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/Aim: Endometrial abnormalities represent a diagnostic challenge due to overlapping imaging features with normal endometrium. Aim of this study was to assess accuracy of dynamic contrast-enhanced and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in evaluation of endometrial lesions in comparison with T2 and to assess local staging validity and degree of myometrial invasion in malignancy. Methods: Forty patients with abnormal vaginal bleeding or sonographic thickened endometrial were recruited. MRI examination of pelvis was per-formed using 1.5 T scanner with a pelvic array coil. Conventional T1-and T2, dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) sequences and diffusion-weighted image (DWI) were performed. Results: Mean age of pa
... Show MoreMyelosuppression is a serious disease that is related to the malfunction of blood cells production that leads to cytopenia which is the most serious hematologic toxicity of cancer chemotherapies including cyclophosphamide, which is a strong oxazaphosphorine [a nitrogen mustard alkylating agent] that can be used alone or combined with other chemotherapeutic agents for the treatment of different malignant diseases. It induces severe bone marrow suppression by damaging hematopoietic stem cells through the generation of oxidative stress. Fisetin is a hydrophobic polyphenolic compound with a wide range of pharmacological properties such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, osteoprotective, antidiabetic, and anti-carcinogenic activit
... Show MoreEbastine (EBS) is a poorly water-soluble antihistaminic drug; it belongs to the class II group according to the biopharmaceutical classification system (BCS). The aim of the present work was to enhance the solubility, dissolution rate and micromeritic properties of the drug, by formulating it as spherical crystal agglomerates by Quasi Emulsion Solvent Diffusion (QESD) method.
Spherical crystal agglomerates (SCAs) were prepared in presence of three solvents dichloromethane (DCM), water and chloroform as a good solvent, poor solvent and bridging solvent respectively. Agglomeration of EBS involved the use of some hydrophilic polymers like polyethylene glycol 4000 (PEG 4000), polyvinyl pyrrolidine K30 (PVP K30), D-?-tocopheryl
... Show MoreIn this work, corrosion parameters were evaluated using potentiodynamic polarization curves. In order to determine corrosion parameters of potential and current density of the interesting metal, carbon steel, environmental conditions of external corrosion of buried carbon steel pipeline in Iraqi soil were prepared in the laboratory using simulated prepared conditions. Solutions of sodium chloride at different concentrations (300, 1100, 1900, 2700, and 3500 ppm) were used. pH of solution were acidic at pH =5, and alkaline at pH = 9. Laboratory conditions were similar to those of Iraqi soil where the pipelines were buried. Temperature was constant at 20 °C. Potentiodynamic polarization curves, of potential vs. log current density, were ob
... Show MoreAn attempt was made to evaluate the PV performance of one-axis daily tracking and fixed system for Baghdad, Iraq. Two experimental simulations were conducted on a PV module for that purpose. Measurements included incident solar radiation, load voltage and load current. The first experiment was carried out for six months of winter half of year to simulate the one-axis daily tracking. The azimuth angle was due south while the tilt angle was being set to optimum according to each day of simulation. The second experiment was done at one day to simulate the PV module of fixed angles. It is found that there is a significant power gain of 29.6% for the tracking system in respect to the fixed one. The one-axis daily tracking was much more effect
... Show MoreMyelosuppression is a serious disease that is related to the malfunction of blood cells production that leads to cytopenia which is the most serious hematologic toxicity of cancer chemotherapies including cyclophosphamide, which is a strong oxazaphosphorine [a nitrogen mustard alkylating agent] that can be used alone or combined with other chemotherapeutic agents for the treatment of different malignant diseases. It induces severe bone marrow suppression by damaging hematopoietic stem cells through the generation of oxidative stress. Fisetin is a hydrophobic polyphenolic compound with a wide range of pharmacological properties such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, osteoprotective, antidiabetic, and anti-carcinogenic
... Show MoreThe objective of the study: is to investigate the correlations between the HER2 neu gene status with the clinicopathological parameters of infiltrative breast carcinoma. A total of seventy four Iraqi breast cancer patients were collected from one center (Department of Public Health) paraffin blocks were collected from histopathology department central public health laboratories, Bagdad, Iraq from 2014-2015. The cases which has been taken included invasive ductal and invasive lobular carcinoma type Women age were ranged from 24-80 years old. Evaluation of Her-2/neu gene amplification status was done using FISH and CISH techniques that showed a significant correlations with clinicopathological parameters.
Positron annihilation lifetime (PAL) technique has been employed to
study the microstructural changes of polyurethane (PU), EUXIT 101
and epoxy risen (EP), EUXIT 60 by Gamma-ray irradiation with the
dose range (95.76 - 957.6) kGy. The size of the free volume hole and
their fraction in PU and EP were determined from ortho-positronium
lifetime component and its intensity in the measured lifetime spectra.
The results show that the irradiation causes significant changes in the
free volume hole size (Vh) and the fractional free volume (Fh), and
thereby the microstructure of PU and EP. The results indicate that
the γ-dose increases the crystallinity in the amorphous regions of PU
and increas
Optical properties of chromium oxide (Cr2O3) thin films which were prepared by pulse laser deposition method, onto glass substrates. Different laser energy (500-900) mJ were used to obtain Cr2O3 thin films with thickness ranging from 177.3 to 372.4 nm were measured using Tolansky method. Then films were annealed at temperature equal to 300 °C. Absorption spectra were used to determine the absorption coefficient of the films, and the effects of the annealing temperature on the absorption coefficient were investigated. The absorption edge shifted to red range of wavelength, and the optical constants of Cr2O3 films increases as the annealing temperature increased to 300 °C. X-ray diffraction (XRD) study reveals that Cr2O3 thin films are a
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