Interferon-induced protein 44 () and interferon regulatory factor 4 () gene expression in rheumatoid arthritis.

Background And Objectives: The type I interferon (IFN) signature has been found to be overactivated in many systemic autoimmune diseases. This may be explained by impaired regulation of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) as well as interferon-induced protein 44 (IFI44) expression via their regulatory mechanisms via interferon regulatory factors (IRFs).

Patients And Methods: This case-control study includes two groups: 50 RA patients and 50 healthy controls.

Raising capital amid economic policy uncertainty: an empirical investigation.

This paper investigates how economic policy uncertainty affects firms' frequency and their choice of financial instruments to raise capital. By applying a three-step sequential framework over a sample of 6834 publicly listed US non-financial firms, we find that during periods of high economic uncertainty, firms raise capital more frequently with a preference toward debt financing. The empirical findings suggest that firms prefer debt financing over equity financing to avoid ownership dilution and high equity premia.

Prevalence of pelvic floor dysfunction: a Saudi national survey.

Background: Pelvic Floor Dysfunction (PFD) is a global health problem affecting millions of women worldwide and comprises a broad range of clinical dysfunctions such as urinary incontinence (UI), fecal incontinence (FI), pelvic organ prolapse (POP) vaginal laxity (VL), vaginal wind (VW), and overactive bladder (OAB). This study aims to estimate the prevalence of PFD among Saudi women attending primary health care centers (PHCCs) across 13 regions of Saudi Arabia and their characteristics along with associated factors.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 2,289 non-pregnant women.

Inverse relationship between the level of miRNA 148a-3p and both TGF-β1 and FIB-4 in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background And Aim: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major health burden globally. Dysregulation of miRNA 148a-3p is engaged in carcinogenesis. TGF-β is a profibrogenic cytokine.

Evaluation of NLRP3 (rs10754558) and PTPN22 (1858C/T) (rs2476601) Functional Polymorphisms in Psoriasis Susceptibility in Egypt.

Background: Psoriasis is a complex autoimmune multifactorial disease induced by interaction of environmental and genetic factors. This research aimed to clarify the association of NLRP3 (rs10754558) and PTPN22 (1858C/T) (rs2476601) polymorphisms with susceptibility to psoriasis.

Methods: This case-control study involved 150 patients diagnosed with psoriasis and 100 age- and gender-matched apparently healthy individuals.

Value of Thrombomodulin as a Marker for Sepsis in Critically Ill Children.

Objective: Pediatric sepsis is altered organ function in critically ill children and a main etiology of mortality for children. Therefore, the authors aimed to assess the role of serum thrombomodulin as valuable biomarker in the diagnosis and prognosis of sepsis in acutely ill pediatrics in the intensive unit.

Methods: This prospective clinical study conducted on 140 acutely ill patients admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) of Menoufia University Hospital and 50 apparently healthy controls from October 2018 through September 2019.

The Human Genetic Variants CYP2J2 rs2280275 and EPHX2 rs751141 and Risk of Diabetic Nephropathy in Egyptian Type 2 Diabetic Patients.

Background: Diabetic nephropathy (DN), the primary driver of end-stage kidney disease, is a problem with serious consequences for society's health. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) can define differences in susceptibility to DN and aid in development of personalized treatment. Giving the importance of epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) in kidney health, we aimed to study the association between two SNPs in the genes controlling synthesis and degradation of EETs rs2280275 and rs751141 respectively) and susceptibility of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients to develop DN.

Systemic risk: The impact of COVID-19.

Banking sectors across the globe are under immense stress due to the evolving COVID-19 situation and policy responses thereto. This study investigates how COVID-19 impacted the systemic risk in the banking sectors of eight of the most COVID-19 affected countries. We find a significant increase in systemic risk among the sample countries initially, while stagnancy (at an elevated level) is observed during April 2020 except for China, which is showing some recovery.

Toll-Like Receptor 9 (TLR9) Gene C/T (rs352140) Polymorphisms in Adult Primary Immune Thrombocytopenia.

Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is an autoimmune disease characterized by low platelet count and increased bleeding risk. The initial event(s) leading to antiplatelet autoimmunity remains unclear. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are the most well-characterized pattern recognition receptors and are a transmembrane protein coded by the Toll genes family.

Proposal of a novel predictive radiological method to assess the possibility of closed reduction in late presenting developmental dysplasia of the hip: the femoro-acetabular zones.

Late presentation of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) remains a major orthopedic problem. However, existing management is not standardized and is highly surgeon dependent. The theory behind femoro-acetabular zones (FAZ) system is to find a relationship between acetabular maturity and severity of dislocation in one hand, and the outcome of closed reduction, on the other hand in late presenting cases.

Correlates of vaginal laxity symptoms in women attending a urogynecology clinic in Saudi Arabia.

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of vaginal laxity (VL) and its correlates in a cohort of women attending a urogynecology clinic in a tertiary referral center in Saudi Arabia.

Methods: In this retrospective study, demographic information, clinical characteristics, and POP-Q system measurements for women attending the King Fahad Medical City Urogynecology Clinic (January 2013 to April 2015) were analyzed. Women with and without VL were compared across these variables.

Causes and management of urogenital fistulas. A retrospective cohort study from a tertiary referral center in Saudi Arabia.

Objectives: To reviewe the etiology and management of urogenital fistulas at a tertiary care referral center.

Methods: We retrospectively identified all patients with urogenital fistula referred to the King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, between January 2005 and July 2016 from electronic records. We collected data on age, parity, etiology and type of fistula, radiologic findings, management, and outcome.

Fowler's syndrome post oocyte retrieval for intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

Objective: To report a case of Fowler's syndrome after oocyte retrieval.

Design: Case report.

Setting: Tertiary referral center, King Fahad Medical City.

Does low-dose gapapentin reduce opioid use postoperatively?: A randomized controlled trial in women undergoing reconstructive pelvic surgery.

Introduction And Hypothesis: Pre-emptive gabapentin has been shown to decrease postoperative pain in abdominal and vaginal hysterectomy. However, the effect of pre-emptive low-dose gabapentin has not been studied in vaginal hysterectomy combined with concomitant pelvic reconstruction.

Methods: A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial assessed all women seen for symptomatic prolapse requiring vaginal hysterectomy with concomitant pelvic reconstruction with or without midurethral sling.

A Streamlined Surgical Approach to Laparoscopic Sacrocolpopexy for Post-Hysterectomy Vault Prolapse.

Objective: To describe a streamlined laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy (LSCP) surgical technique in women with post-hysterectomy vault prolapse and to evaluate the functional outcomes, complication rates, and surgical morbidity within our centre.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 180 patients scheduled for LSCP between November 2002 and May 2013 in a tertiary care centre. Patients were followed-up at six weeks, six months, and yearly after surgery.

Clinical implication of thiopurine methyltransferase polymorphism in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia: A preliminary Egyptian study.

Background: 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) is an essential component of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) maintenance therapy. Individual variability in this drug-related toxicity could be attributed in part to genetic polymorphism thiopurine methyltransferase (TPMT).

Aim: To investigate the frequency of common TPMT polymorphisms in a cohort of Egyptian children with ALL and the possible relation between these polymorphisms and 6-MP with short-term complications.

Patella dislocation association with drop foot.

All limb injuries should be examined with complete documentation of neurovascular assessment as they are often ignored in the busy emergency department setup. This may lead to delay in such diagnosis during the treatment of limb injuries at a follow-up in orthopaedic clinics. Early diagnosis can help orthopaedic team to investigate and start treatment which may help in the recovery of such neurovascular injuries.

Association analysis of genetic variations of eNOS and α2β1 integrin genes with type 2 diabetic retinopathy.

Background: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is classically defined as a microvasculopathy that primarily affects the small blood vessels of the inner retina as a complication of diabetes mellitus. It has been suggested that nitric oxide (NO) and α2β1 integrin (a platelet receptor for collagen) play an important role in the pathogenesis of microvascular complications in DR.

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the association of two candidate genes involved in the regulation of retinal vasculature, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and α2β1 integrin (ITGA2) genes, with the development of DR in Egyptian patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and to investigate whether genetic variants will affect the type of retinopathy (proliferative or nonproliferative).

Morbidity with total laparoscopic and laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy.

We evaluated the operative and postoperative morbidity among 103 women who underwent total laparoscopic hysterectomy and 107 others who underwent laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy. Blood loss was significantly greater in the assisted vaginal hysterectomy group (178.0 ± 12.

Predisposing factors and treatment outcome of different stages of intrauterine adhesions.

Objective: To evaluate the predisposing factors and treatment outcomes of different stages of intrauterine adhesions.

Methods: We examined the medical records of women with Asherman syndrome seen during the period of January 2000 to December 2007 at two McGill University teaching hospitals in Montreal. Data retrieved included patient's age, menstrual pattern, fertility, factors related to intrauterine adhesions, and rates of amenorrhea and pregnancy at 12-month follow-up.