Stress coping mechanisms in smoking psoriatics

AbstractBackgroundThe link between emotional stress and smoking has previously been investigated and results have suggested that smoking is used as a way of dealing with stress. There are many studies indicating the relationship between smoking and psoriasis or emotional stress and psoriasis. However, to our knowledge, the link between smoking associated with emotional stress and psoriasis has not been shown before. Our aim was to investigate psoriatic patients' abilities to cope with stress, the relationship between coping strategies and smoking habit.MethodsNinety-nine individuals with psoriasis (57 females, and 42 males, mean age: 37.4 years) were included in this study. Sociodemographic information including age, sex, smoking habit, etc., was obtained; Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) scores were recorded. The Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence was used on smoking patients to evaluate smoking habit or the degree of nicotine dependence. The Ways of Coping Questionnaire and Dermatology Life Quality Index were filled out by all patients. Data were assessed by comparing psoriatic smokers with nonsmokers and statistically analysis was carried out with the SPSS 11.5 program.ResultsForty patients (40.4%) were smokers. When comparing the two groups' mechanisms of coping with stress, smokers and nonsmokers coped with stress in similar ways. The seeking social support scores from the Ways of Coping Questionnaire were significantly lower in smokers than nonsmokers (p<0.05), while the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence scores were correlated with distrustful approach sub-scores, and PASI only correlated with smokers. The Dermatology Life Quality Index scores were correlated with the PASI and distrustful approach scores in all patients.ConclusionSmoking and nonsmoking psoriatic patients had similar stress coping strategies, except the subgroup seeking social support, and usually used positive ways of coping with stress. Psoriatic patients who smoke might employ smoking to avoid stressful situations. They would benefit from education on adopting healthy stress management and, in turn, developing mature stress coping mechanisms. Future prospective studies are required to address the exact causal link between smoking, psoriasis and psychiatric comorbidity, including stress coping mechanisms

Case Report of Bullous Pemphigoid following Fundus Fluorescein Angiography

Purpose: To report a first case of bullous pemphigoid (BP) following intravenous fluorescein for fundus angiography. Clinical Features: A 70-year-old male patient was admitted to the intensive care unit with BP and sepsis. He reported a history of fundus fluorescein angiography with a pre-diagnosis of senile macular degeneration 2 months prior to presentation. At that time, fluorescein extravasated at the antecubital region. Following the procedure, pruritus and erythema began at the wrists bilaterally, and quickly spread to the entire body. The patient also reported a history of allergy to human albumin solution (Plamasteril®; Abbott) 15 years before, during bypass surgery. On dermatologic examination, erythematous patches were present on the scalp, chest and anogenital region. Vesicles and bullous lesions were present on upper and lower extremities. On day 2 of hospitalization, tense bullae appeared on the upper and lower extremities. The patient was treated with oral methylprednisolone 48 mg (Prednol®; Mustafa Nevzat), topical clobetasol dipropionate 0.05% cream (Dermovate®; Glaxo SmithKline), and topical 4% urea lotion (Excipial Lipo®; Orva) for presumptive bullous pemphigoid. Skin punch biopsy provided tissue for histopathology, direct immunofluorescence examination, and salt extraction, which were all consistent with BP. After 1 month, the patient was transferred to the intensive care unit with sepsis secondary to urinary tract infection; he died 2 weeks later from sepsis and cardiac failure. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of BP following fundus fluorescein angiography in a patient with known human albumin solution allergy. Consideration should be made to avoid fluorescein angiography, change administration route, or premedicate with antihistamines in patients with known human albumin solution allergy. The association between fundus fluorescein angiography and BP should be further investigated

Investigation of the effects of mir-219-1 gene variants on the development of disease in non-small cell lung cancer patients

Background: Various variants of the miR-219-1 gene are one of the first genes associated with NSCLC prognosis in the literature. Objectives: We aimed to genotype two different variants of the miR-219-1 gene and to investigate to using of the result as a biomarker in the diagnosis and treatment of NSCLC. Materials and Methods: The patients were chosen according to International NSCLC criteria and genomic DNA was isolated from blood (138 patients and 100 healthy individuals). Then qRT-PCR was applied to determine the rs213210 and rs421446 variants of miR-219-1 gene polymorphisms. Allele and genotype frequencies were compared using Pearson’s chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests test. Results: We found that TT genotype (p=0,381) in rs213210 compared with CC genotype (p=0,165) and CC genotype (p=0,823) in rs421446 compared with TT genotype (p=0,537) did not show a significantly increased risk of NSCLC. There is no relationship between polymorphisms in miR-219-1 and the outcome of NSCLC. Conclusion: miRNA single nucleotide polymorphisms can be used as genetic biomarkers to predict cancer susceptibility, early diagnosis, and prognosis. Our study has shown that two variants of miR-219-1 were not related to NSCLC in the Turkish population. The reason for this can be differences in ethnicity, regions, and background of population and these differences could lead to various outcomes. Keywords: NSCLC; miR-219-1 gene; single-nucleotide polymorphisms

Pure SILS Floppy Nissen Fundoplication with Hiatal Repair: A Case Report

Background. Single-incision laparoscopic surgery has recently became popular on behalf of inventing less invasive procedures. In this paper, we present a case of Pure SILS Nissen Fundoplication. Patient and Methods. In February 2010 a 29-year old male patient with a 4 cm sliding hiatus hernia presenting with reflux symptoms had undergone a standard floppy Nissen Fundoplication with a hiatus repair via single 2 cm incision in umbilicus. Results. The procedure had obeyed the standard natural orifice surgery rules, and no needlescopic assistance for any stage of the operation was used so to be a pure single-incision procedure. The operation lasted for 120 minutes without any need of conversion, and the patient was discharged the following day of operation. Conclusion. In the recent time, hybrid single incision laparoscopy techniques have been defined with the use of extra-abdominal supplements for retraction of liver or stomach for Nissen procedure. In addition the main issue in single-incision upper GI and/or hiatus surgery is still the retraction of liver. We succeeded to retract the left lobe of liver through the incision and completed the operation without any need for supplemental access besides the umbilical incision till the end. SILS Hiatus Surgery can be safely and effectively done but the issue needs further clinical studies to state the efficacy when compared to standard laparoscopy

The relationship between sea breeze forcing and hf radar-derived surface currents in Monterey Bay

Supplementary materials (animations) for this document may be found here: https://calhoun.nps.edu/handle/10945/41602Despite the importance of sea breeze, only Hendrickson and MacMahanâ s research has been done to determine sea breeze effects in Monterey Bay; other than that not much research has been done. In this thesis, CODAR SeaSonde radars are used to map the surface current in Monterey Bay. Temperature, wind speed and wind direction are analyzed for five locations to establish the algorithm for determining the sea breeze days in Monterey Bay. Harmonic analysis is used to understand the relationship between sea breeze and high frequency (HF) radar-derived surface currents. To explain the cause of the peaks and lows in the amplitude of the sea breeze as shown by the harmonic analysis, coastal jet influences, boundary layer height changes, temperature gradient variations and cloudiness are investigated. Current patterns clearly respond to changing sea breeze strength with the strongest amplitudes corresponding to days with fully developed coastal jets. No coastal jet, lower amplitude sea breeze days, however, appear to have a more classical response in terms of wind direction changes. It is understood that rapid decrease of the amplitude of sea breeze in harmonic analysis is the day with sea breeze including obvious wind shifting, and rapid increase is the day when strong synoptic effect is seen obviously over the region.http://archive.org/details/therelationshipb1094542747Lieutenant Junior Grade, Turkish NavyApproved for public release; distribution is unlimited