Expression of FAS protein [CD95] and fas ligand in liver tissue of patients with HCV-induced chronic liver disease and its correlation with the disease progression

This study evaluated hepatic expression of both Fas and Fas ligand [FasL] in patients with hepatitis c virus [HCV]-induced chronic liver disease and its correlation with the histopathological activity and laboratory parameters as an early predictor of advancement of the disease. The selected patients were [39] males and [21] females, their ages ranged from [20-67years] with a mean of 43.5 +/- 4.5 years, as well as [10] subjects [normal individuals] serving as a control group. They were [7] males and [3] females, their age ranged from [26-53 years] with a mean of 39.5 +/- 7.3 years. Patients were grouped as [1] Chronic hepatitis [CH] group including [30] patients with chronic viral hepatitis C. [2] Liver cirrhosis [LC] group including [30] patients with post hepatitis C cirrhosis. Liver biopsy was done for all subjects using an automated 18-gauge true cut needle. Sections were stained with Haematoxylin and Eosin for histopathological diagnosis and with Maisson and Trichrome for assessment of fibrosis. Unstained paraffin sections from each case were subjected for immuno-histochemical procedures using indirect immunoflourescence technique for detection of apoptotic hepatic and lymphocytic cells using monoclonal antibodies. Semiquantitative analysis of the pattern and distribution of the Fas antigen and Fas Ligand as indicators for hepatic apoptosis was studied and assessed

Multifocal electroretinogram in retinal vein occlusion

To determine the effects of retinal vein occlusion [RVO] on multifocal electroretinogram [MF-ERG] parameters, to correlate MF-ERG and standard electroretinogram [ERG] and to correlate MF-ERG with findings of optical coherence tomography [OCT] in cases of RVO. Both eyes of 50 patients with RVO and 50 eyes of 25 normal subjects were examined using MF-ERG, standard ERG, fluorescein angiography and OCT. The latency in millisecond [ms] and response density in nanovolt [nv/degenerations] were measured for each of four quadrant areas and central area. OCT was used to measure the foveal retinal thickness. Fluorescein angiography was used to measure retinal ischemia. Central retinal vein occlusion [CRVO] markedly affected all parameters of MF-ERG. In pathological quadrants in branch retinal vein occlusion, the response densities of MF-ERG were decreased and latencies of p-wave were prolonged. The MF-ERG responses obtained from eyes with RVO were significantly different [P>0.05] from derived from the fellow eyes. The amplitude of MF-ERG were abnormal in 40 eyes and implicit times were delayed in 48 eyes compared with normal subjects. While 30 Hz flicker implicit were abnormal only 24 eyes with RVO. Implicit times were prolonged in eyes with macular ischemia than in eyes without ischemia. There were significant correlation between foveal retinal thickness measured by OCT and P response density MF-ERG in cases of retinal vein occlusion. MR-ERG is more susceptible than standard ERG to eye changes of RVO due to the multiple frequencies of stimulation used to record MF-ERG response. MR-ERG could be sensitive indicator of underlying disease affecting the retinal vein in eyes with RVO. MR-ERG is useful for detecting local retinal dysfunction in patients with RVO and sensitive to morphological changes and functional disorders induced by RVO

correlation of cyclin A with dtug resistance in adult acute non lymphoblastic leukemia

Acute Non Lymphoblastic Leukemia is one of the most common malignant tumors of haematology. With the recent progress in chemotherapy and supportive therapy, the remission and survival rate have been markedly improved. In this study, cyclin A2 and multidrug resistance expression was measured by flow cytometry and RT-PCR in 52 de novo AML patients with acute myeloid leukemia. Their expression was correlated with other prognostic criteria, response to treatment and to overall survival. The rate of CR and PR was significantly higher in the group of positive expression of cyclin A2, compared to that with negative expression. However a statistically significant difference was only reached by PCR [p=0.02]. By flow cytometry, the overall Survival [OS] in the group with positive cyclin A2 expression is significantly higher than that in the group of negative cyclin A2 expression, p=0.03. Regarding MDRI, it was expressed in 39% of our patients and the level of expression was slightly higher by RT-PCR. The rate of CR and PR in the group of negative MDR expression was significantly higher as compared to the group of positive MDR expression, by both flow cytometry and RTPCR [p= 0.005, 0.004, respectively]. The OS in the group with negative MDR1 expression was significantly higher than that in the group of positive MDR1 expression, p=O.04. There was a significant inverse relationship between Cyclin A2 and MDR expression in our AML cases by RTPCR technique [p= 0.005], while it showed no significance by Flow cytometry [p=0.12]. There was no agreement [Kappa=0.25] between Flow cytometry and RT-PCR in detection of cyclin A2. On the contrary, there was an agreement between Flow cytometry and RT-PCR in detection of MDR. In conclusion, the low expression of cyclin A2 and high expression of MDR1 are indicators for unfavorable prognosis for individuals with AML. The detection of cyclin A2 level would predict drug resistance. However, it is one of many other factors

Evaluation of levator resection in management of severe congential ptosis

Thirty five lids of twenty seven patients with severe congenital ptosis were treated by levator resection [transcutaneous approach].Twenty to twenty five mm of the muscle were excised with full correction in 32 cases, overcorrection in 2 cases and undercorrection in one case. Patients were followed up for 12 months levator resection in severe congenital ptosis is recommended before thinking of frontalis sling operations

Malrotation of the midgut: experience with 30 cases

Thirty patients with congenital malrotation of the gut presenting to the Paediatric Surgical Unit, Alex. University in the period from 1983 to 1987 were studied. Their ages ranged from 7 days to 14 years. Males predominated and association of volvulus neonatorum was present in 9 cases. Reversed rotation was encountered in two cases. The clinical presentation and management were discussed. The overall mortality was only 3 cases

Histopathological study of the effects of ethamsylate [dicynone] on rabbit's eye

The effects of intacameral injection of 0.3 ml of dicynone on ocular tissues of rabbits were studied. Progressive atrophic changes affecting the cornea, iris, ciliary body and the optic nerve of rabbits' eyes were observed. The details of these atrophic changes were discussed. There was also a lowering of the intra-ocular pressure of the rabbits' eyes after dicynone Injection into their anterior chamber

presumptive new presentation of Norrie's disease

The present work is on an Egyptian family with ten males in three generations affected by Norre's disease. Only 34 affected families have been reported in different localities. The 35th reported here, is the first detected in Africa. The disease segregates as an X-linked recessive pleiotropic trait. The patients are ten affected males in three generations. Their ages varying from 3[1/2] to 46 years. They have the classical presentations of the disease which are: [1] Congenital blindness in 100% of cases. [2] Progressive sensorineural hearing loss. [3] Mental deficiency. Moreover additional findings are found: [1] Progressive deafness was found to start at age 10 years in every body. [2] Microcephaly in all cases, [3] Short thumbs in all cases, [4] Total impotence after age 30, with normal testicular biopsy, testosterone level and seminal analysis. This may be due to late degeneration in the center of erection. We conclude that the genetical relationship between this new variant and the classical form of the disease could result from the following situations: [1] Two different alleles for the two forms; [2] Different loci on the X chromosome; [3] They result from the action of a modifier on the Nome's disease gene