Background. Interleukin-4 (IL-4), a Th2 cytokine, can stimulate immunoglobulin E (IgE) transcription. No previous studies evaluated the genetic mechanisms in nonatopic AA patients with elevated serum IgE. Objective. To compare serum IL-4 and total IgE levels between Egyptian nonatopic AA patients and healthy subjects and to investigate a possible relation to HLA-DRB1 alleles. Results. Serum IL-4 and total IgE were measured by ELISA in 40 controls and 54 nonatopic AA patients. Patients' HLA-DRB1 typing by sequence specific oligonucleotide probe technique was compared to normal Egyptian population. We found significantly elevated serum IL-4 and total IgE in AA patients (particularly alopecia universalis, AU, and chronic patients) (P < .01). HLA-DRB1*11 is a general susceptibility/chronicity allele. DRB1*13 is a protective allele. DRB1*01 and DRB1*07 are linked to chronicity. Localized AA showed decreased DRB1*03 and DRB1*07. Extensive forms showed increased DRB1*08 and decreased DRB1*04. Elevated IL4 and IgE were observed in patients with DRB1*07 and DRB1*11 not DRB1*04. Conclusion. Serum IL-4 and IgE are elevated in nonatopic AA patients, particularly AU and chronic disease. Relevant susceptibility, chronicity, and severity HLADRB1 alleles may have a role in determining type, magnitude, and duration of immune response in AA favouring increased IL4 and IgE.

Background: Partial obstruction is roughly defined as the presence of oligozoospermia with normal or nearly normal sperm production in the seminiferous tubules. The obstruction can occur at any site along the male genital tract. Broadly speaking, diagnosis of obstructive oligozoospermia could be suggested by some findings in history (e.g. of trauma or infection), in examination&/or investigations (e.g. epididymal swelling or marked discrepancy between testicular size and previous sperm counts) but most strongly, by the lack of correlation between score of mature spermatids (Sc + d) in the testicular biopsy and the sperm concentration in the semen analysis. Aim of work: To evaluate the relation between the levels of IGF-1 and α2-macroglobulinin predicting testicular sperm output of the testicles as judged from quantitative analysis of testicular biopsy in oligozoospermic cases. Patients and methods: 40 oligozoospermic patients were subjected to full history taking, complete general and local examinations, scrotal duplex, semen analysis, blood chemistry, hormonal profile, bilateral open testicular biopsies and measurement of seminal IGF-1 and α 2-macroglobulin. Results: Patients are divided into 2 groups; group I with likely or partial obstruction and group II with unlikely or no obstruction. There is a lack of correlation between IGF-1 & α 2-macroglobulin and expected sperm count (from quantitative testicular biopsy) in both groups. Conclusion: IGF-1 & α 2-macroglobulin are not reliable markers for partial obstruction of the male genital system.

In a 21st century dominated by VUCA environments (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous) and in an increasingly diverse and global society, education should rethink how to meet the real needs of the citizens of the present and the future. Educational methods for language instruction have received assiduous attention from researchers, that may have overlooked educational ends, and that is to serve real life purposes. Learning a language is more than just acquiring knowledge about a new linguistic norm and its rules: it is above all, a vehicle for communication, an open channel to the world and a new scope with which new cultures are explored and different views and perspectives are discovered and shared. This paper aims at exploring task-based learning approach for language instruction and presenting a study on the benefits attributed to this approach, relating them to existing trends in current educational innovation. In doing so, a comparison between meaning-based learning and instruction-based learning is needed. Here we will review some of the most relevant theories and approaches to better understand task-based learning and explore its potential.