Phytochemical Screening, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activists of Reamuria vermiculata leaves

The aim of this study is to determine the phytochemical analyses, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Reamuria vermiculata leaves extracts. Organic extracts (methanol, hexane, ethyl acetate, petroleum ether) were screened for their biochemical composition as well as antioxidant and antibacterial activities. In fact, Phytochemical screening of Reamuria vermiculata leaves showed the presence of flavonoids, coumarins, saponins, tannins, terpenes, and quinones. Biochemical screening showed that the methanol was the richest extract in phenolic and tanins with 179.68 mg GAE/ g and 56.25 mg CE/g, respectively. The analysis of DPPH radical scavenging activity and ABTS showed an important scavenging with ethyl acetate extract with IC50 of 0.0012mg/mL, and 0.0006mg/mL respectively. As well as, the methanol extract exhibited an antimicrobial property against bacterial strains. Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella typhimurium were the most sensitive strains with minimum inhibitory concentration values of 0.3125 mg/mL. These results allow us to propose that Reamuria vermiculata is an excellent source for bioactive molecules exhibiting interesting biological capacities

0528: The role of brain natriuretic peptide and cystatin C in the evaluation of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction: correlation with echocardio-graphic indexes after myocardial infarction

BackgroundThe utility of Brain Natriuretic Peptide (BNP) and cystatin C for detecting left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction after myocardial infarction (MI) in patients without heart failure symptoms still unclear. In this study, we investigated the relation between BNP, serum cystatin C levels and LV diastolic dysfunction after MI in patients without systolic dysfunction.MethodsWe studied 127 patients without renal dysfunction after first acute coronary syndrome (ACS). LV diastolic function was assessed with conventional Doppler, by means of mitral inflow and with tissue Doppler echo-cardiography by means of mitral annulus. The ratio of early diastolic transmitral E wave velocities to tissue Doppler mitral annulus early diastolic E’ wave velocities (E/E’), was used to detect LV filling pressures. Patients were divided in three groups according to E/E’ ratios<10 (group I), E/E’ ratios “between” 10 and 15 (group II) and E/E’ ratios>15 (group III). Plasma concentrations of BNP and serum cystatin C were measured at admission.ResultsThe BNP and serum cystatin C levels were positively correlated significantly with E/E’ ratio (r=0.786, P<0.001 and r=0.458, p=0.02). Patients with elevated LV end diastolic pressure (LVEDP), defined as E/E’>15 had highest BNP (321±75pg/mL) and cystatin C (1.1±0.2mg/L) levels. E/E’ 10 to 15 group had a mean BNP level of 151±28pg/mL and a mean cystatin C value of 0.78±0.1mg/L, and those with E/E’<10 had a mean BNP value of 69±20pg/ mL. A BNP value of 89pg/mL had a sensitivity of 84% and a specificity of 69% for predicting E/E’>15.ConclusionThe assessment of the blood concentration of BNP and cystatin C is of potential value for identification of those patients after myocardial infarction to detect early cardiovascular changes, especially LV diastolic dys-function

034 Creatinine clearance and adverse hospital outcomes in patients with myocardial infarction

IntroductionNormal renal function has been Shown in epidemiological studies and clinical trials to be an independent predictor of survival.ObjectiveTo determine whether creatinine clearance at the time of hospital admission is an independent predictor of hospital mortality and adverse outcomes in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).Patients231 patients hospitalized with STEMI in our institution between January 2005 to December 2006.In-hospital outcomes were compared for patients with creatinine clearance rates of > 60ml/min (normal renal function) and ≤60ml/min (moderate and severe Baseline Renal Dysfunction, BRD).ResultsPatients with BRD were older, were more likely to be women, and presented to with more comorbidites.Patients with BRD had presented more ischemic atrial fibrillation (p = 0.033).A greater number of patients with BRD had impaired left ventricle systolic performance, so this patients had more presented acute heart failure (p = 0.008), and cardiogenic shock (p = 0.017).Patients with worsened renal function had presented more mechanical complications:-free wall rupture and apical ventricular septal defect, in two separate cases, following anterior myocardial infarction, leading to immediate death of these two patients.-ischemic mitral regurgitation in one caseThe in hospital death rate of BRD patients was 6.6%, compared with 0.9% for non BRD patients.In comparison with patients with normal or minimally impaired renal function, patients with moderate renal dysfunction were seven times more likely to die (odds ratio 7, 09, 95% confidence interval 0.7 to 68) after adjustment for other potentially confounding Variables.The risk of bleeding episodes was increased in patients with worsened renal functionOnly one patient, with moderate renal dysfunction, had an ischemic stroke.ConclusionIn patients with ACS, creatinine clearance is an important independent predictor of hospital death

Implementation of the One Health approach to fight arbovirus infections in the Mediterranean and Black Sea Region: Assessing integrated surveillance in Serbia, Tunisia and Georgia

Background In the Mediterranean and Black Sea Region, arbovirus infections are emerging infectious diseases. Their surveillance can benefit from one health inter-sectoral collaboration; however, no standardized methodology exists to study One Health surveillance. Methods We designed a situation analysis study to document how integration of laboratory/clinical human, animal and entomological surveillance of arboviruses was being implemented in the Region. We applied a framework designed to assess three levels of integration: policy/institutional, data collection/data analysis and dissemination. We tested the use of Business Process Modelling Notation (BPMN) to graphically present evidence of inter-sectoral integration. Results Serbia, Tunisia and Georgia participated in the study. West Nile Virus surveillance was analysed in Serbia and Tunisia, Crimea-Congo Haemorrhagic Fever surveillance in Georgia. Our framework enabled a standardized analysis of One Health surveillance integration, and BPMN was easily understandable and conducive to detailed discussions among different actors/institutions. In all countries, we observed integration across sectors and levels except in data collection and data analysis. Data collection was interoperable only in Georgia without integrated analysis. In all countries, surveillance was mainly oriented towards outbreak response, triggered by an index human case. Discussion The three surveillance systems we observed prove that integrated surveillance can be operationalized with a diverse spectrum of options. However, in all countries, the integrated use of data for early warning and inter-sectoral priority setting is pioneeristic. We also noted that early warning before human case occurrence is recurrently not operationally prioritized

Earnings quality and equity liquidity: evidence from Tunisia

This paper examines the association between earnings quality and equity liquidity of Tunisian listed firms. Analysis on the liquidity of an emerging market such as the BVMT is very appealing because it is the most important quality investors look for. Earnings quality seems to influence stocks' liquidity in regard to its impact on the information asymmetry. Based on a sample of 20 firms over a period from 2000 to 2005, we find that there is a statistically significant relationship between our proxy of earnings quality and liquidity after controlling the stock exchange, size, returns of the equity and volatility. Our results support that firms with higher earnings quality have lower bid-ask spreads and lower adverse selection spread components. This result supports theoretical models predicting that more quality of financial and accounting information is associated with a higher level of liquidity.accounting; earnings quality; equity liquidity; Tunisia; listed firms; emerging markets.

Phytochemical Screening, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activists of Reamuria vermiculata leaves

The aim of this study is to determine the phytochemical analyses, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Reamuria vermiculata leaves extracts. Organic extracts (methanol, hexane, ethyl acetate, petroleum ether) were screened for their biochemical composition as well as antioxidant and antibacterial activities. In fact, Phytochemical screening of Reamuria vermiculata leaves showed the presence of flavonoids, coumarins, saponins, tannins, terpenes, and quinones. Biochemical screening showed that the methanol was the richest extract in phenolic and tanins with 179.68 mg GAE/ g and 56.25 mg CE/g, respectively. The analysis of DPPH radical scavenging activity and ABTS showed an important scavenging with ethyl acetate extract with IC50 of 0.0012mg/mL, and 0.0006mg/mL respectively. As well as, the methanol extract exhibited an antimicrobial property against bacterial strains. Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella typhimurium were the most sensitive strains with minimum inhibitory concentration values of 0.3125 mg/mL. These results allow us to propose that Reamuria vermiculata is an excellent source for bioactive molecules exhibiting interesting biological capacities

Impact de l’audit externe sur la qualité du résultat comptable : cas des entreprises tunisiennes cotées

Cet article vise à examiner l’importance du rôle de contrôle exercé par l’audit externe sur la fiabilité des états financiers dans les entreprises tunisiennes cotées. Plus précisément, nous étudions l’impact de la qualité de l’auditeur externe sur la qualité du résultat comptable. Nous avons choisi la qualité des accruals et la pertinence comme mesure de la qualité du résultat comptable. À partir d’un échantillon de 108 observations sur la période 2000-2005, nos résultats confirment l’hypothèse selon laquelle les « BIG » et le secteur de spécialisation de l’auditeur améliore la qualité du résultat comptable. Les résultats montrent aussi l’existence d’une association significativement positive entre la durée de la relation d’audit et la qualité du résultat comptable.The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of the control exerted by the external audit on the reliability of the financial statements in Tunisian-listed firms. More specifically, we study the quality of the external audit on the accounting earnings quality. We choose the accruals quality and the value relevance like measures of accounting earnings quality. Results based on a sample of 108 firms over the period 2000-2005 suggest that the “BIG” and the sector of specialization of the auditor improve the quality of the accounting earnings. We find also a statistically significant positive relationship between the auditor industry specialist tenure and the earnings quality

A huge cardiac hydatid cyst: An unusual cause of chest pain revealing multivisceral hydatidosis in a young woman

Hydatid disease remains endemic in some parts of the world. Cardiac hydatidosis with multivisceral involvement is uncommon but potentially fatal. We report the case of a 36-year-old Tunisian woman admitted with chest pain and T-wave inversion in the inferior leads on her electrocardiogram. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed a large hydatid cyst in the epicardium throughout the left ventricle. Thoraco-abdominal computerized tomography (CT) scan showed several hydatid cysts in the left lung, the liver, and in both breasts. After one week of albendazole treatment, surgical excision of the cardiac cyst on cardiopulmonary bypass was carried out as well as excision of the pulmonary and breast cysts. The postoperative course was uneventful and albendazole treatment was continued for six months. Though hydatid cardiac involvement is very rare, it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of atypical chest pain in young patients, especially those living in regions where hydatid disease is endemic