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: Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) is a prototypical resistant bacterium in root canal infections and a leading cause of endodontic treatment failure. German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) flower extract has been used as a traditional medicine to treat infections. The aim of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial efficacy of chamomile extract on the removal of E. faecalis root canal biofilm. Materials and Methods: Chamomile flower extract was prepared and subjected to detailed chemical analysis. For the in vitro biofilm model, human mandibular premolars (n=48) with 18-20mm working length were used. Root canal preparation was performed using the ProTaper® Next system. Each sample was split longitudinally and reassem
... Show MoreUse of electrodes that provide a high surface area for reaction, such as Nickel foam and Carbon Fiber Felt, has proven highly efficient in treating wastewater. In this study, a mixture of dyes (Eosin Y, Methylene Blue, and Methylene Violet) was treated using Ni foam as a cathode and carbon fiber felt as an anode in the Electro-Fenton process, relying on iron waste, such as iron filings, as the catalyst source. The analysis characterization of electrodes and iron filings was determined by Energy dispersive X-Ray (EDX) and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) tests. The results showed high efficiency in decomposing the dye mixture. The highest Re % 96.4591 which attained after accomplishing the experiments based on Response Surface Method (RSM)
... Show MoreKE Sharquie, AA Noaimi, AM Oweid, JSSDDS, 2009 - Cited by 2
To assess the impact of COVID‐19 on oral hygiene (OH) awareness, attitude towards dental treatment, fear of infection and economic impact in the Middle East.
This survey was performed by online distribution of questionnaires in three countries in the Middle East (Jordan, Iraq and Egypt). The questionnaire consisted of five sections: the first section was aimed at collecting demographic data and the rest sections used to assess OH awareness, attitude towards dental treatment, degree of fear and economic impact of COVID‐19. The answers were either multiple choice, closed‐end (Yes or N
Background: Pain and the usage of local anesthetic agents are still real problem in pediatric dentistry, for these reasons, the use of minimal invasive dentistry (MID) in regard to the patient comfort is important especially for children, anxious and uncooperative patients. Chemomechanical caries removal (CMCR) methods involve the selective removal of the carious dentine hence it avoided the painful removal of the sound dentine and the anxiety resulted due to the vibration of the hand piece which is also decreased thus it appears to be more acceptable and comfortable to the patient. Aims of this study: This study was conducted among group of children to assess and compare the anxiety rating scale (during and after treatment) between the
... Show MoreExamining of 80 feces samples showed that 31 samples of the house and stray cats harbored either single or mixed infection with eight species of parasites and protozoa with a total infection rate 38.75 %.The results on parasite classes are: Toxocara cati (5%), Ancylostoma tubeforme (3.75%), Capillaria felis(3.75%), Isospora sp.(10%), Cryptosporidium parvum(3.75%), Cryptosporidium muris (6.25%), Toxoplasma gondi (3.75%), Giardia sp.(2.5%) infection from feces of cats that showed single, double and triple infections. Our findings revealed the risk for public health, thus preventive measures should be implemented.
Showing animal shapes is one of the primary topics since the discovery of cave drawings, with semantic discourses, as they appeared in the ancient civilization of Iraq, with their discourse and intellectual structure, and their reflections on their plastic achievements. The research deals with three topics: the first (an introduction to the concept of discourse), the second: (the historical roots of animal forms), and the third (the manifestation of animal forms and their discourse, in Mesopotamia). Mesopotamian fauna and its concepts? What are the?, Its importance was also represented in: the presence of animals and their semantic and conceptual discourse, especially the sculptures (the lion and the bull), with the aim of revealing the
... Show MoreThis study explored the development and qualities of the response of electrochemical properties of enrofloxacin-selective electrodes using precipitation based on producing phosphotungstic, after utilizing a matrix of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and dibutyl phthalate or dibutyl phosphate as a plasticizer. The resulting membrane sensors were an enrofloxacin-phosphotungstic electrode (sensors 1) and an ENR-DOP-PTA electrode (sensors 2). Linear responses of (ENR-DBPH-PTA) and (ENR-DOP-PTA) within the concentration ranges of 2.1×10-6-10-1 and 3.0×10-6-10-2 mol. L-1, respectively, for both sensors were observed. Slopes of 51.61±0.24 and 39.40± 0.16 mV/decade and pH ranges equal to 2.5-8.5
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