Comparative evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of Citrullus colocynthis immature fruit and seed organic extracts

Gastrointestinal problems, dermatological, gynaecological and pulmonary infections produced by micro-organisms are widespread in the entire globe. The treatment of these infections is mainly based on the use of synthetic drugs which have lost, in recent years, their effectiveness, due to the development of resistant strains and the rise of opportunistic fungal infections. Tunisian traditional medicine is a potential source of new remedies namely, Citrullus colocynthis Schrad. (Cucurbitaceae). Lyophilized aqueous and organic extracts from immature fruits and seeds were screened for activity against gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhimurium, Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Vibrio alginolyticus) and gram-positive (Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Listeria monocytogenes and Micrococcus luteus) bacteria and various Candida spp. (Candida glabrata, Candida albicans, Candida parapsilosis and Candida kreusei). Minimal inhibition concentrations (MICs) and minimal bactericidal/fungicidal  concentrations (MBCs/MFCs) were used to investigate the antimicrobial activity. Extracts from the two C. colocynthis Schrad. organs, at immature state, inhibited the growth of all the tested strains. The highest antibacterial effects were obtained against E. coli (MIC = 0.006 mg/ml) with the fruit methanol and the seed petroleum extracts. Regarding the anticandidal activity assessment, seed extracts showed the lowest results. This study demonstrated the broad spectrum antimicrobial activity of C. colocynthis immature fruit and seed extracts.Key words: Citrullus colocynthis Schrad, fruits, seeds, organic extracts, antibacterial, anticandidal

Paramètres agronomiques liés à la tolérance au sel chez le haricot (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

Agronomical traits associated with salinity-tolerance in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). Identifying multiple agronomical parameters associated with salinity-tolerance is important for evaluating common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivars and improving their tolerance to salinity. Six cultivars were grown in soil, under glasshouse conditions and exposed to three salinity levels (control, 25 and 50 mM NaCl) to evaluate their tolerance using their biomass and the relative salt-susceptibility index: I.S.R.S. = D.R.B./I.I.S. (D.R.B.: relative biomass deficit and I.I.S.: salinity intensity index). On the other hand, a comparative field trial was conducted at four experimental stations of INRAT (Ariana, Oued Beja, Oued Meliz and Sejnane) during three consecutive years with sixteen cultivars to determine their grain yield stability, grain size and precocity. Results showed that tolerant cultivars are colour-seeded, early and presented yield stability and medium grain size. By contrast the susceptible cultivars are late, white-seeded and characterized by a less stable yield and small to medium grain size

Effects of transverse shear deformations on the free vibration of anisotropic open circular cylindrical shells

Basic theory and method -- Fundamental equations for open cylindrical shells -- The displacement functions -- Determination of mass and stiffness matrices for an element -- Stiffness and mass matrices for the whole shell in vacuo -- Free vibration

Fault detection and identification using Wigner-Ville distribution

Time-frequency distributions -- The application of time-frequency analysis to machinery diagnostics

Condition monitoring and diagnostic of rotating machinery by means of wavelet transforms

Wavelet transforms -- Application of the wavelet transform to machinery fault diagnosis -- Application of the wavelet transform to machinery fault diagnosis

Prediction of statistical properties of turbulent two-phase flow wall pressure fluctuations

Two-phase flow loop facility -- Prediction of pressure gradient in two-phase flow -- Pressure fluctuation pickups -- Pressure transducer acquisition system -- Spectral analysis system -- Intensity of the wall-pressure fluctuations -- Rms wall-pressure fluctuations -- Power spectra measurements -- Spatial correlations -- Prediction of wall-pressure convections -- Broad-band space-time correlations

Application of short-time fourier transform in machine fault detection

Time-based and frequency-based vibration analysis techniques -- Time-frequency analysis -- Applications of time-frequency analysis to machinery diagnosis

Central nervous system infection following vertical transmission of Coxsackievirus B4 in mice

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from the publisher via the DOI in this record.Coxsackie B viruses (CV-B) are important pathogens associated with several central nervous system (CNS) disorders. CV-B are mainly transmitted by the faecal-oral route, but there is also evidence for vertical transmission. The outcome of in utero CV-B infections on offspring's CNS is poorly explored. The aim of this study was to investigate vertical transmission of CV-B to the CNS. For this purpose, pregnant Swiss albino mice were intraperitoneally inoculated with CV-B4 E2 at gestational days 10G or 17G. Different CNS compartments were collected and analyzed for virus infection and histopathological changes. Using plaque assays, we demonstrated CV-B4 E2 vertical transmission to offspring's CNS. Viral RNA persisted in the CNS up to 60 days after birth, as evidenced by a sensitive semi-nested(sn) reverse transcripton(RT)-PCR method. This was despite infectious particles becoming undetectable at later time points. Persistence was associated with inflammatory lesions, lymphocyte infiltration and viral dsRNA detected by immunohistochemistry. Offspring born to dams mock- or virus-infected at day 17G were challenged by the same virus at day 21 after birth (-+ and ++ groups, respectively). Sn-RT-PCR and histology results compared between both ++ and -+ groups, show that in utero infection did not enhance CNS infection during challenge of the offspring with the same virus.This work was supported by Ministère de l’Enseignement Supérieur et de la Recherche Scientifique, (LR99ES27), Tunisia, and Ministère de l’Education Nationale de la Recherche et de la Technologie, Université Lille 2 CHRU Lille (UPRES EA3610), France. Financial support for S.J.R has come from the European Commission 7th Framework Programme PEVNET [FP7/2007-2013] under grant agreement number 261441 and a Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) Career Development Award (5-CDA-2014-221-A-N). Habib JMII was supported by grants from Ministère de l’Enseignement Supérieur et de la Recherche Scientifique

Inhibitory Activity of Leaves Extracts of Citrullus colocynthis Schrad. on HT29 Human Colon Cancer Cells

Aims: Citrullus colocynthis is a plant endemic in Asia, Africa and in the Mediterranean basin. It is used in folk medicine against infections, inflammations and cardiovascular and immune-related diseases. There are further evidences of the use of Citrullus colocynthis Schrad in the treatment of cancer in traditional practices. The present study aimed to determine the potential antiproliferative effects of different Citrullus colocynthis leaf extracts on human cancer cells. Methodology: Antiproliferative and antioxidant effects on HT-29 human colon cancer cells were detected by MTS assay and a modified protocol of the alkaline Comet assay. In vitro antioxidant activities of different leaf extracts were evaluated through DPPH, \u3b2-carotene/linoleic acid and reducing power assays. Results: The leaf chloroform extract exhibited the higher cell growth inhibitory activity without induction of DNA damage; it showed to be able to significantly decrease DNA damage induced by H2O2 (100 M). This antioxidant activity seems to be comparable to that of vitamin C (1 mM). Ethyl acetate, acetone and methanol leaf extracts showed to be the most effective in reducing the stable free DPPH radical (IC50 =113 g/ml), in transforming the Fe3+ to Fe2+ (IC50 = 134 \ub5g/ml) and in inducing linoleic acid oxidation with an inhibition of 31.9 %. Conclusion: Our results confirm the antiproliferative potential of Citrullus colocynthis Schrad. on human cancer cells

LES ASPECTS SOMATIQUES DE L’ANOREXIE MENTALE

L’anorexie mentale est une affection psychiatrique en rapport avec un trouble du comportement alimentaire. Il s’agit d’une maladie grave et fréquente qui touche surtout la femme jeune. Non traitée à temps, elle entraîne une dénutrition sévère responsable de troubles somatiques de pronostic péjoratif le plus souvent corrélés à une baisse importance de l’indice de masse corporelle. Ces troubles sont dominés par l’ostéoporose dont le mécanisme est multifactoriel et l’atteinte cardio-vasculaire dont le risque majeur est l’arrêt cardiaque par troubles du rythme. Les autres atteintes sont représentées par les désordres électrolytiques et endocriniens, par la nécrose gélatineuse de la moelle osseuse, la parotidomégalie, l’atteinte des fonctions supérieures et le syndrome de la pince mésentérique. En plus d’une prise en charge psychiatrique, le traitement des troubles somatiques nécessite une conduite pratique bien codifiée afin d’éviter les accidents de la renutrition