Prevalence of Dermatophytes Skin Infections in Babylon Province

Background: Dermatophytosis is an infection produced by dermatophytic fungi in the keratinized tissues. Dermatophytes are fungi that infect skin, hair and nails of both humans and animals, they are the primary causative agent of dermatophytosis. Objective :   Detecting the types and the frequencies of the dermatophytes infections in Babylon Province. Methods:   In this study, 254 specimens  of dermatophytic patients are collected in Babylon province. Collection of Specimens include: skin Scrapings, hair fragments and nail clippings  . The specimens were diagnosed by direct microscopic examination and culture. Results : 213 (83.86%) specimens of dermatophytes infection were positive in direct microscopic examination and culture , and used in phenotypic diagnosis .Tinea  corporis was the predominant infection in 106 (41.73%)   patients, Ttichophyton  rubrum showed the highest frequency of dermatophytes isolates 36 (16.90%) , Ttichophyton mentagrophytes 31 (14.55%)  and Microsporum canis 30 (14.08%). The invasion of  hair was ectothrix type, forming masses of arthroconidia on the outside of the hair shaft  in 57 (78.08%) specimens, while the invasion of hair was endothrix type, and abundant sporulation inside the hair shaft causes breakage of the hair near the surface of the scalp in 16 (21.92%) specimens. Conclusion: Tinea corporis was the predominant infection. T. rubrum , T. mentagrophytes and M.  canis showed the highest frequency of dermatophytes isolates. Positive direct microscopic  examination and culture isolates could be  used in phenotypic diagnosis. Key words : Dermatophytosis, T. rubrum , T. mentagrophytes and M.  cani

Clinical and Histopathological Study on Dermatophytes Infections Caused by Trichophyton mentagrophytes Using Animal Model

Background: dermatophytes are parasitic fungi that infect skin, hair and nails of both humans and animals, they are the primary causative agent of dermatophytosis, a major public health concern in some geographic regions. Objective : To study the pathogenesis of dermatophytes infections and the antifungal activity of essential oil extract of  Lavandula  intermedia. Methods: Zoophilic strain of Ttichophyton mentagrophytes isolated from  dermatophytic patients infected with tinea corporis inoculated in the back of the rabbits using the abrasion (non-occlusion) method. Results: Twenty animals were categorized into two groups as follows: control groups involved 10 animals, 5 animals were subjected to  abrasion only, and other 5 animals were subjected to infection (after abrasion).While the other ten animals represented by study groups which involved 5 animals were exposed to infection and treated in 10th day of infection with 1% terbinafine and the other 5 animals  were treated with 10% lavender essential oil extract(it gave 5%and 10% MIC and MFC respectively). The treated animals showed healing in 12-14 day, while not treated animals showed spontaneous healing in 35-40 day. Conclusion: Rabbit model was found to be useful in the primary screening and evaluation of the anti-dermatophytic efficacy of topical formulations of antifungal agents. T. mentagrophytes produced infection in rabbit's skin in 2X106 cells /ml. Lavender essential oil could be used as alternative antifungal agents in treatment of dermatophytosis in chronic diseases ,immunocompromised and immunosuppressed drugs therapy patients. Key words : Dermatophytosis, T. mentagrophytes animal mode

Impact of adding palatal rugae to complete dentures on patient satisfaction and oral health-related quality of life: A randomized crossover clinical trial

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: The addition of palatal rugae to complete dentures has been suggested to improve the satisfaction of patients with different oral functions. However, clinical studies to support these claims are lacking. PURPOSE: The purpose of this randomized, single-blind, 2-period crossover trial was to assess the satisfaction of edentulous patients and their oral health impact profile when provided with complete dentures with palatal rugae compared with a polished palate. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Edentulous patients aged 45 to 80 years, with no relevant medical conditions, seeking complete dentures at a university hospital between May and July 2019 were recruited. Each participant received new complete dentures. After a 1-week adaptation period, the participants were randomly allocated to 2 sequences through a computer-generated sequence. In the first sequence, palatal rugae were added to the complete dentures, and after 2 months, the palatal rugae were removed and the dentures used for another 2 months. In the second sequence, the opposite sequence was followed: polished palate first and palatal rugae second. After each period, a blinded dentist asked participants to rate their general satisfaction on a 100-mm visual analog scale (primary outcome) and to rate their satisfaction regarding eating, taste perception, speaking, phonetics, and ease of cleaning. Participants were also asked to fill the 20-item oral health impact profile for edentulous patients (OHIP-EDENT). The paired sample t test and the Wilcoxon test were used (α=.05). RESULTS: Fifty participants were randomized, of whom 6 dropped out. No significant differences were found between ratings for the 2 palatal contours in terms of general satisfaction 2.32 (95% confidence interval: -3.65 to 8.29, P=.438), eating 1.70 (95% confidence interval: -4.05 to 7.46, P=.554), taste perception 0.57 (95% confidence interval -5.04 to 6.17, P=.839), phonetics 1.48 (95% confidence interval -4.46 to 7.41, P=.618), or speaking 3.68 (95% confidence interval: -1.92 to 9.28, P=.192). However, satisfaction with ease of cleaning dentures with palatal rugae was significantly less 12.16 (95% confidence interval: 6.81 to 17.50, P.05), except for the frequency of mealtime interruption (P=.041), which was reported to increase when rugae had been provided. CONCLUSIONS: Complete dentures with palatal rugae were not perceived to improve patient satisfaction or oral health-related quality of life. However, they were perceived to be more difficult to clean and to increase frequency of interruptions during eating

Impact of Methotrexate on Serum Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Reduced Glutathione in Patients with Vulgaris Psoriasis

To evaluate the effect of methotrexate on serum of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) reduced glutathione (GSH) and disease severity in psoriatic patients.Aim:  To estimate the impacts of methotrexate on levels of vascular endothelial growth factor and reduced glutathione (GSH) in serum of patients with psoriasis and to assess the efficacy and impact of methotrexate on severity of psoriasis which recognized by psoriasis area and severity index (PASI). This is a follow up study conducted on a total 80 subjects; forty patients (25 male and 15 female) with plaque psoriasis compared to forty healthy persons (21male and 19 female). Venous blood collected from the clinic of dermatology in Merjan Teaching Hospital in Hilla city/Iraq. Serum was prepared from collected blood, and used to investigate the effect of methotrexate on serum vascular endothelial growth factor and reduced glutathione concentrations. The present study findings revealed a significant elevation in serum vascular endothelial growth factor concentration and significant decrease in reduced glutathione concentration in patients group when compared to the control group. On the other hand, the study showed significant reduction in serum vascular endothelia growth factor level and PASI score after three month’s duration of treatment with methotrexate, and significant elevation of serum reduced glutathione level after the same period of treatment. Keywords: Psoriasis vascular endothelial growth factor, reduced glutathione, psoriasis area and severity index and methotrexate

In situ observation of stress relaxation in epitaxial graphene

Upon cooling, branched line defects develop in epitaxial graphene grown at high temperature on Pt(111) and Ir(111). Using atomically resolved scanning tunneling microscopy we demonstrate that these defects are wrinkles in the graphene layer, i.e. stripes of partially delaminated graphene. With low energy electron microscopy (LEEM) we investigate the wrinkling phenomenon in situ. Upon temperature cycling we observe hysteresis in the appearance and disappearance of the wrinkles. Simultaneously with wrinkle formation a change in bright field imaging intensity of adjacent areas and a shift in the moire spot positions for micro diffraction of such areas takes place. The stress relieved by wrinkle formation results from the mismatch in thermal expansion coefficients of graphene and the substrate. A simple one-dimensional model taking into account the energies related to strain, delamination and bending of graphene is in qualitative agreement with our observations.Comment: Supplementary information: S1: Photo electron emission microscopy and LEEM measurements of rotational domains, STM data of a delaminated bulge around a dislocation. S2: Movie with increasing brightness upon wrinkle formation as in figure 4. v2: Major revision including new experimental dat

The role of antibiotic resistance mobile genetic element MCR-1 in enhancing bacterial survival in macrophages

Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) determinants such as mobile colistin resistance (MCR-1) that encodes colistin resistance are increasingly spreading in healthcare-associated and community-acquired infections. 1 Colistin, a cationic peptide antibiotic, resistance is encoded by the MCR-1 gene that functions as phosphoethanolamine (PEA) transferase which adds a PEA moiety to lipid A head group rendering it resistant to host antimicrobial cationic peptides (AMPs). 2,3 The given hypothesis is that MCR-1 harboring bacteria survive longer in macrophages by evading AMPs. This study aims to investigate the role of MCR-1 in enhancing bacterial survival in macrophages. Methods: Eight E. coli strains were used in the study in which 4 strains were MCR-1 positive and 4 strains were negative. MCR-1 was confirmed by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), and colistin and polymyxin minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined using the microdilution method. Macrophage bactericidal assay was employed to examine bacterial survival using adherent murine RAW264 macrophages in an in-vitro bacterial infection model. Briefly, Macrophages were infected with E. coli strains at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 50 for 1 hour. The survival of bacteria associated with macrophages was quantified by agar plating method to calculate colony forming units (CFU/ml). Cytokines released from infected macrophages were quantified using ELISA method respectively. Results: Colistin MICs for MCR-1 positive E. coli strains were >25 ?g/ml, whereas MCR-1 negative E. coli MICs < 6.2 ?g/ml. E. coli strains encoding MCR-1 survived significantly more in association with macrophages (p = 0.024) compared to MCR-1 negative E. coli strains. Further, E.coli strains encoding MCR-1 induced slightly less IL-1? release from infected macrophages compared to E. coli strains without MCR-1 (p = 0.05). Taken together, the data suggest that MCR-1 enhanced bacterial survival in association with macrophages and modulated innate immune responses which may lead to treatment failure. Conclusion: MCR-1 encoding E. coli strains conferred resistance to colistin and survived more in association with macrophages.Qscienc

Mix&Match: Towards Omitting Modelling Through In-Situ Alteration and Remixing of Model Repository Artifacts in Mixed Reality

The accessibility of tools to model artifacts is one of the core driving factors for the adoption of Personal Fabrication. Subsequently, model repositories like Thingiverse became important tools in (novice) makers' processes. They allow them to shorten or even omit the design process, offloading a majority of the effort to other parties. However, steps like measurement of surrounding constraints (e.g., clearance) which exist only inside the users' environment, can not be similarly outsourced. We propose Mix&Match a mixed-reality-based system which allows users to browse model repositories, preview the models in-situ, and adapt them to their environment in a simple and immediate fashion. Mix&Match aims to provide users with CSG operations which can be based on both virtual and real geometry. We present interaction patterns and scenarios for Mix&Match, arguing for the combination of mixed reality and model repositories. This enables almost modelling-free personal fabrication for both novices and expert makers.Comment: 12 pages, 15 figures, 1 table, To appear in the Proceedings of the ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems 2020 (CHI'20