Background: Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is an autoimmune vesiculobullous mucocutaneous disease with life-threatening consequences. Rituximab (RTX) has recently emerged as an effective treatment for PV. Objectives: This study aims to determine changes in neutrophil and platelet counts for PV patients treated with RTX or corticosteroids combined with Imuran (azathioprine). Materials and Methods: The present cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Dermatology at Baghdad Teaching Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq. Thirty PV patients received two types of treatment: 15 patients were administered RTX and 15 patients took corticosteroids with Imuran (azathioprine). Neutrophil and platelet counts were detected at the hospital laboratory. Results: The age range of PV patients was 27–67 years, and the mean ±SD was 44.866 ± 10.979 years for the patient group treated with RTX and 44.133 ± 11.519 for the patient group treated with corticosteroids and Imuran. In patients treated with RTX, 26.6% were males and 73.33% were females, with a female-to-male ratio of 2.75:1. In patients treated with corticosteroids with Imuran, 40% were males and 60% were females, with a female-to-male ratio of 1.5:1. The results revealed that among patients treated with RTX, 30% of them had mucocutaneous lesions, 6.66% had oral lesions, and 13.33% had cutaneous lesions. Among the other groups treated with corticosteroids and Imuran, 23.33% had mucocutaneous lesions, 13.33% had oral lesions, and 13.33% had cutaneous lesions. Among the patients treated with RTX, 53.33% had normal range of neutrophil count, while 46.6% had neutrophil count above the NR, while in patients treated with corticosteroids and Imuran, 40% had a normal range and 60% had above the normal range. Conclusion: RTX was a more effective treatment compared to corticosteroids with Imuran because no patient remained in an active state during this study. PV was prevalent in females aged 40 years with mucocutaneous lesions.
Abstract: Background: Tribuls terrestris increases levels of various hormones in steroid family including testosterone, DEHA, and estrogen and for this reason improves sport performance, fertility in men and women, sexual function in men and women. There is, at present, lack of scientific confirmation of these supposed benefits. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the possible effect(s) of Tribuls terrestris on the mouse ovarian morphology and function, alone and in combination with other ovulation modulator agent (clomiphene citrate). Materials & Methods: A total of 49 sexually mature healthy Norway albino female mice were used in this study; 25 for pilot study and 24 for the experimental study. Experimental animals were divided
... Show MoreWe wanted to find out how selenium (Se) affects broiler chicken performance, meat physicochemical properties, and selenium deposition in the tissues of broilers. Each of the 96 experimental pens had 30 chickens and included a total of 2,880 one-day-old broilers (Cobb 500 strain). A factorial design of four-by-three (SY + SS) and eight replicates (SY + SS) was used for the 12 experimental treatments, with selenium levels ranging from 0.15 to 0.60 ppm and organic (SY) or inorganic (SS) sources of selenium and their relationship (SY + SS). There were no differences in performance (P > 0.05) across Se levels or sources. 106 g/day of ADFI, 63 g/day of ADG, and 1.6844 kg/kg of FCR were found to be the averaging values for these three parameters:
... Show MoreEffect of copper doping and thermal annealing on the structural and optical properties of Zn0.5Cd0.5S thin films prepared by chemical spray pyrolysis have been studied. Depositions were done at 250°C on glass substrate. The structural properties and surface morphology of deposited films were studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and photomicroscope (PHM) techniques. XRD studies reveal that all films are crystalline tetragonal structure. The film crystallinity are increased with 1% Cu-doping concentration and also increased for the films annealed at 300°C than the other studied cases. The lattice constant 'a' and 'c' varies with doping concentrations from 5.487Å to 5.427Å and 10.871Å to 10.757Å respectively. The grain size attained
... Show MorePolycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a heterogeneous disorder . PCOS affects 6–10% of women during their reproductive life. Patients with PCOS are in the high risk for coronary heart disease because of their abnormal lipid profile, insulin resistance and obesity. The present study aimed to shed a light on the contribution of sialic acid, paraoxonase and immunoglobulin G as a clinical indicator in the pathogenesis of PCOS. Seventy five female patients with age range (16-38) years taken from Al-Sadder Teaching Hospital and AlZahrawi Hospital in Governorate of Messan through the period from July 2013 to December 2013 and twenty five apparently health subject as a control group were
... Show MoreTo determine the relationship between Helicobacter pylori infection and Multiple Sclerosis (MS) disorder, 20 patients with MS aged (25-60) years have been investigated from the period of 2016/12/1 to 2017/3/1 and compared to 15 apparently healthy individuals. All study groups were carried out to measure anti H.pylori IgA and H.pylori IgG antibodies by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique. There was a significant elevation (p<0.05) in the concentration of anti H.pylori IgG and IgA antibodies (Abs) compared to control group, and there was no significant difference (p>0.05) in the concentration of IgA and IgG (Abs) of H.pylori according to gender, and there was no significant difference (p>0.05) in the concentration of IgA and I
... Show MoreHuman cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection is ubiquitous and successfully reactivated in patients with immune dysfunction as in patient with multiple myeloma (MM), causing a wide range of life-threatening diseases. Early detection of HCMV and significant advances in MM management has amended patient outcomes and prolonged survival rates.
The aim of the study was to estimate the frequency of active HCMV in MM patients.
This is a case–control study involved 50 MM patients attending Hematology Center, Bag
Infection of the gastric mucosa with Helicobacter pylori is strongly associated with chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer and gastric cancer. Helicobacter pylori virulence factors include a variety of proteins that are involved in its pathogenesis, such as VacA and CagA. Another group of virulence factors is clearly important for colonization of H.pylori in the gastric mucosa. These include urease, motility factors (flagellin), and Superoxide dismutase (SOD). Because of this organism's microaerophilic nature and the increased levels of reactive oxygen in the infected host, we expect that other factors involved in the response to oxidative stress are likely to be required for virulence. Superoxide dismutase is a near
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Background: Double diabetes is the term used to describe situations in which a patient exhibits characteristics that are a combination of type 1 and type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Metalloendopeptidase or Neprilysin is membrane-bound metallopeptidase. It has a wide range of physiological function and a variety of substrates. It has a significant impact on the proteolytic functions of the kidney, cardiovascular health, immunological response, cell proliferation, and fetal development. It also has a preventative effect on the onset of type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cancer. Objective: The study aims to assess the level of MEP in patients wi |