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.
This study aims to establish an empirical correlation between biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) of the sewage flowing in Al-Diwaniyah wastewater treatment plant. The strength of the wastewater entering the plant varied from medium to high. High concentrations of BOD5 and COD in the effluent were obtained due to the poor performance of the plant. This was observed from the BOD5 /COD ratios that did not confirm with the typical ratios for the treated sewage. To improve the performance of this plant, regression equations for BOD5 and COD removal percentages were suggested which can be used to facilitate rapid effluent assessment or optimal process control. The equations relating the percentage removal of
... Show MoreBackground: Parotid gland tumors account for 80% of all salivary gland neoplasms, 20% of these are malignant, but in daily clinical practice most parotid masses are operated on before obtaining the final histological diagnosis. This clinical setting further complicates the critical point of parotid surgery, which is the management of the facial nerve. Materials and methods: 45 patients underwent parotidectomy for benign and malignant neoplasms. A complete history is collected from the patients with the duration and the site of the tumor, the facial nerve examined and its associations, a medical consultation done for opinion and management. Clinical examination with facial nerve was mandatory to avoid any mistakes that may occur. The most si
... Show MoreGeotechnical engineering like any other engineering field has to develop and cope with new technologies. This article intends to investigate the spatial relationships between soil’s liquid limit (LL), plasticity index (PI) and Liquidity index (LI) for particular zones of Sulaymaniyah City. The main objective is to study the ability to produce digital soil maps for the study area and determine regions of high expansive soil. Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) interpolation tool within the GIS (Geographic Information System) program was used to produce the maps. Data from 592 boreholes for LL and PI and 245 boreholes for LI were used for this study. Layers were allocated into three depth ranges (1 to 2, 2 to 4 and 4 to 6)
... Show MoreA lower extracellular pH is one of the few well-documented physiological differences between tumour and normal tissues. On the other hand, elevated glutathione (GSH) level has been detected in many tumours compared with healthy surrounding tissues. The compound II: 3-(9H-purin-6-yl-thio) carbonothionyl methyl-8-oxo-7-(2-thiophen-2-yl) acetamido-5-thia-1-azabicyclo-4-octo-ene-carboxylic acid was a cephalothin derivative contain 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP). Compound II react with general base catalysis in slightly acidic pH or with sulfhydryl nucleophiles to release the chemotherapeutic drug 6-MP. The generation of compound II was accomplished following multistep reaction procedures. The structure of compound II and its intermediate was confir
... Show MoreArrested precipitation methode used to synthesize CuInSe2 (CIS) nanocrystals were added to a hot solvent with organic capping ligands to control nanocrystal formation and growth. CIS thin films deposited onto Soda-Lima Glass (SLG) substrate by spray-coat, then selenized in Ar-atmosphere to form CIS thin films. PVs were made with power conversion efficiencies of 0.631% as-deposited and 0.846% after selenization, for Mo coated, under AM 1.5 illuminations. (XRD) and (EDX) it is evident that CIS have chalcopyrite structure as the major phase with a preferred orientation along (112) direction and Cu:In:Se nanocrystals is nearly 1:1:2 atomic ratio.
Because of cost-effective production and abundant resources of calcium, Ca-ion batteries (CIBs) are an appropriate option to alternate Li-ion batteries (LIBs). A new category of anode materials for CIBs has emerged since the successful synthesis of carbon nanotubes, which are B and N doped derivatives of it. For high-performance CIBs, BC2N nanotube (BC2NNT) has been studied as promising anode materials. In order to comprehend electrochemical attributes, cycling stability, and adsorption behavior of BC2NNT, first-principles computations have been executed. Based on nuclear magnetic resonance computations, two types of hexagonal rings (B2C2N2 (I) and BC4N (II)) were specified that are non-aromatic. Ca has adsorption on B2C2N2 and BC4N with ad
... Show MoreBackground: Asthma is one of the most common chronic respiratory diseases in the world, standing for the most frequent cause for hospitalization and emergency cases. Respiratory viruses are the most triggering cause. Aim: To assess the role of viral infections, especially COVID-19, in the pathogenesis of asthma initiation and exacerbations. Method: Electronic search was done for the manuscripts focusing on asthma as a risk factor for complications after COVID-19 infection. The outcomes were titles, materials, methods and classified studies related or not related to the review study. Three hundred publications were identified and only ten studies were selected for analysis. Seven studies were review, one retrospective, one longitudin
... Show MoreLawful protection of the human gene conceded a moral concern regarding the future of existence human. After the discovery of the human genetic map, scientific experiments and research related to the human gene increased, negative applications of genetic engineering in particular that violate essential human rights, the right to human dignity to be specific. These practices represent actual challenges to the existence and diversity of current and future generations. Therefore, the presence of legal rules at the domestic and global levels is an absolute necessity to prohibit these threats and determine civil and criminal accountability for those who infringe any laws related to this issue.