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Introduction: Invasive and superficial fungal infections are increasingly reported in Algeria, testifying to the increase in their frequency in parallel with the increase in risk factors and the availability of diagnostic means, at least in university hospitals (CHU). The latter, located in the major northern cities, are equipped with high‐performance diagnostic tools compared to hospitals in the interior of the country. Methods: A comprehensive search of published and grey literature was undertaken. Prevalence and incidence of discrete fungal diseases were estimated using a deterministic modelling approach based on populations at risk. Population (2021) and major underlying disease risk groups were obtained from UNAIDS, WHO Tuberculosis and the international transplant registries as well as published data for asthma and COPD. The health service profile was summarised from national documentation. Results: Among the 43.6 million, including 12.9 million children, living in Algeria, the most prevalent fungal diseases are tinea capitis (>1.5 million), recurrent vaginal candidiasis (>500,000) and allergic fungal lung and sinus disorders (>110,000) and chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (>10,000). Life‐threatening invasive fungal infection incidence includes 774 Pneumocystis pneumonia in AIDS, 361 cryptococcal meningitis, 2272 candidaemia and 2639 invasive aspergillosis cases. Fungal keratitis probably affects >6000 eyes each year. Conclusions: Fungal infections are underestimated in Algeria because they are sought in patients with risk factors only after bacterial infections when they should be sought in parallel. The diagnosis is only accessible in hospitals in large cities and the work carried out in mycology is rarely published, making the estimation of the burden of these conditions difficult. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Approximately 20%–50% of patients with large B‐cell lymphoma (LBCL) experience poor outcomes. We aimed to evaluate the combined prognostic value of circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) and total metabolic tumour volume (TMTV) in LBCL. This observational single‐centre study included 112 newly diagnosed LBCL patients, receiving R‐CHOP/R‐CHOP‐like chemotherapies. CtDNA load was calculated following next‐generation sequencing of cell‐free DNA (cfDNA) using a targeted 40‐gene lymphopanel. TMTV was measured using a fully automated artificial intelligence‐based method for lymphoma lesion segmentation. CtDNA was detected in cfDNA samples from 95 patients with a median concentration of 3.15 log haploid genome equivalents per mL. TMTV measurements were available for 102 patients. The median TMTV was 501 mL. High ctDNA load (>3.57 log hGE/mL) or high TMTV (>200 mL) were associated with shorter 1‐year PFS (44% vs. 83%, p < 0.001 and 64% vs. 97%, p = 0.002, respectively). When combined, three prognostic groups were identified. The shortest PFS was observed when both TMTV and ctDNA load were high (p < 0.001). Even with a short follow up, combining ctDNA load with TMTV improved the risk stratification of patients with aggressive LBCL. In the near future, very high‐risk patients could benefit from CAR T‐cell therapy or bispecific antibodies as first‐line treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main physico‐chemical properties and the underlying influence of thermal treatment on the phase composition and structural characteristics of the natural phosphate Kef Esnoun region in Djebel Onk, Algeria, are discussed in this work. The primary goal is to increase the natural phosphate value as an alternative material in heterogeneous catalysis. The phase evolution during the heat treatment of the natural phosphate was carried out at different temperatures ranging from 600 to 1000 °C. Several complementary analytical methods were used for their characterization before and after thermal treatments. The obtained results by X‐Ray Diffraction supplemented by the Rietveld method and confirmed by molecular spectroscopy have shown that the raw natural phosphate consists primarily of a fluorapatite‐type structure (Ca5(PO4)3F). Furthermore, high‐temperature X‐ray diffraction and thermal analyses have shown that dolomite which is one of the natural phosphate constituents is fully decomposed into CaO and MgO phases after heating at 700 °C. At 900 °C, the phase composition is (Ca5 (PO4)3F; 98.23 %), (MgO; 1.1 %) and (CaO; 0.67 %) with a crystallite size value of approximately 300 nm. Cell parameters increase with calcination temperatures due to the substitution of carbonate with PO4−3 groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CeO2 and La2O3 oxides supported NiO loading (5 and 20 wt%) were synthesized, characterized by ICP‐AES, XRD, IR‐ATR, SEM, B.E.T, H2‐TPR and applied to CO oxidation with and without pretreatment under H2 atmosphere. It was shown that the support has a significant effect on the bulk, surface and reactivity properties. The reduction of nickel to metallic species occurred at higher temperatures in ceria case. 20‐Ni/La sample showed the best catalytic activity without reduction but this behavior mitigates when the sample pretreated under H2 indicating that the presence of different kinds sites responsible of CO oxidation. An opposite reactivity property was obtained in 5‐Ni/La and 20‐Ni/La cases and the interfacial γ‐type NiO interactions decreases with NiO loading which was coincident with CO oxidation activity. The active species in 20‐Ni/La sample is of type metal/support interface≡γ‐NiO/La2O3. In contrast, for 5‐Ni/La and 20‐Ni/Ce catalysts, γ‐NiO active sites incorporated into support is available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mutations in the gene encoding surfactant protein C (SP‐C) cause interstitial lung disease (ILD), and glucocorticosteroid (GC) treatment is the most recognized therapy in children. We aimed to decipher the mechanisms behind successful GC treatment in twins carrying a BRICHOS c.566G > A (p.Cys189Tyr) mutation in the SP‐C gene (SFTPC). Methods: The twins underwent bronchoscopy before and after GC treatment and immunoblotting analysis of SP‐C proprotein (proSP‐C) and SP‐C mature in bronchoalveolar fluid (BALF). Total RNA was extracted and analysed using quantitative real‐time PCR assays. In A549 cells, the processing of mutated protein C189Y was studied by immunofluorescence and immunoblotting after heterologous expression of eukaryotic vectors containing wild type or C189Y mutant cDNA. Results: Before treatment, BALF analysis identified an alteration of the proSP‐C maturation process. Functional study of C189Y mutation in alveolar A549 cells showed that pro‐SP‐CC189Y was retained within the endoplasmic reticulum together with ABCA3. After 5 months of GC treatment with clinical benefit, the BALF analysis showed an improvement of proSP‐C processing. SFTPC mRNA analysis in twins revealed a decrease in the expression of total SFTPC mRNA and a change in its splicing, leading to the expression of a second shorter proSP‐C isoform. In A549 cells, the processing and the stability of this shorter wild‐type proSP‐C isoform was similar to that of the longer isoform, but the half‐life of the mutated shorter isoform was decreased. These results suggest a direct effect of GC on proSP‐C metabolism through reducing the SFTPC mRNA level and favouring the expression of a less stable protein isoform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe chronic rhinosinusitis in children should alert clinicians and extensive CFTR genotyping should be performed. We propose that thorough clinical and functional assessment in severe chronic rhinosinusitis is valuable to discover rare mutations which could be treated by CFTR correctors to postpone pulmonary infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the perovskite-type oxides Ba0.5Sr0.5Ni0.2Co0.6Fe0.2O3-δ (BSNCF) with different B-site transition metal elements were investigated as a new catalyst for methanol oxidation. They were prepared by the partial substitution of cobalt by nickel in Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3-δ (BSCF) sample. Both materials prepared using a combined citrate/EDTA complexing method and their catalytic activitiesfor methanol oxidation were comparativelystudied using cyclic-voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry (CA) in alkaline media at room temperature. Structural, textural, morphological and redox properties of the synthesized solids were investigated by several physicochemical methods such as XRD, FTIR, LRS, SEM-EDX, BET and H2-TPR. The as-prepared materials were obtained with high purity and high crystallinity. The partial substitution of cobalt by nickel in BSCF perovskite changes the structure of the solid which pass from cubic structure to a mixture of cubic and hexagonal forms. This change is accompanied by an increase in BET surface area and a decrease in crystalline size. For the electro-catalysis measurements, results demonstrated that partially substituting of Co by Ni in BSCF structure enhance the electro-catalytical activity towards the oxidation of methanol under alkaline conditions, making it an electro-catalyst candidate for practical utilization in DMFCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: Pulmonary disease is the main cause of morbidity and mortality in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients due to exacerbated inflammation. To date, the only anti-inflammatory drug available to CF patients is high-dose ibuprofen, which can slow pulmonary disease progression, but whose cyclooxygenase-dependent digestive adverse effects limit its clinical use. Here we have tested sulindac, another non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug with an undefined anti-inflammatory effect in CF airway epithelial cells.Experimental Approach: Using in vitro and in vivo models, we NF-κB activity and IL-8 secretion. In HeLa-F508del cells, we performed luciferase reporter gene assays in order to measure i) IL-8 promoter activity, and ii) the activity of synthetic promoter containing NF-κB responsive elements. We quantified IL-8 secretion in airway epithelial CFBE cells cultured at an air-liquid interface and in a mouse model of CF.Key Results: Sulindac inhibited the transcriptional activity of NF-κB and decreased IL-8 transcription and secretion in TNF-α stimulated CF cells via a cyclooxygenase-independent mechanism. This effect was confirmed in vivo in a mouse model of CF induced by intra-tracheal instillation of LPS, with a significant decrease of the induction of mRNA for MIP-2, following treatment with sulindac.Conclusion and Implications: Overall, sulindac decrease lung inflammation by a mechanism independent of cycolooxygenase. This drug could be beneficially employed in CF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To estimate the genetic diversity and population structure for a better understanding of the spread of Botrytis cinerea, we genotyped with nine microsatellite markers 174 isolates collected from four greenhouses during three growing seasons in the region of Bejaia. Four of these isolates were detected as Botrytis pseudocinerea according to the allele size at locus Bc6. For all other isolates further studied, all loci were polymorphic, with the mean number of alleles per locus ranging from 2.77 to 5.22. Considerable genetic variability was detected in all subpopulations ( D* > 0.87; Hnb > 0.40). Based on the standardized index of association analysis, significant but low levels of clonality occurred, not excluding the possibility of recombination ( r D = 0.07, P < 0.001). A total of 109 haplotypes were characterized among the isolates, few of which were shared between subpopulations. This, together with moderate genetic differentiation among subpopulations according to the geographical origin (0.080 < FST < 0.167), suggested a low level of inoculum exchange among greenhouses and little carry-over of inoculum from one sampling season to the next. The importance of genetic structure of B. cinerea populations is discussed and should be taken into consideration for the management of grey mould. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) is a cAMP-dependent chloride channel in the plasma membrane of epithelia whose mutation is the cause of the genetic disease cystic fibrosis (CF). The most frequent CFTR mutation is deletion of Phe(508) and this mutant protein (delF508CFTR) does not readily translocate to the plasma membrane and is rapidly degraded within the cell. We hypothesized that treating epithelial cells with resveratrol, a natural polyphenolic, phyto-ooestrogenic compound from grapes, could modulate both the expression and localization of CFTR.Experimental Approach: Cells endogenously expressing CFTR (MDCK1 and CAPAN1 cells) or delF508CFTR (CFPAC1 and airway epithelial cells, deriving from human bronchial biopsies) were treated with resveratrol for 2 or 18 h. The effect of this treatment on CFTR and delF508CFTR expression and localization was evaluated using RT-PCR, Western blot and immunocytochemistry. Halide efflux was measured with a fluorescent dye and with halide-sensitive electrodes. Production of interleukin-8 by these cells was assayed by ELISA.Key Results: Resveratrol treatment increased CFTR expression or maturation in immunoblotting experiments in MDCK1 cells or in CFPAC1 cells. Indirect immunofluorescence experiments showed a shift of delF508CFTR localization towards the (peri)-membrane area in CFPAC1 cells and in human airway epithelial cells. A cAMP-dependent increase in membrane permeability to halide was detected in resveratrol-treated CFPAC1 cells, and was inhibited by a selective inhibitor of CFTR.Conclusion and Implications: These results show that resveratrol modulated CFTR expression and localization and could rescue cAMP-dependent chloride transport in delF508CFTR cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abbreviations chILD childhood interstitial lung disease GM-CSF granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor HRCT high-resolution computed tomography NEHI neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia of infancy Childhood interstitial lung disease (chILD) is a heterogeneous group of rare respiratory disorders. This could explain the frequent respiratory disorders reported in other patients with 48,XXYY syndrome, although they were not described as chILD in these publications.[2] Our overall conclusion is to recommend further investigations using HRCT in 48,XXYY patients with respiratory symptoms. [Extracted from the article]