Scientific Journal of Medical Research

The Dermatosemiotics Therapy: Healing as reskinning

Ali Tareq — 2025-10-01

Background: The Dermatosemiotics Therapy (DST) is a new psychotherapeutic model with a neuroscientific, developmental, phenomenological basis. It is founded on the fact that the skin and brain have a common ectodermal background, which led to the fact that the skin is seen as an outer brain, the active regulator of both biological and psychosocial activity (skin-ego). In addition to its neurobiological functions, the skin also constitutes a semiotic border, through which some of the most basic psychological differences are translated and organized: self/other, inside/outside, present/absent, and real/imagined.

Objective: This review investigates the principles of Dermatosemiotics Therapy (DST), which conceptualizes healing as an experiential process of enskinment, overcoming linguistic alienation.

Methods: The literature review was carried out in PubMed and Google Scholar, synthesizing the knowledge of phenomenology (Husserl, Merleau-Ponty), psychoanalysis (Didier Anzieu), and experiential therapies (Internal Family Systems [IFS], Schema Therapy).

Results: Dermatosemiotics Therapy (DST) suggests that we live through multilayered skins: the biologically given skin and the symbolically constructed one, such as language and social norms and values. Human suffering and mental health problems are due to living through the symbolic skin, overdependence on these symbolic strata, at the cost of our immediate, lived experience ("lived skin"). The answer offered by DST is the concept of enskinfullness (a kind of mindfulness) that entails bracketing the symbolic skins and reconnecting with the present moment. This reinstates semiotic agency, authenticity and activating intrinsic healing by virtue of being in the bodily lived experience. Emergent biopsychosocial health and a unified, compassionate Self are the outcomes of this process and make DST the basis of an experiential therapy like internal family system and schema therapy.

Conclusion: Dermatosemiotics Therapy (DST) turns out to be paradigm shift in mental health, where the skin is used both as a metaphor and a tactile medium and where therapeutic healing is achieved. It mediates between the cognitive and emotional approaches to therapy because it enacts what it terms as enskinfullness by shedding socially constructed layers, that is, reskinning, connecting the authentic (naked) Self to the present moment (life). DST offers an ecologically sound and sustainable approach to experiential-phenomenological psychotherapy.

The Effect of Bacterial Infection on Few Hormones in Urinary Tract Infections Patients

Raja Mohssin Alghrbawee — 2025-10-01

ABSTRACT

Objective: The current study aims to isolate and diagnose the bacteria from urinary tract infection patients and study its relationship to few hormones such as Progesterone, Estrogen, Cortisol and FSH, in addition to Vitamin D.

Methods: Collection samples were carried out in Al-Housani hospital and Zain Al-Aabdin hospital during the period from December 2021 to March 2022. Forty-two patients had blood and urine samples taken, while 42 people who weren’t hospitalized served as the control group. The urine sample was centrifuged and examined microscopically to determine the urinary tract infection (UTI). Then the blood sample was cultured to obtain the bacteria and diagnose it with a VITEK device, hormones levels of progesterone, estrogen, cortisol and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), in addition to vitamin D in the serum, were measured.

Results: UTI females were more than (76.19%) of males (23.18%). Twelve bacterial isolates were obtained from only female patients belonging to four bacteria genus, these bacteria: Enterococcus sp. (4 isolates), Staphylococcus saprophyticus (4 isolates), Klebsiella pneumonia (2 isolates), and E. coli (2 isolates).

The concentration of vitamin D decreased in male and female patients (12.178 and 16.766) ng/mL, respectively, compared to the healthy controls. The presence of bacteria in female UTI patients led to an increase in the levels of both progesterone and estrogen (17.608 ng/mL and 1651.743 pg/mL), respectively. Also, the concentration of FSH in female UTI patients increased from its concentration in the healthy ones, which was (20.560 and 8.723) mIU/mL, respectively. The concentration of cortisol was not affected in patients.

Conclusions: Females are more infected with UTIs than males, and all bacterial species were isolated from females, Enterococcus sp. (4 isolates), Staphylococcus saprophyticus are the most common. Bacterial infection is related to a concentration of vitamin D in male and female patients, and have a relationship with a concentration of estrogen, progesterone and FSH in females.

The Study The Association Between Betatrophin Level (Angiopoietin-Like Protein 8) And Insulin Resistance in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Alyaa Thaer Abbas — 2025-10-01

Background: The exact relationship of betatrophin with insulin resistance remains controversial. Some studies report elevated betatrophin levels in insulin-resistant states, while others show inconsistent findings. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the association between betatrophin level and insulin resistance in T2DM patients, using marker homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR); offering new insights into its potential as a biomarker for metabolic dysfunction or insulin resistance in T2DM. Methods: a case-control study and was conducted over a period of 12 months. A total of 100 participants were enrolled, including 50 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and 50 age and sex matched healthy controls. The diagnosis of patients with T2DM was established according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA) criteria. All parameters were estimations by standard methods. Results: Betatrophin levels were revealed significantly increase of betatropin, total cholesterol, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein, insulin and decrease high density lipoprotein in the T2DM patients group compared with the control group, (p = 0.001). Also, betatrophin showed 11600 area under the curve. Conclusion: Betatrophin levels was high in patients’ group, and this association is likely mediated through insulin resistance.

A Lycopene from Naganishia albidosimilis : A Promising Natural Antifungal against Echinococcus granulosus

Fatima T. M.A. AL-Mosawi — 2025-10-01

Background and Objective: Pathogenic parasites are among the microorganisms that pose a threat to humans, The natural compound lycopene was extracted from the yeast Naganishia albidosimilis to evaluate its antimicrobial activity against the pathogenic parasitic Echinococcus granulosus, which causes hydatid cysts in human. Methodology:E. granulosus was obtained from hydatid cyst samples collected during surgical procedures. After lycopene was extracted and purified, its purity was confirmed using several chemical and physical methods. Results: the extracted compound was pure lycopene .Experiments showed that lycopene possesses antimicrobial activity against E. granulosus. This effect was confirmed at the molecular level using polymerase chain reaction in real time (RT-PCR), E. granulosus expression of vital biological genes had significantly decreased. Lycopene suppresses and development, as evidenced by the considerable decrease in expression of the Cox1 gene in E. granulosus. The Cox1 gene is crucial for cell cycle and division. Conclusion: Lycopene is a promising for the creation of efficient alternative natural remedies to fight these microbial pathogenicity because of its antioxidant qualities and capacity to interfere with vital metabolic pathways

The Diagnosis of the Causes of Vaginal Candidiasis in Pregnant Women

Noor Alhuda Mohsen Zahi — 2025-10-01

ABSTRACT

Objective: The aim of the study was to diagnose the types that cause vaginal candidiasis among pregnant women in Karbala.

Methods: Vaginal swabs were collected from pregnant women with symptoms of vaginal infections returning to the Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital in Karbala. The samples were diagnosed by two methods of direct examination, by culture on plates and by supporting the diagnosis using Vitek device. The samples were cultured on a Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA) medium. They incubated the dishes at a temperature of 37ºC for 48 to 72 hours to allow the development of colonies. After the emergence of growth on the plates, the samples are examined using the Vitek device, which is characterized by the ability to determine the types of yeasts and the identification of the type of organism. After then, the antifungal activity of free kenaconzole and nanohybrid kenacozole was tested against Candida prapsilosis.

Results: The results showed that there are nine samples that appeared yeast after culture them in SDA. The results of diagnoses by Vitek showed that four species were C. parapsilosis, three were C. albicans and two werer C. famata. The statistical analysis results showed that the diameter of inhibition increases significantly (p ? 0.05) in the nano hybrid ketoconazole and free kenaconazloe if a concentration was increased.

Conclusions: According to the current study, there are no common species of Candida sp. in pregnant women. The success of loading kenconazole on zinc oxide as a carrier of the antibiotic. The activity of the kenacozole and zinc oxide nano-hybrid compound gave a higher inhibition activity than free ketoconazole.