Octadecaneuropeptide promotes the migration of astrocyte via ODN metabotropic receptor and calcium signaling pathway.

Migration is an essential characteristic of cells that occurs during many physiological and pathological processes. Astrocytes represent the most abundant cell type in the adult central nervous system (CNS), that play a crucial role in various functions such as guiding and supporting neuronal migration during development and maintaining brain homeostasis at adulthood. Astrocytes specifically synthesize and release endozepines, a family of regulatory peptides, including the octadecaneuropeptide (ODN).

Innovative Modifications in Diamond Umbilicoplasty: Simplified Techniques for Improved Cosmetic Results.

Umbilicoplasty is one of the main steps in abdominoplasty procedures. Various techniques of umbilicoplasty are performed by surgeons from diverse backgrounds, all aiming for a naturally appearing umbilicus with minimal scarring. In this report, we present two umbilicoplasty methods practiced at our center.

Barriers and Facilitators to Dental Care Services Utilization Among Children With Disabilities: A Systematic Review and Thematic Synthesis.

Background: This systematic review investigates barriers and enablers to dental care utilization by disabled children. Given the high global prevalence of disabilities in children, coupled with poor oral hygiene and a 45% rate of dental caries in this group, developing inclusive oral health strategies is critical. The review aims to synthesize literature on factors affecting oral healthcare improvement for disabled children, identifying barriers, facilitators and knowledge gaps.

Strangulated penis in a prison inmate: Complete penile degloving and full-thickness skin graft.

Introduction: Penile strangulation is a rare urological emergency that necessitates urgent management. The reasoning behind it may include sexual pleasure, erection reinforcement, or a psychiatric disorder.

Case Presentation: Despite being an uncommon complication of penile strangulation, we report a 45-year-old prison inmate who presented with penile shaft necrosis secondary to using a non-metallic constriction object.

Can we improve dental treatment outcomes in patients with high-risk factors?

Aim The aim of the study was to identify best practice in relation to improving the periodontal conditions of patients and increasing the rate of treatment success, through the identification of risk factors and implementation of changes in lifestyle.Methods and materials The study used two search strategies to identify papers describing best practices and important lifestyle changes which improved periodontal conditions and treatment outcomes in patientsResults The study demonstrated that the two most important factors in terms of interventions to improve periodontal conditions and treatment outcomes were to improve the level of diabetes control and remove aggravating factors such as smoking.Conclusion Many studies have focused on improving treatment outcomes in patients with high-risk factors such as smoking and medical conditions.

Comparative study of the effect of narrowband ultraviolet B phototherapy plus methotrexate vs. narrowband ultraviolet B alone and methotrexate alone in the treatment of plaque-type psoriasis.

Background: Widespread psoriasis has great effects on life. Effective and rapid response in the treatment is needed. So this study was done to compare the efficacy of combined narrowband ultraviolet-B (NBUVB) plus methotrexate (MTX) versus each one alone in the treatment of psoriasis.

Lactic acid 5 percent mouthwash is an effective mode of therapy in treatment of recurrent aphthous ulcerations.

Background: Recurrent aphthous ulcerations (RAU) are the most common oral mucosal disease among the general population including in Iraq. There is no uniformly effective therapy for this disease.

Objective: To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy and safety of 5-percent lactic acid mouthwash in the treatment of patients with recurrent aphthous ulcerations.

Lactic acid chemical peels as a new therapeutic modality in melasma in comparison to Jessner's solution chemical peels.

Background: Many chemicals have been used in the skin peeling for melasma such as Jessner's solution and glycolic acid. Lactic acid is an alpha-hydroxy acid that has not been used before in chemical peeling of melasma.

Objective: The purpose of the present work was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of lactic acid in chemical peeling of melasma in comparison to Jessner's solution chemical peels.

Haemophagocytic syndrome associated with hepatitis-B virus infection responding to etoposide.

Haemophagocytic syndrome (HPS) secondary to viral infections usually has a variable course and can be life-threatening. We report a 53-year-old male patient who presented with fever, hepatosplenomegaly and pancytopenia. He had deranged liver function, abnormal clotting and markedly elevated serum ferritin.

Lactic acid as a new therapeutic peeling agent in melasma.

Background: Melasma is a common disfiguring skin problem. Multiple modalities have been used in the treatment of melasma, such as bleaching agents and chemical peels. Many chemicals have been used in the skin peeling for melasma, such as Jessner's solution and glycolic acid.

The role of platelets in the coagulopathy of heatstroke- a study of platelet aggregation in heatstroke patients during the Makkah pilgrimage (Haj) to Makkah.

Platelet aggregation was undertaken in platelet rich plasma in 34 heat-stroke patients during the Muslim pilgrimage (Haj) to Makkah; 18 were males and 16 were females; their ages ranged from 36 to 80 years (mean SD = 58 10). Platelet aggregability, on arrival at the Heatstroke Centres, was markedly inhibited in response to adrenaline, collagen, arachidonic acid and ristocetin but not to ADP. Responses to decreasing ADP doses (20.

Congenital dyserythropoietic anaemia type I. Report of two siblings from Saudi Arabia.

This study describes two siblings (a boy and a girl) affected with congenital dyserythropoietic anaemia type I. It is the seventh familial occurrence reported. The girl presented in the neonatal period with anaemia, jaundice and hepatosplenomegaly and required 4 blood transfusions in the first 7 months of life, while her brother was discovered to be anaemic and jaundiced only at the age of 2 years and did not receive any blood transfusion.

The coagulopathy of heat stroke: alterations in coagulation and fibrinolysis in heat stroke patients during the pilgrimage (Haj) to Makkah.

Haemostatic measurements were undertaken in 132 patients diagnosed with heat stroke during the pilgrimage to Makkah, in two successive summers of 1989-90. The control group comprised 49 patients, all pilgrims, with a wide range of clinical conditions, but without hyperpyrexia or deranged haemostasis. Heat stroke patients showed (i) significant prolongation of the prothrombin (PT), activated partial thromboplastin (aPTT) and thrombin times (TT) but normal reptilase time (RT); (ii) significant reduction in plasma levels of antithrombin III (AT-III), factor V, proteins C and S, plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI) and platelet count; (iii) increase in plasma factor VIII, tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) and serum FDP; (iv) no significant changes in plasma fibrinogen, plasminogen, alpha 2-antiplasmin and factors VII and X.

Thrombocytosis. Etiologic analysis of 663 patients.

Six hundred sixty-three children aged 1 to 16 years with thrombocytosis (defined as a platelet count of more than 500 x 10(9)/L) seen in a university hospital over a 1-year period were studied prospectively for etiology. The causes of thrombocytosis were infection (30.6%), hemolytic anemia (19.

Myelofibrosis in severe combined immunodeficiency due to vitamin D deficiency rickets.

An infant with severe combined immunodeficiency is described in whom a refractory anemia and thrombocytopenia developed after the age of 6 months, associated with poor growth and frequent episodes of upper respiratory tract infections and diarrhea. He required frequent blood and platelet transfusions. Bone marrow biopsy provided evidence that the anemia and thrombocytopenia were the results of myelofibrosis which was secondary to vitamin D deficiency.

Pernicious anemia in Saudi Arabs.

Over a five-year period extending from January 1986 to December 1990, seven cases of pernicious anemia in Saudi patients were diagnosed at King Khalid University Hospital in Riyadh. There were five males and two females. The age range was 45 to 73 with a mean age of 61 years.

Thrombocytosis in adults: analysis of 777 patients.

A total of 777 patients with thrombocytosis, defined as a platelet count of greater than 500 x 10(9)l-1, seen in a University hospital over a 1-year period, were studied prospectively for aetiology. The most frequent causes of thrombocytosis were infection (21.9%), rebound thrombocytosis (19.

Wolman's disease in a Jordanian infant.

We report a case of Wolman's disease that is apparently the first to be reported in a Jordanian infant. The clue to diagnosis was the radiological evidence of bilateral adrenal calcifications and foam cells in bone marrow. The disease was confirmed by skin fibroblast culture which showed decreased 'acid esterase' activity.

Metabolite and hormonal profiles in heat stroke patients at Mecca pilgrimage.

Sera obtained during the Hajj seasons of 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1988 from 125 heat stroke patients were collected and subjected to chemical analysis which included determination of glucose, lactate, cholesterol, and triglycerides, as well as assay of T3, T4, TSH and cortisol. Hyperglycaemia and lactic acidaemia were found to be the most frequent metabolic abnormalities. The changes in cholesterol did not exhibit a specific pattern.

Direct activation of platelets by heat is the possible trigger of the coagulopathy of heat stroke.

The trigger of the coagulopathy that complicates heat stroke is obscure, but direct platelet activation by heat is a possibility we set out to study. Platelet rich plasma (PRP), prepared from blood donors, was incubated at increasing temperatures (38-45 degrees C) and then platelet aggregation was undertaken in response to decreasing low doses of ADP (less than 2.0 mumol/l).

Adult respiratory distress syndrome and disseminated intravascular coagulation complicating heat stroke.

Fifty two consecutive patients with heat stroke were examined for evidence of adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Twelve patients were found to have ARDS (incidence of 23 percent) of whom nine (75 percent) died. All of these 12 patients had DIC as compared to only one among the 40 patients without ARDS.