Performing the Egyptian revolution : origins of collective restraint action in the Midan

This research was supported by a Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland grant.In January/February 2011, the world watched with admiration the Egyptian revolution that toppled President Housni Mubarak. The demonstration in Midan al-Tahrir (Liberation Square in central Cairo), which was the nucleus of the revolution, highlighted a largely spontaneous, civil and peaceful political performance. However, this performance was temporary, contradicting subsequent bloody conflicts in post-revolutionary Egypt. This article examines the socio-political origins of the Midan performance. It argues that the demonstrators exercised collective restraint, which was temporary but necessary, in order to topple Mubarak. Building on Norbert Elias’ civilising process theory and social movements literature, it is argued that the origins of this performance are found in a collective knowledge of regime strategy and narrative, Egyptian socio-political values and existing repertoires of contention. Drawing on primary sources and semi-structured interviews, the article contends that the demonstrators exercised collective restraint to reframe regime narrative and draw public support for the revolution.PostprintPeer reviewe

Assessment of Interleukin 15 (IL-15) Gene Polymorphism in Adult Patients with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

From its beginnings two decades ago with the analysis of chromosomal translocation break points, research into the molecular pathogenesis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) has now progressed to the large scale sequencing of candidate genes that might be linked to the pathogenesis of leukemia. Interleukon-15 (IL-15) gene has gained the interest of many oncologist with five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) proved to be associated with childhood ALL.The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between IL-15 gene polymorphisms and the risk for adultALL and whether these polymorphisms are related to the immunophenotype of the disease. This study included 60 subjects classified into 2 groups: 30 patients with adult ALL (ALL group) and 30 healthy subjects of matched age and sex as control group. All subjects were genotyped for rs10519613 and rs35964658 polymorphisms of IL-15 gene using PCR-RFLP technique.Results revealed that there was no statistical difference between ALL group and control group regarding the distribution of the genotypes of both for rs10519613 and rs35964658 polymorphisms however there was 2.1 fold increased risk for ALL in C-allele carriers of rs10519613 polymorphism (OR:2.1 95% CI: 0.45 – 9.84). Concerning immunophenotype of the disease, there was no statistical difference between B-cell type and T-cell type regarding the distribution of the genotypes of the two polymorphisms, however there is 1.2 fold increased risk for B-cell type in G-allele carriers of rs35964658 polymorphism (OR:1.2 95% CI: 0.07 – 19.63).It was concluded that there was no association between both rs10519613 and rs35964658 polymorphisms and neither the risk of ALL nor the immune-phenotype of the disease.Key wards: IL-15, cytokines, genetic polymorphism, AL