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.
Recent years have witnessed an increase in the use of composite coatings for numerous applications, including aerospace, aircraft, and maritime vessels. These materials owe this popularity surge to the superior strength, weight, stiffness, and electrical insulation they exhibit over conventional substances, such as metals. The growing demand for such materials is accompanied by the inevitable need for fast, accurate, and affordable nondestructive testing techniques to reveal any possible defects within the coatings or any defects under coating. However, typical nondestructive testing (NDT) techniques such as ultrasonic testing (UT), infrared thermography (IRT), eddy current testing (ECT), and laser shearography (LS) have failed to p
... Show MoreRotational Piezoelectric Energy Harvesting (RPZTEH) is widely used due to mechanical rotational input power availability in industrial and natural environments. This paper reviews the recent studies and research in RPZTEH based on its excitation elements and design and their influence on performance. It presents different groups for comparison according to their mechanical inputs and applications, such as fluid (air or water) movement, human motion, rotational vehicle tires, and other rotational operational principal including gears. The work emphasises the discussion of different types of excitations elements, such as mass weight, magnetic force, gravity force, centrifugal force, gears teeth, and impact force, to show their effect
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This research aims to design a multi-objective mathematical model to assess the project quality based on three criteria: time, cost and performance. This model has been applied in one of the major projects formations of the Saad Public Company which enables to completion the project on time at an additional cost that would be within the estimated budget with a satisfactory level of the performance which match with consumer requirements. The problem of research is to ensure that the project is completed with the required quality Is subject to constraints, such as time, cost and performance, so this requires prioritizing multiple goals. The project
... Show MoreGas and downhole water sink assisted gravity drainage (GDWS-AGD) is a promising gas-based enhanced oil recovery (EOR) process applicable for reservoirs associated with infinite aquifers. However, it can be costly to implement because it typically involves the drilling of multiple vertical gas-injection wells. The drilling and well-completion costs can be substantially reduced by using additional completions for gas injection in the oil production wells through the annulus positioned at the top of the reservoir. Multi-completion-GDWS-AGD (MC-GDWS-AGD) can be configured to include separate completions for gas injection, oil, and water production in individual wells. This study simulates
Addressed this research the impact of intelligence emotional dimensions of the main(self awareness, and self-management, and social awareness, and relationship management) in the performance excellence the university(performance optimization, and strategic development) this is by middling the styles decision making which are (rational and intuitive, and dependent, and spontaneous, and avoidant), and Go search of an intellectual dilemma raise fundamental questions revolve around the search was to answer those questions through a theoretical framework for search variables first and test models of the relationship and second through the impact six hypotheses President.The objective of the research to make sure the contr
... Show MoreExpected to The organizational commitment by employees increases their loyalty towards their organization and thus contribute to enhancing their performance , therefore this study aimed to discover the relationship and the impact between the organizational commitment (emotional commitment, standard commitment, continuous commitment) and the performance of employees in the company researched, additional to know the available organizational commitment levels of employees in the company researched and its impact on the performance of employees, Research was conducted at the General Company for products in the dairy to achieve the goals of research has been developed questionnaire conation (22 ) items to collect data from the study s
... Show MoreThe current research examines the employment of indicators of stereotypes and the dimensions of organizational clarification to achieve planned organizational behaviour on a sample of employees in a number of departments of the Faculties of Engineering, University of Kufa, for a sample of (122) teaching staff. This research proposes the use of positive indicators of stereotypes for both the organization and employees and their awareness of what they want to obtain and what should be done for both parties and the removal of organizational clarity represented by the functional dimension that explores to what degree the employee's understanding of the internal strategy of the organization and the strategic dimension that searches fo
... Show MoreThe increase in obesity and the many accompanying diseases is attributed to the increased production and consumption of foods made of non-nutritive sweeteners without regard to the risks of consuming additional calories, and this in turn leads to hormonal imbalance and metabolic disorders and the resulting imbalance and ill health that have spread to all segments of society. During the research, 0.01, 0.02, 0.03, 0.04 and 0.05 % of stevia sweetener was added to the cream instead of the sugar used. Physical and chemical tests were performed for the stevia extract and the microbial content in the cream, as well as the sensory evaluation. It was noted that fortifying the cream with calorie-free stevia sugar led to the production of
... Show MoreThe importance of this research is due to its importance goals, Which are about the attempt of researchers to investigate the probability of depending on businesses, environments to transform organizations, performance in away that enhance the leading role of organizations in their environments , and through views of a number of the staff working in the foundation of technical institutes in Mosul. .
After deciding the methodology of the study that ,in one hand ,performs the goals of the study , and achieving a suitable theoretical framework to present the concepts of businesses, environments and the leadin
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