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.
Background: The roles of AI in the academic community continue to grow, especially in the enhancement of learning outcomes and the improvement of writing quality and efficiency. Objectives: To explore in depth the experience of senior pharmacy students in using artificial intelligence for academic purposes. Methods: This qualitative study included face-to-face individual interviews with senior pharmacy students from March to May 2023 using a pre-planned interview guide of open-ended questions. All interviews were audio-recorded. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Results: The results were obtained from 15 in-depth face-to-face interviews with senior pharmacy students (5th and 4th years). Eight participants were male, and seven
... Show MoreIn the present survey 18 species of endo and ecto-parasites were recorded during the examination of 50 Mus musculus (Linnaeus, 1758) among 10 localities in Erbil city, of which 7 species were protozoan and as follows : Chilomastix bettencourti (da Fonseca 1915)82%; Giardia muris (Filice, 1952) 68%; Tritrichomonas muris (Grassi,1879)36%; Entamoeba histolytica (Schaudinn,1903) 24%; Entamoeba coli (Grassi,1879)32%; Eimeria sp. 28% and Trypanosoma musculi (Kendall,1906)2%; and 8 species were helminthes as follows: 4 Cestodes: Rodentolepis nana (von Siebold, 1852) 8%; Hymenolepis diminuta (Rudolphi, 1819)2%; larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus (Batsch, 1786)8%, Cysticercus fasciolaris (Rudolphi, 1808)6%, 4 Nematodes: Aspiculuris tetrapter
... Show MoreAbsence or hypoplasia of the internal carotid artery (ICA) is a rare congenital anomaly that is mostly unilateral and highly associated with other intracranial vascular anomalies, of which saccular aneurysm is the most common. Blood flow to the circulation of the affected side is maintained by collateral pathways, some of which include the anterior communicating artery (Acom) as part of their anatomy. Therefore, temporary clipping during microsurgery on Acom aneurysms in patients with unilateral ICA anomalies could jeopardize these collaterals and place the patient at risk of ischemic damage. In this paper, we review the literature on cases with a unilaterally absent ICA associa
In this paper, several combination algorithms between Partial Update LMS (PU LMS) methods and previously proposed algorithm (New Variable Length LMS (NVLLMS)) have been developed. Then, the new sets of proposed algorithms were applied to an Acoustic Echo Cancellation system (AEC) in order to decrease the filter coefficients, decrease the convergence time, and enhance its performance in terms of Mean Square Error (MSE) and Echo Return Loss Enhancement (ERLE). These proposed algorithms will use the Echo Return Loss Enhancement (ERLE) to control the operation of filter's coefficient length variation. In addition, the time-varying step size is used.The total number of coefficients required was reduced by about 18% , 10% , 6%
... Show MoreA novel Schiff base (SB) ligand, abbreviated as HDMPM, resulted from the condensation of 2-amino-4-phenyl-5-methyl thiazole and 4-(diethylamino)salicyaldehyde, and its metal complexes with [Co(II), Cu(II), Ni(II), and Zn(II)] ions in high yield were formed. The physico-chemical techniques such as elemental analysis, molar conductance, IR, 1H and 13C NMR, mass spectroscopy, and electronic absorption studies were utilized to characterize the synthesized compounds. The studied compounds were examined for their possible anticancer activity against a number of human cancerous cell lines, including A549 lung carcinoma, HepG2 liver cancer, HCT116 colorectal cancer, and MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines, with doxorubicin serving as the standard. The s
... Show MoreIn this research, the Williamson-Hall method and of size-strain plot method was employed to analyze X- ray lines for evaluating the crystallite size and lattice strain and of cadmium oxide nanoparticles. the crystallite size value is (15.2 nm) and (93.1 nm) and lattice strain (4.2 x10−4 ) and (21x10−4) respectively. Also, other methods have been employed to evaluate the crystallite size. The current methods are (Sherrer and modified Sherrer methods ) and their results are (14.8 nm) and (13.9nm) respectively. Each method of analysis has a different result because the alteration in the crystallite size and lattice strain calculated according to the Williamson-Hall and size-strain plot methods shows that the non-uniform strain in nan
... Show MoreThis research deals with a very important subject as it tries to change the theoretical and scientific heritage and some professional rules adopted in the newsroom. Most media students have difficulties in writing news for press correctly. The researcher tries to identify the compatibility of what is published in local news agencies with professional and academic standards.
The research finds detailed editorial rules for a number of news formats which will play an important role in writing news for press easily, especially for the beginners and newcomers. Also, it discovers a new fact denying the beliefs of some researchers and writers in not having news conclusion in news edited according to the inverted pyramid pattern.
The re
Seventy five adult virgin female Norway rats (60 experimental and 15 controls) were used toevaluate the effect of seeds of three herbs (Fennel, Cumin and Garden cress) on their mammaryglands. Experimental animals were fed with these herbs (each type of herb seeds was given to twentyexperimental rats) for fourteen days. Rats were sacrificed and mammary gland sections wereobtained, stained then morphometrically assessed. Serum prolactin level was performed too.Results revealed that Garden cress seeds are the strongest lactogenic agent among the three. BothFennel and Cumin seeds were shown to be very weak galactagogues.