Nihilistic inspiration in The Blind Owl of Sadegh Hedayat Marzieh Balighi

The Blind Owl of Sadegh Hedayat, Iranian author, which belongs to the dark literature category, is based on a nihilistic inspiration. In spite of the undeniable influence of nihilism in the creation of this complicated work, there is no coherent study to treat this subject from different points of view. The certain thing is that Hedayat was a careful reader of nihilistic works and the literary works which were inspired by nihilism. It seems that for a long time he was meditating on related ideas and the disappointed and nihilistic conceptions of some authors such as Ivan Turgenev, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Arthur Schopenhauer and Friedrich Nietzsche. The absurd character of The Blind Owl proves this nihilistic inspiration. In the creation of this work, Hedayat uses the main elements of this philosophy and develops them in his own way. Therefore he writes an oneiric story which evokes the existence of affliction from different perspectives. In this research, we are going to deepen the nihilistic aspect of The Blind Owl verifying all of the elements that are the witnesses of the omnipresence of inexistence in whole story. In this perspective, we will study first existence of affliction which is demonstrated by four factors: the physical pain, the moral disease, the progressive poisoning and the maleficent power. Then we will analyze the role of the notion of inexistence in the progression of the story which is incarnated by the fascination of the oblivion, the haunting of the death and the temptation of suicide. This reasoning will indicate the undeniable function of the nihilistic philosophy in the creation of The Blind Owl

Changes in body mass index and lipid profile in psoriatic patients after treatment with standard protocol of infliximab

Psoriasis is a chronic and inflammatory dermatologic disease. Psoriasis may predispose to cardiovascular disease and diabetes. However, the role of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor in mediating this risk is controversial. Regarding frequent use of infliximab in psoriasis, and the hypothesis that anti TNF-α treatment may increase Body Mass Index (BMI) and alter lipid profile in these patients, the aim of this study was to assess changes in BMI and Lipid Profile and level of leptin in Psoriatic Patients under Treatment of Standard Protocol of Infliximab in a 24 week period. This study was accomplished as a before-after study. Twenty-seven psoriatic patients were included, and standard infliximab therapy was applied. All patients underwent 3 times of blood collection and in each session; LDL, HDL, Total Cholesterol, Triglycerides, Leptin, and PASI score were measured at the start of the study and at the 12th and 24th week of follow-up. Twenty-five patients consisted of 18 (72) male and 7 (28) female subjects were evaluated. The mean age of the patients was 36.91±13.31 years. PASI score demonstrated significant decrease after 24 weeks; however, BMI and HDL and leptin showed a significant increase during treatment. Significant negative correlation was seen between Leptin and PASI score changes (r=0.331, P=0.042). HDL and BMI had the most correlations with leptin (positive correlation) and PASI score (negative correlation). Results demonstrated a dramatic decrease in PASI, increase in BMI and HDL and increased in leptin; somewhat correlated to each other. These results suggest that patients taking infliximab should take more care of their weight and lipid profile, while on treatment. © 2016 Tehran University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved

Clinicoepidemiological Features of 82 Cases of Bullous Pemphigoid in Tehran, Iran

Bullous Pemphigoid is a chronic immunobullous disease, characterized by subepidermal bulla on the skin and mucosa. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the clinicoepidemiological features of bullous pemphigoid in Iranian patients. In this retrospective descriptive study, we reviewed 82 bullous pemphigoid patients within 2014-2016. The mean age of the patients was 67.13 years (range between 25 and 97) including 32(39.1%) males and 50(60.9%) females. Mucosal involvement was positive in 33(40.2%) of the patients, and oral mucosa was most commonly involved. Head and neck area were involved in 43 (52.4%) of the patients. Clinical and epidemiological characteristics of bullous pemphigoid are different in different regions of the world

A Case Report of Paraneoplastic Pemphigus Associated With Retroperitoneal Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumor

Paraneoplastic pemphigus (PNP) is an autoimmune bullous disease associated with underlying neoplasms, both malignant and benign. The most constant clinical presentation of PNP is the presence of intractable stomatitis. Herein we present a 25-year-old male with a 3-month history of refractory stomatitis especially involving the lips and widespread vesiculobullous eruption on his trunk and extremities. The diagnosis of PNP was confirmed based on histological and serological results. Investigation for the underlying neoplasm revealed a retroperitoneal tumorous mass which was biopsied and diagnosed as the inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT). The tumor was surgically excised, and different treatment regimens were used to treat the mucocutaneous lesions. Skin lesions responded favorably to treatment, but oral stomatitis still persists which is the case in most PNP patients. This combination of PNP and IMT has rarely been reported in the literature. Treatment started with corticosteroid and rituximab then tumor excised

Exacerbation of Autoimmune Bullous Diseases After Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Vaccination: Is There Any Association?

Background and AimThere have been concerns regarding the potential exacerbation of autoimmune bullous diseases (AIBDs) following vaccination against COVID-19 during the pandemic. In the current study, vaccine safety was evaluated in patients with AIBDs.MethodsIn this study, patients with AIBDs were contacted via face-to-face visits or phone calls. Patient demographics, vaccine-related information, pre- and post-vaccine disease status, and complications were recorded. The exacerbation was considered either relapse in the remission/controlled phase of the disease or disease worsening in the active phase. The univariate and multivariate logistic regression tests were employed to determine the potential risk factors of disease exacerbation.ResultsOf the patients contacted, 446 (74.3%) reported receiving at least one dose of vaccine injection (54.7% female). Post-vaccine exacerbation occurred in 66 (14.8%) patients. Besides, there were 5 (1.1%) patients with AIBD diagnosis after vaccination. According to the analysis, for every three patients who received vaccines during the active phase of the disease one experienced disease exacerbation. The rate of disease exacerbation increased by three percent with every passing month from the last rituximab infusion. Active disease in the past year was another risk factor with a number needed to harm of 10.ConclusionRisk of AIBD exacerbation after the COVID-19 vaccine is not high enough to prevent vaccination. This unwanted side effect, can be reduced if the disease is controlled at the time of vaccination

Candidate Predisposition Variants in Kaposi Sarcoma as Detected by Whole-Genome Sequencing

Familial clustering of classic Kaposi sarcoma (CKS) is rare with, approximately 100 families reported to date. We studied 2 consanguineous families, 1 Iranian and 1 Israeli, with multiple cases of adult CKS and without overt underlying immunodeficiency. We performed genome-wide linkage analysis and whole-genome sequencing to discover the putative genetic cause for predisposition. A 9-kb homozygous intronic deletion in RP11-259O2.1 in the Iranian family and 2 homozygous variants, 1 in SCUBE2 and the other in CDHR5, in the Israeli family were identified as possible candidates. The presented variants provide a robust starting point for validation in independent samples.Peer reviewe

Serologic Biomarkers in Pemphigus Monitoring: C-reactive Protein, Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor, and Prolactin Levels Versus Autoantibody Assays

Evaluation and monitoring of pemphigus vulgaris (PV) typically involve autoantibody detection by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and indirect immunofluorescence (IIF). We aimed to determine the levels of antipemphigus immunoglobulin (Ig) G autoantibodies using ELISA and IIF (as standard biomarkers), and compare it to prolactin, macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), and C-reactive protein (CRP) (as nonstandard biomarkers) to determine which of these non-standard biomarkers is appropriate for PV monitoring. The experiment was performed before and during therapy. Anti-Dsg immunoglobulin G autoantibodies were measured using ELISA and IIF (as standard biomarkers) versus prolactin, MIF, and CRP (nonstandard), before 1 and 3 months after the treatment. Before beginning the treatment, the severity of the disease was determined using the pemphigus disease area Index (PDAI). We enrolled 60 newly diagnosed patients with PV (32 men and 28 women; mean age=43.8±14.2 years). Before treatment, the levels of anti-Dsg1, anti-Dsg3, and IIF were high and had a significant relationship with PDAI. PDAI also had a connection with the levels of CRP and prolactin. The anti-Dsg1, anti-Dsg3, IIF, and CRP titers decreased in patients treated with conventional (prednisolone plus azathioprine) and rituximab therapy during and after treatment. In conclusion, anti-Dsg1, anti-Dsg3, and IIF autoantibody titers remain standard biomarkers for assessing disease activity, severity, and PV monitoring. The trend of CRP was similar to that of anti-Dsg1, anti-Dsg3, and IIF. Thus, CRP may be used for PV monitoring

"La Chouette aveugle" de Sadegh Hedayat, un récit à la croisée des textes occidentaux

La Chouette aveugle, un récit d’abord publié en 1936, à Bombay, en Inde, puis en 1941 en Iran, à Téhéran, et traduite en français, en 1951, par Roger Lescot,est une œuvre singulière d’un auteur iranien, Sadegh Hedayat (1903-1951). C’est une nouvelle qui se présente sous la forme d’une longue confession faite par un narrateur anonyme, victime de cauchemars et d’hallucinations. Écrite durant un séjour effectué par cet écrivain en France entre 1926 et 1930, cette œuvre est surchargée d’emprunts,de réminiscences, et d’allusions à de multiples lectures littéraires, philosophiques,métaphysiques, religieuses et psychanalytiques. C’est un lieu de croisement d’influences diverses, orientales certes mais aussi, surtout, occidentales. Cet entrelacs minutieux fait de La Chouette aveugle une œuvre hybride, très élaborée, à la croisée de l’Orient et de l’Occident. Pour en cerner la singularité, on s’est fondé sur une approche qui a cherché à désenchevêtrer les références mythologiques qui en constituent la matière, à repérer les empreintes des modes orientalistes qui existaient à l’époque, entre les deux guerres, en France et en Europe, à dégager l’existence des modèles et des moules esthétiques, occidentaux, qui s’y imbriquent, à en analyser aussi l’inspiration nihiliste, marqué par la philosophie occidentale, et à en étudier le caractère surréaliste qui lui confère une originalité très particulière dans la littérature iranienneBlind Owl, a story first published in 1936 in Bombay, India, then in 1941 inIran, Tehran, and translated into French in 1951 by Roger Lescot, is a singular workof an Iranian author, Sadegh Hedayat (1903-1951). It's a new one that comes in the form of a long confession made by a nameless narrator, a victim of nightmares and hallucinations. Written during a stay by this writer in France between 1926 and 1930,this work is overloaded with debt, reminiscences and allusions to many literary readings, philosophical, metaphysical, religious and psychoanalytic. It is a place of intersection of diverse influences, certainly, but also Oriental, especially the West.This careful interweaving makes The Blind Owl a hybrid, very developed at thecrossroads of East and West. To identify the singularity, we relied on an approachthat sought to disentangle the mythological references which are material, to identifythe fingerprints of Orientalist patterns that existed at the time, between the wars,France and in Europe, to identify the existence of aesthetic models and molds,Western imbricate therein, to analyze also the inspiration nihilistic, marked byWestern philosophy, and to study the character that gives it a surrealist originality most unusual in Iranian literatur