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: In the Thermafil as a root canal obturation, system little is known about the effect that varying rates of insertion have on the adaptability of thermoplasticized GP and the amount of apical extrusion. Materials and methods: thirty simulated root canals were obturated with thermafil obturators and Apexit Plus sealer at three different insertion rates. The obturated canals were sectioned at three different levels, the sealer average film thickness for each section was calculated and the amount of apical extrusion for each canal was conducted. Results: the higher adaptability was seen with the faster insertion rate while the slower insertion rate showed fewer tendencies to cause apical extrusion. Conclusions: the intermediate i
... Show Moreفي الدراسة الحالية، تم تصنيع جسيمات ZrO2 النانوية باستخدام مستخلص نباتي مشتق من نبات Vitex agnus castus، ووسط قلوي مثل هيدروكسيد الصوديوم. تم استخدام أسلوب التخليق الحيوي لتحضير جزيئات أوكسيد الزركونيوم النانوية لهذا المشروع البحثي. تتميز هذه الطريقة عن غيرها بسبب فعاليتها من حيث التكلفة وبساطتها وقلة المخاطر المحتملة. وتم تشخيص العينات المحضرة باستخدام المجهر الإلكتروني النافذ TEM، المجهر الإلكتروني الماسح SEM،
... Show MoreBackground: Appreciation of the crucial role of risk factors in the development of coronary artery disease (CAD) is one of the most significant advances in the understanding of this important disease. Extensive epidemiological research has established cigarette smoking, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension as independent risk factors for CADObjective: To determine the prevalence of the 4 conventional risk factors(cigarette smoking, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension) among patients with CAD and to determine the correlation of Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) risk score with the extent of coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with unstable angina /non ST elevation myocardial infarction (UA/NSTEMI).Methods: We
... Show More3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-(3-(4-nitrobenzoyl) thioureido) propanoic acid (HNP) a new ligand was synthesized by reaction of Tyrosine with (4-Nitrobenzoyl isothiocyanate) by using acetone as a solvent. The prepared ligand (HNP) has been characterized by elemental analysis (CHNS), infrared (FT-IR), electronic spectral (Ultraviolet visible) and(1H,13C-Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) spectra. Some Divalent metal ion complexes of (HNP) were prepared and spectroscopic studies by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), electronic spectral(UV-Vis), molar conductance, magnetic susceptibility and atomic absorption. The results measured showed the formula of six prepared complexes were [M (HNP)2] (M+2 = Manganese, Cobalt, Nickel, Znic, Cadmium and Mercury),from the
... Show MoreThe research sought to identify the objective trends of postgraduate students at the College of Political Science - University of Baghdad for the period from 2000-2012 through the objective trends of university theses and dissertations and what are the most and least studied topics, with a re-adjustment of previously studied topics towards topics that serve issues of concern to society and avoiding topics that have been studied a lot to avoid repetition. The research came out with the following results, the most prominent of which are: The total number of what was accomplished in this college is 401 theses and dissertations, and the dissertations had the largest share of them, as their percentage reached 69%, with 275 theses compared to 126
... Show MoreUrinary tract infection is a bacterial infection that often affects the bladder and thus the urinary system. E. coli is one of the leading uropathogenic bacteria that cause urinary tract infections. Uropathogenic E. coli is highly effective and successful in causing urinary tract infections through biofilm formation and urothelial cell invasion mechanisms. Other organisms that cause urinary tract infections include members of the Enterobacteriaceae family, streptococci and staphylococci species and perch. In addition, K.penumoniae is another important gram-negative bacterium that causes urinary tract infections. With the PCR technique, unseen bacterial species can be detected using standard clinical microbiology methods. In this study, the
... Show MoreExperimental measurements were done for characterizing current-voltage and power-voltage of two types of photovoltaic (PV) solar modules; monocrystalline silicon (mc-Si) and copper indium gallium di-selenide (CIGS). The conversion efficiency depends on many factors, such as irradiation and temperature. The assembling measures as a rule cause contrast in electrical boundaries, even in cells of a similar kind. Additionally, if the misfortunes because of cell associations in a module are considered, it is hard to track down two indistinguishable photovoltaic modules. This way, just the I-V, and P-V bends' trial estimation permit knowing the electrical boundaries of a photovoltaic gadget with accuracy. This measure
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