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Background Epidemiologic data derived from population-based studies are very important to understand human diseases and their implications. Highlighting skin problems by identifying their incidence and prevalence is vital to direct suitable medical attention toward them. Aim The aim of the study was to detect the prevalence and most common causes of hypopigmentation in primary school children in Zagazig City. Methods Cross-sectional study on 185 students selected from two schools. Data were collected by filling a questionnaire, clinical examination, and Wood's light examination to detect hypopigmented skin disorders. Results The prevalence of hypopigmentation among studied population was 45.4%; the commonest cause was pityriasis alba 58.3%, followed by pityriasis versicolor 17.9%, postinflammatory hypopigmentation 10.7%, hypopigmented nevus 9.5%, and finally 3.6% vitiligo. Conclusion Hypopigmented skin disorders are important and easy to diagnosis skin diseases that need medical attention.

BACKGROUND Although the etiopathogenesis of alopecia areata (AA) is still unclear, inflammation, oxidative stress, and subsequent DNA damage might be considered role players in disease development. AIM We aimed at exploring the potential link between oxidative DNA damage and inflammation in AA patients through measuring 8-hydroxy deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), high mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1), and one of the inflammatory mediators, C-reactive protein (CRP). METHODS A total of 79 subjects (49 AA patients in addition to 30 apparently healthy control subjects) were tested for serum levels of 8-OHdG, HMBG1, and CRP. RESULTS Compared with the control group, serum 8-OHdG, HMBG1, and CRP levels were significantly elevated in the studied patients group (0.031

BACKGROUND Psoriasis is a distressing chronic skin disease. Its exact pathogenesis is still unclear, as many factors interplay in its occurrence. AIM The aim of the study is to estimate elafin levels in the serum of both cases and controls and to correlate the levels with psoriasis severity and other markers of inflammation. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Twenty-six psoriatic cases along with 26 healthy controls were assigned in this case-control study. Psoriasis severity was determined by Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score. Elafin levels were measured by ELISA in serum of both cases and controls. C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were measured in the cases. RESULTS Elafin levels show highly statistical significance difference (P < 0.001) between cases and controls. There is a statistical significant correlation between elafin levels and both psoriasis severity and inflammation markers as CRP and ESR. CONCLUSION Elafin represents a mirror for psoriasis severity and inflammatory state.

A polymerized film of eriochrome black T (EBT) was prepared on the surface of pencil graphite electrode in alkaline solution by cyclic voltammetry. The redox response of the poly (EBT) film at the electrode appeared in a couple of redox peak in 0.1 M sodium hydroxide. The poly (EBT) film-coated electrode exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity towards the oxidation of rabeprazole sodium (RAB sodium) and domperidone (DOM) in Britton-Robinson buffer (pH 4.0). The polymer film modified electrode conspicuously enhanced the redox currents of the cited mixture and could sensitively and separately determine them. Both cyclic voltammetry (CV) and square wave adsorptive stripping voltammetric (SWAdSV) methods were utilized to determine this mixture. The linearity of CV ranged from 4.1-120 μM and 5.2-90 μM for RAB sodium and DOM, respectively while SWAdSV was 7.5-80×10−7M and 5–70×10−7M for RAB sodium and DOM, respectively. With good selectivity and sensitivity, the present method provides a simple method for selective detection of RAB sodium and DOM binary mixture in synthetic mixtures and biological fluids.

In this work, Epocast 50-A1/946 epoxy have been modified with different weight percentages (0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 0.1, 1.25, and 1.5 wt%) of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). Because of Epocast epoxy was primarily developed for joining and repairing of composite aircraft structural components, the optimum weight percentage of MWCNTs must be determined based on trade-offs between the optimum tensile, in-plane shear and toughness properties of the developed MWCNTs-composites, which is the objective of this study. The effect of MWCNTs on the toughness and in-plane shear was studied using single-edge notch tension and Iosipescu shear tests, respectively. The experimental results showed that the composite materials with 0.75 wt% MWCNTs has the highest improvement in the in-plane shear properties compared to the neat epoxy. While the maximum improvements in the tensile and toughness properties were observed at 0.5 wt% MWCNTs. Eleven models were selected from an extensive literature survey, for predicting the in-plane shear moduli of the developed MWCNTs-composites. The modified rule of mixture can effectively predict the in-plane shear moduli of the composites with MWCNTs up to 0.75 wt%. While the nonlinear behavior of the modified Halpin–Tsai model with exponential shape function is the closest to the experimental results up to 1.5 wt% MWCNTs. POLYM. COMPOS., 2016. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers

The aim of the present work is to introduce new polymeric bearing materials. The proposed polymeric composites are consisting of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) and polystyrene (PS) and filled by fibres of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) in concentration up to 25 wt.% as well as different types of natural oils such as (corn oil, olive oil, paraffin oil, glycerin oil, castor oil and sunflower oil) in concentration up to 10 wt.%. The frictional behavior of the proposed composites and wear resistance are investigated at different values of applied load. Based on the experimental observations, it was found that for composites free of oil, friction of PS and PE specimens decreased, while friction of PP specimens slightly increased with increasing PTFE content. PP composites filled by corn oil showed slight friction increase. Besides, friction coefficient displayed by PS and PE specimens filled by glycerin oil decreased with increasing oil content, while friction coefficient displayed by PP specimens showed consistent trend. It was noted that, PE filled with 7.5% glycerin oil and 20 wt.% PTFE displayed the minimum value of friction coefficient (0.07). This friction coefficient values recommend those composites to be used as bearing materials. PE filled by glycerin oil displayed relatively lower friction values due its common known good lubricating property. Friction of PE composites filled by paraffin oil drastically decreased with the increasing oil content. PP composites showed the lowest wear values. In addition to that, it was shown that wear displayed by composites filled by glycerin oil was higher than that containing corn oil, while wear of the tested composites filled with olive oil showed lower values than that displayed by corn oil filled composites. Composites containing 5.0–7.5% paraffin oil content showed good wear resistance which recommends them to be used as bearing material. Wear of PP, PS and PE composites filled with sunflower oil and 15 wt.% PTFE drastically decreased with increasing oil content. The minimum wear was displayed by PP and PE composites filled with 10% oil content.

Khashaba RM, Moussa MM, Chutkan NB, Borke JL. The response of subcutaneous connective tissue to newly developed calcium phosphate-based root canal sealers. International Endodontic Journal. Abstract Aim To evaluate the histopathologic biocompatibility of two new calcium phosphate-based sealers (CPS-1 & CPS-2) with a commercially available calcium hydroxide-based sealer (Acroseal). Methodology Polyethylene tubes were filled with freshly mixed sealers and implanted subcutaneously in the dorsal connective tissue of rats. Empty tubes were used as controls. Histopathological examinations were conducted at 7, 15, 30, 60 and 90 days after the implantation procedure. The presence of inflammation and predominant cell types were analysed statistically with Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis non-parametric tests. Fibrous connective tissue thickness adjacent to each sample was recorded. Differences were tested for significance using anova and ‘Duncan’s’ multiple comparison test (P 0.05). However, there was a highly significant difference between the same groups at the last two observation periods (P

Few published studies describe the biological properties of calcium phosphate cements (CPCs) for dental applications. We measured several biologically relevant properties of 3 CPCs over an extended (8 wk) interval. Monocalcium phosphate, calcium oxide, and synthetic hydroxyapatite were combined with either modified polyacrylic acid, light-activated modified polyalkenoic acid, or 35% w/w polymethyl vinyl ether maleic acid to obtain Types I, II, and III CPCs, respectively. Set cements were placed in direct contact with L929 fibroblasts for up to 8 weeks. Media Ca(+2) and pH were determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy and pH electrode respectively. Cell mitochondrial function was measured by MTT assay. Type I cements suppressed mitochondrial activity90% (vs. Teflon controls), but significantly (p0.05) improved to control levels over 8 weeks. Type II cements suppressed mitochondrial activity90% at all times. Type III cements elevated mitochondrial activity significantly after 7 wks. The pH profiles approached neutrality by 24 h, and all cements released calcium into the storage medium at all periods (24 h - 8 wk). We concluded that several types of cements had long-term biological profiles that show promise for dental applications.

The present paper reports on work aimed at improving the abrasive wear resistance of surfaces lubricated with contaminated greases. The intended improvement can be achieved by reducing the effect of wear occurring between the abrasive particles and the rubbing surfaces. Different polymeric thickeners in powder form, such as high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polyvinylchloride (PVC), polyamide (PA6) and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), were added to lithiumbased grease. The wear resistance and the coefficient of friction of cylindrical steel specimens were examined using a cross-pin test machine. The test machine provides concentrated contact under mixed lubrication conditions. Wear was measured on the stationary test specimen by the wear scar diameter, using an optical microscope, with an accuracy of ±1 μm. The frictional torque generated between the rubbing surfaces was measured using a full bridge strain gauge measuring cell attached to the stationary test specimen holder. The experiments were performed using clean and contaminated lubricating greases to which Air Cleaner Fine Test Dust (SCFTD) was added to the greases at a concentration of 10 wt.%. The results show that the effect of the abrasive contaminants can be reduced by the addition of polymeric powders. However, the addition of polymer to lubricating grease at relatively high concentration (more than 35 wt.%) has no effect on the antiwear action of the lithium grease. Further, the addition of polymeric powder with a particle size relatively greater than that of the contaminant can be considered as a useful method of eliminating the cutting process of the three-body abrasive mechanism introduced by the presence of the hard contaminant particles.

Treating cholesteatoma in children is still controversial. This article reviews 93 cases of pediatric cholesteatoma operated on from 1983 to 1991 in the Gruppo Otologico, Placenza, Italy, and details the results in 83 children who underwent the intact canal wall technique. During second-stage surgery, residual cholesteatoma was detected in 38% of patients. Recurrent cholesteatoma was detected in 10% of patients treated with the intact canal wall technique. Residual cholesteatoma was seen in the middle ear cleft in 63%, in the epitympanum in 26%, and in the mastoid in 11% of cases. Social hearing level (25 dB) was achieved in 85% of cases with suprastructure, whereas only 53% of patients without suprastructure had these levels. In the treatment of cholesteatoma in children by use of the intact canal wall technique, a preplanned second-look operation is mandatory to eradicate the disease.

Cerebrospinal fluid leakage is the most common complication of translabyrinthine acoustic neuroma surgery. This retrospective study reviews patients who had translabyrinthine acoustic neuroma surgery at the Gruppo Otologico, Piacenza, Italy, and ENT Department of Bergamo General Hospital, Bergamo, Italy, during the last 6 years. The incidence of postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leakage was 6.2%, and 75% of these patients underwent another surgery to control the cerebrospinal fluid leakage. A modification of translabyrinthine approach was used in patients with highly pneumatized temporal bones to prevent cerebrospinal fluid leakage in these high-risk patients.

Background: Till now, no pooled analysis summarizing the Egyptian experience in percutaneous mitral valvuloplasty (PMV) exists. Objectives and Methods: To pool the data of PMV procedures and perform a new analysis regarding the immediate outcome and follow-up results as well as to compare the results of different techniques. Results: Patients (2,256) with mitral stenosis of rheumatic origin were included, 292 males and 1,964 females. Double balloon (DB) was used in 1,148 patients (51%), Inoue balloon (IB) in 914 patients (40.5%), metallic commissurotome (MC) in 142 patients (6%), Multi-Track in 33 patients (1.5%), and single balloon in 19 patients (1%). The mitral valve area (MVA) increased from 0.94 ± 0.18 cm2 to 1.92 ± 0.36 cm2; mean pressure gradient dropped from 15.94 ± 5.46 mmHg to 5.85 ± 2.6 mmHg. The most common complication was the occurrence of a new mitral regurgitation (MR) and/or increase in its grade (36%). Inadequate dilatation occurred in 192 patients (8.5%). Follow-up data (for 5.7 ± 5.9 months) showed that the immediate results of PMV on MVA persisted through the follow-up period (1.78 ± 0.35 cm2). Multi-Track system resulted in the largest increase in MVA and also resulted in the largest immediate increase in the grade of MR. Conclusions: This study confirms the success of PMV and its results during follow-up. The Multi-Track system, and the DB resulted in the largest MVA, the IB and the single balloon resulted in the least increase in MR. The most common complication of PMV is the increase in the degree of MR. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.