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Background: Breast cancer represents the most frequent cancer and cause of death in women worldwide and in Tunisia. Cyclin D1 is a gene of cell cycle regulation. It represents a potential oncogene in invasive breast cancer; however; the results are conflicting. We performed a retrospective study aiming to analyze the prognostic impact of cyclin D1 expression in patients with invasive breast carcinoma of no special type and its relation with clinical-pathological features. Methods: One hundred cases of invasive breast carcinoma of no special type diagnosed between 2009 and 2011 were included in this study. Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining was performed for cyclin D1 in all cases. Results were analyzed statistically. Results: Cyclin D1 positivity was seen in 74 cases (74%), of which 32 cases (32%) showed strong immunoreactivity. Cyclin D1 staining was statistically significantly associated with estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) positivity (P0.05). Univariate analysis revealed that expression of cyclin D1 was not statistically associated with overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) (P=0.459 and P=0.564, respectively). Conclusion: These results confirm that cyclin D1 overexpression can be employed as a beneficial prognostic marker and suggest that anti-cyclin D1 therapy may be efficient, especially for ER positive tumors.

The tumor phenotype may change between primary and metastatic breast cancer. We compared the expression of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and HER2 in a series of primary breast carcinomas (PBC) with their metastatic relapses and analyzed the impact of any changes on survival.It was a single-center retrospective study, collecting consecutive cases of metastatic breast carcinoma diagnosed in the pathology and medical oncology departments at Habib Bourguiba University Hospital in Sfax, Tunisia. An immunohistochemical study was used to assess ER, PR, and HER2 expression. Overall survival (OS) and post-metastasis survival (PMS) were evaluated using multivariable Cox regression analysis.Our study included 68 patients. ER and PR status changed in 29.4 % and 39.7 % of cases, respectively. Conversions were mainly from positive to negative status (22 % and 23.5 % for ER and PR, respectively). Differences in HER2 status were observed in 19.6 % of cases, with loss of overexpression in 6 patients (10.7 %). Adjuvant trastuzumab therapy and PBC molecular subtype (HR-, HER2+) were associated with HER2 status discordance (p = 0.02 and 0.03, respectively). On multivariable analysis, HR-negative conversion tumors were significantly associated with a worse OS (p = 0.042) and PMS (p 0.001), compared to HR-concordant positive tumors.This study establishes that HR and HER2 status discordance between primary and metastatic breast carcinoma has a prognostic impact on patient outcome. Analyzing these receptors' status in all newly diagnosed cases of metastatic breast carcinoma is strongly recommended and would provide information for changing treatment strategies.

Summary Multifocal nodular oncocytic hyperplasia is an uncommon oncocytic lesion that rarely occurs in the parotid gland. Here, we report a case of a 43-years-old woman who presented with isolated gradual swelling in the 2 parotid regions. She underwent exofacial right parotidectomy. Histologic exam confirmed the diagnosis of oncocytoma arising in a background of multifocal nodular oncocytic hyperplasia with a histological variant of clear cells. Since the lesion was diagnosed as a benign lesion, surgery of the left side was not done. Our case is characterized by: early onset, the histological variant of clear cells and the presence of synchronous oncocytoma. We describe the clinical, histological and therapeutic features of this entity.

Resume Objectif de l’etude Rapporter les particularites epidemiocliniques, therapeutiques et evolutives des carcinomes canalaires de la parotide. Materiel et methodes Etude retrospective portant sur cinq cas de carcinome canalaire de la parotide primitive ou secondaire, pris en charge a notre service de 2007 a 2019. Resultats Il s’agissait de quatre hommes et une femme d’âge moyen de 61,4 ans. Une patiente avait ete traitee pour un carcinome canalaire infiltrant mammaire. Le motif de consultation etait une tumefaction parotidienne dans quatre cas et une asymetrie faciale dans un cas. Une permeation cutanee a ete trouvee dans un cas. Quatre patients ont eu une parotidectomie totale avec sacrifice du nerf facial dans trois cas et etendue a la peau dans un cas. Un evidement ganglionnaire a ete realise dans quatre cas. Une patiente a eu une biopsie parotidienne diagnostique. Le carcinome canalaire etait primitif dans quatre cas et metastatique d’un cancer mammaire dans un cas. Une radiotherapie postoperatoire a ete realisee pour les quatre patients operes. Le controle local et a distance a ete obtenu dans trois cas. Une recidive locale et meningee a ete observee dans un cas. Pour la patiente ayant un carcinome mammaire, elle avait une progression polymetastatique pulmonaire, osseuse, hepatique et cerebrale. Conclusion Le carcinome canalaire est une forme rare et agressive des cancers parotidiens de haut grade. Il peut etre primitif ou secondaire. Le traitement se base sur la chirurgie et la radiotherapie. Le pronostic est reserve.

True thymic hyperplasia results from stressful situations such as chemotherapy. It commonly presents as an anterior mediastinal mass; cervical location is exceptional. Here we report a case of a cervical true thymic hyperplasia in a 12-year-old girl who had a Hodgkin lymphoma treated by radiotherapy and chemotherapy. She was referred to our department for a left cervical mass. The PET scan showed a hypermetabolic adenopathy. Mediastinal MRI was unremarkable. The patient underwent resection of the cervical mass under general anesthesia. Pathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of a true thymic hyperplasia. The aim of this paper is to illustrate a case of an incidental ectopic cervical thymic hyperplasia in a patient treated for Hodgkin lymphoma.

The present work deals with the extraction and purification of chondroitin sulfate/dermatan sulfate from skin (CSG) and bone (CBG) of corb (Sciaena umbra). Electrophoresis of these polymers in barium acetate buffer on cellulose acetate revealed two fractions similar to dermatan sulfate and chondroitin sulfate. The in vivo anticoagulant activity of both chondroitin sulfate/dermatan sulfate (CS/DS) were evaluated, at 25 and 75 mg kg−1 of body weight (b.w), using activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), prothrombine time (TT) and thrombin time (PT) tests. Results showed that aPTT of CSG and CBG at 75 mg kg−1 of b.w were prolonged by 1.59 and 1.48-fold respectively, compared with the control. Further, toxicity studies on liver performed by the catalytic activity of transaminases in plasma, oxidative stress markers and hepatic morphological changes demonstrated that CSG and CBG at both doses are not toxics. In summary, the higher activity and lower toxicity of both CS/DS, especially at 25 mg kg−1 of b.w, recommended these compounds as a better drug candidate.

The polysaccharide preparation from Pimpinella anisum seeds (PAP) was isolated and characterized to evaluate its laser burn wound-healing and anti-inflammatory activities in mice. The structure characterization of PAP by Infra-red spectrometry (IR), Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Gas chromatogram-Mass spectrometer (GC-MS) and colorimetric methods revealed an optimum yield of 8.84%, a high quantity of carbohydrate (64.75%) and low levels of lipids, protein and sulfate. Galactose (33.47%), β-d-Glucose (26.71%) and α-d-Mannose (18.21%) were the major monosaccharides components presenting in PAP, and a smaller amounts of β-d-Galactose, d-Fructose, α-d-Glucose, α-l-Galactose and arabinose were detected. PAP showed noticeable antioxidant and antibacterial properties. The anti-inflammatory activity of PAP in the carrageenan-induced paw edema model in mice, demonstrated by reduced edema and cellular infiltration, and oxidative stress markers in muscle tissue. A beneficial wound healing effect was also revealed. The topical application of PAP based gel on laser burn lesions accelerates wound contraction, the re-epithelization and remodeling phases after seven days of treatment. The results demonstrated that PAP is a novel promising source of natural wound healing and anti-inflammatory drugs. The high content and varied PAP monosaccharides seem to be responsible for the observed biological activities.

The aim of this work was to evaluate some biological properties of hake head oil (HHO) as well its lipid composition. The fatty acid profiles showed a dominance of unsaturated fatty acids overtaking 55% of the total fatty acids. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid profiles exhibited a dominance of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) (3.96%) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) (25.39%). The antioxidant activity was determined through two different assays: DPPH scavenging activity and β-carotene bleaching by linoleic acid assay. Eighteen mice were excised on their back and divided into 3 groups, treated with sterile saline, commercial healing cream and HHO, respectively. The wound closure rate, the hydroxyproline contents and the histopathology evolution in skin tissue were elaborated. Also, the anti-inflammatory activity was studied by carrageenan-induced mouse paw edema. Mice were divided into 3 groups treated respectively with sterile saline, anti inflammatory drug reference and HHO. The anti-inflammatory evaluation of HHO in mice exhibited an important inhibition of carrageenan-induced hind paws edema, as confirmed by the histological analysis, the superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and malondialdehyde (MDA) level. HHO displayed a significant wound healing effect probably due to the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of its EPA and DHA contents. The overall results proved that HHO might be favorable drugs who exert a great therapeutic potential wound healing and anti-inflammatory effects in animal model.

Hepatic injuries have been reported in patients with Coronavirus disease 2019 infection, particularly in those with moderate to severe illness. To date, pathological changes caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in liver tissue are unclear. Moreover, the mechanisms involved in liver injury in Coronavirus disease 2019 infection are not yet established. In this paper, we summarize the spectrum of pathologic findings of liver injury in patients infected by SARS-CoV-2 and we discuss the clinicopathological correlation and the mechanisms of liver damage in Coronavirus disease 2019 infection.

Background Intestinal lipomas are benign, non-epithelial, intestinal tumors with an exceptionally rare localization at the ileum. Lipomas in the small intestine occur mainly in elderly patients and seldom occur in childhood. They are frequently asymptomatic, possibly due to their slow growth. These tumors may act as a lead point of intussusception. Case presentation We report a rare case of double compounded ileo-ileal intussusception due to a submucosal intestinal lipoma in an 8-year-old female. To our knowledge, this is only the seventh pediatric case to be reported in the medical literature. Conclusions Small intestinal submucosal lipoma should be considered in case of intussusception in pediatric patients. Surgical resection seems sufficient in case of symptomatic intestinal lipoma with low morbidity.

Breast cancer is the first female cancer worldwide. Its prognosis depends mainly on pathological stage and histological grade. These classical prognostic factors are essential but may be insufficient to predict the outcome of the disease. Research focuses on identifying new prognostic factors such as CD10, which is a cell surface metalloproteinase.This study aims to evaluate CD10 expression on stromal and tumor cells in invasive breast carcinomas and its correlations with other clinicopathological factors and survival.A series of 100 cases of breast carcinoma of no special type diagnosed from 2009 to 2011, was investigated in this study. CD10 expression was detected by immunohistochemistry. Stromal CD10 expression (=10% stromal positivity was considered positive) and tumor cells expression (=1% stained carcinomatous cells) were noted. Statistical correlations were analyzed with different known prognostic parameters; survival analysis were performed using SPSS 22.0.Stromal CD10 expression was seen in 60% of the cases. It showed positive correlation with high tumor grade (p=0,012) and distant metastasis (p=0,02). CD10 expression on tumor cells was observed in 10% of the cases. It was associated with high tumor grade (p=0,009), hormone receptor negativity (estrogen receptor: p0,0001), progesterone receptor: p=0,005), triplenegative phenotype (p=0,001), and Ki67 overexpression (p=0,046). Stromal CD10 expression was significantly associated to a shorter overall survival (p=0,029) and disease-free survival (p=0,05) in univariate analysis.Given these results, it can be concluded that CD10 expression predict an aggressive behavior of breast cancer. This marker can be introduced as a determinant prognostic factor.

Background Pheochromocytoma brain metastasis is extremely rare. Few cases have been reported in the literature. Therefore, diagnosis and effective treatment of these lesions are difficult. Case Description Here, we report the case of 29-year-old woman, who was operated on for a right adrenal pheochromocytoma. Fourteen months later, a posterior fossa tumor was diagnosed. Radiologic findings mimicked an extra-axial lesion. The radiologic differential diagnosis was difficult even using magnetic resonance imaging spectroscopy. The patient was operated on through a retrosigmoid approach. Local recurrence occurred 6 months after first surgery. The patient died 1 month later, despite a second operation. Conclusions Although the occurrence of brain metastases in pheochromocytoma is not prevalent, patients presenting with suggestive features need to be carefully considered. Magnetic resonance imaging can help in differential diagnosis with a primary brain tumor. There are no established guidelines for the treatment of pheochromocytoma brain metastasis, for which the prognosis remains dismal, despite effective surgery.

The present study aimed to investigate the preventive effects of methanol fraction from Cassia angustifolia leaf extract (MECA), associated with its phytochemical content, on CCl4-induced hepatic toxicity in adult rats. In the controls, CCl4 induced an increase of serum biochemical parameters and triggered oxidative stress in the liver. MECA caused significant reductions in CCl4-elevated levels of hepatic markers, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein and increased the level of high-density lipoprotein compared to the CCl4 group. Moreover, pretreatment with the MECA produced significant reductions in lipid peroxidation (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances) and protein carbonyl level in liver tissues as compared with the untreated group. The formation of pathological hepatic lesions was strongly prevented by MECA. Overall, this study suggests that administration of MECA has a high potential to quench free radicals and alleviate CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity in rats.

Edible and biodegradable films from fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum) derived polysaccharide (FWEP) reinforced by poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) were prepared. Four films at different ratios of FWEP/PVA: F1 (70/30), F2 (50/50), F3 (30/70) and PVA (100% PVA) were characterized in terms of physical, structural, optical, thermal and morphological properties. The antioxidant activities of composite films were tested in vitro and evaluated in vivo through wound healing on CO2 laser fractional burn in rats. Morphological study of FWEP composite films showed a compact and homogenous structure. The thermal properties evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry showed a total miscibility between both polymers. X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy indicated that FWEP/PVA films have semi-crystalline nature with a good compatibility. Results showed that F1 depicted the higher antioxidant activity in vitro, compared to other film ratios. In the same way, F1 exhibited potent percentage of wound healing activity revealed by less erythema, less crusting/scabbing, higher general wound appearance scores and a higher content of collagen (97.15 ± 57.72 mg/g of tissue), during eight days of treatment. Overall, obtained data demonstrated that FWEP/PVA composed films displayed strong wound healing potential presumably proved through its antioxidant activities.

The inner bark of cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) is widely used as a spice. Cinnamon plants are also a valuable source of essential oil used for medicinal purposes. The present study aimed to investigate the composition and in vitro antioxidant activity of essential oil of C. verum bark (CvEO) and its protective effects in vivo on CCl4-induced hepatic and renal toxicity in rats. Groups of animals were pretreated for 7 days with CvEO (70 or 100 mg/kg body weight) or received no treatment and on day 7 a single dose of CCl4 was used to induce oxidative stress. Twenty-four hours after CCl4 administration, the animals were euthanized. In the untreated group, CCl4 induced an increase in serum biochemical parameters and triggered oxidative stress in both liver and kidneys. CvEO (100 mg/kg) caused significant reductions in CCl4-elevated levels of alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, γ-glutamyl transferase, lactate dehydrogenase, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein, urea, and creatinine and increased the level of high-density lipoprotein compared with the untreated group. Moreover, pretreatment with CvEO at doses of 70 and 100 mg/kg before administration of CCl4 produced significant reductions in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and protein carbonyl levels in liver and kidney tissues compared with the untreated group. The formation of pathological hepatic and kidney lesions induced by the administration of CCl4 was strongly prevented by CvEO at a dose of 100 mg/kg. Overall, this study suggests that administration of CvEO has high potential to quench free radicals and alleviate CCl4-induced hepatorenal toxicity in rats.

The effects of cefuroxime on reproductive system were investigated in male rats. Doses of 0, 30, 60 or 120 mg/kg of cefuroxime were intraperitoneally injected daily, for 7 days. Half of the rats were euthanized 24 h after the last dose and other half were induced to death 70 days after the last treatment. After 8 days of the experiment, results showed that cefuroxime induced a significant reduction in the weights of testes, epididymis and accessory sex organs. In addition, it decreased sperm quality, plasma testosterone level, and antioxidant enzyme activities while increasing the level of malondialdehyde. After a complete cycle of spermatogenesis and epididymal maturation, the results indicated complete reversibility of the adverse effects previously mentioned. In conclusion, cefuroxime induced reversible dose-dependent adverse effects on testicular and epididymal functions of rats.

This study aimed to evaluate the protective effect of a polysaccharide extracted from fenugreek seeds (Trigonella foenum-graecum) (FWEP) against insecticide-thiamethoxam (TMX)-induced hepatotoxicity. Obtained data exhibited potent antioxidant and antibacterial potentialities. On other trend, in vivo, adult female rats were divided into four groups: controls; TMX (100 mg/kg of body weight); TMX + FWEP at two graded doses, respectively (100 and 200 mg/kg of body weight) for 30 d. Up to TMX treatment, our data showed a significant increase in plasma markers of hepatotoxicity including alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, and in lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activities, which is coordinated with decline in total protein and albumin levels. Remarkably, a clear sign of genotoxicity was delivered by total disruption in hematological parameters and micronucleus (MN) test shown by severe chromatin degradation. These data were also associated with oxidative stress set up, histological and DNA injuries. However, co-administration with FWEP succeeded significantly in a dose-dependent manner in reducing and healing liver's hematological and genotoxic induced by TMX injuries.

A sulfated polysaccharide from Globularia alypum L. (GASP) was extracted with a yield of 14.2%. GASP is composed mostly of sulfate and total sugars (13.29% and 71.56%, respectively) with small amount of proteins and lipids. The chemical and structural characterization was studied by Infra-Red spectroscopic and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). GASP composed of eight carbohydrates where galactose, glucose, and mannose are the major compounds (33.47%, 26.71% and 18.21%, respectively). The in vitro and in vivo anticoagulant activities in rats were tested using the standard coagulation assays activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), prothrombine time (TT) and thrombin time (PT) tests. Both doses of GASP (200 and 500 mg/kg b.w) displayed a significant in vitro (1.22 and 1.33–fold, 1.17 and 1.27–fold, and 1.21 and 1.26–fold, respectively) and in vivo (1.47 and 2.52-fold; 1.20 and 1.43-fold; 1.21 and 1.40-fold, respectively) compared with the control. Toxicity studies on liver performed by the catalytic activity of transaminases in plasma, oxidative stress markers and hepatic morphological changes indicated that GASP at both doses are not toxics. The important pharmacological and toxicological profile of GASP revealed that this compound may be used as a novel and effective drug.

Despite advances in diabetes care, impaired diabetic wound healing remains a significant clinical problem. The present study was aimed at developing a novel cream based on Ginkgo biloba extract and investigating its wound healing effect on full-thickness wounds in diabetic rats. The topical formulated oil-in-water emulsion-based cream contains Ginkgo biloba aqueous extract in an amount of about 1% to 5% as an active agent. The prepared formula was subjected to physicochemical assessment and pharmacotechnical characterization. Eighteen alloxan-induced diabetic rats completing full-thickness excisional skin wounds were randomly divided into three groups topically treated with either a normal saline (control group), the reference drug (“Cytol Centella cream®”), and cream based on the Ginkgo biloba extract. The response to treatment was assessed by macroscopic, qualitative, and quantitative histopathological analysis. The prepared formula showed good physicochemical properties. The rheological behavior of the prepared cream followed a non-Newtonian pseudoplastic pattern at different storage temperatures. The cream, which is a macroemulsion with uniform size distribution, remained stable for 6 months. Skin tolerance studies confirmed the compatibility of the cream with the skin. During the experimental trial, the cream based on the Ginkgo biloba-treated group showed significant improvements over the control and reference groups for both general wound appearance and healing dynamics. This increased rate of closure of wounds in diabetic rats was associated with increased collagen synthesis. Our findings showed that the cream could be a promising and innovative topical treatment with Ginkgo biloba extract for the management of acute diabetic wounds.

Alveolar adenoma is a rare lung benign tumour originating from type II pneumocytes. It presents as a well-defined nodule. In some cases, it is difficult to differentiate from lung cancer. Few cases of this tumour have been reported. We describe here a case of alveolar adenoma in a 63-year-old man discovered incidentally on chest X-ray. The lesion was reported as lepidic adenocarcinoma in bronchoscopic biopsy. The patient underwent a thoracoscopic left lower lobectomy. The histopathological and immunohistochemical examinations resulted in a diagnosis of alveolar adenoma. We report this case to describe its morphological and immunohistochemical characteristics and to emphasize its diagnostic difficulties.

Despite advances in diabetes care, impaired diabetic wound healing remains a significant clinical problem. The present study was aimed at developing a novel cream based on Ginkgo biloba extract and investigating its wound healing effect on full-thickness wounds in diabetic rats. The topical formulated oil-in-water emulsion-based cream contains Ginkgo biloba aqueous extract in an amount of about 1% to 5% as an active agent. The prepared formula was subjected to physicochemical assessment and pharmacotechnical characterization. Eighteen alloxan-induced diabetic rats completing full-thickness excisional skin wounds were randomly divided into three groups topically treated with either a normal saline (control group), the reference drug (“Cytol Centella cream®”), and cream based on the Ginkgo biloba extract. The response to treatment was assessed by macroscopic, qualitative, and quantitative histopathological analysis. The prepared formula showed good physicochemical properties. The rheological behavior of the prepared cream followed a non-Newtonian pseudoplastic pattern at different storage temperatures. The cream, which is a macroemulsion with uniform size distribution, remained stable for 6 months. Skin tolerance studies confirmed the compatibility of the cream with the skin. During the experimental trial, the cream based on the Ginkgo biloba-treated group showed significant improvements over the control and reference groups for both general wound appearance and healing dynamics. This increased rate of closure of wounds in diabetic rats was associated with increased collagen synthesis. Our findings showed that the cream could be a promising and innovative topical treatment with Ginkgo biloba extract for the management of acute diabetic wounds.

Introduction Mucinous colorectal carcinoma (MC) is a rare subtype of colorectal adenocarcinoma known to be associated with bad prognosis. Lately, research has turned to identify new prognostic markers allowing the use of targeted therapy. The aim of our study is to evaluate the prognostic impact of E-cadherin and Cox-2expression in MC. Materials and method A total of 40 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded MC specimens were collected within a period of 13 years and were studied for the expression of the two proteins. We used SPSS 22 software to study associations with clinicopathological parameters and overall survival (OS). Results A reduced or absent E-cadherin expression was noted in 52.5% of cases. It was associated with distant metastases (p = 0.049) and venous invasion (p = 0.049). Cox-2 was overexpressed in 17.5% of cases. It was associated with negative lymph node status (p = 0.020) and with early stage tumor (p = 0.020). A significant association between the two proteins was also noted (p = 0.04). No significant association with OS was found; However, there was an improvement in the survival of patients overexpressing Cox-2 (p = 0.16). Conclusion Our findings link the loss of E-cadherin expression with spread and aggressiveness in MC and Cox-2 overexpression with better prognosis and survival. Because MC has a distinct genetic pathway we encourage the analysis of MSI and Cox-2 expression in all MC. Cox-2 inhibitors may not be effective chemopreventative agents in the setting of defective DNA mismatch repair. More molecular studies are needed to better understand the role of these markers and their prognostic significance in MC.

Background Epithelioid angiomyolipoma (EAML) is a rare potentially malignant variant of renal angiomyolipoma (RAML). This study aims to determine whether RAML clinico-pathologic and molecular features (i.e. p53 gene abnormalities) differ significantly with regards to its histologic variant or to the presence of an epithelioid component within it. Methods Consecutively resected RAML were reviewed, tumours comprising at least 80% of epithelioid cells were considered as EAML according to the 2016 World Health Organization classification of tumours of the kidney. P53 gene abnormalities were investigated using both immunohistochemical and molecular analysis. Results A total of 3 EAML among 17 RAML were identified, accounting for 3.9% of the total AML cases. Fatty aspect on imaging was more observed within tumours devoid of an epithelioid component. EAML showed a higher mitotic rate and a stronger p53 staining, no renal poles involvement and was not treated by nephron sparing surgeries. RAML comprising an epithelioid component demonstrated severer nuclear atypia as well as stronger p53 staining. P53 gene sequencing revealed a missense mutation (c.747G > C) in one classic AML harbouring a strong labelling with p53. Conclusions Strong p53 staining in a RAML, even in the absence of gene mutation, may suggest the presence of an epithelioid component or of a truly EAML. To the best of our knowledge, c.747G > C p53 gene mutation is being reported for the first time in a RAML, although its role in AML pathogenesis is still unknown.

Mitochondrial diseases are a clinically heterogeneous group of multisystemic disorders that arise as a result of various mitochondrial dysfunctions. Autosomal recessive aARS deficiencies represent a rapidly growing group of severe rare inherited mitochondrial diseases, involving multiple organs, and currently without curative option. They might be related to defects of mitochondrial aminoacyl t-RNA synthetases (mtARS) that are ubiquitous enzymes involved in mitochondrial aminoacylation and the translation process. Here, using NGS analysis of 281 nuclear genes encoding mitochondrial proteins, we identified 4 variants in different mtARS in three patients from unrelated Tunisian families, with clinical features of mitochondrial disorders. Two homozygous variants were found in KARS (c.683C>T) and AARS2 (c.1150-4C>G), respectively in two patients, while two heterozygous variants in EARS2 (c.486-7C>G) and DARS2 (c.1456C>T) were concomitantly found in the third patient. Bio-informatics investigations predicted their pathogenicity and deleterious effects on pre-mRNA splicing and on protein stability. Thus, our results suggest that mtARS mutations are common in Tunisian patients with mitochondrial diseases.

The present study aimed to evaluate the performance effect of aqueous extract of Rosmarinus officinalis (AERO) against the kidney toxicity induced by CCl4 in mice. The results showed that the renal...

This paper provides results from a comprehensive experimental characterization on two gelatins extracted from golden grey mullet skin (GGSGs) with (5 U/g of skin) and without acid protease from the same specie. In view of their possible applications in medical engineering, GGSGs could be used as substrates for mechanobiological studies and wound healing. The resulting gelatins were structurally characterized by optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), as well as by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and nuclearmagnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopies. According to optical micrographs, DSC analysis, and XRD spectra, GGSGs are semi-crystalline polymers. Antioxidant activities of GGSGs were evaluated by five different methods in-vitro. GGSGs acted as a strong free-radical scavengers and they effectively protected skin genomic DNA against hydroxyl radical-induced oxidative damage. In addition, the wound healing efficiency of the GGSGs was assessed on circular excision wound rat model. GGSGs exhibited remarkable wound healing properties with 100% reduction of the wound area within 14 days. Histological examination also demonstrated a fully re-epithelialized wound with epidermal regeneration. These evidences depicted that GGSGs can be an ideal biomaterial for enhanced wound-healing effect presumably achieved through their antioxidant properties.

Imipenem/cilastatin is a broad-spectrum β-lactam antibiotic used to treat several bacterial infections. The present study was designed to validate the nephrotoxic effect of this drug in rats and to explore its potentional urolithiatic effect. Thirty two Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: three experimental groups treated with different imipenem/cilastatin dosages (30, 50 and 80 mg/kg/day) and a control group.The experimental groups were given intraperitoneal imipenem/cilastatin injections twice daily for 7 days, and the control group was given intraperitoneal vehicle NaCl 0.9% solution. Nephrotoxic effect of this antibiotic was assessed based on urine and plasma biochemistry, oxidative stress parameters, histopathological examination and infrared spectroscopy characterization. Imipenem/cilastatin administration resulted in alkaline urine, polyuria, crystalluria, raised plasma levels of urea, creatinine and uric acid, decreased contents of plasma gamma glutamyltranspeptidase and alkaline phosphatase, oxidative stress status, malpighian metaplasia as well as crystal deposition in kidneys and urinary tracts of Wistar rats. In addition, the precise nature of the calculi was identified, being formed by imipenem/cilastatin, thus confirming their iatrogenic origin. In conclusion, this study demonstrated through rat model that subacute exposure to imipenem/cilastatin may induce nephrotoxicity and increase the risk for developing kidney stones even at therapeutic dose levels in a dose-dependent manner.

This study aims to examine the effects of non-hydrolyzed octopus (Octopus vulgaris) muscle proteins (NHOPs) and their hydrolysates (OPHs) on alloxan induced diabetes in Wistar rats (AIDR). Animals were allocated into seven groups of six rats each: control group (C), diabetic group (D) and diabetic rats treated with acarbose (D + Acar), non-hydrolyzed octopus proteins (D + NHOPs) and octopus proteins hydrolysates (D + OPHs) groups. The diabetic rats presented a significant increase in glycemic status such as α-amylase activity (in plasma, pancreas and intestine), hepatic glycogen, blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels, as well as a significant decrease in the levels of plasma insulin and total hemoglobin compared to control group. In addition, plasma and liver contents in total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL-cholesterol significantly increased in AIDR compared to control group. However, the daily administration of OPHs for 30 days improved the glucose tolerance test, the glycemic status of diabetic rats and corrected the lipid profiles. Further, a significant increase in the activities of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase as well as in the level of plasma bilirubin on diabetic status was observed, indicating considerable hepatocellular injury. OPHs treatment was found to attenuate the increased activities of the plasma enzymes produced by diabetes and caused a subsequent recovery towards normalization compared to the control group. By contrast, the NHOPs treatment was found to increase the glucose metabolic disorders in AIDR. These beneficial effects of OPHs were confirmed by histological findings in the hepatic and pancreatic tissues of diabetic treated rats. Indeed, they avoid lipid accumulation in the hepatocytes and protect the pancreatic β-cells from degeneration. Our results thus suggest that OPHs may be helpful in the preventing from diabetic complications by reversing hepatotoxicity., This work was funded by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Tunisia. The authors wish to express their sincere gratitude to Pr Najiba ZEGHAL, professor in the Sfax Faculty of sciences for her comments that greatly improved the manuscript.