No abstract

<p>Beta-glucan, such as barley-derived beta-glucan (BBG), are homopolysaccharides that have attracted attention by their nutritional and therapeutic properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant power of BBG extracted from local Algerian variety of barley (SAIDA 183), and its acetylcholinesterase, alpha glucosidase inhibitory activity as well as its prebiotic potential by fermentation with lactic acid bacteria isolated from camel’s milk, namely <em>lactococcuslactisssplactis</em> (Lc.l.l) and <em>leuconostocmesenteroidesspmesenteroides</em> (Ln.m.m). The results revealed that BBG exhibited low activity against DPPH and ferric-reducing power (IC₅₀ 4018.61 ± 656.69 and A_0.5at 359.88 ±63.64 µg/mL respectively), in contrast to other antioxidant tests (ABTS, Beta-carotene and CUPRAC) where BBG demonstrated a moderate activity (IC₅₀ 529.91 ±26.37, IC₅₀ 161.013±13.322, A_0.5529.79 ± 48.65 µg/mL). The scavenging ability of hydroxyl radical and superoxide radical by BBG with an IC₅₀ at 2268.38±101.57 µg/mL and IC₅₀ 345.26± 62.32 µg/mL, respectively, while enzymatic inhibition by  BBG exhibited for AChE at IC₅₀ 859.164 ±64.46 μg/mL , BChE at IC₅₀ at 725.470 ±30.95 , α-Amylase inhibitory activity at IC₅₀ 2986.785 ± 37.046  . The bacterial growth of the two strains used in this study is favorably affected by the use of BBG as the only carbon source, in comparison with glucose as a control. In light of these findings, it can be concluded that BBG have shown moderate antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory activities and can be used as a prebiotic by acting synergistically with probiotics in functional food matrices.</p>

Background COVID-19 is a worldwide pandemic representing the most challenging global health crisis currently. Screening tests availability are a problematic task due to resource-limited abilities of some countries using RT-qPCR technique for SARS-COV-2 detection. Objective To cope with these health emergencies, in particular with this COVID-19 pandemic, states with low molecular diagnostic resources must optimize their capacity in molecular tests. We aimed to design a simple and effective strategy to improve inputs in the RT-qPCR tests as we attempted to check the financial advisability of using such an approach by calculating reduction rate of the test unit cost. Methods The used RNA was taken from suspected Covid-19 positive people. Nasopharyngeal swabs were collected at Pasteur Institute Diagnostic Center, Constantine, Algeria, 2020. We have optimized a screening strategy by grouping 16 individuals per pool, without reducing the sensitivity of RT-qPCR. Results A 1/16 dilution of a positive sample was a practical limit that does not require the use of robotic systems or mathematical modeling to construct the pools. The financial analysis of our strategy has shown that the costs can be reduced to 90%. The pooled testing strategy that was proven in this study could be recommended to help COVID-19 containment in countries with low potential screening infrastructures using RT-qPCR technique by reducing the number of tests required to identify all positive subjects.

Honey is a food that possesses several antiseptic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties. In this study, the immunomodulatory effect of honey was evaluated by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) using ovalbumin as an allergen model. To compare the honey quality, we conducted a range of physicochemical analyses on four different samples from the Tiaret region (Algeria) using the immunosuppressive or immunomodulatory effect in Balb/c mice. Our results show that the injection of 100 μL of honey before 6 hours, 6 hours after and at the same time as the injection of antigen (ovalbumin) causes a significant suppressive activity on production of the IgG isotype by Balb/c mice. This result corroborates this therapeutic virtue ascribed to honey which has resulted in a suppressive demonstration of honey on the humoral immune response. This opens an interesting perspective in the clinical area, as immunosuppressive agents play an important role in the transfer of various organs and immune system diseases.

Many foods are prepared by deep-frying as this provides unique flavors/textures that improve overall palatability to consumers. Sunflower oil is one of the most widely-used frying oils in the world. However, during frying, fats in the foodstuff are heated to > 150° C and concurrently come into contact with agents found in the air, water, and other foods being cooked at the same time. Since long-term consumption of oxidized/oxidation products can contribute to the development of a variety of pathologies. Used cooking oil has become of increased concern to both health administrators and consumers. Few studies have sought to examine potential immunomodulatory effects from exposures to sunflower oil or its oxidized/oxidation products. To address this gap in knowledge, here, sunflower oil was used to fry potatoes at 190° C, every 30 min; a new 100 g batch of slices was cooked. Frying was performed continuously for 5h/day for 2 and 4 days (10 and 20 h total), and then the parental uncooked oil and each of the used oils were provided to Wistar rats in their diet (at 20% level) for a total of 10 weeks. Measures of body weight\food intake indicated that diets containing the used oils led to slightly reduced food intakes and host weights. Kidney weights were not affected by consumption of the two used oils, but the liver was enlarged in rats fed with the oil treated for 20 h. Evaluation of key lipid-serum parameters, i.e., total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides, revealed a diet-related decrease in each; oxidized fats reduce their concentration compared to fresh fats. Conversely, serum LDL cholesterol levels were increased. Histological analyses indicated that consumption of the oxidized oils caused both kidney (e.g., tubular/glomerular dilation, vascular congestion, inflammation, tubular necrosis) and liver (e.g., vascular congestion, inflammation, necrosis) damages. Assessments of host immune function, i.e., ability to form antibody to ovalbumin (OVA) challenge, indicated that in rats fed the used oil, there were significant decreases in serum anti-OVA antibody levels. This suggested that host immunocompetence could be compromised as a result of long-term consumption of a diet containing a relatively high (i.e., 20%) content of used sunflower oils.