Covalent modification of protein by drugs may disrupt self-tolerance, leading to lymphocyte activation. Until now, determination of the threshold required for this process has not been possible. Therefore, we performed quantitative mass spectrometric analyses to define the epitopes formed in tolerant and hypersensitive patients taking the β-lactam antibiotic piperacillin and the threshold required for T cell activation. A hydrolyzed piperacillin hapten was detected on four lysine residues of human serum albumin (HSA) isolated from tolerant patients. The level of modified Lys541 ranged from 2.6 to 4.8%. Analysis of plasma from hypersensitive patients revealed the same pattern and levels of modification 1–10 d after the commencement of therapy. Piperacillin-responsive skin-homing CD4+ clones expressing an array of Vβ receptors were activated in a dose-, time-, and processing-dependent manner; analysis of incubation medium revealed that 2.6% of Lys541 in HSA was modified when T cells were activated. Piperacillin–HSA conjugates that had levels and epitopes identical to those detected in patients were shown to selectively stimulate additional CD4+ clones, which expressed a more restricted Vβ repertoire. To conclude, the levels of piperacillin–HSA modification that activated T cells are equivalent to the ones formed in hypersensitive and tolerant patients, which indicates that threshold levels of drug Ag are formed in all patients. Thus, the propensity to develop hypersensitivity is dependent on other factors, such as the presence of T cells within an individual’s repertoire that can be activated with the β-lactam hapten and/or an imbalance in immune regulation.
Historic centers are often subject to urban renewal without the prior knowledge of the extent of the cohesion and attachment to place of its inhabitants. Identifying the rates of cohesion and place attachment can help urban designers to avoid decisions that lead to clashes with the reality of the social groups inhabiting the neighborhoods of the historic center. So the research aimed to measure cohesion and place attachment in a methodological approach based on a psychological instrument conducted by previous studies .The measurements were applied through a questionnaire given to the residents of six elected neighborhoods forming the historic center of Al- Adhamiya.The research assumed the relative disparity rates of cohesion and place atta
... Show MoreAfrican countries are among the countries in the world that suffer from the phenomenon of child recruitment in wars and conflicts. There are many reasons behind it, including the nature of the human formation of children, the societal violence to which they are exposed, lack of access to education, economic hardships, as well as the role of African wars and conflicts and other reasons that compelled children to join armed groups and participate in military operations. The recruitment of children is divided into two types, compulsory and voluntary, and this leads to many humanitarian and security repercussions that are not limited to a specific period of time but extend to subsequent generations, and due to its seriousness, t
... Show MoreThe aim of the current study is to demonstrate the effect of honey on the sperms characteristics (sperm concentration, sperm motility, grade of activity and sperm normal morphology) as well as pregnancy rate in mice. Sperms were obtained from caudal epididymis of male mice and prepared by adding10% of honey to the IVF medium using direct sperms activation technique for 30 minute incubation period before artificial insemination.
The study revealed a significant (P > 0.05) increase in active sperm motility (grade A and grade B) 49% and pregnancy rate 53.3% in female mice artificially inseminated with sperms. On the other hand, there were no significant differences in sperm con
... Show MoreDoppler broadening technique is suggested to monitor the development of tumours. It depends on the sensitivity of positronium (Ps) annihilation parameters to the sub- microstructural changes in biological tissues. This technique uses high resolution HpGe detector to measure the lineshape parameters (S and W) in normal mice's mammary tissues and adenocarcinoma mammary tissues as a function of tumour growth. The results demonstrate that the central parameter (S) decreases and the wing parameter (W) increases as the tumour grow. It is found that the S parameter changes considerably with the distribution of voids which are affected by the tumour development. Therefore the present technique can successfully be employed to monitor the developm
... Show MoreBackground: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy
has become the standard of care for the
elective management of cholelithiasis. Little
information exists, however, regarding the
appropriateness of this procedure in the setting
of acute symptomatology.
Objective: This study was designed to
evaluate the outcome of laparoscopic
cholecystectomy in acute and severe acute
cholecystitis based on early and late biliary
complications, their incidence and
management, and conversion rates to open
surgery.
Methods: A prospective study done between
April 2007 and November 2010, in the
department of general surgery, medical city
teaching hospital, Baghdad. Includes patients
with acute cholecystitis admitted f
Background: Pelvic masses are common in women & can present at any age of woman life, it could be benign or malignant mass and may originate from gynecological organs like cervix, uterus, uterine adnexia, or from other pelvic organs like intestine, bladder, ureters, skeletal muscle, and bone.Objective: We attempted to determine the increasing of platelet counts(> 450.000 /micro liter) and CA125serum level (> 35 U/mL) as useful tools for predicting and confirming malignancy in gynecological pelvic mass.Patients and methods: A prospective unmatched hospital based case-control study carried out at Baghdad Teaching Hospital, about 126 women were enrolled in our study, divided into two groups 60 women were control group (free o
... Show MoreSUMMARY. – Absorption, flourescence, quantum yield and lifetime of rhodamine B in chloroform, methanol and dimethyl sulfoxide were measured. A comparison was done of these quantities with those for solid solutions, which are obtained by mixing constant volume proportions of dye at a concentration of 1×10–4M/l with different volume proportions from the concentrated solution of polymer in chloroform and dimethyl sulfoxide. The results showed that the addition of polymer to liquid concentrated solutions (1×10–4M/l) of rhodamine B dye from expecting, which leads to development of active medium for laser dye at high concentration, increase the spectra shift toward high energies, and the luminescence quantum yield but decreasing radiative
... Show MoreBackground: Obesity is a worldwide challenge and is closely
connected to many metabolic diseases. Two types of
adipose tissue, white adipose tissue (WAT) and brown
adipose tissue (BAT) have been identified. White fat cells
store chemical energy, brown adipocytes defend against
hypothermia, obesity and diabetes.
Objective: To localize and quantify brown adipocytes in
human subcutaneous (S) and visceral (V) adipose tissue by
histology and immunohistochemistry.
Type of the study: A cross –sectional study.
Methods: Adipose tissue was obtained from histopathology
specimens taken from ten patients, of different age, sex and
body mass index (BMI), undergoing surgery for different
pathologies
This study is an attempt to investigate the conceptual metaphor of UP and DOWN commonly used in Iraqi community. Some of the metaphorical expressions in Iraqi colloquial Arabicarewidely used by Iraqi speakers in everyday language. Ithas been analyzed by following the cognitive theory of metaphor (Lakoff& Johnson,1980).The study indicates that the Iraqi speakerexperiences more of the metaphorical expressions of UP and DOWN to referto many of the abstract concepts that shape his/her impression of everyday life situations.
Genus Salix is among family Salicaceae, distributing in the northern hemisphere. It is represented in Egypt by two species (Salix mucronata and Salix tetrasperma). The classification of Salix at the generic and infra-generic levels is still outstanding. We have agreed to list the Egyptian species of this genus. We collected them during field trips to most Egyptian habitats; fresh and herbarium specimens were subjected to taxonomic revision based on morphological characters; scanning electron microscope (SEM) for pollen grains; isozyme analysis using esterase and peroxidase enzymes and genetic diversity using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD). We recorded that both sexes of S.