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.
Electronic properties such as density of state, energy gap, HOMO (the highest occupied molecular orbital) level, LUMO (the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital) level and density of bonds, as well as spectroscopic properties like infrared (IR), Raman scattering, force constant, and reduced masses for coronene C24, reduced graphene oxide (rGO) C24O5and interaction between C24O5and NO2gas molecules were investigated. Density functional theory (DFT) with the exchange hybrid function B3LYP with 6-311G** basis sets through the Gaussian 09 W software program was used to do these calculations. Gaussian view 05 was em
... Show MorePhase change materials are known to be good in use in latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) systems, but one of their drawbacks is the slow melting and solidification processes. So that, in this work, enhancing heat transfer of phase change material is studied experimentally for in charging and discharging processes by the addition of high thermal conductive material such as copper in the form of brushes, which were added in both PCM and air sides. The additions of brushes have been carried out with different void fractions (97%, 94% and 90%) and the effect of four different air velocities was tested. The results indicate that the minimum brush void fraction gave the maximum heat transfer in PCM and reduced the time
... Show MoreSoaking dentures with disinfection solutions is an effective way of keeping dentures in a healthy status; however, immersions in these solutions have a negative effect on the bond strength of denture base and denture teeth. The aim of this study was to evaluate the bond strength between denture acrylic teeth and heat-cured Poly (methyl methacrylate) denture base material (with and without nano silica) after disinfection with different chemical disinfectants for a simulated period of six months. One hundred specimens of maxillary central incisors attached to PMMA were divided into two groups; 50 specimens of PMMA without nano silica and 50 specimens of PMMA reinforced with 5 wt% of nano silica. Specimens of each group were immersed in five i
... Show MoreThe research aims to know the impact of the innovative matrix strategy and the problem tree strategy in teaching mathematics to intermediate grade female students on mathematical proficiency. To achieve the research objectives, an experimental approach and a quasi-experimental design were used for two equivalent experimental groups. The first is studied according to the innovative matrix strategy, the second group is studied according to the problem tree strategy. The research sample consisted of (32) female students of the first intermediate grade, who were intentionally chosen after ensuring their equivalence, taking into several factors, most notably (chronological age, previous achievement, and intelligence test). The research tools con
... Show MoreIn this research ,Undoped Nio and 1%Li doped Nio thin films were deposited utilizing chemical spray pyrolysis on the glass substrates heated (450C). The effects of non-thermal plasma on the structural and optical properties were studied. XRD measurement shows that Nio and Nio:1%Li films were found to be polycrystalline and have cubic structure with a preferred orientation (111). Decreased crystal size after exposure especially at (7) sec. AFM data indicate that the surface roughness average and (RMS) values of the prepared doped films are increasing after exposure to plasma, the transmittance increases after doped samples exposure to plasma, it was found that the energy gap value decreased when doped samples exposure to plasma, also, thickn
... Show MoreAuthentic materials are the most important tools that the teacher could use in class in order to make teaching go smoothly and effectively in transmitting the necessary knowledge to all students. This research has investigated experimentally the effect of using authentic materials in teaching English as a foreign Language, because a number of studies point out that the use of authentic materials is regarded a useful means to motivate learners, arouse their interest and expose them to the real language they will face in real life situations.
It is hypothesis that there is no statistical significance difference between the experimental group who taught English as a foreign language by using the authentic materials with those
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