Phyllostachys nigra (Lodd. ex Lindl.) derived polysaccharide with enhanced glycolipid metabolism regulation and mice gut microbiome

This study focuses on the characterization and regulation of glycolipid metabolism of polysaccharides derived from biomass of Phyllostachys nigra (Lodd. ex Lindl.) root (PNr). The extracts from dilute hydrochloric acid, hot water, and 2 % sodium hydroxide solution were characterized through molecular weight, gel permeation chromatography, monosaccharides, Fourier transform infrared, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy analyses. Polysaccharide from alkali extraction and molecular sieve purification (named as: PNS2A) exhibited optimal inhibitory of 3T3-L1 cellular differentiation and lowered insulin resistance. The PNS2A is made of a hemicellulose-like main chain of →4)-β-D-Xylp-(1→ that was connected by branches of 4-O-Me-α-GlcAp-(1→, T-α-D-Galp-(1→, T-α-L-Araf-(1→, →2)-α-L-Araf-(1→, as well as β-D-Glcp-(1→4-β-D-Glcp-(1→ fragments. Oral delivery of PNS2A in diabetes mice brought down blood glucose and cholesterol levels and regulated glucose and lipid metabolism. PNS2A alleviated diabetes symptoms and body weight and protected liver and kidney function in model animals by altering the gut microbiome. Polysaccharides can be a new approach to develop bamboo resources.

Screening for a false unipolarity in patients treated for a major depressive disorder

Introduction

The early diagnosis of bipolar II disorder remains difficult in clinical practice, hence the importance of psychometric tests.

Objectives

To detect hypomania in patients followed for a major depressive disorder (MDD) and to determine factors which are correlated with it.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical study. It involved 40 psychiatric outpatients, who were followed for MDD (isolated or recurrent episode) at the Hedi Chaker University Hospital in Sfax (Tunisia), from January 26 to February 10, 2020. The study was conducted using a questionnaire and the Angst Hypomania Checklist-20 (HCL-20).

Results

The sex ratio (M/F) was 0.66 with an average age of 54.8 years. MDD started at an average age of 41.45 years. According to HCL-20, half of our sample had hypomania. The presence of hypomania was correlated with young age (p = 0.022), academic failure (p = 0.038) and smoking (p = 0.003). In addition, there was a statistically significant relationship between the presence of hypomania and the characteristics of the disease: number of depressive episodes ≥ 2 (p = 0.013), psychotic features (p = 0.038), melancholic features (p=0,025) and premature discontinuation of treatment (p = 0.003).

Conclusions

Our study confirmed that bipolar depression is still underdiagnosed and poorly treated. Questioning a patient about a history of hypomania would be a delicate task and would require the help of a scale, in particular the HCL -20.

Optimization of morphine extraction method for the assay of its urinary 3-glucuronideconjuguate by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

In the field of doping, a great interest is carried for the analysis of morphine, a powerful narcotic analgesic opiate which use is prohibited during competitions. In order to confirm the abnormal analytical result in our anti-doping laboratory, a sensitive and selective gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method was performed for the quantification of urinary morphine. As sample preparation is a key step for the determination of drugs in biological samples, the aim of this work consists of the optimization of the urinary human sample pretreatment conditions before quantification by GC/MS. Enzymatic hydrolysis associated with liquid-liquid extraction constitute the major pre-treatment steps. Our study has first focused on the optimization of the extraction solvents then to enzymatic hydrolysis which morphine is released from its glucuronide conjugated form. Onboard premiums, a study involving the effect of "amount of enzyme", "incubation temperature" and "duration of hydrolysis" was conducted. This univariate study has enabled us to evaluate the influence of each of these operating variables on the area ratio of morphine to the internal standard (A_morphine/A_IS) response and to set the experimental fields for each one of them. Based on these results, an experimental design was established using the Box-Behnken model to determine, by multivariate analysis, the optimal operating conditions maximizing the "A_mophine/A_IS" response. After validation, the analysis of response surface makes it possible to set the optimum operating conditions, which the ratio "A_morphine/A_IS" is maximized. The retained conditions for enzymatic hydrolysis are 160μl of Escherichia coli glucuronidase enzyme during 6hours of incubation at a temperature of 36°C. The solvent mixture Methyl-t-Butyl Ether/isopropanol (4:1, v/v) was selected since it has improved morphine extraction from the urinary matrix allowing a gain of 50% when compared to that used in our routine laboratory. Our developed extraction method can be successfully applied for our forensic anti-doping analysis of morphin in human sample urine.

Experimental Investigation and Modeling of a New High Speed Coating Process

Health regulations are becoming increasingly restrictive which leads to develop solvent free laminating processes. Hot melt adhesives represent an interesting solution to bond two pre-printed substrates of polymer for packaging applications for example, but their high viscosities require extruding the polymer formulation through important die gaps (between 0.5 mm and 1 mm) in order to limit the extrusion pressure. Thus, delivering a final very thin layer of hot melt (a few μm) between the polymer substrates requires applying very high draw ratios between the die and the contact point on the substrate. These high draw ratios would result in marked thickness and width instabilities (called draw resonance) when using usual stretching distances as in cast film (a few cm) or in coating thermoplastic layers on a metal or paper substrate (more than 10 cm). Surprisingly, reducing drastically the stretching distance (around 1 mm) and applying a differential pressure between the two sides of the melt allow postponing the instability occurrence. Nevertheless the processing window is narrow and the objective of the present paper is to describe the cotformatating process developed at Bostik Company, to characterize the drawing instabilities and to investigate the influence of different processing parameters. In addition, a numerical model explaining these surprising stabilizing conditions is proposed. This model results in the definition of a high speed coating processing window.

Local propagation speed constrained estimation of the slowness vector from non-planar array observations

The estimation of the slowness vector of infrasound waves propagating across an array is a critical process leading to the determination of parameters of interest such as the direction of arrival. The sensors of an array are often considered to be located in a horizontal plane. However, due to topography, the altitudes of the sensors are not identical and introduce a bias on the estimate if neglected. However, the unbiased 3D estimation procedure, while suppressing the bias, leads to an increase of the variance. Accounting for an a priori constraint on the slowness vector significantly reduces the variance and could therefore improve the performance of the estimation if the introduced bias by incorrect a priori information remains negligible. This study focuses on measuring the benefits of this approach with a thorough investigation of the bias and variance of the constrained 3D estimator, which is not available in the existing literature. This contribution provides such computations based on an asymptotic Gaussian approximation. Simulations are carried out to assess the theoretical results both with synthetic and real data. Thus, a constrained 3D estimator is proposed yielding the best bias/variance compromise if good knowledge of the propagation wave speed is accessible.

In-capillary derivatization with (-)-1-(9-fluorenyl)ethyl chloroformate as chiral labeling agent for the electrophoretic separation of amino acids

An original micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) method using in-capillary derivatization with a chiral labeling reagent was developed for the separation of amino acid (AA) derivatives. The potential of (-)-1-(9-fluorenyl)-ethyl chloroformate (FLEC) as in-capillary derivatization agent is described for the first time. Several parameters for in-capillary derivatization and subsequent MEKC separation were systematically investigated using experimental designs. Firstly experimental conditions for in-capillary derivatization were optimized using face-centered central composite design (FCCD). Mixing voltage and time as well as concentration of the labeling solution were investigated. Efficient labeling was achieved by sequential injection of AAs and FLEC labeling solution followed by the application of a voltage of 0.2 kV for 570 s. The background electrolyte (BGE) composition was then optimized in order to achieve selectivity. A FCCD was performed with two factors, namely the sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) concentration and the percentage of propan-2-ol (IPA). The separation of 12 pairs of derivatized AA (FLEC-AA) diastereomers was achieved with resolution values comprised between 3 and 20. Furthermore, an efficient derivatization and separation of 29 FLEC-AA derivatives were achieved in a single run using a buffer made up of 40 mM sodium tetraborate, 21 mM SDS and 8.5% IPA. The method was successfully applied to the analysis of spiked artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF) sample.

[Cerebral venous thrombosis during pregnancy: about 7 cases]

BACKGROUND

cerebral venous thrombophlebitis (CVT) is a rare but serious pathology. The pregnancy and especially the postpartum constitute supporting circumstances occured of the CVT.

AIM

the aim of our study is to remember the symptomatology of CVT, the importance of the IRM and the angio IRM in the diagnosis of CVT, and its treatment.

OBSERVATIONS

We present a retrospective study relating to 7 cases of CVT during gravidopuerperality over 7 years (1996 to 2002). The average age of our patients is 32.1 years. The CVT occured during the first trimester of the pregnancy in one case and in the postpartum in 6 cases. The symptomatology was dominated by cephalgia and the signs of intracranian hypertension. Convulsions occured in 3 cases. The diagnosis of CVT was confirmed by IRM coupled with the Angio-IRM in all cases. The treatment by heparinotherapy was instaured immediately and relayed by the Anti-Vit K as the evolution was favorable in all cases.

CONCLUSION

cerebral venous thrombophebitis (CVT) is a serious pathology (especially in pregnancy and post partum). The diagnosis is performed by the magnetic resonance imaging (IRM) and the early introduction of the heparinotherapy.

[Intra-uterine growth retardation: etiologic factors and management]

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to define the etiologic factors, the diagnostic proceduresand obstetrical rules to be observed during a pregnancy in relation with low birth weight.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This is a retrospective study of 124 cases, carried out at the military hospital of Tunis, between January 1st 1999 and December 31 st 2001.

RESULTS

The frequency of intra-uterine growth retardation (IVGR) was 2.1%. 46.8% of the patients were primiparous. The mean age of the patients was 30 years. 25.8% of the patients developed toxemia. The etiology was predominantly renovascular-syndromes, urinary infections, and idiopathic hypotrophy. The positive diagnosis was suggesred by the measure of the uterine height in 96% and was confirmed by sonogaphy in all cases. The ombilical Doppler was pathological in 17.76% of the cases. A corticosteroid administration for pulmonary maturation was prescribed in 28% of the cases. Obstetrical common rule was fetal extraction: 42.7% of the patients were delivered by cesarean.

CONCLUSION

There is a real need to insist on the importance of early detection of fetal hypotrophy and of better management of the women at risk.

Treatment of saline wastewaters from marine-products processing factories by activated sludge reactor

An activated sludge reactor, operated at room temperature (20-30 degrees C) was used to treat saline wastewaters generated by marine-products industries. The system was operated continuously and the influence of the organic loading rates (OLRs), varying from 250 to 1000 mg COD l(-1) day(-1), on chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal was investigated. The system, inoculated with NaCl-acclimated culture, removed up to 98% and 88% of the influent COD concentrations at OLRs of 250 and 1000 mg COD L(-1) day(-1), respectively. Since the organic pollution is essentially composed of proteins, microorganisms, which produced proteolytic enzymes, were isolated from the activated sludge culture. One bacterium with the highest protease activity, identified as Bacillus cereus, was chosen for protease production in fishery wastewaters of different concentrations containing combined heads and viscera powder. Protease synthesis was strongly enhanced when cells were cultivated in two times diluted fishery wastewaters. The enhancement of protease synthesis could have been due to the presence in effluent of organic matters or salts, which stimulated the growth of the strain and protease production.

[Antiphosphoplipid antibodies and retinal occlusive vasculopathy]

PURPOSE

to determine the prevalence of antiphospholipid antibodies in patients with occlusive retinal vascular events, exempt from conventional risk factors of retinal thrombosis.

METHODS

eleven patients with retinal vascular occlusion, free of main accepted risk factors for retinal thrombosis, were retrospectively screened for antiphospholipid antibodies (anticardiolipin and anti-beta2 glycoprotein 1 antibodies) by an Elisa method. Prevalence of antiphospholipid antibodies were compared with those in a homogenous control group of 100 patients.

RESULTS

the prevalence of antiphospholipid antibodies in the study group was 27% (three of 11). Comparison with control group prevalence (3%) showed a statistically significant difference (p < 0,001). One patient in the study disclosed positivity for IgG anticardiolipine antibodies, one for IgM anticardiolipine antibodies and one for anti-beta2 glycoprotein 1 antibodies.

CONCLUSION

our results lead us to recommend a systematic search for specific antiphospholipid antibodies in such young patients which could have an importance for the diagnosis of primary antiphospholipid syndrome.

Hydrocarbon contamination of coastal sediments from the Sfax area (Tunisia), Mediterranean Sea

The coastal area off the city of Sfax (730,000 inhabitants), well-known for fisheries and industrial activities, receives high inputs of organic matter mostly anthropogenic. Eighteen stations were selected in the vicinity of the direct discharge of industrial sewage effluents in the sea in order to study the spatial distribution of the organic contamination. Surface sediments sampled in the shallow shelf were analysed for hydrocarbons by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, gas chromatography and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Total hydrocarbon distributions revealed high contamination as compared to other coastal Mediterranean sites, with an average concentration of 1865 ppm/dry weight sediment. Gas chromatographic distribution patterns, values of unresolved mixture/n-alkane ratio and distributions of steranes and hopanes confirmed a petroleum contamination of the Arabian light crude oil type. Biogenic compounds were also identified with a series of short-chain carbon-numbered n-alkenes in the carbon range 16-24.

Zero-crossing derivative spectrophotometry for the determination of haloperidol in presence of parabens

First derivative spectrophotometry with a zero-crossing technique of measurement is used for the quantitative determination of haloperidol in the presence of methylparaben and propylparaben, which is added as antimicrobial preservatives in pharmaceuticals. This technique permits the quantification of haloperidol in the presence of parabens, with closely overlapping spectral bands, and without any separation step. Linear calibration graphs of first derivative values (at 255.2 nm for haloperidol) versus concentration (in the range 4.0-20.0 micrograms ml-1) were obtained with negligible intercepts. Relative standard deviation of 0.83% was obtained for intra-day precision and 1.86% for inter-day precision. The recovery of haloperidol in synthetic mixtures with parabens and pharmaceutical dosage forms is also reported.