Evaluation of apoptosis regulatory proteins in response to PUVA therapy for psoriasis.

Background: The histopathologic changes characteristic of psoriasis might be related to suppressed apoptosis. One of the actions of psoralen ultraviolet A (PUVA) in psoriasis could be exerted through induction of apoptosis of keratinocytes and lymphocytes; however, its exact molecular mechanism is still confusing.

Aim: In this study, we evaluated the expression of pro-apoptotic (P53, Fas and Bax) and anti-apoptotic (Bcl-2) proteins correlating it with apoptotic index (AI) and epidermal thickness in psoriatic skin before and after PUVA therapy.

Fractional versus ablative erbium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser resurfacing for facial rejuvenation: an objective evaluation.

Background: Laser is one of the main tools for skin resurfacing. Erbium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Er:YAG) was the second ablative laser, after carbon dioxide, emitting wavelength of 2940 nm. Fractional laser resurfacing has been developed to overcome the drawbacks of ablative lasers.

Efficacy of mesotherapy in facial rejuvenation: a histological and immunohistochemical evaluation.

Background: Mesotherapy, commonly known as "biorejuvenation" or "biorevitalization", is a technique used to rejuvenate the skin by means of a transdermal injection of a multivitamin solution and natural plant extracts that are thought to improve the signs of skin aging.

Objectives: This prospective study aimed to evaluate the clinical effect of mesotherapy applied to periorbital wrinkles and to quantitatively evaluate histological changes in the skin occurring in response to the same treatment.

Methods: Six volunteers with Fitzpatrick skin types III or IV and Glogau class I-III wrinkles were subjected to a three-month course of mesotherapy injections in the periocular area (six sessions administered at two-week intervals).

Expression of apoptosis regulatory markers in the skin of advanced hepatitis-C virus liver patients.

Background: Hepatitis-C virus (HCV) infection is considered a major worldwide public health problem with a global prevalence. Maintenance of skin homeostasis requires a delicate balance between proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Meanwhile, it is unclear if there is an altered keratinocyte proliferation/apoptosis balance in advanced liver disease with HCV infection.

Multiple minimally invasive Erbium: Yttrium Aluminum Garnet laser mini-peels for skin rejuvenation: an objective assessment.

Background: As the demand for minimally invasive rejuvenation is increasing, micropeel resurfacing using Erbium:Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (Er:YAG) laser 2940 nm has been reported for the treatment of photoaged skin without ablation of the epidermis. However, little is known about the efficacy and underlying histologic changes associated with this type of treatment.

Aims: The aims of this study are to evaluate the clinical effect and objectively quantify the histological changes in response to multiple sessions of Er:YAG laser 2940 nm mini-peels.

A new morphometric technique for assessment of melanization in skin of guinea pigs.

Background: The degree of melanization is an important finding in many skin disorders. An objective measurement of melanin density is needed to achieve an accurate evaluation.

Objectives: The present work aims at translating the subjective increase of melanin particles after narrow band ultraviolet-B (NB-UVB) irradiation into objective numerical values ready for statistical analysis.

Effect of PUVA therapy on melanocytes and keratinocytes in non-segmental vitiligo: histopathological, immuno-histochemical and ultrastructural study.

Background And Aims: Psoralen ultraviolet A (PUVA) is an important modality in treating vitiligo. Its effect on melanocytes and keratinocytes is not sufficiently studied. In this work, we investigated 30 cases of non-segmental vitiligo regarding the changes of melanocytes and keratinocytes in both vitiliginous and nearby areas before and after PUVA therapy.

Intense pulsed light photorejuvenation: a histological and immunohistochemical evaluation.

Background: The use of intense pulsed light (IPL) for facial rejuvenation had been the topic of many studies. However, few of them discussed quantitative changes in extracellular matrix proteins after IPL therapy.

Objective: To objectively quantify the histological changes in extracellular matrix proteins after IPL treatment for facial wrinkles.

Serum osteoprotegerin (OPG) in children with primary nephrotic syndrome.

A novel cytokine system secreted by osteoblast, osteoprotegerin (OPG) and its ligand (OPGL) regulates osteoclastogenesis. To determine the relation of the serum OPG levels in children with nephrotic syndrome (NS) to the renal disease, we studied 30 patients with NS in comparison with 30 healthy children serving as controls. The study patients were divided into three equal groups: group 1 included newly diagnosed patients who were studied before and after a short course (one month) of steroid therapy for the first time, group 2 included frequent relapsers (FR), and group 3 included infrequent relapsers (IFR).

Effects of chronic tadalafil use on the testes and sperm parameters of old albino rats.

The use of phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors has become the first-line treatment of erectile dysfunction nowadays. The daily application of tadalafil has become a line of treatment of other diseases such as pulmonary hypertension and cardiomyopathy. This study aimed at exploring whether the chronic use of tadalafil has an adverse effect on the testes and semen of old albino rats.

Effects of the Nd:YAG 1320-nm laser on skin rejuvenation: clinical and histological correlations.

The neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Nd:YAG) laser is a popular non-ablative treatment used for skin rejuvenation. The purpose of this prospective study was to evaluate the clinical effects, coupled with a quantitative assessment, of the histological changes in response to Nd:YAG 1320-nm laser treatment of periocular wrinkles. Six volunteers with Fitzpatrick skin types III and IV and Glogau class I-II wrinkles were subjected to 3 months of Nd:YAG 1320-nm treatment in the periocular area (six sessions at 2-week intervals).

Radiofrequency facial rejuvenation: evidence-based effect.

Background: Multiple therapies involving ablative and nonablative techniques have been developed for rejuvenation of photodamaged skin. Monopolar radiofrequency (RF) is emerging as a gentler, nonablative skin-tightening device that delivers uniform heat to the dermis at a controlled depth.

Objective: We evaluated the clinical effects and objectively quantified the histologic changes of the nonablative RF device in the treatment of photoaging.

Evaluation of apoptosis regulatory markers in androgenetic alopecia.

Background: Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is a common androgen-induced progressive disorder; the pathways of which are regulated by local genetic codes and hormonal control. Meanwhile, it is unclear whether an altered proliferation or increased apoptosis could contribute to its pathogenesis.

Aims: To evaluate the role of some apoptosis regulatory markers and follicular proliferation in the pathogenesis of AGA.

Nonarteritic ischaemic optic neuropathy (NAION) after 36 h of intake of sildenafil citrate: first Egyptian case.

Sildenafil citrate is a selective phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE-5) inhibitor and partial phosphodiesterase 6 inhibitor prescribed for erectile dysfunction. Post-marketing case reports of nonarteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (NAION) over the past few years suggest a potential link with PDE-5 inhibitors. We report a case of a 48-year-old male patient who had acute vision loss 36 h after the intake of 50 mg sildenafil citrate.

Skin pigmentation after NB-UVB and three analogues of prostaglandin F(2alpha) in guinea pigs: a comparative study.

Background: Ultraviolet B (UVB) is a well-known modality in increasing skin pigmentation through a variety of proposed mechanisms. Prostaglandin release is one of these mechanisms. Prostaglandin F(2alpha) (PGF(2alpha)) analogues, which are used to control ocular hypertension, were reported to induce periocular skin hyperpigmentation.

Androgenetic alopecia in males: a histopathological and ultrastructural study.

Background: Androgenetic alopecia is a common cosmetic hair disorder, resulting from interplay of genetic, endocrine, and aging factors leading to a patterned follicular miniaturization. Microinflammation seems to be a potential active player in this process.

Aims: To study the histopathological and ultrastructural changes occurring in male androgenetic alopecia (AGA).

Serum levels of ghrelin, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6 in infants and children with congenital heart disease.

Objective: To estimate serum levels of ghrelin, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in infants and children with congenital heart disease (CHD), compared with levels in age-matched controls, and to correlate the levels of ghrelin with TNF-alpha and IL-6.

Design: Case-control study.

Setting: Suzan Moubarak Hospital of Al-Minya University, Egypt.

The hair follicle melanocytes in vitiligo in relation to disease duration.

Background And Aims: Vitiligo is an acquired pigmentary disorder of skin and hair. Active melanocytes in hair follicles can be detected by DOPA and immunohistochemical staining, while amelanotic melanocytes can only be detected by the latter. None of the studies on hair melanocytes in vitiligo discussed the effect of disease duration on these melanocytes.

Patterns of repigmentation in two cases of hypopigmented type of vitiligo.

It has been observed that depigmentation in vitiligo passes through two stages; patches of light brown hypopigmentation which gradually changes into milky white patches. In this work, we studied two cases of hypopigmented vitiligo regarding the melanocytes and keratinocytes' changes before and after 7 months of psoralen plus ultraviolet A (PUVA) therapy. Skin biopsies were taken from the vitiliginous lesions before and after 7 months of PUVA therapy and were examined using haematoxylin and eosin and Masson Fontana stains, L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine reaction, immuno-histochemical stains and ultrastructural examination.

Proliferation, DNA repair and apoptosis in androgenetic alopecia.

Background: Androgenetic alopecia is a common hair disorder, resulting from interplay of genetic, endocrine and ageing factors. Meanwhile, it is unclear if an altered degree of proliferation or increased apoptosis could contribute to its pathogenesis.

Objective: To evaluate the role of proliferation, DNA damage and apoptosis in the pathogenesis of androgenetic alopecia.

Scaly scalp associated with crusted scabies: case series.

The diagnosis of crusted scabies is becoming more relevant due to the increase in number of immunocompromised patients. To date, more than 200 cases have been reported in the literature. However, crusted scabies seems to be under-diagnosed because of its unusual presentations.