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.
Background:Open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) of using miniplates and screws is the treatment of choice of mandibular fractures. It is important to know both: the region where the bone providesafirm anchorage, andthe topography of the dental apices and inferior alveolar nerve to avoiddamaging them when inserting the screw. The aim of this study is to determine the thickness of buccal cortical plate and that of buccal bone at the parasymphysis and mandibular body, thereby determining the area that provide afirm anchorage and the maximum length of mono-cortical screws that can be safely placed in these regions without injuring the tooth roots or mandibular nerve. Materials and Methods:The sample of the present study was 110 Iraqi sub
... Show MoreExposing the dorsal superficial skin of rats to partial-depth burn leads to bacterial and microbes Invasion. Topical treatment is required in most superficial burn cases Moist exposed burn ointment (MEBO) protects wounds from infection and enhances healing without any harmful effects of purified chemicals is caused. The topical using of HA gel in rat models with full and partial thickness surgical wounds shows enhancement in wound repair. In this study, we compared the healing efficacy of topical use of hyaluronic acid gel products with MEBO as standard management in rats that were exposed to a partial-thickness burn. The experiment included twenty-four (24) adult albino rats of male sex with weight (150-220 gm) of 3 months’ age divided i
... Show MoreObjectives: to assess the normal range of different lip parameters with gender difference and its role in esthetic procedures for Iraqi people. Methods: direct lip measurements were performed with closed lip position using a digital vernier caliper in 132 young Iraqi subjects (89 female and 43 male). Results: Lip measurements showed sexual dimorphism with higher value in men than women in six parameters. Cutaneous height of the upper lip was higher in both sexes. The mustache area in males was longer in males compared to females. Also, it was noticed that upper lip vertical thickness had a higher value, especially in subjects with cosmetic procedures. In addition to that, vertical upper lip thickness showed a higher rise in values
... Show MoreThis study has evaluated the humoral immune response in Golden Hamsters experimentally infected with Leishmania donovani along (4) times of follow up (15, 30, 60, 90) days after infection. Indirect haemagglutination test was used to determine the antibody titer through the various stages of the study. Also the progress of the infection was studied depending on some of the visceral changes caused by the parasite, like weight of liver, length & weight of spleen & the count of Leishmania parasites in spleen were measured. Results has shown that there was an increase in antibody titer & the maximum value was recorded at the 4th day of follow up (90 days after infection) as well as that there was an increase in the length of the spleen, weight
... Show MoreA survey of entomopathogenic and other opportunistic fungi isolated from soil samples collected from insect hibernation sites in different habitats in Kurdistan region of Iraq was carried out during October to December 2009. By using dilution plate method, two entomopathogenic species (Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) Vuill.and Isaria javanica (Friedrichs & Bally) Samson & Hywel-Jones) were detected with isolation percentage (38.46%) each. Other opportunistic fungi such as Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus flavus, A.niger, Penicillium glabrum, P. digitatum, Rhizopus stolonifer and Syncephalastratum racemosum
Fresh water resources in terms of water quality is a crucial issue worldwide. In Egypt, the Nile River is the main source of fresh water in the country and monitoring its water quality is a major task on governments and research levels. In the present case study, the physical, chemical and algal distribution in Nile River was monitored over two seasons (winter and summer) in 2019. The aims of the study were to check the seasonal variation among the different water parameters and also to check the correlations between those parameters. Water samples were collected from the Nile in Cairo governorate in EGYPT. The different physiochemical and microbiological properties in water samples were assessed. The studied parameters were included: te
... Show MoreBackground: Acute appendicitis is a common surgical
problem that is associated with an acute-phase reaction.
Previous studies have shown that cytokines and acutephase proteins are activated and may serve as indicators for
appendicitis.
Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate of serum
levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in correlation to the severity
to acute appendicitis.
Methods: This is a prospective study from December 2008
to March 2009 of patients who had appendectomy in
Department of Surgery, Al-Kindy Teaching Hospital -
Baghdad/Iraq. Serum for estimating levels of interleukin-6
(IL-6) was taken pre-operatively. Depending on the
macroscopic evidence during the operation and the
histopathol
This study investigated the bioethanol production from green algae Chlorella vulgaris depending on its carbohydrate-enriched biomass. Four different phosphorous concentrations were employed to stimulate bioethanol production from Chlorella vulgaris. The impact of various phosphorous values on Chlorella vulgaris growth rate as well as primary product (carbohydrate) were evaluated. High performance liquid chromatography was utilized in this work. The stationary phase was identified as day 14, 12, 10 and 6 in treatments 6, 4, 2 and g/L, respectively. The findings suggest that the treatment without phosphorous addition had the highest record of carbohydrate content (22.64% dry weight) as well as the highest bioethanol yield (20.66% dry weight).
... Show More