Correlation between Metabolic Syndrome and Psoriasis

Background: Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease that is mediated by the immune system. It was thought to be a specific skin condition, but numerous studies have shown that it is a systemic disorder, as well as psychological difficulties like shyness, low self-esteem, and anxiety are related with it. Resistin is considered to be an important modulator of chronic inflammation.Objective: To determine serum level of resistin and C-reactive protien (CRP) in psoriasis vulgaris patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS).Patients and Methods: Clinical examinations were performed on 40 patients ranging in age from 28 to 53, and venous blood samples were collected. Tests were performed on the blood samples to identify levels of, resistin, and C-reactive protein (CRP). Results: levels of resistin were elevated with increased severity of psoriasis as measured by Psoriasis Area/Severity Index (PASI) score with statistically significant relation; p value (0.04), PASI score also was positively associated with elevated CRP levels; p value (0.001) .Conclusion: We conclude that resistin levels provide important value to optimize medical treatment and improve clinical outcomes in patients with psoriasis

Study and Evaluation of the Factors That Determine the Quality of Marketing Education in Higher Education Institutions in The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Objective: The tremendous growth in the preparation of higher education institutions for management – marketing, has resulted in the need for and necessity to discuss the quality of that education. From here, the aim of this research was to determine the factors that affect the quality of management education in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and to clarify its nature and importance, and the mutual effects on the quality of learning outcomes for marketing education at the individual student and program level, and at the level of the educational institution and its competitiveness. Design / Methodology: The determination of the factors affecting the quality of management education through a review of the literature and then testing its validity and its effects on the quality of marketing education outcomes at the individual, program, and institution level through practical study using survey lists for the teaching courses of government and private universities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Findings: The studies showed that almost all of the factors studied are highly reliable among themselves, and that they must be seen as coherent, when analyzing their impact on the learning outcomes of marketing education. Applications: The study provided guidance for, administrators, curriculum and course designers, and marketing teachers, to design high-quality marketing-management education programs, and in developing a self-diagnostic tool in which universities can determine their susceptibility to success and competition. Rooting / value: the current literature has shed light on the factors affecting the quality of management education. However, it was taken separately. Therefore, the research contributes to the existing literature by identifying the interrelationships between these factors, which have a role in improving the quality of marketing education

Synthesis and antimicrobial activities of some novel bis-pyrazole derivatives containing a hydrophosphoryl unit

Vilsmeier-Haack reaction conditions were applied on some methyl ketone aryl phosphonicdihydrazones to yield some interesting bis-pyrazole derivatives containing a hydro-phosphoryl unit. Bis-{4-formyl-3-aryl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl}phosphine oxides (4a,b) were condensed with some nucleophiles such as aniline, phenacyltriphenylphosphonium bromide and 4-phenylthiosemicarbazide followed by treatment with thioglycolic acid, diethyl phosphite and/or acetic anhydride to yield a novel class of bis-pyrazoles containing sulfur and phosphorus derivatives. Most of the newly synthesized compounds were evaluated for their in vitro antimicrobial activities

Diagnostic and prognostic impact of E6/E7 mRNA compared to HPV DNA and p16 expression in head and neck cancers: an Egyptian study

Introduction: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is identified as a culprit in a subset of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs). The clinicopathologic profile displayed by this subset diverges from that of HPV-negative HNSCCs. Despite a variety of available tests, there is no consensus on which technique is the best for detection of HPV in HNSCCs. Although this field has received substantial interest within different continents, African and Egyptian populations are not yet well studied within the literature. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out to detect HPV prevalence in HNSSC and to correlate the viral prevalence with different clinicopathologic parameters as well as with the patients’ outcome. For 51 patients with HNSCC, HPV-16 DNA was determined via PCR, while E6/ E7 mRNA was detected employing real-time PCR. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed to assess p16 status. Results: P16 was overexpressed in 49% of cases, while HPV-16 DNA was detected in 52.9% of cases, and likewise, E6/E7 mRNA was found in 52.9% of cases. There was a very good agreement between HPV16 DNA and RNA results (κ = 0.843, P-value <0.001). Meanwhile, a good agreement was revealed between HPV16 DNA and p16 IHC results (κ = 0.608, P-value <0.001). Similarly, there was a good agreement between HPV RNA results and p16 IHC results (κ = 0.608, P-value <0.001). By the end of the study period, 13.7% of the enrolled patients died, with the overall survival of the studied patients being 17.29 months. Of note, there was no statistically significant correlation between the overall survival and HPV status. Conclusion: The present study highlights the significant role played by HPV in HNSCC. Furthermore, it reveals that although p16 has been a marker of HPV existence in HNSCC, it should not be the sole determinant of HPV role in tumorigenesis

Discriminating between Cognitive and Supportive Group Therapies for Chronic Mental Illness

This descriptive and comparative study employed a Q-sort process to describe common factors of therapy in two group therapies for inpatients with chronic mental illness. While pharmacological treatments for chronic mental illness are prominent, there is growing evidence that cognitive therapy is also efficacious. Groups examined were part of a larger study comparing the added benefits of cognitive versus supportive group therapy to the treatment milieu. In general, items described the therapist’s attitudes and behaviors, the participants’ attitudes and behaviors, or the group interactions. Results present items that were most and least characteristic of each therapy and items that discriminate between the two modalities. Therapists in both groups demonstrated good therapy skills. However, the cognitive group was described as being more motivated and active than the supportive group, indicating that the groups differed in terms of common as well as specific factors of treatment

Targeting gp100 and TRP-2 with a DNA vaccine: incorporating T cell epitopes with a human IgG1 antibody induces potent T cell responses that are associated with favourable clinical outcome in a phase I/II trial

A DNA vaccine, SCIB1, incorporating two CD8 and two CD4 epitopes from TRP-2/gp100 was evaluated in patients with metastatic melanoma. Each patient received SCIB1 via intramuscular injection with electroporation. The trial was designed to find the safest dose of SCIB1 which induced immune/clinical responses in patients with or without tumour. Fifteen patients with tumor received SCIB1 doses of 0.4-8 mg whilst 20 fully-resected patients received 2-8 mg doses. Twelve patients elected to continue immunization every 3 months for up to 39 months. SCIB1 induced dose-dependent T cell responses in 88% of patients with no serious adverse effects or dose limiting toxicities. The intensity of the T cell responses was significantly higher in patients receiving 4 mg doses without tumor when compared to those with tumor (p< 0.01). In contrast, patients with tumor showed a significantly higher response to the 8 mg dose than the 4 mg dose (p< 0.03) but there was no significant difference in the patients without tumor. One of 15 patients with measurable disease showed an objective tumor response and 7/15 showed stable disease. 5/20 fully-resected patients have experienced disease recurrence but all remained alive at the cut-off date with a median observation time of 37 months. A positive clinical outcome was associated with MHC-I and MHC-II expression on tumors prior to therapy (p=0.027). We conclude that SCIB1 is well tolerated and stimulates potent T cell responses in melanoma patients. It deserves further evaluation as a single agent adjuvant therapy or in combination with checkpoint inhibitors in advanced disease

Impact of Second-Generation Antipsychotics and Perphenazine on Depressive Symptoms in a Randomized Trial of Treatment for Chronic Schizophrenia

According to the American Psychiatric Association Clinical Practice Guidelines for schizophrenia, second-generation antipsychotics may be specifically indicated for the treatment of depression in schizophrenia. We examined the impact of these medications on symptoms of depression using the data from the Clinical Antipsychotic Trials of Intervention Effectiveness (CATIE), conducted between January 2001 and December 2004

Interactive Effects of Immunoglobulin Gamma and Human Leucocyte Antigen Genotypes on Response to Interferon Based Therapy of Hepatitis C Virus

AIM: We examined the role that immunoglobulin GM 23 and KM allotypes—genetic markers of γ and κ chains, respectively—play in response to treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in Egyptian patients.MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 120 persons who had responded to HCV treatment and 125 with persistent HCV infection were genotyped for the presence of GM23 and KM determinants. HLA –C genotyping was also done.RESULTS: Association of GM 23+ and KM3 was significantly associated with non response to treatment (P &lt; 0.0001). Individuals who lacked this GM genotype (but were positive for KM1,2 and 3) were likely to respond to treatment (P=0.045). Association of heterozygous GM23 (+/-) with KM 1,2 and 3 or KM3 alone was significantly associated with SVR (P = 0.001) and (P = 0.0001) respectively. Particular combinations of HLA and GM genotypes were associated significantly with the response to HCV treatment. The combination of HLAC2C2 and GM23+ was associated with persistence of infection (P = 0.027) while the association of HLAC2C2 and heterozygous GM23+/- was associated with SVR (P = 0.001).The association of HLAC1C1 and heterozygous GM23+/- was significantly associated with SVR (P = 0.001) and also subjects with HLA C1/C2 and heterozygous GM23+/- were likely to respond to treatment (P = 0.003) while subjects with HLA C1/C2 and GM23+ show tendency to resist to treatment (P = 0.0001).CONCLUSION: Our results didn’t support a role for KM allotypes, GM23 allotype plays a role in the persistence of HCV infection in the presence or absence of KM1,3. Interaction between certain GM and HLA-C genotypes may favor adequate response to interferon based therapies