Statistical versus artificial intelligence -based modeling for the optimization of antifungal activity against Fusarium oxysporum using Streptomyces sp. strain TN71.

A Streptomyces sp. strain TN71 was isolated from Tunisian Saharan soil and selected for its antimicrobial activity against phytopathogenic fungi. In an attempt to increase its anti-Fusarium oxysporum activity, GYM+S (glucose, yeast extract, malt extract and starch) culture medium was selected out of five different production media. Plackett-Burman design (PBD) was used to select yeast extract, malt extract and calcium carbonate (CaCO3) as parameters having significant effects on antifungal activity, and a Box-Behnken design was applied for further optimization. The analysis revealed that the optimum concentrations for the anti-F. oxysporum activity of the tested variables were yeast extract 5.03g/L, malt extract 8.05g/L and CaCO3 4.51g/L. Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs): the Multilayer perceptron (MLP) and the Radial basis function (RBF) were created to predict the anti-F. oxysporum activity. The comparison between experimental and predicted outputs from ANN and Response Surface Methodology (RSM) were studied. The ANN model presents an improvement of 14.73%. To our knowledge, this is the first work reporting the statistical versus artificial intelligence -based modeling for the optimization of bioactive molecules against mycotoxigenic and phytopathogenic fungi.

[Unilateral to bilateral pleurisy: Pleural tuberculosis?]. / Pleurésie à bascule : est-ce une tuberculose ?

Pleural tuberculosis is the first or second most common form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis as well as the main cause of pleural effusion in many countries. It is rare in young infants and is more common in children over 10 years of age. We report the case of a 19-month-old girl admitted for prolonged fever with unilateral pleural effusion. The mother reported a history of lymph node tuberculosis 6 years previously. Intravenous antibiotics with cefotaxime and vancomycin were started. Thoracocentesis yielded a serosanguinous exudate fluid with a lymphocyte predominance. The tuberculin skin test and PCR GeneXpert(©) on pleural fluid were negative. The initial outcome was favorable, but the chest X-rays 10 days after discharge showed bilateral pleural effusion. Pleural biopsy was proposed but the culture of pleural fluid was positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The child was put under standard treatment for tuberculosis. The outcome was favorable.

Evaluation of molecular detection of extrapulmonary tuberculosis and resistance to rifampicin with GeneXpert® MTB/RIF.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate the GeneXpert® MTB/RIF test for the diagnosis of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. The test simultaneously detects Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex and resistance to rifampicin. METHODS: We analyzed 153 clinical samples collected in a tertiary hospital in Sfax, Tunisia, between 2013 and 2014. We performed the GeneXpert® test, a Ziehl-Neelsen and auramine-rhodamine staining, conventional culture on MGIT 960 and LJ media, and we tested the resistance to anti-tuberculosis drugs on MGIT 960 and LJ media for each sample. Diagnosis was based on clinical, radiological, microbiological, pathological, and therapeutic data. RESULTS: We considered that 59 patients out of 153 presented with tuberculosis. PCR was positive in 50 samples and all of these samples were susceptible to rifampicin. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the GeneXpert® test were 84.7%, 96.8%, 94.3%, and 91%, respectively, compared with diagnosis. We observed a statistically significant difference between the direct test and the GeneXpert® test, and between culture and the GeneXpert® test. No statistically significant difference was observed between pathological results and the GeneXpert® test. Sensitivity of the GeneXpert® test was 87.5% in biopsies, 80% in pus and abscesses, and 66.7% in biological fluids. All strains were susceptible to rifampicin with culture and GeneXpert® test. CONCLUSION: The GeneXpert® test helped detect a higher proportion of M. tuberculosis complex. It does not replace conventional diagnostic methods but it is a useful addition to achieve better sensitivity and obtain rapid results.

Efficient role of BacTN635 on the safety properties, sensory attributes, and texture profile of raw minced meat beef and chicken breast.

Bacteriocin BacTN635, produced by Lactobacillus plantarum sp. TN635, was purified and characterised in previous work. In this study we report the biotechnological application of this bacteriocin as a biopreservative during storage at 4°C of raw minced meat beef and chicken breast. Overall, the results obtained showed that the addition of the semi-purified BacTN635 at 500 or 1000 AU g(-1) in raw minced meat beef and chicken breast can delay the proliferation of spoilage microorganisms, suppress the growth of the pathogenic microorganism Listeria monocytogenes, improve sensory quality, texture attributes, and extend the shelf-life of these two meat products during refrigerated storage. BacTN635 at 1000 AU g(-1) could extend the shelf-life, and the meat showed good sensory characteristics. Therefore, treatment with semi-purified BacTN635 can be used as a safe method for preservation of raw minced meat beef and chicken breast.

Taxonomy, purification and chemical characterization of four bioactive compounds from new Streptomyces sp. TN256 strain.

A new actinomycete strain designated TN256, producing antimicrobial activity against pathogenic bacteria and fungi, was isolated from a Tunisian Saharan soil. Morphological and chemical studies indicated that strain TN256 belonged to the genus Streptomyces. Analysis of the 16S rDNA sequence of strain TN256 showed a similarity level ranging between 99.79 and 97.8% within Streptomyces microflavus DSM 40331(T) and Streptomyces griseorubiginosus DSM 40469(T) respectively. The comparison of its physiological characteristics showed significant differences with the nearest species. Combined analysis of the 16 S rRNA gene sequences (FN687758), fatty acids profile, and results of physiological and biochemical tests indicated that there were genotypic and phenotypic differentiations of that isolate from other Streptomyces species neighbours. These date strongly suggest that strain TN256 represents a novel species with the type strain Streptomyces TN256 (=CTM50228(T)). Experimental validation by DNA-DNA hybridization would be required for conclusive confirmation. Four active products (1-4) were isolated from the culture broth of Streptomyces TN256 using various separation and purification steps and procedures. 1: N-[2-(1H-indol-3-yl)-2 oxo-ethyl] acetamide 'alkaloid' derivative; 2: di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, a phthalate derivative; 3: 1-Nonadecene and 4: Cyclo (L: -Pro-L: -Tyr) a diketopiperazine 'DKP' derivative. The chemical structure of these four active compounds was established on the basis of spectroscopic studies NMR and by comparing with data from the literature. According to our biological studies, we showed in this work that the pure compounds (1-4) possess antibacterial and antifungal activities.

The effect of sodium lactate and lactic acid combinations on the microbial, sensory, and chemical attributes of marinated chicken thigh.

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the chemical, microbiological, and sensory effects of different sodium lactate (SL) and lactic acid (LA) combinations on marinated chicken thigh. The latter were treated with SL and LA combined at various concentrations, namely 0.3 and 0.03; 0.5 and 0.05; 0.6 and 0.06; 0.75 and 0.075; and 0.9 and 0.09%, respectively. The findings indicated that those combinations were efficient (P < 0.05) against the proliferation of various spoilage microorganisms, including aerobic plate count, psychrotrophic populations, Pseudomonas spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacteriaceae, and Salmonella spp. The results from chemical analyses revealed that the treated thigh underwent significant decreases (P < 0.05) in terms of pH values and total volatile base nitrogen contents. Significant differences (P < 0.05) were, however, detected with regard to their sensory attributes, with SL-LA concentrations of 0.9 and 0.09 yielding the highest scores for the color, texture, and flavor attributes. Overall, the findings demonstrated that the addition of 0.9% SL and 0.09% LA to marinated chicken can help delay the proliferation of spoilage microorganisms, prevent the generation of undesirable chemicals, improve the levels of sensory attributes, and extend the shelf life of products during refrigerated storage.

[Management of asymptomatic small tumor of the kidney of incidental discovery]. / Conduite à tenir devant une petite tumeur du rein asymptomatique de découverte fortuite.

OBJECTIVE: The incidental discovery of renal tumours is increasingly frequent. All small renal tumours are not inevitably cancers. The objective of our study was to compare radiological and histological data and to establish a diagnostic and therapeutic approach to the incidental discovery of a small renal tumour. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective study of 22 incidentally discovered asymptomatic renal tumours, with a long axis of less than 5 cm on the pathology specimen. RESULTS: The tumour was discovered on ultrasound in 68% of cases. All patients were operated, allowing histological examination of the operative specimen, revealing 14 cancers, 4 angiomyolipomas, 2 adenomas and 2 haemorrhagic cysts (with thick contents). Ultrasound demonstrated a hypoechoic tumour in 13 cases, 11 of which were cancers, and a hyperechoic tumour in the other 7 cases, corresponding to 4 angiomyolipomas, 2 cancers, and 1 adenoma. Computed tomography showed a heterogeneous tumour in 12 cases, corresponding to a cancer in all but one case. The tumour was homogeneous in the other 10 cases, including 4 cancers. Arteriography showed a hypervascular tumour in 3 cases, all cancers, and a hypovascular tumour in 7 cases: 2 cancers, 2 adenomas, 2 very small angiomyolipomas and 1 haemorrhagic cyst. CONCLUSION: Despite the development of medical imaging, further progress is required to resolve the diagnostic problems raised by certain incidentally discovered asymptomatic renal tumours, particularly tumours with a homogeneous appearance on CT scan and a hypovascular appearance on arteriography.

[Prostatic localization revealing an acute myeloid leukemia. Apropos of a case]. / Localisation prostatique révélatrice d'une leucémie aiguë myéloïde. A propos d'un cas.

The authors report an original case of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) presenting in the form of acute urinary retention, confirmed by prostatic biopsy, with complete absence of any non-urological clinical features. Prostatic sites of leukaemia are frequent and classically reported, but often occur during the course of known leukaemia, and are rarely symptomatic, justifying biopsies in the presence of any prostatic symptoms. Immunolabelling represents the key to the diagnosis in the presence of undifferentiated cells demonstrated on prostatic biopsies. The outcome was fatal in this case, despite early chemotherapy. The clinical features, clinical course and therapeutic aspects of prostatic leukaemia are discussed.

[Giant adenoma of the kidney. Apropos of a case with 7 years follow-up]. / L'adénome géant du rein: à propos d'un cas avec 7 ans de recul.

The authors report one case of giant kidney adenoma. They describe the radiological and histological aspects of this rare tumor. Prognosis and treatment.

[Role of in situ alkalinization in the treatment of obstructive uric acid lithiasis]. / Place de l'alcalinisation in situ dans le traitement de la lithiase urique obstructive.

The authors report a series of 9 reno-ureteral obstructive uric acid calculi with recourse first to percutaneous nephrostomy. After attempt of stone dissolution by in situ alkalinization, the role of such a method among other uric acid stones management techniques is discussed.

[Role of in situ alkalinization in the treatment of obstructive uric acid lithiasis]. / Place de l'alcalinisation in situ dans le traitement de la lithiase urique obstructive.

The authors report a series of nine reno-ureteral obstructive uric acid calculi initially treated by percutaneous nephrostomy. After attempting stone dissolution by in situ alkalinization, they discuss the place of such a method among the various treatments for uric acid stones.

[T1 bladder tumors. Can they be considered superficial?]. / Tumeurs de vessie T1. Peut-on les considérer comme des tumeurs superficielles?

The authors report about a series of 60 cases of superficial (Ta and T1) bladder tumors and study their evolution towards infiltration according to the grade, size and number. 16% of the T1 tumors evolved towards infiltration and/or metastatic spread after a period of 42 months. In our opinion, T1 tumors can be regarded as superficial tumors. However, our therapeutic attitude is cautious because of pejorative factors of prognosis: high grade, multiple foci, and size exceeding 5 cm.