance index was used to phenotype each tested C. elegans experimental group. The data revealed for the first time that RTX can hamper the nocifensive response of C. elegans to noxious heat (32°C – 35°C). The effect was reversed 6 h after RTX exposure. Additionally, we identified the RTX target, the C. elegans transient receptor potential channel OCR-3. The proteomics and pathway enrichment analysis results suggest that Wnt signaling is triggered by the agonistic effects of RTX on C. elegans vanilloid receptors.

Phthalates, particularly di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), are compounds widely used as plasticizers and have become serious global contaminants. Because of the bioaccumulation of such substances, the food chain is at risk. The food contamination by some phthalates has been linked to different side effects in experimental animals. That is why we have chosen the intestinal system's cells which represent the primary targets of these compounds to test their toxic effects. Human colon carcinoma cells (HCT 116) were chosen to elucidate whether DEHP triggers oxidative stress and apoptosis. Our results indicated that DEHP is cytotoxic; it induces the overexpression of Hsp70 protein and causes oxidative damage through the generation of free radicals leading to lipid peroxidation induction and the increase of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities. In addition, cell treatment with DEHP resulted in a glutathione (GSH) content decrease and a decrease in the glutathione reductase (GR) activity. As new evidence provided in this study, we demonstrated that the DEHP affected the two enzymes' activities of the oxidative phase of the pentose phosphate pathway: Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGD). This leads to a decrease in the level of NADPH used by the GR to maintain the regeneration of the reduced GSH. We also demonstrated that such effects can be responsible for DEHP-induced apoptosis.

The palladium-catalyzed Suzuki coupling reaction is one of the most effcient strategies for constructing a carbon-carbon bond. In recent years, bimetallic catalysts have become candidates for the Suzuki coupling reaction. In this work, Pd-Ni@2-Mercaptoethanol nanoparticles were synthesized for the Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling of arylboronic acids with aryl bromides, in the N,Ndimethylformamide/ water mixture catalyzed by Pd-Ni: A simple and efficient reaction performed in a solvent, without a ligand, and in open air. We found that the Suzuki-Miyaura reactions are remarkably fast (5 min), with high yields and the products are highly pure. The Pd-Ni@2-Mercaptoetanol nanoparticles have a narrow size distribution with a mean crystallite size of 10 nm. Radical scavenging activities of the complexes have been evaluated by using DPPH, DMPD+ and ABTS+ assays. IC50 values (µg/ml) of the complexes and standards on DPPH, DMPD+ and ABTS+ respectively following the sequences.

International audience; The reactivity of Ticlopidine, which belongs to the thienopyridine drug family, in Pd-catalyzed C-H bond functionalization was investigated. The use of a palladium-diphosphine catalyst associated to potassium acetate base in N,N-dimethylacetamide was found to promote the regioselective arylation at the C5-position of the Ticlopidine thienyl ring with aryl bromides in high yields. In the course of this reaction, no dechlorination or debenzylation of the 2-chlorobenzyl group of Ticlopidine was observed. A wide variety of substituents on the aryl bromide was tolerated, such as nitro, nitrile, acetyl, propionyl, benzoyl, ester, chloro, fluoro or trifluoromethyl. Bromopyridines and bromoquinolines were also successfully employed. This methodology gives a one-step access to arylated Ticlopidine derivatives from commercially available compounds via a straightforward C-H bond functionalization procedure. Therefore, it provides a very appealing method to build a library of compounds containing a Ticlopidine unit.

As a health-beneficial fruit, watermelon is widely consumed by people around the world. However, components responsible for the health benefits are not yet determined. As watermelon contains a large amount of polysaccharides, these carbohydrates might play an important role in the health benefits. In this work, polysaccharide from watermelon rinds (PWR) was extracted by papain digestion, purified and characterized by GC–MS, SEC/MALS/VD/DRI, FTIR and 1D and 2D NMR which revealed the glycosidic linkages, their locations in branches and backbone. The monosaccharide composition revealed that the extracted polysaccharide was composed of galactose (38.26%), arabinose (26.12%), rhamnose (17.86%), mannose (9.94%), xylose (5.10%) and glucose (2.70%) with a percentage of uronic acid of 45%. A combination of CPG and NMR analysis showed that the extracted polysaccharide is arabinogalactan linked to type I rhamnogalacturonan. we notice that the arabinogalactan was formed by →6)-β-D-Galp-(1→ as backbone with short branching of arabinose linked in α 1 → 3, rhamnose linked in α 1 → 4, mannose linked in β 1 → 6 and galactose branches linked in β 1 → 3. Furthermore, PWR exhibited obvious cytotoxicity ability to human laryngeal carcinoma Hep-2 cells in a dose-and time-dependant manner.

The di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a plasticizer used in the polyvinyl chloride industry. Human exposure to this plasticizer is inevitable and contributes to several side effects. In this study, we examined whether DEHP induces apoptosis and oxidative stress in embryonic kidney cells (HEK-293) and whether the nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf-2)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) antioxidant pathway is involved in the pathogenesis of this process. We demonstrated that DEHP is cytotoxic to HEK-293 cells. It causes oxidative damage through the generation of free radicals, induces lipid peroxidation, and alters superoxide dismutase and catalase activities. Simultaneously, DEHP treatment decreases the expression and the protein level of Nrf-2 and HO-1. Inhibition of the Nrf-2/HO-1 pathway is related to the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis. This apoptotic process is characterized by a loss of mitochondrial transmembrane potential (ΔΨm) and upregulation of the expression of caspase-3 mRNA as well as its protein level.

The biotic degradation of organophosphorus (OP) insecticides, especially chlorpyrifos (CP) and dimethoate (DIM), has led to significant interest in their use for decontamination. The aim of this investigation was to use the degrading potential of two bacterial strains to clean up empty pesticide containers. These strains were previously isolated from a Tunisian soil that had received regular treatments with OP insecticides (CP and DIM) for more than five years. Kinetic hydrolysis of CP and DIM in the absence or in the presence of two isolated bacteria Enterobacter cloacae and Serratia rubidaea demonstrated the biodegrading potential of both microorganisms. A rate of chlorpyrifos degradation of 13% was obtained in aqueous medium without bacteria after 2 h whereas the rates were about 36% and 46.7% in aqueous medium with Enterobacter cloacae and Serratia rubidaea, respectively. Dimethoate was also effectively degraded with rates of about 74.7% and 77.3% within 2 h with Serratia rubidaea and Enterobacter cloacae, respectively, compared with 68.6% in the aqueous control solution. Rinsing empty containers once with a bio-detergent based on isolated bacteria, and including an appropriate adjuvant like DMSO (dimethylsulfoxide), resulted in residue levels in the rinsing effluent that were lower than with the triple rinsing recommended by the FAO.

The goal of this investigation was to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo efficiency of Raphanus raphanistrum extracts against Fusarium and Pythiaceaes pecies associated with apple and peach seedling decline in Tunisian nurseries. A chemical composition of organic extracts was accomplished using liquid chromatography, thin layer chromatography, and gas chromatography analysis. The in vitro test of three aqueous extract doses of R. raphanistrum against some apple and peach decline agents showed its efficacy in reducing mycelia growth. The in vivo assay of fine powder of this plant on peach seedlings revealed that treatment 8-weeks before the inoculation and planting was more efficient than the treatment before one week. This experiment revealed that the root weight of peach seedlings inoculated by F. oxysporum was improved to 207.29%. For apple seedlings, the treatment 8 weeks before the inoculation and plantation was more efficient than the treatment one week before, it reduced the root browning index. The study of R. raphanistrum chemical composition and its efficiency showed that the glucosinolates products: nitrile (4-Hydroxy-3-(4-methylphenylthio) butane nitrile, benzene acetonitrile, 4-fluoro,butane nitrile, 4-hydroxy-3-[(4-methylphenyl) thio] nitrile), and thiocyanate molecules (thiocyanic acid, ethyle) are responsible for the anti-fungal activities.

Bi2S3 nanoparticles were synthesized by the green chemistry process via Laurus nobilis plant extract as a stabilizing agent. Structure and crystallite size were investigated by X-ray diffraction. The average particle size was explored by transmission electron microscopy. Optical properties were carried out using UV–Visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. Electrical properties were performed using complex impedance spectroscopy. The effect of Bi2S3 nanoparticles on the superconducting properties of bismuth-based compound ((Bi,Pb)2Sr2Ca2Cu3Oδ) was reported. It was found that Bi2S3 nanoparticles exhibit an orthorhombic structure with an average particle size of 30 nm, and a band gap of 1.73 eV. Furthermore, the inclusion of a suitable amount of Bi2S3 nanoparticles into the (Bi,Pb)2Sr2Ca2Cu3Oδ superconducting compound is an efficient route for improving the superconducting performances.

We report on the growth, structure refinement, optical spectroscopy, continuous wave and femtosecond mode-locked laser operation of a Tm3+,Ho3+-codoped disordered calcium niobium gallium garnet (CNGG) crystal. The 2.64 at.% Tm, 0.55 at.% Ho:CNGG is grown by the Czochralski method. Its cubic structure, sp. gr. I a 3 ¯ d - O10h, a = 12.4952(1) A, is refined by the Rietveld method revealing a random distribution of Ga3+ and Nb5+ cations over octahedral and tetrahedral sites. The Ho3+ transition probabilities are determined within the Judd-Ofelt theory accounting for an intermediate configuration interaction (ICI). For the 5I7 → 5I8 Ho3+ transition, the maximum stimulated-emission cross-section σSE is 0.47 × 10−20 cm2 at 2080.7 nm. The gain bandwidth of Tm,Ho:CNGG at ∼2 μm is > 150 nm and the thermal equilibrium decay time - 6.80 ms. The Tm3+ ↔ Ho3+ energy transfer parameters are determined. A diode-pumped Tm,Ho:CNGG microchip laser generated 413 mW at 2088.4 nm with a slope efficiency of 15.9%. A continuous wavelength tuning between 1940.3 and 2144.6 nm is demonstrated. Ultrashort pulses as short as 73 fs are achieved at 2061 nm from a Tm,Ho:CNGG laser mode-locked by a GaSb semiconductor saturable absorber mirror at a repetition rate of 89.3 MHz.

The objective of this study was to determine the impact of development stages of Eucalyptus marginata’s fruits on the fatty acid composition as well as on phenolic, flavonoid, and tannin contents of oils. Taking into account fruit maturity stages, vegetable oils have been evaluated for their biological potentials. Fatty acid profiles were quantified using gas chromatography (GC) coupled to a flame ionization detector (FID). The fatty acid profiles of oils obtained from mature fruits showed highest linoleic acid content (49.21%) and Z-vaccenic (C18:1n-7) + oleic (C18:1n-9) acids (22.40%) and a low content of linolenic acid (C18:3) (1.59%). On the other hand, the major saturated fatty acid compound found in the oil of immature Eucalyptus marginata fruits was palmitic acid (C16:0) with about 27%. Based on the Folin–Ciocalteau method, the obtained results revealed a significant difference in the contents of total polyphenols, flavonoids, and tannins according to the stage of fruit maturity ( p < 0.05 ). Furthermore, the detected antimicrobial potentials were related to the fruit maturity stage. While both veg\etable oils extracted from mature and immature Eucalyptus marginata fruits exhibited notable antibacterial activities against the species Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Serratia marcescens, and Escherichia coli, only the oils extracted from immature fruits exhibited an antifungal activity against Candida parapsilosis.

Abstract Since the beginning of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has generated horror and panic around the world. Nevertheless, this terrible crisis is having a positive side effect: it is lowering pollution levels. The outbreak of the coronavirus has caused many governments to impose measures to slow the spread of the virus within populations, such as limiting population displacement, requesting social distancing and the isolation of individuals at home, and reducing industrial activity. In this work, we investigated the effects of governmental measures taken to limit the spread of COVID-19 on the concentrations of air pollutants over four Tunisian cities (Tunis, Sousse, Sfax, and Tataouine). Data on the average daily levels of nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter during January, February, March, and April of 2020 were collected, treated, and analyzed for each city. Curves of average monthly pollutant concentrations from 1 January to 30 April for each city investigated showed that measures taken to reduce the spread of the virus had a substantial impact on emission levels: there were tremendous drops of 51% in NO2 and 52% in SO2 over Sfax City during March compared to those during January, while nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide levels dropped by about 38% and 42%, respectively, over Tunis City and by around 20% for Sousse. During the four months investigated, almost all of the pollutant concentrations showed a significant drop from mid-March. On 12 March, the Tunisian government imposed some individual and collective measures to protect the population from the virus, such as social distancing, limiting transportation, shutting down schools and universities, and reducing industrial activity. A general lockdown was brought in later. Thus, restricting human and industrial activities appeared to affect the air quality in Tunisia, leading to a marked improvement in the air quality index. Graphic abstract

We propose a ring shaped sulfide based-chalcogenide photonic crystal fiber (PCF) that supports mono-radial pure vector modes (m=1). It consists of an As2S3 ring PCF composed from an annular core within a central air-hole and a ring of six missing air-holes. The proposed design is found to enforce wavelength independent “doughnut-shaped” mono-annular guided modes. This property is prominent since it opens the possibility to achieve the broadest and purest fiber SC vortex light supported by fiber eigenmodes of the fundamental radial order. By pumping the designed structure at 2.5 μm with 50 fs-5 nJ pulses, the generation of broadband coherent optical vortex supercontinuum in the mid-IR region extending from 1120 to 3650 nm at -20 dB level is obtained. This structure with such mid-IR transmission window provides large nonlinearities and shows to be very promising for SC generation and mode division multiplexing applications by means of OAM modes.

This investigation included the chemical analysis of Peganum harmala (P. harmala) seed oil and its antifungal properties against 10 fungal species. Seed oils of six populations were analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatograph/mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The HPLC analysis indicated that P. harmala seed oil exhibited a very high level of tocopherol contents, with values in the range of 2385.66&ndash, 2722.68 mg/100 g. The most abundant tocopherol isomer was &delta, tocopherol (90.39%), followed by &gamma, tocopherol (8.08%) and &alpha, tocopherol (1.14%). We discovered for the first time the presence of tocotrenols in P. harmala seed oils of the six populations studied. The GC-MS analyses revealed that linoleic acid was the main fatty acid (65.17%), followed by oleic acid (23.12%), palmitic acid (5.36%) and stearic acid (3.08%). We also studied the antifungal activity of seed oil of the Medenine (MD) population on ten fungal pathogens. The antifungal effects differed among pathogens and depended on oil concentrations. Seed oil of the MD population caused a significant decrease in mycelial growth of all fungi tested, with values ranging 31.50&ndash, 82.11%, except for Alternaria sp., which showed no inhibition. The antifungal activity against the 10 selected fungi can be explained by the richness in tocols of the extracted oil and make P. harmala a promising crop for biological control. Furthermore, the importance of fatty acids and the wide geographic spread in Tunisia of this species make this crop a potential source of renewable energy.

International audience; Purpose: The aim of this study was to prospectively investigate tumor volume delineation by amino acid PET and multiparametric perfusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with newly diagnosed, untreated high grade glioma (HGG).Materials and methods: Thirty patients with histologically confirmed HGG underwent O-(2-[18F]-fluoroethyl)-l-tyrosine (18F-FET) positron emission tomography (PET), conventional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) as contrast-enhanced (CE) and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) and multiparametric MRI as relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV) and permeability estimation map (K2). Areas of MRI volumes were semi-automatically segmented. The percentage overlap volumes, Dice and Jaccard spatial similarity coefficients (OV, DSC, JSC) were calculated.Results: The 18F-FET tumor volume was significantly larger than the CE volume (median 43.5 mL (2.5-124.9) vs. 23.8 mL (1.4-80.3), p = 0.005). The OV between 18F-FET uptake and CE volume was low (median OV 0.59 (0.10-1)), as well as spatial similarity (median DSC 0.52 (0.07-0.78); median JSC 0.35 (0.03-0.64)). Twenty-five patients demonstrated both rCBV and CE on MRI: The median rCBV tumor volume was significantly smaller than the median CE volume (p < 0.001). The OV was high (median 0.83 (0.54-1)), but the spatial similarity was low (median DSC 0.45 (0.04-0.83); median JSC 0.29 (0.07-0.71)). Twenty-eight patients demonstrated both K2 and CE on MRI. The median K2 tumor volume was not significantly larger than the median CE volume. The OV was high (median OV 0.90 (0.61-1)), and the spatial similarity was moderate (median DSC 0.75 (0.01-0.83); median JSC 0.60 (0.11-0.89)).Conclusion: We demonstrated that multiparametric perfusion MRI volumes (rCBV, K2) were highly correlated with CE T1 gadolinium volumes whereas 18F-FET PET provided complementary information, suggesting that the metabolically active tumor volume in patients with newly diagnosed untreated HGG is critically underestimated by contrast enhanced MRI. 18F-FET PET imaging may help to improve target volume delineation accuracy for radiotherapy planning.

Aim Hyperuricemia is defined by the European Rheumatology Society as a uric acid level greater than 6 mg/dl (60 mg/l or 360 μmol/l). Our goal was to evaluate the hypouricemic effect of nettle. For this reason, we have first of all try to create an hyperuricemic animal model which is very suitable because at the level of literature there is not an exact model, there are many models and our objective is to set an adequate model. Materials and methods An attempt has been made to test acute and chronic hyperuricemia by varying the duration and method of induction of potassium oxonate. Similarly, attempts have been made to induce chronic hyperuricemia through an animal and vegetable diet. The reversibility of hyperuricemia was tested with a maintenance protocol. Key findings For the creation of the hyperuricemia model, it has been shown that acute hyperuricemia cannot be induced by short administration of potassium oxonate and persistent chronic hyperuricemia can be induced only after daily administration of oxonate of potassium by intraperitoneal injection for 15 days. Indeed, hyperuricemia was reversible after stopping the administration of potassium oxonate. The high-purine diet is also capable of inducing chronic hyperuricemia but to a less extent. Significance After creating an adequate model of hyperuricemia while setting the dose of potassium oxonate, route of administration and duration. A maintenance protocol was followed which subsequently made it possible to deduce that the daily administration of potassium oxonate must be continued to maintain the hyperuricemia.

Eugenol, a known vanilloid, was frequently used in dentistry as a local analgesic in addition, antibacterial and neuroprotective effects were also reported. Eugenol, capsaicin and many vanilloids are interacting with the transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) in mammals and are activated by noxious heat. The pharmacological manipulation of the TRPV1 has been shown to have therapeutic value. Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) express TRPV orthologs (e.g. OCR-2, OSM-9) and it is a commonly used animal model system to study nociception as it displays a well-defined and reproducible nocifensive behavior. After exposure to vanilloid solutions, C. elegans wild type (N2) and mutants were placed on petri dishes divided in quadrants for heat stimulation. Thermal avoidance index was used to phenotype each tested C. elegans experimental groups. The results showed that eugenol, vanillin and zingerone can hamper nocifensive response of C. elegans to noxious heat (32°C – 35°C) following a sustained exposition. Also, the effect was reversed 6h post exposition. Furthermore, eugenol and vanillin did not target specifically the OCR-2 or OSM-9 but zingerone did specifically target the OCR-2 similarly to capsaicin. Further structural and physicochemical analyses were performed. Key parameters for quantitative structure-property relationships (QSPR), quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR) and frontier orbital analyses suggest similarities and dissimilarities amongst the tested vanilloids and capsaicin in accordance with the relative anti-nociceptive effects observed.