Correlation between metabolites of lactic acid bacteria isolated from dairy traditional fermented Tunisian products and antifungal and antioxidant activities.

AIMS: The objective of this study is to identify and investigate the antifungal and antioxidant potential of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from traditional fermented products. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this work, a collection of LAB was isolated from traditional fermented products collected in four Tunisian regions. After first screening using the overlay method, seven bacterial strains were retained due to their high antifungal effect. Four strains of Limosilactobacillus fermentum were identified, one strain of Lacticaseibacillus paracasei, one strain of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus and one strain of Enterococcus faecium. The antifungal and the antioxidant potential of these bacteria were then evaluated. Bacterial strains were effective against six fungal strains with minimum inhibitory concentrations ranging from 25 to 100 mg/ml and minimum fungicidal concentrations ranging from 50 to 200 mg/ml. Cell-free supernatants of LAB were analysed by HPLC-DAD and LC-MS-qTOF-MS analysis. Results showed significant production of organic acids as well as several phenolic compounds. Correlation analysis confirmed that PLA and 1,2-dihydroxybenzene were positively correlated with antifungal potential. The results of the antioxidant activity highlighted an ABTS radical cation scavenging activity ranging from 49% to 57% and a DPPH trapping percentage ranging from 80% to 97%. CONCLUSIONS: Therefore, due to these characteristics, identified lactic acid bacteria strains have shown their effectiveness to perform as antifungal and antioxidant agents. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Since microbial contamination is at the root of extensive losses in the food sector, the identified strains or their metabolites can potentially be used as additives to limit micro-organism spoilage in food products and increase their shelf life.

[Paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis complicating pulmonary adenocarcinoma: a case report]. / Encéphalite limbique paranéoplasique compliquant un adénocarcinome pulmonaire: à propos d'un cas.

Limbic encephalitis (LE) is a rare disease often of paraneoplastic origin. It is frequently associated with bronchopulmonary cancer. Diagnosis is based on brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We here report the case of a 54-year-old female patient with a history of active smoking, presenting with chronic dry cough. Chest X-ray showed suspicious right lung opacity. Bronchial fibroscopy and bronchial biopsies were not contributory. Thoraco-abdomino-pelvic computed tomography (CT)-scan and brain CT-scan showed a mass in the right upper lobe classified as T4N2M1a. CT-guided lung biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of bronchopulmonary adenocarcinoma. The patient had reported a recent history of memory disturbances associated with depressed mood, anxiety and paroxysmal confusion. Metabolic screening and tests for detecting infection were normal and brain MRI suggested limbic encephalitis. The evolution was characterized by rapid disease progression; the patient died in about ten days.

[Confusion in the diagnosis of endobronchial tumor]. / Une tumeur endobronchique déroutante.

Bronchopulmonary cancer is the leading cause of death in men and the second in women. Some endoscopic or radiological features may guide histological diagnosis and thus facilitate therapeutic management. We here report the case of a 54-year old man, with a history of smoking and recent coronary stent implantation, presenting with haemoptysis and worsening of dyspnea which had evolved over the last month. Chest x-ray showed left pulmonary hemifield lucency with signs of retraction. Bronchial fibroscopy objectified raspberry bud formation spontaneously bleeding, originating from the left main bronchus and suggesting carcinoid tumor. Chest computed tomography (CT) scan showed poorly enhanced endoluminal tissue process at the level of the left main bronchus, located four cm from the carina and complicated with atelectasis. Diagnostic and therapeutic surgery helped to adjust to a diagnosis of endobronchial amartocondroma.

Probiotic Potential and Safety Evaluation of Enterococcus faecalis OB14 and OB15, Isolated From Traditional Tunisian Testouri Cheese and Rigouta, Using Physiological and Genomic Analysis.

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains OB14 and OB15 were isolated from traditional Tunisian fermented dairy products, Testouri cheese and Rigouta, respectively. They were identified as Enterococcus faecalis by the MALDI TOF-MS (matrix assisted laser desorption-ionization time of flight mass spectrometry) biotyper system and molecular assays (species-specific PCR). These new isolates were evaluated for probiotic properties, compared to E. faecalis Symbioflor 1 clone DSM 16431, as reference. The bacteria were found to be tolerant to the harsh conditions of the gastrointestinal tract (acidity and bile salt). They were low to moderate biofilm producers, can adhere to Caco-2/TC7 intestinal cells and strengthen the intestinal barrier through the increase of the transepithelial electrical resistance (TER). Susceptibility to ampicillin, vancomycin, gentamicin and erythromycin has been tested using the broth microdilutions method. The results demonstrated that E. faecalis OB14 and OB15 were sensitive to the clinically important ampicillin (MIC = 1 µg/mL) and vancomycin (MIC = 2 µg/mL) antibiotics. However, Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) showed the presence of tetracycline resistance and cytolysin genes in E. faecalis OB14, and this led to high mortality of Galleria Mellonella larvae in the virulence test. Hierarchical cluster analysis by MALDI TOF-MS biotyper showed that E. faecalis OB15 was closely related to the E. faecalis Symbioflor 1 probiotic strain than to OB14, and this has been confirmed by WGS using the average nucleotide identity (ANI) and Genome-to-Genome Hybridization similarity methods. According to these results, E. faecalis OB15 seems to be reliable for future development as probiotic, in food or feed industry.

Pancreatic cystic neoplasms.

BACKGROUND: Cystic neoplasms of the pancreas are rare and constitute approximately 0.5% of all pancreatic neoplasms. AIMS: The study was to describe clinicopathological features of pancreatic cystic tumors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In our retrospective study, we reviewed 10 cases of pancreatic cystic neoplasms that were diagnosed at the pathology department of Mongi Slim hospital over a 14-year period (2000-2013). We adopted the latest World Health Organization (WHO) classification (2010) in grouping all tumors. RESULTS: There were one male and nine female patients (sex ratio M/F = 1:9) aged between 21 and 68 years (mean = 37.5 years). The most common clinical presentation was epigastric and abdominal pain (n = 6) followed by vomiting (n = 3). Abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan disclosed a cystic lesion of the pancreas ranging in size between 2 and 10 cm (mean = 6.75 cm). All patients underwent surgical treatment. Histopathological examination of the surgical specimen established the diagnosis of solid pseudopapillary neoplasm (n = 2), serous cystic neoplasm (n = 2), mucinous cystadenoma (n = 4), mucinous cystadenocarcinoma (n = 1), and intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm with invasive carcinoma (n = 1). CONCLUSION: Better understanding of pancreatic cystic neoplasms is essential for clinicians to make accurate diagnosis and to provide the best management for patients.