Pathogenic and mating type characterization of an uncommon wilt disease of citrus in Tunisia

Wilt disease on citrus trees in Tunisia have increased in significance in the northern and center of the country. Trunks and secondary branches of wilted trees were collected and used to isolate the main pathogen and assess pathogenicity on sour orange rootstock. In addition, Mating type (MAT) specific primers were used to assess the mating type of Fusarium oxysporum Schlecht isolates. The distribution of MAT idiomorph may suggest that MAT1-1 is a predominant mating type in the F. oxysporum population. Wilt disease symptoms, recorded at the end of the pathogenicity tests, were associated with reduced plant growth and vigour, with shorter and thinner shoots, and limited number of roots. Principal component analysis (PCA) based on host specificity of isolates (sweet orange and tangerine), geographical origin (CapBon area and Kairouan) and severity index of the isolates showed three groups related to the specific host and origin. The present study has proved essential information on occurrence of mating types of F. oxysporum isolated from citrus

Effects of oil and natural or synthetic vitamin E on ruminal and milk fatty acid profiles in cows receiving a high-starch diet

Among trans fatty acids, trans-10,cis-12 CLA has negative effects on cow milk fat production and can affect human health. In high-yielding dairy cows, a shift from the trans-11 to the trans-10 pathway of biohydrogenation (BH) can occur in the rumen of cows receiving high-concentrate diets, especially when the diet is supplemented with unsaturated fat sources. In some but not all experiments, vitamin E has been shown to control this shift. To ascertain the effects of vitamin E on this shift of BH pathway, 2 studies were conducted. The first study explored in vitro the effects of addition of natural (RRR-α-tocopherol acetate) and synthetic (dl-α-tocopherol acetate) vitamin E. Compared with control and synthetic vitamin E, the natural form resulted in a greater trans-10/trans-11 ratio; however, the effect was very low, suggesting that vitamin E was neither a limiting factor for rumen BH nor a modulator of the BH pathway. An in vivo study investigated the effect of natural vitamin E (RRR-α-tocopherol) on this shift and subsequent milk fat depression. Six rumenfistulated lactating Holstein cows were assigned to a 2 × 2 crossover design. Cows received 20-kg DM of a control diet based on corn silage with 22% of wheat, and after 2 wk of adaptation, the diet was supplemented with 600 g of sunflower oil for 2 more weeks. During the last week of this 4-wk experimental period, cows were divided into 2 groups: an unsupplemented control group and a group receiving 11 g of RRR-α-tocopherol acetate per day. A trans-10 shift of ruminal BH associated with milk fat depression due to oil supplementation of a high-wheat diet was observed, but vitamin E supplementation of dairy cows did not result in a reversal toward a trans-11 BH pathway, and did not restore milk fat content

Use of Spineless Cactus (Opuntia ficus indica f. inermis) for Dairy Goats and Growing Kids: Impacts on Milk Production, Kid's Growth, and Meat Quality

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of spineless cactus incorporation in food of dairy goats and growing kids on milk production and composition and on kid's growth and meat characteristics. Two experiments were conducted on Tunisian local goats. In the first, 30 females were divided into two groups; goats of Control group were reared on grazing pasture receiving indoor 0.5 kg of hay and 0.4 kg of concentrate. Goats for the second group (Cac-FL) were kept in feedlot and fed cactus ad libitum more 0.5 kg of hay and 0.4 kg of concentrate. In the second experiment, 14 kids were divided into 2 groups receiving 600 g of hay. The Control group received ad libitum a concentrate containing 130 g crude protein (CP) per kg of dry matter. The second group received cactus ad-libitum plus the half concentrate quantity of control one with 260 g CP/kg DM (Cactus). The daily milk production averaged 485 ml for Control group and 407 ml for Cac-FL one. The milk fat content was significantly higher for Control than Cac-FL group. In the second experiment, animals in Control and Cactus groups had similar growth rate. Carcass fat was significantly lower in Cactus than in the Control group. Cactus in the diet was associated with more C18:2 and conjugated linoleic acid as well as a higher proportion of PUFA than Control ones

Changes in the composition and fatty acid profile of Najdi ewes’ milk before and after weaning

This trial aimed to study the changes in the yield, composition, and fatty acid (FA) profile of ewes’ milk during suckling and milking periods. Nineteen multiparous Najdi ewes were kept under identical management and feeding conditions during a 12-week trial that was divided into two periods. Milk samples were collected on each sampling day from the total yield during the suckling (3rd, 6th, and 9th week) and milking (12th week) periods. The milk yield and the total solids, fat, protein, and lactose contents of the milk remained constant throughout the suckling weeks, but the protein content increased and milk yield and lactose content decreased after weaning. There were no differences in milk saturated FA (SFA), unsaturated FA (UFA), and monounsaturated FA (MUFA) contents during the suckling and milking periods, whereas the polyunsaturated FA content increased during the milking period. There were no differences in the individual milk SFA during the weeks of suckling, but the contents of caproic acid (C6:0), caprylic acid (C8:0), margaric acid (C17:0), and stearic acid (C18:0) decreased. However, myristic acid (C14:0), lauric acid (C12:0), and isomers of pentadecanoic (C15:0) acid increased during the milking period. The percentage of vaccenic acid (C18:1△11t), rumenic acid (C18:2△9c,11t; conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)), ω-3 FA group, and the atherogenicity index did not differ during the suckling period, but increased after weaning in the 12th week of lactation. This study demonstrated that weaning lambs in Najdi ewes is probably a factor that strongly affects milk traits by changing yield, composition, and FA profile.Keywords: CLA, dairy ewes, milk fat, milk yield, stage of lactatio

Pulmonary functions of narghile smokers compared to cigarette smokers: a casecontrol study

Background: Studies of the lung function profiles of exclusive narghile smokers (ENS) are few, have some methodological limits, and present contradictory conclusions. The present study aimed to compare the plethysmographic profiles of ENS with age- and height-matched exclusive cigarette smokers (ECS).Methods: Males aged 35-60 living in Sousse, Tunisia, who have been smoking narghile exclusively for more than 10 narghile-years (n=36) or cigarettes exclusively for more than 10 pack-years (n=106) were recruited to participate in this casecontrol study. The anthropometric and plethysmographic data were measured according to international recommendations using a body plethysmograph (ZAN 500 Body II, Meβgreräte GmbH, Germany). Large-airway-obstructive-ventilatory-defect (LAOVD) was defined as: first second forced expiratory volume/forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) below the lower-limit-of-normal (LLN). Restrictiveventilatory- defect (RVD) was defined as total lung capacity <LLN. Lung hyperinflation was defined as residual volume>upper-limit-of-normal. Student t-test and x2 test were used to compare plethysmographic data and profiles of the two groups.Results: The subjects in the ENS and ECS groups are well matched in age (45+7 vs. 47+5 years) and height (1.73+0.06 vs. 1.72+0.06 m) and used similar quantities of tobacco (36+22 narghile-years vs. 35+19 packyears). Compared to the ENS group, the ECS group had significantly lower FEV1 (84+12 vs. 60+21%), FVC (90+12 vs. 76+18%), and FEV1/FVC (99+7 vs. 83+17%). The two groups had similar percentages of RVD (31 vs. 36%), while the ECS group had a significantly higher percentage of LAOVD (8 vs. 58%) and lung hyperinflation (36 vs.57%).Conclusion: Chronic exclusive narghile smoking has less adverse effects on pulmonary function tests than chronic exclusive cigarette smoking.Keywords: plethysmography; tobacco; narghile; tabamel; agein

Hacia un estudio decolonial del anarquismo: Perspectivas comparadas de Egipto y Túnez

En este artículo vamos a dibujar la historia decolonial del anarquismo en Egipto y Túnez a través del estudio comparado de los movimientos 'Asian (Desobediencia) y al-Haraka al-Ishtirakiyya al-Taharruriyya (Movimiento Libertario Socialista). El estudio de estos dos casos nos ayuda a romper con la mirada eurocéntrica del anarquismo y a situar la reemergencia de estos movimientos sociales a escala mundial en un contexto aún inexplorado como es la región sur mediterránea. Para ello vamos a realizar un estudio comparado de las historias del movimiento anarquista egipcio y tunecino con un análisis histórico, historiográfico y etnográfico que nos ayude a entender las causas de la reemergencia del anarquismo en la última década y las claves de la descolonización de estas narrativas en las costas del sur del MediterráneoIn this article we will draw the decolonial history of anarchism in Egypt and Tunis through the comparative study of the following movements: 'Asian (Disobedience) and al-Haraka al- Ishtirakiyya al-Taharruriyya (Libertarian Socialist Movement). The study of these two cases will help us to break down the Eurocentric understanding of anarchism and to situate the reemergence of these social movements in a global scale in a yet unexplored context such as the Southern Mediterranean one. For this purpose we will carry out with a comparative study of the stories of the Egyptian and Tunisian anarchist movements with a historical, historiographical and ethnographical analysis that will help us to understand the causes of the reemergence of anarchism and the key concepts of the decolonization of these narratives in the South of the Mediterranea

Fatty Acid and Multi-Isotopic Analysis (C, H, N, O) as a Tool to Differentiate and Valorise the Djebel Lamb from the Mountainous Region of Tunisia

The objective of this study was to distinguish between the Tunisian Djebel lamb meat and meat from typical Tunisian production systems (PSs) through the fatty acids (FAs) profile and the stable isotope ratio analysis (SIRA). Thirty-five lambs from three different regions and PSs (D = Djebel, B = Bou-Rebiaa, and O = Ouesslatia) were considered for this purpose. The results demonstrated that the PS and the geographic origin strongly influenced the FA profile of lamb meat. It was possible to discriminate between the Djebel lamb meat and the rest of the dataset thanks to the quantification of the conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) and the branched chain FAs. Moreover, statistically different concentrations of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated FAs and a different n-6/n-3 ratio were found for grazing (D and BR) and indoor (O) lambs, making it possible to discriminate between them. As for the stable isotope ratio analysis, all parameters made it possible to distinguish among the three groups, primarily on the basis of the dietary regimen (δ(13C) and δ(15N)) and breeding area (δ(18O) and δ(2H))

Working Paper 126 - China’s Trade and FDI in Africa

China’s growth and its capacity to move in thirty years from under-development and extreme poverty to an emerging global power and one of the largest exporter of manufactured goods has attracted the attention of many developing countries. China has served as a development model for Africa and an alternative source of trade and finance from Africa’s traditional development partners. The impact of China on African economies has been diverse, depending in part on the sectoral composition of each country’s production. Overall, China’s increased engagement with Africa could generate important gains for African economies. This paper analyzes the different impacts of China on Africa, quantifies the advantages and disadvantages, and policy suggestions necessary to maximize the development impact of China. One overriding consideration is that reaping the full benefits from Chinese trade and investment will require substantial improvements in governance in African economies.

Cholécystectomie laparoscopique ambulatoire: première expérience en Tunisie

Introduction: La cholécystectomie laparoscopique est le gold standard de la prise en charge des calculs vésiculaires symptomatiques. Il existe une importante controverse quant au fait de savoir si elle devrait être pratiquée en chirurgie ambulatoire ou dans le cadre d'une chirurgie avec hospitalisation d'une nuit pour ce qui concerne la sécurité des patients. Le but du travail est d’évaluer l'impact de la cholécystectomie laparoscopique en chirurgie ambulatoire versus en chirurgie avec hospitalisation d'une nuit sur les critères de jugement axés sur le patient, tels que la mortalité, les graves événements indésirables et la qualité de vie. Méthodes: Il s’agit d’une étude transversale descriptive réalisée au sein du service de chirurgie générale de l’hôpital Habib Thameur, sur la période allant de Mai 2009 à Février 2010. Cette étude porte sur 67 malades porteurs d’une lithiase vésiculaire symptomatique ayant eu une cholécystectomie laparoscopique en ambulatoire (CLA). Étaient exclus de l’étude: les malades ASA III et IV, les diabétiques sous sulfamides ou sous insuline, les grands obèses, les malades de plus de 65 ans et moins de 18 ans, ceux avec un antécédent de chirurgie abdominale majeure, les malades suspects d’une lithiase de la voie biliaire principale, d’une cholécystite aiguë ou d’une pancréatite. Pour être traité par CLA, le malade devait résider à moins de 50 km de l’hôpital, et avoir la possibilité d’une présence adulte à ses côtés. Résultats: Dix-sept patients étaient inclus puis exclus de notre étude devant la découverte per opératoire de signes de cholécystite aigue ou devant des difficultés de dissection amenant le chirurgien à mettre un drain de Redon en sous hépatique en fin d’intervention. Finalement, 50 patients ont été retenus: 7 hommes et 43 femmes d’âge moyen de 48 ans. L’intervention se déroulait selon les modalités habituelles. A la sortie de la salle de réveil, le patient était dirigé en secteur ambulatoire où une alimentation liquide était autorisée. Le malade était revu avant 19 h et la sortie décidée si une analgésie orale était possible, si une alimentation liquide était tolérée, s’il n’existait aucun trouble de la diurèse, et si le patient acceptait un retour à domicile avec un traitement antalgique et anti-inflammatoire à la demande. Trente neuf patients (78%) ont quitté l’hôpital et 11 ont été gardés. L’âge > à 45 ans, la durée de l’anesthésie > à 70 minutes et la fatigue post opératoire ont été identifié comme facteur de risque de sorties ratées. Aucune réadmission n’a été observée. Les patients qui ont pu être mis sortants ont été satisfaits du protocole de prise en charge avec des réponses majoritairement de type excellent et bon (94%). Conclusion: La chirurgie ambulatoire semble tout aussi sûre que la chirurgie avec hospitalisation d'une nuit dans la cholécystectomie laparoscopique avec un faible taux de complication et de réadmission chez des malades sélectionnés, et avec une réduction du coût de l’intervention

Enhanced privacy governance in Health Information Systems through business process modelling and HL7

© 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. Medical data privacy is nowadays an alarming issue thanks to the technological revolution witnessed in the medical field and the ease of data access and exchange leveraged by newly implemented Hospital Information Systems (HIS). In order to help protect patient data while offering them the required medical procedures, many computerized techniques could be made available to be implemented in HIS since an early stage of their design. Those techniques should be applied throughout the rolling of clinical pathways to preserve medical data privacy and security in order to enhance privacy governance within Hospitals. When considered as processes, and because of their complexity and multidisciplinary nature, clinical pathways should be modelled in a simple way paying attention to medical tasks and the underlining shared clinical data. It is important to highlight the data with higher protection and sensitivity level. These data characteristics will influence many governance and security decisions of each process. This work aims to present a methodology to model clinical pathway specifications for data driven clinical processes, distinguishing sensitive data from other data and identifying personal data protection principles and the Protected Health Information (PHI). In this context, we precise for each clinical task potentially involving data processing and sharing, the level of protection the data requires through the use of privacy tags and labels added to data elements predefined using the HL7 standard. This method of tagging would help mapping extracted data, classified into categories, to a set of privacy requirements as needed by the HIPAA legislation. Hence data protection and privacy governance are leveraged in a seamless and highly transparent way. The use of HL7 allowed better data discovery and parsing which facilitates the definition of medical data protection measures at a later stage