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 was conducted at the poultry farm located in the College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, University of Baghdad, Abu Gharib (the old site), and laboratories of the Animal Production Department, Jadriya, to investigate the effect of adding hydrogen peroxide H2O2 at nanoscale levels to semen diluents of local roosters sperm in a number of semen characteristics. In this study, 80 roosters local Iraqi chickens were used, the roosters were trained three times a week, to collect semen, until the largest number of them responded. Then the best 40 of the roosters were elected for the purpose of collecting the semen with a pooled sample, and then the samples were diluted and divided equally into four parts. The concentrations of 0, 1
... Show MoreA total of 165 clinical sample included Urine, Swab wounds and Burns were collected from Baghdad Governorate. Results showed that rate all isolates of E. coli was 50(30.3%) and rate of urine infection was 46(92%) and rate of swab wounds infection 4(8%). Where was diagnostic based on streaked on MacConkey agar, then single colony was transferred to Eosin Methylene Blue (EMB). Identification some of the biochemical test included: Catalase test, Oxidase test, Indole test, Methyl red, Vogues - Proskauer test and Citrate Utilization test. Then confirmed by the Vitek - 2 Compact System. The ability of E.coli isolate to biofilm formation to be studied it is considered one of the most important factors of virulence and has role in causing injury an
... Show MoreIn the present study, a novel ligand (L) made of 2-hydroxynaphthaldehyde and 3-hydrazone-1,3-dihydro-indole-2-one(3-[(3-hydroxynaphthalen-2-yl-ethylidene)-hydrazono]-1,3-dihydro-indol-2-one). The ligand was characterized by FTIR, UV-vis, mass, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, and CHN elemental analysis. New complexes of this ligand were created by treating methanol and a drop of DMF solution of the produced ligand with the hydrated metal salts of Mn(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II) in a molar ratio of 2:1 (L:M). As a result, complexes have been emerged and identified FTIR, UV-vis, C.H.N., chloride-containing, molar conductance, magnetic susceptibility, and atomic absorption. The characterization result for each complex indicated complexes wi
... Show MoreAlthough a great deal of works has been done on the area of capital structure and dividend policy, there is still insufficient knowledge of how these policies affect stock prices. This shortcoming may have been originated from the separation between both policies when investigating their effect on stock prices. Based on this point, this research adopts a new technique (completely randomized design), to combine the effect of capital structure and dividend policy on stock prices rather than separating between them. The study used panel based regression analysis depending on the sample of 30 service and industrial Jordanian firms for the period of 2001-2010. The result of test hypotheses found the following; 1) dividend payout has a
... Show MoreThis study aimed to identify the quality of the career path and its relation to organizational excellence at King Khalid University in the Faculty of Business from the point of view of the faculty members by identifying the dimensions quality of work-life including (participation of decision making, training and development opportunities, and the balance between personal and work life, and to identify the level of organizational excellence through dimensions ( Excellence of leadership, excellence of the strategy, and excellence of organizational culture). The descriptive approach was used. The questionnaire was a research tool. It consisted of (29) paragraphs, distributed to the entire study community and then received 127
... Show MoreThe researchers have recently noticed the interest in the problem of overweight and how to find solutions to it until it is now at the forefront in terms of innovating various and different methods and treatment methods, and the interest in developing health fitness is one of the most important requirements of physical activity for the trainees, which led to the multiplicity of sports activities that promote the health aspect For the individual, in addition to the aesthetic aspect, the problem lies in not adopting training programs according to codified scientific foundations aiming, in addition to reducing weight, to raise the general health level of the trainee participating in fitness institutes, as the trainers do not follow the
... Show MoreThere are many techniques that can be used to estimate the spray quality traits such as the spray coverage, droplet density, droplet count, and droplet diameter. One of the most common techniques is to use water sensitive papers (WSP) as a spray collector on field conditions and analyzing them using several software. However, possible merger of some droplets could occur after they deposit on WSP, and this could affect the accuracy of the results. In this research, image processing technique was used for better estimation of the spray traits, and to overcome the problem of droplet merger. The droplets were classified as non-merged and merged droplets based on their roundness, then the merged droplets were separated based on the average non-m
... Show MoreThis research aims to knowledge of the scope of applying the international specification of which is regarded to occupational health and safety management system (OHSAS 18001) second edition for year 2007 by The AL-Mammon Factory / The General Company For Vegetable Oils Industry in order to diagnosis the gap between specification requirements and reality by using the checklist made based upon the items of the specification, after translating the English copy into Arabic. The results of the research and analysis that occupational health and safety management system in comparison to the specification requirements in all of its main items, which was (%22.26) applied and documented partly, this refer to the existence of great gap (%7
... Show MoreObjectives: To assess levels of premenstrual psychological disorders of the students in Bab Al-Mua’dham Complex and to find out the relationship between the levels of premenstrual psychological and physical disorders and some demographic characteristics of the students. Methodology: A descriptive study was accomplished throughout the period from the 1st of October, 2015 to the 8th of July, 2016 to assess the psychological and physical problems. A purposive sample of 313 students distributed among different colleges of Bab Al-Mua’dam complex distributed as following: 82 students are from college of Arts; 79
Focusing of Gaussian laser beam through nonlinear media can induce spatial self- phase modulation which forms a far field intensity pattern of concentric rings. The nonlinear refractive index change of material depends on the number of pattern rings. In this paper, a formation of tunable nonlinear refractive index change of hybrid functionalized carbon nanotubes/silver nanoparticles acetone suspensions (F-MWCNTs/Ag-NPs) at weight mixing ratio of 1:3 and volume fraction of 6x10-6 , 9x10-6 , and 18x10-6 using laser beam at wavelength of 473nm was investigated experimentally. The results showed that tunable nonlinear refractive indices were obtained and increasing of incident laser power density led to increase the nonlinear refractive inde
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