Transforming growth factor beta 1 gene [T869C] polymorphism in rheumatoid arthritis: association with disease severity

The aim of the work is to investigate the possible association of polymorphism in the transforming growth factor beta-1 [TGF beta 1] gene with the disease severity in rheumatoid arthritis. The study was conducted on 50 patients with rheumatoid arthritis [group I] diagnosed according to the American College of Rheumatology [ACR]. They were divided according to the activity of the disease [Ritchieis articular index-RAI- and ESR] into: Active group [group A]: 29 RA patients with signs of activity [having RAI >/= 16 and ESR >/= 30 mm/h]. In-active group [group B]: 21 RA patients without signs of activity [having RAI

prevailing fungi causing adult dermatomycoses in El-Mahalla Kobra [Egypt]

1. 300 cases were examined comprising the various types of dermatomycoses in adults at El-Mehalla El-Kobra. 2. 6 cases of scalp infection, 110 cases of tinea carporis, 79 cases of tinea pedum and manum, 58 cases of intertriginous areas, 24 cases of tinea unguum and 23 cases of cutaneous candidosis were examined culturally in the present study. 3. Out of the 300 cases examined, 240 [80%] yielded positive fungus cultures. These included 6 cases of scalp infection [2.5%], 98 cases of tinea corporis [89.09%], 58 cases of tinea pedum and manum [73.41%], 43 cases of axilla, submamary and groin areas [73.27%], 17 cases of tinea of nails [70.83%] and 18 cases of cutaneous candidosis [78.26%] .4. Concerning the incidence of fungal species isolated from the different dermatomycoses of the 300 cases examined culturally, T. violaceum was the most prominant organism as it is was isolated from 67 cases [79.17%], followed by candida albicansfrom 61 cases [21.37%], T. rubrum from 45 cases [14.58%], M. canis from 36 cases [15.0%], E. floccosum from 8 cases [3.33%], T. menta grophytes from 7 cases [2.9%], T. schoenleinii from 6 cases [2.5%], Geotrium candida from 5 cases [2.08] and mixed T. violocum and M. canis from 2 cases [0.83%]