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.
Fiber‐reinforced elastic laminated composites are extensively used in several domains owing to their high specific stiffness and strength and low specific density. Several studies were performed to ascertain the factors that affect the composite plates’ dynamic properties. This study aims to derive a mathematical model for the dynamic response of the processed composite material in the form of an annular circular shape made of polyester/E‐glass composite. The mathematical model was developed based on modified classical annular circular plate theory under dynamic loading, and all its formulas were solved using MATLAB 2023. The mathematical model was also verified with real experimental work involving the vibration test of the f
... Show MoreThe present work reports an approach of hydrothermal growth of ZnO nanorods, which simplifies the production of low cost films with controlled morphology for H2S gas sensor application. The prepared ZnO nanorods exhibit a hexagonal wurtzite phase analyzed by the X-ray diffraction analysis. The FTIR spectra provide information that the band located between 465-570 cm-1 corresponds to the stretching bond of Zn-O, which confirms the creation of ZnO. PL spectroscopic studies showed that the doping of Ag NPs and f-MWCNT in the ZnO matrix leads to the tuning of the bandgap. The SEM analysis showed the morphology of ZnO was the nanorods. The nanocomposites Ag/ZnO and F-MWCNT/ZnO which prepared, sep
... Show MoreThe Ilkhanid Mongols (651-756 AH / 1253-1355 AD) were interested in urbanization and construction in keeping with civilized countries and to have an architectural imprint that competed with the neighboring nations. The Ilkhan Öljeitü Muḥammad Khudābandeh (703-716 AH / 1303-1316 AD), known for his love of building and construction, wanted to have a capital that would immortalize his name and history, so he ordered its construction to compete with contemporary cities, and he summoned workers and engineers from all over the world to contribute to its construction. The city has several educational and service institutions such as schools, ribats, khanqas, mosques, hospitals, markets, and baths, as well as a mausoleum for him, which
... Show MoreThis experiment was conducted in the orchard of the Department of Horticulture,college of Agriculture,Baghdad University during the growing season of 2007 To study the effects of spray with three concentration of cultar(0,500,1000 mg.L-1) ,tow concentration of K2SO4(0,5g.L-1), and salinity of irrigation water with three concentration (1,2,3dS.m-1) on some characteristics of vegetative growth of two cultivars of apricot trees (Labib1 and Zienni).The age of trees was four years .The tree grafted on original of seed apricot . Afactorial trail was carry out according to randomized complete block design with arrangement of split-split with three replications. Salinity of irrigation water took main plot, potassium took sub plot and cultar took s
... Show MoreIn this work, two groups of nanocomposite material, was prepared from unsaturated polyester resin (UPE), they were prepared by hand lay-up method. The first group was consisting of (UPE) reinforced with individually (ZrO2) nanoparticles with particle size (47.23nm). The second group consists of (UPE) reinforced with hybrid nanoparticles consisting of zirconium oxide and yttrium oxide (70% ZrO2 + 30% Y2O3) with particles size (83.98nm). This study includes the effect of selected volume fraction (0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, 2%, 2.5%, 3%) for both reinforcement nano materials. Experimental investigation was carried out by analyzing the thermo-physical properties like thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity and specific heat for the polymeric composit
... Show MoreThe purpose of this paper is to identify environmental awareness under the Corona pandemic among students of the Faculty of Physical Education and Sports Sciences at the University of Kufa. and comparison of environmental awareness under the Corona pandemic between students of the Faculty of Physical Education and Sports Sciences at the University of Kufa. The two researchers used the descriptive approach in the style of the survey and comparisons to identify the research community in the students of the College of Physical Education and Sports Sciences at the University of Kufa for the academic year 2020-2021, who numbered (210) students, then a sample of (80) students was chosen randomly, with a percentage of (38.09%) from the research co
... Show MoreWe have studied Bayesian method in this paper by using the modified exponential growth model, where this model is more using to represent the growth phenomena. We focus on three of prior functions (Informative, Natural Conjugate, and the function that depends on previous experiments) to use it in the Bayesian method. Where almost of observations for the growth phenomena are depended on one another, which in turn leads to a correlation between those observations, which calls to treat such this problem, called Autocorrelation, and to verified this has been used Bayesian method.
The goal of this study is to knowledge the effect of Autocorrelation on the estimation by using Bayesian method. F
... Show MoreThe effect of short range correlations on the inelastic longitudinal Coulomb form
factors for the lowest four excited 2+ states in 18O is analyzed. This effect (which
depends on the correlation parameter β) is inserted into the ground state charge
density distribution through the Jastrow type correlation function. The single particle
harmonic oscillator wave function is used with an oscillator size parameter b. The
parameters β and b are, considered as free parameters, adjusted for each excited state
separately so as to reproduce the experimental root mean square charge radius of
18O. The model space of 18O does not contribute to the transition charge density. As
a result, the inelastic Coulomb form factor of 18
Background: Bone mineral density (BMD) has been assessed using Dual-Energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). This procedure is considered to be of vital importance in assessing the general condition of individuals concerning their skeletal mineralization. BMD is measured according to the results of the DEXA examination of the vertebral column and pelvis. Although diabetes mellitus (D.M.)is known to affect BMD, the information regarding this relationship is not currently particularly clear. Objective: This study concentrates on the point that the assessment of BMD for the vertebral column is insuffi-cient to give a realistic and correct picture of the mineralization of the remaining part of the skeleton. Besides, this study elicited a gen
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