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.
Seventy five adult virgin female Norway rats (60 experimental and 15 controls) were used toevaluate the effect of seeds of three herbs (Fennel, Cumin and Garden cress) on their mammaryglands. Experimental animals were fed with these herbs (each type of herb seeds was given to twentyexperimental rats) for fourteen days. Rats were sacrificed and mammary gland sections wereobtained, stained then morphometrically assessed. Serum prolactin level was performed too.Results revealed that Garden cress seeds are the strongest lactogenic agent among the three. BothFennel and Cumin seeds were shown to be very weak galactagogues.
The current study introduces a novel technique to handle electrochemical localized corrosion in certain limited regions rather than applying comprehensive cathodic protection (CP) treatment. An impressed current cathodic protection cell (ICCPC) was fabricated and firmly installed on the middle of a steel structure surface to deter localized corrosion in fixed or mobile steel structures. The designed ICCPC comprises three essential parts: an anode, a cathode, and an artificial electrolyte. The latter was developed to mimic the function of the natural electrolyte in CP. A proportional-integrated-derivative (PID) controller was designed to stabilize this potential below the ICCPC at a cathodic potential of −850 mV, which is crucial for prote
... Show MoreA modern, rapid RP-HPLC-UV method was developed and validated in compliance with FDA and EMA guidelines for simultaneous quantification of 15 βlactam antibiotics) Ampicillin, Amoxicillin, cephalexin, cefotaxime, cefoxitin, cefamandole, cephalothin, piperacillin, penicillin, oxacillin, cloxacillin, nafcillin Carbenicillin, Mezlocillin and Dicloxacillin) in pharmaceutical formulations and pure forms. The method employs Column NEUCLEODUR C-18 (4.0 mm x 100 mm, 5µm particle size), at a temperature of thirty degrees Celsius, and the mobile phase was acetonitrile and KH2PO4 using gradient elution with a total separation time of 13 minutes, a flow rate of 1.3 ml/min, at = pH 4.5 for the buffer solution and the λ max was 220 nm. The met
... Show MoreObjectives: Successful endodontic treatment outcome requires effective shaping and cleaning of root canals. This study aims to evaluate the smear layer removal after continuous chelation (CC) ) NaOCL\HEDP( and sequential chelation (SC) )NaOCL\EDTA( and their influence on the push-out bond strength (POBS) of Bio-C sealer. Materials and Methods: Palatal roots of the maxillary first molar (n=72) were divided into four groups (n=18) as follows: 3% NaOCL, SC: 3% NaOCL followed by 17% EDTA, CC: 3% NaOCL \9% HEDP and Distilled water. Thirty-two roots (n=8/group) were split longitudinally for smear layer evaluation using SEM. Forty roots were obturated with Guttapercha and Bio-C sealer using a single cone technique. Thre
... Show Moreداء المشوكات الكيسي (CE) هو مرض وبائي يسبب مرضًا خطيرًا وخسائر اقتصادية في معظم بلدان العالم. MiRNAs هي عامل جيني ضروري لتنظيم الاستجابة المناعية من خلال قدرته على التدخل في التعبير الخلوي ؛ واحد هذه الحوامض النووية الدقيقة -146 أ. هدفت الدراسة الحالية تقييم إذا كان بإمكاننا استخدام microRNA 146a كمؤشر حيوي للكشف عن CEو تحديد العلاقة بين التعبير الجيني microRNA 146a و IL-17 في مرضى CE.حيث اشتملت الدراسة على 50 مريضًا من CE تم إد
... Show MoreThe cyanobacterial neurotoxin
Long-term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) mostly associated with renal and hepatic adverse effects, and the adjunct use of compounds with potent protective effects, like silymarin, may be one of the choices to avoid these effects. This project was designed to evaluate the protective effect of silymarin against the suspected renal and hepatic injury induced with long term use of NSAIDs; 220 patients with osteoarthritis were randomized into 5 groups and treated with either silymarin 300mg/day alone, piroxicam 20mg/day alone, meloxicam 15mg/day alone or the combination of each of them with silymarin for 8 weeks. The renal and hepatic functions were evaluated before starting treatment and after 8 weeks including assessm
... Show MoreAs they include both nucleophilic and electrophilic moieties on the same skeleton, enaminones are an important subclass of chemical compounds that contain conjugated NC=CC=O fragments. These active sites aid in the production of organic molecules containing linear or cyclic heteroatoms. Enaminones and the chemica1 compounds produced from them are both biologically active against the most dangerous bacteria. As a result, they have been utilized as starting materials for the synthesis of anti-inf1ammatory, antibacteria1, anticonvulsant, anticancer, anti-urease, anti-malaria1, optically luminescent, corrosion inhibition, and antitumor agents. Their synthesis has usually a terrific deal of interest and a plethora of synthetic paths have been na
... Show MoreBackground: Prostatic adenocarcinoma is the most widely recognized malignancy in men and the second cause of cancer-related mortality encountered in male patients after lung cancer.
Aim of the study: To assess the diagnostic value of diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) and its quantitative measurement, apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), in the identification and localization of prostatic cancer compared with T2 weighted image sequence (T2WI).
Type of the study: a prospective analytic study
Patients and methods: forty-one male patients with suspected prostatic cancer were examined by pelvic MRI at the MRI department of the Oncology Teaching Hospital/Medical City in Baghdad
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