Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease with polymorphic expression. B cells have an essential contribution in immune system activation via the production of different cytokines and functioning as potent antigen-presenting cells. Therefore, a drug that particularly targets B cells may represent an ideal therapeutic approach for SLE. Rituximab (RTX), an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody causing transient B-cell depletion, has been used to manage SLE. This study aims to assess Rituximab effects on lupus nephritis (LN) patients when added to conventional immunosuppressants. Twenty four patients, 15-32 years old, with class III/IV/V LN were involved in this study. All were on steroids before lupus nephritis occurrence. They were given rituximab induction therapy and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) maintenance therapy. RTX was indicated for refractory and relapsing SLE. Several investigations done before and after RTX treatment and in the last follow up (done one year after starting Rituximab). Those included protein in urine, serum creatinine, double stranded DNA, C3, C4, and Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR). Proteinuria decreased significantly after RTX treatment and in the last measurement (P=0.01 and P=0.001, respectively). Serum creatinine significantly decreased only in the last measurement (P=0.02). Double stranded DNA decreased remarkably after treatment (P=0.01) with a further decrease in the last measurement (P=0.006). C3 and C4 increased after treatment but the increase was significant only for C3 (P=0.002) and this increase continues till the last measurement (P=0.0006). Active urine sediments found in fifteen patients and disappeared after RTX treatment. Rituximab can be promising in treating lupus nephritis when used along with traditional immunosuppressants. It can reduce disease activity and improve renal function in such patients.
Background:- Cholesterol is high in ascetic fluid due
to malignancy and other causes of exudates.
Objective:-To use cholesterol as a marker to
differentiate between exudative and transudative
ascetic fluid and to compare that with other routine
parameters.
Methods:-Twenty eight patients were included in this
study 17 females with mean age of 41.9 years, 11
males with mean age of 48.2 years. The patients were
divided in group I suspected transudate, and group II
suspected exudate according to history and clinical
examination.
Ascetic fluid samples were sent for total protein,
albumin, and cholesterol measurement blood samples
were sent for serum protein and albumin measurement.
Results:-In this
Departments and offices of public relations and media in any institution or company is the most important departments that reflect the results of their work negatively or positively on their reputation. This goes beyond the trust and credibility that its internal and external audiences will give it. Where such matter requires the staff, working in these departments and offices, to have communication skills that qualify them to do the role of marketing the communication message. Yet, the communication skills of public relations and media staff vary from person to person depending on the communication position. This skill has two criteria: Achieving the communication goal and the speed in achieving it as a number of skills
... Show MoreAn inert matrix that is used to control the release of (PTX) was prepared using Eudragit RL100 and RSPM types as matrix forming agent . The matrices were prepared by either dry granulation(slugging) , or wet granulation method using chloroform as a solvent evaporation vehichle. The cumulative release was adjusted by using polyvinylpyrollidone (PVP) or ethylcellulose (EC) polymers .The results indicated that both methods of preparation were valid for incorporation PTX as a sustained release granules .Moreover ,the results revealed that best polymer used was Eudragit RSPM in 3:20 polymer drug ratio .Besides to that , the results indicated that the release profiles were affected by pH- medium&
... Show MoreIt is widely accepted that early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) makes it possible for patients to gain access to appropriate health care services and would facilitate the development of new therapies. AD starts many years before its clinical manifestations and a biomarker that provides a measure of changes in the brain in this period would be useful for early diagnosis of AD. Given the rapid increase in the number of older people suffering from AD, there is a need for an accurate, low-cost and easy to use biomarkers that could be used to detect AD in its early stages. Potentially, the electroencephalogram (EEG) can play a vital role in this but at present, no reliable EEG biomarker exists for early diagnosis of AD. The gradual s
... Show MoreIn this research, nanocomposites of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and a mixture of nano silica (SiO2) and nano zirconia (ZrO2) were prepared in different weight percentages of the nano fillers to improve some of the properties of PMMA resin to be used as a denture base material. The nano filles were surface modified with a coupling agent and added to the PMMA in different amounts. Impact strength, transverse strength, hardness and roughness were tested for both control and experimental groups. The results indicate that PMMA/silica/zirconia nanocomposites, prepared with 5% by weight of both types of fillers, had a slight increase in impact s
The 3D electro-Fenton technique is, due to its high efficiency, one of the technologies suggested to eliminate organic pollutants in wastewater. The type of particle electrode used in the 3D electro-Fenton process is one of the most crucial variables because of its effect on the formation of reactive species and the source of iron ions. The electrolytic cell in the current study consisted of graphite as an anode, carbon fiber (CF) modified with graphene as a cathode, and iron foam particles as a third electrode. A response surface methodology (RSM) approach was used to optimize the 3D electro-Fenton process. The RSM results revealed that the quadratic model has a high R2 of 99.05 %. At 4 g L-1 iron foam particles, time of 5 h, and
... Show MoreMetalloendo peptidase is a neutral endopeptidase that cleaves peptides at the amino side of hydrophobic residues and inactivates several peptide hormones, including atrial natriuretic factor, giucagon, enkephalin, substance p, neurotensin, oxytocin, and bradykinin. It is also a major enzyme for the degradation of beta-amyloid. This study aimed to measure enzyme activity and compare it with other biochemical changes in sera patients with diabetic nephropathy. The study included 35 pathological samples of people with diabetic nephropathy, 24 samples from males and 11 samples from females, as well as the same number of healthy people as a comparison group of 15 males, 20 females, with the ages of both groups of patients with diabetic nephropat
... Show MoreThis paper studies the main characteristics of the traditional urban configuration of Arab cities, as an important built heritage, discussing the approach adopted with such configuration at the local level, and examines its ability to preserve the character of the city, as well as, its responsiveness to the recent requirements of its society that constantly change; in order to reach the appropriate procedures to deal with the traditional urban configuration of the Iraqi city to achieve a vital cultural communication with the vernacular built heritage, by dealing with the Form-Moral Values structure. Due to its importance within other traditional Iraqi cities, the research chose Al-Kadhimiya as a case study, so it discusses and compares
... Show MoreBackground: Titanium implant is widely used in dentistry because of its extraordinary biocompatibility and mechanical properties. To increase bone–implant connection and provide early loading after placement, implant is stored in different storage medium and treated with UV light. Both of them are applicable methods to increase the bioactivity of titanium and overcome the biological aging. This study was designed to assess the effect of vacuum storage method and air storage with and without UV light treated of Cp Ti implant mechanically and histologically. Materials and methods: Titanium screws were acid etched and prepared in four different modes using different storage methods (air or vacuum and, with or without UV treatment. The implan
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