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.
Barhi dates fruit are one of the most important date palm cultivars which are some of their properties they are mostly eaten and sold at the khalal stage when it has become yellow compared with rutab stage. At this stage the fruit loses its astringency and becomes sweet and best texture, therefore. High moisture content and rapid ripening of Barhi dates shorten their shelf life, as well the Khalal stage lasts for about 4 weeks until the ripening of the fruits begins and transfer to rutab stage. In the present study, Barhi dates packaging in the first by common air - packaging and
second by Modified atmosphere packaging, MAP A (5% O2 + 20% CO2) and MAP B (40%O2+20%CO2) and stored for 30 days at different temperatures 5 and 20 °C, re
This study included estimation of glutathione (GSH) and Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in the serum of diabetic patients type II who are treated with a polyherbs mixture (Nigella sativa, Trigonella foenum-graeum, Cyperus rotundus and Teucrium polium) for three months of treatments. Seventy samples of diabetic patients Type II male and females with age about (35-60) years were taken including 44 samples for group one (24 male, 20 female) who used herbs accompanied with chemical treatment (drugs) and 26 samples for the second group (13male and 13 female) who used herbs only. These groups were compared with 60 samples obtained from healthy persons (29 male, 31 female) at the same age of patients as a control group. Effect of age and treatment fo
... Show MoreBackground: Enterococcus faecalis is emerging as an important endodontic pathogen, which can persist in the environment for extended periods after treatment and may cause endodontic failure. It is known to produce biofilms, a community of bacteria enclosed within a protective polymeric matrix. This study aimed to establish whether the biofilm formation by Enterococcus faecalis can be inhibited with steralium, co+steralium, and 5% sodium hypochlorite in the root surface environment. Materials and Methods: Extracted human teeth were biomechanically prepared, vertically sectioned, placed in the tissue culture wells exposing the root canal surface to E. faecalis to form a biofilm. At the end of the 3rd and 6th weeks, all groups were treated fo
... Show MoreCiprofloxacin is widely used in treating adults infected with Gram-negative bacteria. It is contraindicated in children, growing adolescents and during pregnancy due to joint toxicity. Its toxicity concerning other organs needs to be clarified. Thus, this study was designed to study the possible cardiac damage induced by two selected doses of ciprofloxacin in juvenile rats.Eighteenth healthy juvenile rats (4 weeks old and their weight 30 ± 2 gm) were utilized in this study and divided into three groups. Group-I control; group II and group III, respectively injected IP with 25 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg ciprofloxacin every 12 hours for one week. Serum enzymes activities alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), cr
... Show MoreCiprofloxacin, which is a second generation of fluoroquinolone and one of the most effective and widely used drugs within fluoroquinolone. Unfamiliar adverse effects of ciprofloxacin such as bone marrow (BM) suppression, thrombocytopenia, anemia, agranulocytosis, renal failure, and others observed. Lutein, is a xanthophyll (an oxygenated carotenoid), was focused by most studies as it has a strong antioxidant activity in vitro; and also, it has been associated with reducing the risk of the age-related disorders. The current study was designed to describe the role of apoptosis through the measurement of Bcl-2 associated X protein (Bax) marker, as mechanisms of bone marrow toxicity induced by ciprofloxacin and to find whether lutei
... Show MoreThe study was carried out in plant tissue culture laboratory, University of Baghdad during the period 2017-2019, as factorial experiment in complete randomized design, to study the effect of PEG at (0, 2, 4, 6 and 8%) on physiological and chemical changes in callus of three sunflower (Ishaqi 1, Aqmar and Al-haga) induced by the cultivation of the young stem in vitro under water stress. The content of callus cells of SOD, POD, CAT and APX enzymes as well as content of hydrogen peroxide were determined as indicators to determine the effect of PEG in callus tissue cells cultivated on medium equipped with the PEG concentrations. The results showed that cultivars were differs significantly and Al-hajavariety was superior in increasing SOD to 24.
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