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Abstract Background Oilseed samples from four Acacia species ( A. cyclops, A. ligulata, A. salicina and A. cyanophylla) were analyzed in order to evaluate the potential nutritional value of their unexploited seeds. Methods Samples were collected from different Tunisian geographic locations. Seed oils were extracted and carotenoids, tocopherols and sterols were analyzed using chromatographic methods. Results The studied Acacia seeds seem to be quite rich in lipids (from 6% to 12%). All Acacia species contain mainly the xanthophylls zeaxanthin and lutein compounds: from ca. 38 mg.kg-1 of total lipids (A. cyclops) to ca. 113 mg.kg-1 of total lipids (A. cyanophylla). Total tocopherols varied from ca. 221 mg.kg-1 of total lipids (A. cyclops) to ca. 808 mg.kg-1 of total lipids (A. ligulata). Sterols are highly present and their contents ranged between ca. 7 g. kg-1 of total lipids (A. salicina) and 11 g. kg-1 of total lipids (A. cyclops). Conclusion This study highlights that these unexploited seeds might have a potential nutritional value and encourages researchers to more explore and find developments for these plants for healthy purposes.

Vitamins from twelve pomegranate cultivars (6 from tunisia and 6 from china) were studied using high-performance liquid chromatography analysis. six common vitamins found in fruit juices were identified and quantified. Ascorbate contents for all cultivars ranged from 6 to 18 mg per 100 g. thiamin ranged from 0.08 to 0.24 mg per 100 g, riboflavin from traces to 0.009 mg per 100 g, niacin from 0.21 to 1.32 mg per 100 g, pyridoxin from traces to 0.14 mg per 100 g and cobalamin from traces to 0.039 µg per 100 g. Present findings may be used to guide the content of vitamins included in fruits as supplements for commonly diets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To manage the adverse effects of garbage pollution and avoid using chemicals, a natural extract of seafood shells was obtained and explored for its beneficial role. Physical characterization highlighted that its active compounds correspond to chitin and its derivative, chitosan. The ability of the extracted biostimulant to foster tomato tolerance was tested on drought-stressed plants. Along with changes in morphological parameters, the accumulation of chlorophyll and carotenoids was improved. The biostimulant also mediates the accumulation of osmoprotectants and an increased leaf water content. Furthermore, the biostimulant effectively promotes tolerance by increasing drought-stress SIERF84 Transcription factor and decreasing both SIARF4 and SlWRKY81 transcript levels, which in turn, mediates stomatal closure. In addition, the up-regulation of key genes related to NO 3 - uptake (NTR1.1/2) and assimilation (NR) coupled with the downregulation of ammonium transporters' genes (AMT1.1/2), allowed the uptake of NO 3 - over NH 4 + in the tolerant genotype which is likely to be associated with drought tolerance. Overall, the biostimulant was effective in alleviating water stress and showed similar effects to commercial chitosan. Besides the benefits of a circular economy framework, this biostimulant-based approach is innovative to promote a sustainable eco-agriculture, in the face of persistent water scarcity., Competing Interests: Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: The outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become an evolving worldwide health crisis. With the rising prevalence of diabetes mellitus has come an increasing awareness of their impacts on infectious diseases, and the risk for postinfection complications and mortality from critical infections., Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and impact of diabetes mellitus on the severity and mortality of COVID-19., Methods: Data of laboratory-confirmed hospitalized patients at the COVID-19 unit between September 2020 and August 2021 were analyzed, in a cross-sectional study. The population was classified into two groups: COVID-19 patients with and without diabetes. Primary outcomes were the overall length of hospital stay, the admission to the ICU, and death. The association between diabetes and death was assessed in a Cox proportional hazards model., Results: A total of 866 patients were included. There were 270 (31.2%) patients with diabetes. Diabetic patients were more likely to have hypertension (58.1 vs. 33.4%), cardiovascular disease (18.5 vs. 10.4%), and dyslipidaemia (17.8 vs. 7.2). Overall, 263 patients died, among them only 86 in the diabetic group ( P =0.523). Patients with diabetes had a higher risk of developing complications ( P <0.001). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that diabetes was not significantly associated with death [HR (95% CI): 1.253 (0.963-1.631)]., Conclusion: Diabetes was associated with a greater risk of complications in patients with COVID-19. Special attention to diabetic patients during treatment must be given to avoid these complications., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no financial conflicts of interest with regard to the content of this report.Sponsorships or competing interests that may be relevant to content are disclosed at the end of this article., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Introduction and Importance: Primary pleomorphic liposarcoma of bone is an exceedingly rare sarcoma., Case Presentation: We herein report the case of a primary pleomorphic liposarcoma of the distal femur in a 20-year-old female patient. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a 25.4-mm medullary necrotic tumor process in the lower third of the distal right femoral meta-diaphysis that was weakly enhanced after gadolinium injection. The patient first underwent an open biopsy. Microscopically, a pleomorphic liposarcoma were suspected. Immunohistochemically, tumor cells expressed the S-100 protein. Fluorescent in situ hybridization showed the absence of MDM2 gene amplification and the absence of EWING/PNET translocation. The diagnosis of primary pleomorphic liposarcoma of the bone was then retained. A wide resection and chemotherapy were performed. The patient died of liver metastasis after 8 months of follow-up., Clinical Discussion and Conclusion: Primary pleomorphic liposarcoma has no specific clinical or radiological findings. Histological diagnosis and molecular study are crucial tools for making an accurate diagnosis., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors report no declarations of interest., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

In this study, we investigated the influence of pedological parameters and variation of altitude on the mineral nutrients, phenolic compounds, and antioxidant activities of olive leaves. Samples of the Chetoui cultivar were collected from eight geographical locations with different altitudes. Levels of phenolic compounds varied according to the altitude. Classification of the locations revealed that altitude 1 (>500 m) was characterized by high levels of secoiridoids and simple phenols, while altitude 2 (500-300 m) and altitude 3 (<300 m) were higher in flavonoids. Levels of Mn, Ca and B in the leaves and level of Zn in the soil were significantly correlated with the abundance of oleuropein and luteolin-7- O glucoside, the most important phenols in Chetoui olive leaves. The results suggest that, in addition to pedological criteria, environmental conditions also influence the formation of phenolic compounds.

Novel silver nanoparticles were synthesized based on a simple and non-toxic method by applying the green synthesis technique, using, for the first time, the aqueous extract of an extremophile plant belonging to the Achillea maritima subsp. maritima species. AgNP characterization was performed via UV-Visible, front-face fluorescence spectroscopy, and FTIR and XRD analyses. AgNP formation was immediately confirmed by a color change from yellow to brown and by a surface plasmon resonance peak using UV-Vis spectroscopy at 420 nm. The biosynthesized AgNPs were spherical in shape with a size ranging from approximatively 14.13 to 21.26 nm. The presented silver nanoparticles exhibited strong antioxidant activity following a DPPH assay compared to ascorbic acid, with IC50 values of about 0.089 µg/mL and 22.54 µg/mL, respectively. The AgNPs showed higher antidiabetic capacities than acarbose, by inhibiting both alpha amylase and alpha glucosidase. The silver nanoparticles could affect various bacterial mechanisms of virulence, such as EPS production, biofilm formation and DNA damage. The silver nanoparticles showed no lysozyme activity on the cell walls of Gram-positive bacteria. The AgNPs also had a strong inhibitory effect on the Candida albicans virulence factor (extracellular enzymes, biofilm formation). The microscopic observation showed abnormal morphogenesis and agglomeration of Candida albicans exposed to AgNPs. The AgNPs showed no cytotoxic effect on human cells in an MTT assay. The use of novel silver nanoparticles is encouraged in the formulation of natural antimicrobial and antidiabetic agents.

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare follicular liquid levels of IL6 and AMH in women with and without endometriosis and to evaluate their potential impact on ICSI outcomes., Materials and Methods: It is a prospective case-control study conducted on 25 women with proven endometriosis and 50 patients diagnosed with other causes of infertility. All these patients were candidates for ICSI cycles. Their follicular fluid was collected at the time of oocyte retrieval and used to evaluate IL-6 and AMH titers by electro-chemiluminescent immunoassay (Cobas e411-Roche)., Results: The IL-6 levels in follicular fluid were higher in the endometriosis group than in the control group (152.3 vs. 19.9 pg/mL; p = 0.02). The median level for AMH was 2.2 ± 1.88 ng/mL with no statistical difference between the two groups (2.2 vs. 2.7 ng/mL, p = 0.41). No significant correlation between the follicular IL6 and AMH levels was observed., Conclusions: The oocyte quality seems to be preserved in patients with endometriosis with the adequate response to ovarian stimulation. High levels of follicular IL6 are in accordance with the inflammatory phenomenon of the disease; however, this increase has no impact on ICSI outcomes.

The present work aimed to develop rapid approach monitoring using a simple selective method based on a positive hemolysis test, oil spreading activity and emulsification index determinations. It is the first to describe production of biosurfactants (BS) by the endophytic Pantoea alhagi species. Results indicated that the new BS evidenced an E24 emulsification index of 82%. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) results mentioned that the described BS belong to the glycolipid family. Fatty acid profiles showed the predominance of methyl 2-hyroxydodecanoate in the cell membrane (67.00%) and methyl 14-methylhexadecanoate (12.05%). The major fatty acid in the BS was oleic acid (76.26%), followed by methyl 12-methyltetradecanoate (10.93%). Markedly, the BS produced by the Pantoea alhagi species exhibited antimicrobial and anti-biofilm activities against tested human pathogens. With superior antibacterial activity against Escherchia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, a high antifungal effect was given against Fusarium sp. with a diameter of zone of inhibition of 29.5 mm, 36 mm and 31 mm, obtained by BS dissolved in methanol extract. The DPPH assay indicated that the BS (2 mg/mL) showed a higher antioxidant activity (78.07 inhibition percentage). The new BS exhibited specific characteristics, encouraging their use in various industrial applications.

The present paper described the first green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) from the extremophile plant Aeonium haworthii . The characterization of the biosynthesized silver nanoparticles was carried out by using UV-Vis, FTIR and STM analysis. The antioxidant, antidiabetic and antimicrobial properties were also reported. The newly described AgNPs were spherical in shape and had a size of 35-55 nm. The lowest IC50 values measured by the DPPH assay indicate the superior antioxidant behavior of our AgNPs as opposed to ascorbic acid. The silver nanoparticles show high antidiabetic activity determined by the inhibitory effect of α amylase as compared to the standard Acarbose. Moreover, the AgNPs inhibit bacterial growth owing to a bactericidal effect with the MIC values varying from 0.017 to 1.7 µg/mL. The antifungal action was evaluated against Candida albicans , Candida tropicalis , Candida glabrata , Candida sake and non-dermatophytic onychomycosis fungi. A strong inhibitory effect on Candida factors' virulence was observed as proteinase and phospholipase limitations. In addition, the microscopic observations show that the silver nanoparticles cause the eradication of blastospores and block filamentous morphogenesis. The combination of the antioxidant, antimicrobial and antidiabetic behaviors of the new biosynthesized silver nanoparticles highlights their promising use as natural phytomedicine agents.

Distancing is one of the barrier measures in mitigating epidemics. We aimed to investigate the typology, effectiveness, and side effects of distancing rules during epidemics. Electronic searches were conducted on MEDLINE, PubMed in April 2020, using Mesh-Terms representing various forms of distancing ('social isolation', 'social distancing', 'quarantine') combining with 'epidemics'. PRISMA-ScR statement was consulted to report this review. A total of 314 titles were identified and 93 were finally included. 2009 influenza A and SARS-CoV-2 epidemics were the most studied. Distancing measures were mostly classified as case-based and community-based interventions. The combination of distancing rules, like school closure, home working, isolation and quarantine, has proven to be effective in reducing R 0 and flattening the epidemic curve, also when initiated early at a high rate and combined with other non-pharmaceutical interventions. Epidemiological and modeling studies showed that Isolation and quarantine in the 2009 Influenza pandemic were effective measures to decrease attack rate also with high level of compliance but there was an increased risk of household transmission. lockdown was also effective to reduce R 0 from 2.6 to 0.6 and to increase doubling time from 2 to 4 days in the covid-19 pandemic. The evidence for school closure and workplace distancing was moderate as single intervention. Psychological disorder, unhealthy behaviors, disruption of economic activities, social discrimination, and stigmatization were the main side effects of distancing measures. Earlier implementation of combined distancing measures leads to greater effectiveness in containing outbreaks. Their indication must be relevant and based on evidence to avoid adverse effects on the community. These results would help decision-makers to develop response plans based on the required experience and strengthen the capacity of countries to fight against future epidemics. Mesh words : Physical Distancing, Quarantine, Epidemics, Public Health, Scoping Review.

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) is a popular herb in cooking, traditional healing, and aromatherapy. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of meteorological conditions plant growth stage and genetic factors on the yield, quantitative and qualitative composition, on the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of rosemary essential oil from two Tunisian locations (El Fahs and Matmata) during two successive years. The composition of the essential oils obtained by hydrodistilation from rosemary plants were carried out annually using GC and GC/MS. Results showed the the main constituents were camphor (18.2-28.1%), 1,8-cineole (6.4-18.0%), α-pinene (9.7-13.5%), borneol (4.4-9.5%), and camphene (5.1-8.7%). The principal component and heatmapper analyses showed group segregation of the two studied varities based on major essential oil compounds. Additionally, in vitro antimicrobial and antioxidant activities showed that rosemary essential oils had an important ability in scavenging DPPH, as well as a higher bactericidal effect. The seasonal variation, growth stage and genetic pools seemed to be a factors of significant variation of the composition, antimicrobial and the antioxidant activities of the rosemary essential oils. These finding would be taken to use the chemotaxonomy tools to develop a program for Rosmary protection conservation and identification based on essential oil composition., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Aim: This study aims to evaluate the level of satisfaction of patients hospitalized at Ibn Al Jazzar University Hospital of Kairouan in 2018., Methods: It's a descriptive cross-sectional study including all patients hospitalized at Ibn Al Jazzar University Hospital in Kairouan over a period of three months, from January 1 to March 31, 2018. The survey was conducted using a questionnaire made up of 27 items to explore seven specific dimensions of satisfaction., Results: A total of 640 patients was included in the study. The overall satisfaction rate was 41.7%. The dimensions of globality and hospital stay were the least appreciated by hospitalized patients with respective satisfaction rates of 14.4% and 18.3%. Access to care was the most appreciated area with a satisfaction rate of 58.9%. the lowest satisfaction rates, among the items studied at the Kairouan University Hospital in 2018 were: «the places of visits» (9%), «the quality of the catering» (20%), « tranquillity" (23%), and "attentiveness of staff to patient needs" (23%)., Conclusion: At Ibn Al Jazzar University hospital of Kairouan, patient satisfaction was low regarding the quality of the services provided, particularly for areas related to the conditions of stay and the globality of care. Intervention measures based on these shortcomings should be undertaken.

Candida and dermatophyte infections are difficult to treat due to increasing antifungal drugs resistance such as fluconazole, as well as the emergence of multi-resistance in clinical bacteria. Here, we first synthesized silver nanoparticles using aqueous fruit extracts from Scabiosa atropurpurea subsp. maritima (L.). The characterization of the AgNPs by means of UV, XRD, FTIR, and TEM showed that the AgNPs had a uniform spherical shape with average sizes of 40-50 nm. The biosynthesized AgNPs showed high antioxidant activity when investigated using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. The AgNPs displayed strong antibacterial potential expressed by the maximum zone inhibition and the lowest MIC and MBC values. The AgNPs revealed a significant antifungal effect against the growth and biofilm of Candida species. In fact, the AgNPs were efficient against Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton interdigitale, and Microsporum canis . The antifungal mechanisms of action of the AgNPs seem to be due to the disruption of membrane integrity and a reduction in virulence factors (biofilm and hyphae formation and a reduction in germination). Finally, the silver nanoparticles also showed important cytotoxic activity against the human multiple myeloma U266 cell line and the human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231. Therefore, we describe new silver nanoparticles with promising biomedical application in the development of novel antimicrobial and anticancer agents.

Mandibuloacral dysplasia with type A lipodystrophy is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by craniofacial dysmorphism, type A lipodystrophy, clavicular dysplasia, and acroostelolysis. It is caused by homozygous or compound heterozygous missense mutations in LMNA gene. We report five Tunisian patients harboring the same homozygous c.1580G > A; p. (Arg527His) mutation in LMNA gene. The patients presented with typical features of mandibuloacral dysplasia including, prominent eyes, thin or beaked nose, dental overcrowding, mandibular hypoplasia, short and broad finger's distal phalanges with round tips and lipodystrophy type A. Newly recognized signs are growth hormone deficiency and dilated cardiomyopathy. Genotype-phenotype correlation found that at least one of the disease's LMNA mutant alleles involve one of the highly conserved aminoacids, residing in a key site domain for protein function within the C-terminal globular domain of A-type lamins. Also, the severity of the disease depends on the position in the protein's domain and on the type of substitution of the concerned aminoacid., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

The objective of primary health care is to reduce mortality and morbidity. This kind of care was very efficient in communicable diseases, malnutrition and maternal and neonatal diseases; however, their impact on non communicable diseases and mental disorders control is not obvious. In Tunisia, primary health care was introduced in the early 1980s; a lot of progress were notified in particular in health of mothers and children in particular, but only slightly in non communicable diseases control and mental health promotion. Therefore, a new approach would be strongly recommended to remedy this situation. The Medical Periodic Check-up (MPC) implemented in North America would have a positive impact in the prevention and management of non communicable diseases. What would be the place of this MPC in primary health care in Tunisia? The MPC has two main objectives: the prevention of specific diseases and health promotion. However, despite its efficiency and usefulness, the MPC could be costly, especially for countries with limited resources. Current evidence suggests that the most appropriate approach would be to take periodic preventive health visits tailored to the level of risk. The frequency of visits depends on the age, sex and state of health of the individual. In conclusion, there are strong arguments in favor of the introduction of MPC in primary health care in Tunisia, especially among adults in non communicable diseases control strategy. However, it's highly be recommended that the BMC should be oriented according to the risk levels in order to optimize resources. It is also important to educate and the public, especially women and young adults, to benefit from periodic medical and dental examinations.

Aim: To describe the burden of breast and gynecological cancers in Tunisia in 2017, to analyze the trend between 1990 and 2017 and to performit's prediction by 2030., Methods: This was a study using data estimated by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) for years of life by breast cancer and gynecological cancers: ovary, cervix and uterus (endometrium and other unspecified parts of the uterus) in Tunisia in 2017.The trend analysis of age standardized DALYrate between 1990 and 2017 was analyzed by using Join Point software.The projection of number of DALY and YLL by 2030 was conducted by SPSS software using Age-Period-Cohort (APC) models., Results: In 2017, the age standardized DALYs rate for breast and gynecological cancers was 538.5/100,000 women. Breast cancer proved observed the highest rate of standardized DALY rate with 378.5/100,000 women followed by ovarian cancer (rate standardized DALY=72.7/100,000 women).The standardized DALY rate increased between 1990 and 2017 except for cervix cancer and uterine cancer which have been on a downward trend. According to the same conditions between 1990 and 2017, the age standardized DALY rate in 2030 will reach 674.6/100,000 women (95% CI=667.2/100,000-682.1/100,000)., Conclusion: Strengthening prevention strategy against cancer in general and women's cancers in particularis strongly recommended to reduce cancer burden and to changeits trend.

Introduction: Community-acquired urinary tract infection is one of the most common reasons for consultation in everyday practice; it represents a major source of antibiotic consumption. Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) is the main pathogen incriminated., Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of community-acquired uropathogenic E coli throughout a 7-year period., Methodology: All strains of E. coli isolated from urine samples between January 1st 2012 and December 31st 2018 were included. Presence of ≥ 10 3 CFU/ml in urine culture media was considered as significant for urinary tract infection. The identification of E. coli strains was realized using standard laboratory techniques. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed using the disk diffusion method according to the CA-SFM/ EUCAST criteria., Results: A total of 1,335 E. coli strains were isolated. Overall susceptibility rates to antimicrobial agents were as follows: ampicillin 39.1%, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid 64.9%, cefotaxime 94.9%, trimethoprim/sulfamethox-azole 67.6%, ciprofloxacin 89.2%, ofloxacin 86.9%, amikacin 98.6%, gentamicin 93.9%, nitrofurantoin 97.6% and fosfomycin 99.3%. All isolates were susceptible to carbapenems. The frequency of extended spectrum beta-lactamases-producing E. coli strains was 4.7%. Susceptibility rates of E. coli for ampicillin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and amikacin remained relatively stable over the study period, whereas susceptibility to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, cefotaxime and fluoroquinolones showed a 2-phase pattern. As for gentamicin, a continuous decrease in susceptibility rates was observed., Conclusion: Antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of uropathogenic E. coli are constantly changing, due to modifications in the antibiogram interpretation criteria and antibiotic prescription habits. Rigorous surveillance of resistance rate is necessary to determine appropriate empirical treatment and limit the spread of multiresistant strains., (Copyright © 2020 by S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate ertugliflozin in patients with overweight and obesity with type 2 diabetes mellitus., Methods: Data from three placebo-controlled, randomized, Phase 3 studies were pooled. Patients with baseline BMI ≥ 25 (1,377/1,544; 89%) were assessed with a stratification by BMI subgroup., Results: At week 26, reductions from baseline in glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), fasting plasma glucose, body weight (BW), and systolic blood pressure (SBP) were greater with ertugliflozin versus placebo. For placebo, ertugliflozin 5 mg, and ertugliflozin 15 mg, respectively, least squares mean change was 0.1%, -0.8%, and -0.9% for HbA1c and -1.2 kg, -3.1 kg, and -3.2 kg for BW. HbA1c reductions were consistent across BMI subgroups. For ertugliflozin 5 mg and 15 mg, least squares mean change (placebo adjusted) in absolute BW was -1.4 kg and -1.2 kg for BMI 25 to < 30, -1.8 kg and -1.9 kg for BMI 30 to < 35, and -2.5 kg and -2.9 kg for BMI ≥ 35. Percent BW changes were similar across BMI subgroups. Incidence of adverse events was 52.5%, 44.6%, and 50.1% with placebo, ertugliflozin 5 mg, and ertugliflozin 15 mg, respectively., Conclusions: Meaningful reductions in HbA1c, fasting plasma glucose, BW, and SBP were observed with ertugliflozin in patients with overweight and obesity with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Ertugliflozin improved HbA1c and SBP and reduced BW across BMI subgroups. Ertugliflozin was generally well tolerated., (© 2020 The Authors. Obesity published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The Obesity Society (TOS).)

Background: While Miller-Dieker syndrome critical region deletions are well known delineated anomalies, submicroscopic duplications in this region have recently emerged as a new distinctive syndrome. So far, only few cases have been described overlapping 17p13.3 duplications., Methods: In this study, we report on clinical and cytogenetic characterization of two new cases involving 17p13.3 and 3p26 chromosomal regions in two sisters with familial history of lissencephaly. Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization and array Comparative Genomic Hybridization were performed., Results: A deletion including the critical region of the Miller-Dieker syndrome of at least 2,9 Mb and a duplication of at least 3,6 Mb on the short arm of chromosome 3 were highlighted in one case. The opposite rearrangements, 17p13.3 duplication and 3p deletion, were observed in the second case. This double chromosomal aberration is the result of an adjacent 1:1 meiotic segregation of a maternal reciprocal translocation t(3,17)(p26.2;p13.3)., Conclusions: 17p13.3 and 3p26 deletions have a clear range of phenotypic features while duplications still have an uncertain clinical significance. However, we could suggest that regardless of the type of the rearrangement, the gene dosage and interactions of CNTN4, CNTN6 and CHL1 in the 3p26 and PAFAH1B1, YWHAE in 17p13.3 could result in different clinical spectrums.

Introduction: Ertugliflozin is a new sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitor (SGLT2i) for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. As there are no head-to-head trials comparing the efficacy of SGLT2is, the primary objective of this analysis was to indirectly compare ertugliflozin to other SGLT2i in patient populations with inadequately controlled glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c > 7.0%) and previously treated with either diet/exercise, metformin alone or metformin plus a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor (DPP4i)., Methods: A systematic literature review (SLR) identified randomized controlled trials (RCTs) reporting outcomes at 24-26 weeks of treatment. Comparators to ertugliflozin were the SGLT2is canagliflozin, dapagliflozin and empagliflozin, with non-SGLT2i comparators also evaluated third-line [insulin and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs)]. Outcomes were change from baseline in HbA1c, weight and systolic blood pressure (SBP) as well as HbA1c < 7% and key safety events. Bayesian network meta-analysis was used to synthesize evidence. Results are presented as the median of the mean difference (MD) or as odds ratios with 95% credible intervals (CrI)., Results: In patients uncontrolled on diet/exercise, the efficacy of ertugliflozin 5 mg monotherapy was not significantly different from that of other low-dose SGLT2is in terms of HbA1c reduction, while ertugliflozin 15 mg was more effective than dapagliflozin 10 mg (MD - 0.36%, CrI - 0.65, - 0.08) and empagliflozin 25 mg (MD - 0.31%, CrI - 0.58, - 0.04). As add-on therapy to metformin, ertugliflozin 5 mg was more effective in lowering HbA1c than dapagliflozin 5 mg (MD - 0.22%, CrI - 0.42, - 0.02), and ertugliflozin 15 mg was more effective than dapagliflozin 10 mg (MD - 0.26%, CrI - 0.46, - 0.06) and empagliflozin 25 mg (MD - 0.23%, CrI - 0.44, - 0.03). Among patients uncontrolled on combination therapy metformin plus a DPP4i, no relevant RCTs with insulin were identified from the SLR. One study with a GLP-1 RA was included in a sensitivity analysis due to limited data. There were no differences between ertugliflozin 5 or 15 mg and other SGLT2is, with the exception of dapagliflozin 10 mg, which was significantly less effective when added to sitagliptin and metformin. Overall, there were no other significant differences for remaining efficacy and safety outcomes except for a lower SBP for canagliflozin 300 mg compared to ertugliflozin 15 mg in the diet/exercise population., Conclusions: Indirect comparisons for HbA1c reduction found that ertugliflozin 5 mg was more effective than dapagliflozin 5 mg when added to metformin monotherapy, whereas ertugliflozin 15 mg was more effective than dapagliflozin 10 mg and empagliflozin 25 mg when added to diet/exercise and to metformin monotherapy. The HbA1c reduction associated with ertugliflozin was no different than that associated with canagliflozin across all populations., Funding: Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA, and Pfizer Inc., New York, NY, USA.

Background: Small Supernumerary Marker Chromosomes (sSMC) are rare chromosomal abnormalities, which have abnormal banding arrangement and take many shapes. Several disorders have been correlated with sSMC presence. The aim of this study is to characterize the sSMC derived from chromosome 18 by Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and Array Comparative Genomic Hybridization (aCGH)., Results: Nine children with dysmorphic features have been investigated. They have these features in common: a triangular face, low-set ears, a large mouth with a thin upper lip, and a horizontal palpebral fissure. Epicanthus and strabismus were present in two patients. In addition, we have noticed microcephaly and mental and/or developmental delay with low birth weight. However, two patients had standard birth weight; one patient had hypospadias; two had skin problems; and three showed different congenital heart defects. One patient had corpus callosum hypoplasia. Systematic karyotype analysis revealed a de novo supernumerary chromosome. Array CGH showed a gain in copy number on the short arm of chromosome 18 in the nine cases. In one case, the sSMC seemed to be in mosaic. The breakpoints of the marker were identified using aCGH and FISH. Thus, the sSMC led to 18p tetrasomy with approximately 14 Mb lengths, between 364344 and 14763575 based on the human genome version 18., Conclusions: These results have been completed by FISH in order to ascertain the shape of the sSMC. Our results confirm the uniqueness and particularity of the iso18p syndrome on the phenotypic as well as on the genetic level., Competing Interests: The local Ethics Board of the University Teaching Hospital Farhat Hached approved the present study (IRB00008931) and written consents were taken from the parents for photo publication.The local Ethics Board approved the present study (IRB00008931) and written consents were taken from the parents for photo publication.The authors declare that they have no competing interests.Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Introduction: The use of antihyperglycemic agents (AHA), especially insulin and sulfonylureas (SU), is a risk factor for hypoglycemia. Despite the significant clinical and economic burdens associated with hypoglycemia and the decreasing use of SU in favor of other oral AHA, relatively little is known about hypoglycemia trends specific to the use of non-insulin AHA. We sought to estimate annual hypoglycemia event rates and costs among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) who started either SU or dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP-4i) and to predict rates and costs in the absence of DPP-4i., Methods: Truven's MarketScan Commercial Claims database was used to estimate hypoglycemia event rates and costs from 2007 to 2013. Hypoglycemia, defined using diagnosis codes, was assessed during the 12 months following SU (n = 245,201) or DPP-4i (n = 176,786) initiation by adults with T2DM. Coefficients from a Poisson regression model used to estimate the impact of patient characteristics on hypoglycemia rates for patients who started SU were used to predict rates for patients who started DPP-4i had they started SU instead., Results: Hypoglycemia events per 100 patient-years (costs per event) ranged from 5.4 ($565) in 2007 to 10.4 ($1154) in 2013 for patients starting SU; rates (costs) for patients starting DPP-4i ranged from 3.2 ($308) in 2007 to 6.4 ($482) in 2013. Predicted hypoglycemia rates would have been 5.3-9.9 per 100 person-years for patients who started DPP-4i had they started SU instead. Starting DPP-4i, rather than SU, would have resulted in national savings of $750.3 million in healthcare costs due to avoided hypoglycemia events during this period., Conclusions: Hypoglycemia rates and costs were consistently higher for patients who started SU rather than DPP-4i. The overall burden of hypoglycemia could be lowered substantially in the USA if, when feasible, patients with T2DM initiate DPP-4i instead of SU., Funding: Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ USA.

Although the number of ICU beds is generally limited, the incidence rates of nosocomial infections is high. Managing infectious risk in ICU is a priority today; one of the strategic aims is the establishment of systems for epidemiological control. The aim of our study is to determine the incidence and the clinical aspects in order to identify the risk factors. We conducted a longitudinal descriptive impact assessment study enrolling patients hospedalized for more than 48 hours in general purpose Intensive Care Unit at the Ibn El JAZZAR Hospital, Kairouan over a period of 1 year, from 01/03/2013 to 28/02/2014. The study focused on 265 patients whose average age was 39±20 years (18-93 years) with a sex ratio(M/F) of 2.48. We identified 125 episodes of nosocomial infections in 81 patients corresponding to a total incidence of 30.6%. The incidence density rate was 55 infections per 1000 days of hospitalization. There was a clear predominance of pneumopathies, with an incidence of 27.73%, followed by urinary tract infections (9,73%), infections associated with central venous catheter (6.25%) and surgical site infections (2.34%). Mortality rate of patients was 28.7%, with a significant difference between infected patients (44.7% of cases) and non-infected patients (29.07%) (p < 10 -3 ). Gram-negative bacteria were found in 80% of cases. Prevention must involve a global and multidisciplinary action., Competing Interests: Les auteurs ne declarent aucun conflit d’intérêts.

We report on a molecular cytogenetic characterization of 15q26 deletion and 2q37.1 duplication in a fetus presenting with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), diaphragmatic hernia, multicystic kidneys, left kidney pyelectasis, and clubfeet. A terminal 15q26 deletion and a terminal 2q duplication of at least 10 and 9 Mb, respectively, derived from a maternal translocation, were found. The 15q26 deletion represents a contiguous gene deletion syndrome mainly characterized by IUGR, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, and less frequently kidney defects. This deletion encompasses the IGF1R and COUPTF2 genes, known to lead to fetal growth retardation syndrome. However, kidney malformations are less well known in such conditions, and to the best of our knowledge, no candidate gene has been proposed to date. Here, we review the literature of the 15q26 deletion syndrome and suggest that hypoplastic and multicystic kidneys, the most commonly observed anomalies in this condition, should be considered in the prenatal diagnosis setting. Based on COUPTF2 protein function, we hypothesize that its haploinsufficiency might be responsible for the renal pathology.

Background: Patients with symptomatic peripheral artery disease (PAD) are at high risk of ischemic events. However, data about predictors of this risk are limited., Hypothesis: We analyzed baseline characteristics and 4-year follow-up of patients enrolled in the international REduction of Atherothrombosis for Continued Health (REACH) Registry with symptomatic PAD and no history of stroke/transient ischemic attack to describe annual rates of recurrent ischemic events globally and geographically., Methods: The primary outcome was systemic ischemic events (composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke) at 4 years. The secondary outcome was limb ischemic events (composite of lower limb amputation, peripheral bypass graft, and percutaneous intervention for PAD) at 2 years. Multivariate analysis identified risk factors associated with recurrent ischemic events., Results: The primary endpoint rate reached 4.7% during the first year and increased continuously (by 4%-5% each year) to 17.6% by year 4, driven mainly by cardiovascular mortality (11.1% at year 4). Japan experienced lower adjusted ischemic rates (P < 0.01) vs North America. Renal impairment (P < 0.01), congestive heart failure (P < 0.01), history of diabetes (P < 0.01), history of myocardial infarction (P = 0.01), vascular disease (single or poly, P < 0.01), and older age (P < 0.01) were associated with increased risk of systemic ischemic events, whereas statin use was associated with lower risk (P = 0.03). The limb ischemic event rate was 5.7% at 2 years., Conclusions: Four-year systemic ischemic risk in patients with PAD and no history of stroke or transient ischemic attack remains high, and was mainly driven by cardiovascular mortality., (© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Partograph is an essential tool in routine delivery room practices. It is a written reflection of the quality of mother and child health management during delivery and in the immediate post-partum period. Our study aims to assess compliance rate of partograph use within our maternity ward and to propose areas for improvement of its quality. We conducted a retrospective clinical audit of 400 patients? medical records who gave birth on the labour ward at University of Kairouan from 1 January to 31 December 2014. The reference guidelines used were those from the French Health High Authority (2006) containing 29 criteria divided into 3 categories (PARTOten, PARTOobs, PARTOeve). The overall compliance rate (OCR) of partograph use in our audit was 55.9%. With regard to the first area, such as « La tenue du partogramme » (partograph use, PARTOten) the overall compliance rate was 88, 9%. With regard to the second area, such as « la traçabilité du déroulement du travail » (track labor progression, PARTOobs) the overall compliance rate was 51, 4%. With regard to the third area, such as « la traçabilité des actes, des évènements et des traitements au cours du travail » (the tracing of actions, events and treatments during labor, PARTOeve) the overall compliance rate was 27.4%. Our study has helped identify several areas for improvement. The ultimate goal of this clinical audit was the improvement of professional practices. Therefore, we implemented an action plan (training, awareness raising?) followed by a review aimed to verify the continuity of the corrective actions.

Background: Although the rate of in-hospital ischemic events after myocardial infarction (MI) has dramatically decreased, long-term residual risk may remain substantial. However, most of the information on current residual risk is derived from highly selected randomized trials., Hypothesis: In patients with previous MI and no prior ischemic stroke/transient ischemic attack (TIA), residual ischemic risk increases over time., Methods: Using the international Reduction of Atherothrombosis for Continued Health (REACH) registry, we analyzed baseline characteristics and 4-year follow-up of patients with previous MI and no history of stroke/TIA to describe annual rates of recurrent ischemic events globally and by geography. The primary outcome was the composite of cardiovascular death, MI, or stroke. Multivariate analysis identified risk factors associated with recurrent ischemic events., Results: Data from 16 770 patients enrolled at 5587 sites in 44 countries were analyzed. The rate of the primary outcome increased annually from 4.7% during year 1 to reach a 4-year rate of 15.1%. Compared with North America, Japan experienced lower ischemic event rates (P < 0.01), whereas Eastern Europe (P < 0.01) and the Middle East (P = 0.01) experienced higher ischemic event rates. The presence of congestive heart failure, polyvascular disease, diabetes, atrial fibrillation or flutter, and older age were associated with increased residual risk (all P < 0.01). Statin use was associated with lower ischemic risk (P < 0.01)., Conclusions: In this study, residual ischemic risk after MI accrued progressively up to 4 years of follow-up, emphasizing the value of intensive secondary prevention strategies to minimize residual risk., (© 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Aims: Cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of mortality and morbidity in the world, but the pharmaceutical industry's willingness to invest in this field has declined because of the many challenges involved with bringing new cardiovascular drugs to market, including late-stage failures, escalating regulatory requirements, bureaucracy of the clinical trial business enterprise, and limited patient access after approval. This contrasts with the remaining burden of cardiovascular disease in Europe and in the world. Thus, clinical cardiovascular research needs to adapt to address the impact of these challenges in order to ensure development of new cardiovascular medicines., Methods and Results: The present paper is the outcome of a two-day workshop held by the Cardiovascular Round Table of the European Society of Cardiology. We propose strategies to improve development of effective new cardiovascular therapies. These can include (i) the use of biomarkers to describe patients who will benefit from new therapies more precisely, achieving better human target validation; (ii) targeted, mechanism-based approaches to drug development for defined populations; (iii) the use of information technology to simplify data collection and follow-up in clinical trials; (iv) streamlining adverse event collection and reducing monitoring; (v) extended patent protection or limited rapid approval of new agents to motivate investment in early phase development; and (vi) collecting data needed for health technology assessment continuously throughout the drug development process (before and after approval) to minimize delays in patient access. Collaboration across industry, academia, regulators, and payers will be necessary to enact change and to unlock the existing potential for cardiovascular clinical drug development., Conclusions: A coordinated effort involving academia, regulators, industry, and payors will help to foster better and more effective conduct of clinical cardiovascular trials, supporting earlier availability of innovative therapies and better management of cardiovascular diseases., (Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2015. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

We describe two patients carrying deletions of chromosome 8p23.1 with a commonly critical region identified by means of oligonucleotide array comparative genomic hybridization (array CGH). They didn't present congenital heart defects or behavioral problems. Only one patient presented with intellectual disability and carrying deletion of TNKS gene. We presumed the inclusion of TNKS gene in the mental impairment.

We report on the cytogenetic and molecular investigations of constitutional de-novo ring chromosome 13s in three unrelated patients for better understanding and delineation of the phenotypic variability characterizing this genomic rearrangement. The patient's karyotypes were as follows: 46,XY,r(13)(p11q34) dn for patients 1 and 2 and 46,XY,r(13)(p11q14) dn for patient 3, as a result of the deletion in the telomeric regions of chromosome 13. The patients were, therefore, monosomic for the segment 13q34 → 13qter; in addition, for patient 3, the deletion was larger, encompassing the segment 13q14 → 13qter. Fluorescence in situ hybridization confirmed these rearrangement and array CGH technique showed the loss of at least 2.9 Mb on the short arm and 4.7 Mb on the long arm of the chromosome 13 in patient 2. Ring chromosome 13 (r(13)) is associated with several phenotypic features like intellectual disability, marked short stature, brain and heart defects, microcephaly and genital malformations in males, including undescended testes and hypospadias. However, the hearing loss and speech delay that were found in our three patients have rarely been reported with ring chromosome 13. Although little is known about its etiology, there is interesting evidence for a genetic cause for the ring chromosome 13. We thus performed a genotype-phenotype correlation analysis to ascertain the contribution of ring chromosome 13 to the clinical features of our three cases.

The wild olive trees or oleaster (var. sylvestris) and the cultivated olive trees (var. europaea) constitute the two botanical varieties of Olea europaea L. from Mediterranean. In this study, a partial chemical profile was conducted including the total lipids, the fatty acid profiles, soluble proteins, polyphenols, flavanoids contents and antioxidants activities of stone from six oleaster trees. The comparison was made by two olive cultivars cultivated in the same region. The oleaster and cultivar stones were richer in oil content having an average of 8.99 and 7.38 % dry weight basis (DW), respectively. Qualitatively, all studied oils have the same fatty acids profile with the oleic acid C18:1n-9 as the major fatty acid. The oleaster stone oils were richer in monounsaturated fatty acids having an average of 64.87%. They, also, richer in protein content with an average of 198.86 mg/g DW.The globulin is the major fraction, followed by the albumin, the prolamin and the glutemin fractions. The oleaster stone extracts contain polyphenols, flavonoids with an average of 151.14 and 11.91 mg gallic acid equivalent/100g of DW, respectively. The studied extracts showed antioxidant activity using the free radical scavenging activity determined by DPPH and ABTS. The unexploited oleaster stone seems to be a source of oil with good fatty acids balance, in protein and antioxidants metabolites and would be useful for the formulation of supplements and/or pharmaceutical ingredients.

Partial duplication of 11q is related to several malformations like growth retardation, intellectual disability, hypoplasia of corpus callosum, short nose, palate defects, cardiac, urinary tract abnormalities and neural tube defects. We have studied the clinical and molecular characteristics of a patient with severe intellectual disabilities, dysmorphic features, congenital inguinal hernia and congenital cerebral malformation which is referred to as cytogenetic exploration. We have used FISH and array CGH analysis for a better understanding of the double chromosomic aberration involving a 7p microdeletion along with a partial duplication of 11q due to adjacent segregation of a paternal reciprocal translocation t(7;11)(p22;q21) revealed after banding analysis. The patient's karyotype formula was: 46,XY,der(7)t(7;11)(p22;q21)pat. FISH study confirmed these rearrangement and array CGH technique showed precisely the loss of at least 140 Kb on chromosome7p22.3pter and 33.4Mb on chromosome11q22.1q25. Dysmorphic features, severe intellectual disability and brain malformations could result from the 11q22.1q25 trisomy. Our study provides an additional case for better understanding and delineating the partial duplication 11q., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Mental retardation affects 1-3% of the population. To evaluate the implication of chromosomal abnormalities in the etiology of mental retardation, 1420 patients with non-syndromic mental retardation recruited at the department of cytogenetics of Farhat Hached hospital (Sousse, Tunisia) between January 2005 and December 2009, were analyzed using standard cytogenetic techniques. Age ranged between 3 and 18 years with a median of 8 years. Chromosomal abnormalities were detected in 7.8% of patients and an increased prevalence of chromosome anomalies was observed in patients when the mental retardation is associated with a severe degree of intellectual disability, facial dysmorphic features and/or congenital malformations or epilepsy.

Duplications of the long arm of the X chromosome are rare. The infantile phenotype shares some resemblance with the Prader-Willi syndrome, presenting severe psychomotor retardation, facial dysmorphic features with a broad face, a small mouth and a thin pointed nose, hypotonia, urogenital malformation and proneness to infections. We report a boy with an additional Xq27-qter chromosome segment translocated onto the short arm of chromosome 3. The karyotype was 46,XY,der(3)t(X;3)(q27.3; p26.3)mat. This cryptic unbalanced X-autosome translocation resulted in Xq27-qter functional disomy and a deletion 3p26.3. A detailed analysis of the constitutional chromosomal changes in the patient was performed using array-CGH, FISH and PCR. The aim was to characterize the size and the location of the duplication Xq27-qter (8.18 Mb) and of the deletion 3p26.3 (1.05 Mb), to establish phenotype-genotype correlations and to offer genetic counselling., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

In this study, we report two patients with the supernumerary marker chromosome (15)s. The first case is an 8.5-year-old girl with an inv dup (15) syndrome, mental retardation and dysmorphic features. The second case is a 13-year-old boy with a ring chromosome 15, who was referred to the Laboratory of Cytogenetic and Biology of Reproduction in Sousse, Tunisia for mental retardation, epilepsy, speech delay, hypotonia and other mild dysmorphic features. R banding showed the presence of a marker chromosome in both cases. Molecular cytogenetic investigation using fluorescence in situ hybridization method allowed us to characterize the markers including the Prader-Willi syndrome locus that contains the small nuclear ribonucleoprotein polypeptide N (SNRPN) gene. Tetrasomy and trisomy for the 15q11-q13 chromosomal region were found in the first and the second patient, respectively. This observation reinforces the hypothesis that additional copies of proximal chromosome 15q11 segment may be causally related to mental retardation and dysmorphic features.

Objective: The aim of the study was to identify the incidence, diagnosis, therapeutic and histological particularities of molar pregnancies and to evaluate our management of gestational trophoblastic tumors (GTT) according to the recommendations of FIGO., Methods: This was a retrospective study of 90 patients who were diagnosed with molar pregnancy from January 1991 to December 2007. After remission, post molar pregnancy surveillance was continued for one year. Patients whose condition required chemotherapy for GTT were attributed a FIGO/WHO score., Results: Molar pregnancy occurred in 90 women. The frequency of molar pregnancy was 1 per 1124 pregnancies. The mean age was 32.21 years. Molar pregnancies were more frequent in pauciparous patients (52.24%). At diagnosis, the median gestational age was 13 weeks. The main presenting symptom was metrorrhagia (90%). Treatment consisted in uterine evacuation by suction curettage. Histological findings were complete mole in 66.66% of the cases and partial mole in 33.33% of the cases. 81 patients (90%) achieved remission without chemotherapy and 9 patients (10%) had FIGO stage I GTT. They achieved remission with a monochemotherapy., Conclusion: The practice of ultrasonography in the first trimester of pregnancy allows an early diagnosis of molar pregnancy and an adequate treatment and follow-up.

Ring chromosome 20 (r(20)) syndrome is a rare disease characterized by refractory epilepsy, moderate mental retardation and particular electroencephalographic disorder with non-convulsive status epilepticus. Here, we report a new case of r(20) syndrome in a 12 year old female who presented minimal dysmorphism, generalised tonic-clonic and absence seizures refractory to medical therapy and behavioural troubles. Among 20 cytogenetically analysed cells, 14 (70%) exhibited a 46,XX,r(20)(p13q13.3) karyotype and 6 (30%) showed a normal 46,XX caryotype. Interphasic FISH using centromeric probe of chromosome 20 detects the presence of a chromosome 20 monosomy in 7% and a duplicated ring chromosome 20 in 8% of studied cells. Metaphase FISH using chromosome 20 telomeric probes and specific probes of CHRNA4 and KCNQ2 genes detects the absence of any deletion in the ring chromosome 20. Clinical symptoms of r(20) syndrome are attributed to telomeric partial monosomy generated by ring chromosome and causing an haploinsufficiency of two epilepsy genes CHRNA4 and KCNQ2. However, our patient presents the typical epilepsy disorder but no detectable deletion in the ring chromosome 20. We speculate that clinical features of ring chromosome 20 syndrome are caused by low mosaicism of chromosome 20 monosomy caused by the loss of the ring chromosome 20.

This study aims at characterization four cultivars of the olive trees, Chétoui, Chemlali, Gerboui, and Chaïbi, cultivated in three different geographical locations, from pomological and technological points of view. The pomological characters of the fruit are influenced by the geographical location. Each individual of the same cultivar expresses different pomological characters. We have noted a significant fluctuation of the flush percentage in three Chaïbi individuals according to their geographical site; it varies from 49.06 to 82.19%. The three Gerboui individuals showed a significant variability of the fruit weight (from 1.13 to 3.17 g). Fluctuations of olive oil contents were also observed. Several fatty acid compositions showed some variation. The oleic and linoleic acid contents varied among individuals from Chétoui and Chaïbi. Moreover, the individuals of the cultivar Chemlali showed a variation of their content in palmitic and palmitoleic acids. Indeed, each individual of a cultivar showed its own potentialities, which are reflected by its pomological and technological characters. According to their geographical location, individuals from a given cultivar displayed diverse potentialities.