Background Methotrexate (MTX) is a classical folic acid antagonist widely used in the treatment of malignant and non-malignant disorders. However, its clinical application is often restricted by concomitant adverse effects, including renal damage. Numerous studies have highlighted the role of oxidative stress and inflammation in mediating MTX-related nephrotoxicity. Therefore, the current study aimed to explore the possible renoprotective action of Citronellol (CT), a natural compound with prominent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, against nephrotoxicity induced by MTX. Methods To fulfill our objective, 24 adult male Wistar rats were randomly allocated into four groups: control, MTX, 100 mg/kg CT plus MTX and 200 mg/kg CT plus MTX. At the end of the study, the experimental rats were anesthetized, blood samples were collected for biochemical assays, and the kidneys were surgically removed for biochemical and gene expression analyses, after which all rats were sacrificed by exsanguination. Results Compared to the MTX-treated group, our results revealed that pre-supplementation with 100 or 200 mg/kg CT remarkably ameliorated renal damage biomarkers, including serum urea, serum creatinine, and kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1). In addition, pre-treatment with 100 or 200 mg/kg CT enhanced the activity of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx), diminished renal malondialdehyde (MDA) contents, and attenuated inflammation by suppressing renal nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling and diminishing tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) gene expression. Moreover, pre-treatment with 200 mg/kg CT markedly reduced interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) gene expression. Conclusion Our findings demonstrate, for the first time, that CT can serve as a new promising agent for mitigating nephrotoxicity induced by MTX through its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
A single-crystalline semi-polar gallium nitride (11-22) was grown on m-plane (10-10) sapphire substrate by metal organic chemical vapor deposition. Three-step approach was introduced to investigate the grain size evolution for semi-polar (11-22) GaN. Such approach was achieved due to the optimized gallium to ammonia ratio and temperature variations, which led to high quality (11-22) oriented gallium nitride epilayers. The full width at half maximum values along (-1-123) and (1-100) planes for the overgrowth temperature of 1080°C were found to be as low as 0.37° and 0.49°, respectively. This was an indication of the enhanced coalescence and reduction in root mean square roughness as seen by atomic force microscopy. Surface analysi
... Show MorePsoriasis is a long-lasting autoimmune disease that is characterized by swollen skin patches. Normally, these skin patches are dark, swollen, itchy and scaly. The single application of the innate TLR7/8 ligand Imiquimod (IMQ) in mice easily induces a dermatitis that closely resembles human psoriasis, critically dependent on the axis of IL-23/IL-17. Artemisia dracunculus prepared as an ointment and has been used topically to mice before imiquimod application. The results of the current study showed that A. dracunculus ointment can significantly reduce psoriasis area and severity index in (A. dracunculus ointment + imiquimod group as compared with both control group and (vehicle ointment + imiquimod) group.
The study aims to identify the symptoms of PTSD among displaced Yazidi women according to age, marital status, educational level, and type of status (displaced or survivor). The study also seeks to identify the effect of the relaxation program on reducing PTSD among displaced Yazidi women. The research sample included (60) Yazidis for the statistical analysis sample and (5) for the experimental sample in the Dohuk governorate. For achieving the research objectives, a scale was used from the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), as well as a relaxation program was prepared. The researchers reached the following results that there is an average level of PTSD symptoms among displaced Yazidi women, there are no statistically significant differen
... Show MoreBackground: Porcelain veneers are under a great deal of stress which may lead to clinical failure as fracture or dettachment. This study examined whether different finishing lines and lingual shoulder preparations in the incisal area of the maxillary central incisor affect the bond of the porcelain veneers. Materials and methods: A two- dimensional finite element model was made. Location and magnitude of maximum Von Mises stresses were calculated in porcelain veneer. Six types of preparations were drawn as:incisal overlap of 0.5mm, 1mm and 1.5mm depth and lingual shoulder, and incisal overlap of 0.5mm, 1mm and 1.5mm depth without shoulder preparation. Results: Stress formation is maximum in the incisal edge region. All the lingual shoulder
... Show MoreThis research studied the relationship of patterns of investigator personality with the big five dimensions (Extraversion, stability, interoperability, openness, and personal benevolent), in facing the job stress with its resources(characteristics of the role, quality of work, organizational structure, work environment, organizational policies, social relations, and organizational processes) which the investigators exposed to it at the General Inspectors Offices.
The researcher derived the idea of research from the importance of the work of these offices in a confrontation of various cases of financial and administrative corruption in Iraq at the present time, since itis one of the most important in
... Show MoreThis study was conducted to determine the ability of water treatment system (Vortisand) to reduce some chemical and physical properties for tigris river raw water, It consisted of turbidity, electrical conductivity, pH, total hardness, calcium Hardness as well as temperature in order to determine the unit`s efficiency for reducing their concentration as compared to those in the water produced by some classical potable water projects (Dora and Wathba) in Baghdad. Samples were collected during the cold months (December 2016 and January 2017) and during the hot months (May and June 2017). The results showed that this system has the ability to reduce some properties such as turbidity, the values were 215NTU in raw water and decreased to NTU
... Show MoreInflammation of the tonsils could be described as acute tonsillitis, mainly due to infection. Recurrent tonsillitis could be defined as 3-7 episodes during the first 3 years of age. Vitamin D, which is a neuro-hormone with pleiotropic biological activities may modulate the immune response by alleviation, and stimulation of Th1 and Th2 cell proliferation, respectively, that influence the stimulation, synthesis, and secretion of both pro and anti-inflammatory cytokines. In this study we aimed to shed light on the levels of vitamin D in children with different episodes of tonsillitis in association with levels of interleukins (TNFα, IL-2, IL-4, IL-10). Blood samples were collected from 48 participants in 3 groups: control, acute tonsilliti
... Show MoreThis research aims to identify the effect of numbered heads strategy on developing oral expression skills among fifth-grade primary students in Bisha Province. To achieve this, the researcher prepared a research tool represented in the observation card which consists of (27) statements distributed in four axes. The tool was sent to (5) experts in the field to verify their validity. In light of their corrections, the tool was developed to be valid for gathering field information. To verify the validity of the content and the reliability of the tool, the researcher applied it to a sample consists of (20) students from outside the research group. The overall coefficient of correlation between the statements of the tool is as follows: (.95,
... Show MoreIn this work, chemical and thermal treatment were used to enhance silica extract on the purity of rice husk and to reduce the impurities associated with the extraction of silica. The thermal degradation of rice husk was studied. The characteristics and thermal degradation behavior of rice husk which investigated using thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA). Hydrochloric acid was used to soak the rice husk and the study of leaching influence is followed by XRF tests for samples before and after the combustion process. Acid treatment and combustion method seem to have a clear effect on silica purity. The pyrolysis processes were carried out at Laboratory temperature up to 650 oC in the presence of nitrogen gas flowing at 150 ml/min. The effect o
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