The prevalence of screened trichotillomania in medical students of Saint-Joseph University.

OBJECTIVES: Our study aims to determine the prevalence of trichotillomania among medical students. Furthermore, we aim to determine the perception of trichotillomania in this population. METHODS: Our study is a cross-sectional study that aims to determine the prevalence and the perception of trichotillomania among medical students in, compared to a control population. The control population were non-medical students in the same university. The participants filled a questionnaire online, followed by a psychiatric assessment if needed to confirm the diagnosis. The questionnaire contained three parts that consist of demographic data, diagnostic criteria and two perception questions respectfully. All the individuals that had a positive questionnaire refused to undergo a psychiatric assessment. Consequently, our study is limited to the screening of trichotillomania. RESULTS: In total, 489 answers were recorded. The prevalence of trichotillomania in the general population was estimated at 2.2% (N=11). A total of 215 medical students and 274 controls filled the form. The prevalence of trichotillomania in medical students was 0.9% (N=2), whereas in the control population, the prevalence was estimated at 3.3% (N=9). The difference was statistically insignificant (P=0.123). Among medical students, all the positive questionnaires were females. In the control population, seven of them were females and two of them were males. In total, the sex ratio would be 4.5 females for one male when both populations are combined. All the individuals that had a positive questionnaire either refused to undergo a psychiatric assessment or did not answer call-backs. Regarding the perception of trichotillomania, almost three quarters of the responders think that it is due to anxiety. There was a statistical difference between the medical students and the control population regarding the answer to the proposition "It is a psychiatric disease". Medical students (76.7%) tend to believe that more than the others do (48.9%) with a p-value less than 0.00001. In addition, the same difference is found when comparing medicals students that took psychiatric courses (86.2%) to those that did not (59.7%) with a p-value at 0.0001. Almost all students think trichotillomania is treatable. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of trichotillomania among medical students is 0.9%. Medical students are not more or less affected by trichotillomania than other students. A screening tool must be considered for this disease, considering the lack. Medical students with psychiatric knowledge know more about trichotillomania than others. For this reason, awareness campaigns regarding this disease must be done to increase general knowledge.

Spirituality and the quality of life of cancer patients: An antidepressant effect.

OBJECTIVES: Cancer is the second leading cause of mortality in the world, and represents an economic, social and psychological burden. Scientific studies have focused on psychosocial coping mechanisms of patients and on factors improving their quality of life. Thus, the aim of the present study is to analyze the influence that spirituality would have on the quality of life of Lebanese cancer patients and to identify whether the influence on quality of life is mediated through a decreased depression. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study targeting cancer patients in the hemato-oncology department of the Hôtel-Dieu de France Hospital (Beirut, Lebanon). It is based on a questionnaire composed of three parts: EQ-5D-5L, PHQ-9, and FACIT-Sp-12. Likewise, a control group suffering from chronic diseases and treated in the hospital was questioned. Univariate and multivariate analysis were conducted to assess the relationship between the different questionnaires for controls and for cancer patients. RESULTS: Thirty-nine cancer patients and eight control patients were questioned. In the univariate analysis, there was no relationship between depression and spirituality nor for spirituality and quality of life. After controlling for depression, an inverse correlation between quality of life and spirituality was shown. CONCLUSIONS: Our study is a pilot study which for the first time investigates the implication of depression in a "spirituality-quality of life" association. There is no clear association of spirituality with quality of life. In fact, the physical and psychological burden of chronically ill patients could exceed and render insignificant a possible impact of spirituality on quality of life.

Interleukin-17 as a predictor of sepsis in polytrauma patients: a prospective cohort study.

Sepsis is one of the most serious complications after major trauma, and may be associated with increased mortality. We sought to determine whether there is an association between serum levels of interleukin-17 (IL-17) at the time of admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) and the development of sepsis. We evaluated 100 adult patients with major trauma admitted to the surgical ICU over a 6-month period. Serum levels of IL-17, IL-6, and TNF-α were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). The IL-17 rs1974226 genotype was determined by real-time PCR. In both non-adjusted and adjusted analyses, IL-17 was the only biomarker significantly associated with sepsis [median serum IL-17 of 72 pg/mL in sepsis versus 37 pg/mL in those without sepsis, P = 0.0001; adjusted odds ratio (OR) 3.2, P = 0.02]. No significant association was found among IL-17 rs1974226 genotypes and related serum cytokine levels. These data suggest that elevated serum IL-17 may increase the susceptibility for septic complications in polytrauma patients and so could be a useful biomarker for trauma patient management.

An experimental vaccine providing heterologous protection for Leishmania species in murine model.

Five groups each of 20 BALB/C mice were immunized by heat killed L. donovani promastigotes. Two groups served as control. Each group of mice was subdivided into 2 equal subgroups and challenged with either L. donovani or L. major. The results revealed a high cross reactivity paralleled by a high cross protection between L. donovani and L. major. Heat killed L. donovani promastigotes super-passed other tested SDS-PAGE fractionated and eluted L. d. fractions identified by immune BALB/c mice in providing protection against both L. donovani and L. major. The percentage of protection (reduction in parasite burden) offered by each vaccine was as follows: 80.21%, 36.11%, 9.29%, 33.44% and 17.48% respectively against challenge infection with L. donovani and 3.012 x 10(4), 1.095 x 10(4), 6.054 x 10(2), 2.409 x 10(4), and 3.34 x 10(2), respectively against challenge infection with L. major.

Cytological effects of the insecticide tetrachlorvinphos.

The effect of the organophosphorus insecticide tetrachlorvinphos (Gardona) has been studied on the mitosis and meiosis of Vicia faba, using the pure insecticide. An aqueous saturated solution of tetrachlorvinphos affected neither mitosis (after seed-soak and root treatment) nor meiosis (after spraying the plants at the flowering stage). The obtained results may be attributed to the low solubility of tetrachlorvinphos. A saturated solution of tetrachlorvinphos in Tween-60: water mixture (1:99) induced a statistically significant percentage of abnormal cells in root-tip meristems after root treatment for 4 h. Chromosome stickiness, disturbed meta- and anaphases and anaphase bridges were observed.