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.
The surgical treatment of inferior turbinate hypertrophy (ITH) is challenging. Submucosal diathermy (SMD) is a well-known surgical procedure used for the treatment of ITH, microdebrider-assisted rhinoplasty (MAT) is relatively a newer technique used in the management of ITH. To evaluate the effect of MAT on inferior turbinate size and nasal airway patency in patients with bilateral ITH in comparison to SMD. Seventy-one patients presented with nasal obstruction due to bilateral ITH were allocated into two groups, group a (35 patients) were subjected to SMD and 36 patients in group B were subjected to MAT. All the patients had been sent to CT scan pre-operatively and at the third postoperative month to measure the cross-sectional areas
... Show MoreBackground: depressed mood and anxiety are common symptoms in hospitalized cancer patients .it is often presumed that anxiety and depression affect the occurrence and experience of physical symptoms . the researcher was aimed to assess the level of depression among cancer patients and the chemotherapy side effects and to find out the significant difference between depression level regarding these side effects.
Patients and methods: A descriptive analytical study was conducted on a purposive sample of 50 cancer patients from both sexes who were admitted to Radiation and Neuclur Medicine Hospital in Baghdad for the purpose of giving chemotherapy for the period from April 4th to June 20th , 2008. A structure
Background: planter fasciitis is a common condition
seen in adults and sport men, it is characterized by dull
pain in the heel, especially when getting up and
standing on the foot in the morning or after sitting for a
long time.
Recently low level laser therapy is used as a method of
treatment.
Objective: to evaluate the benefit of laser therapy in
treatment of planter fasciitis.
Methods: Out of twenty five patients with planter
fasciitis exposed to laser therapy. Laser used is (diode
type) given in two cessions per week for four weeks,
time for each cession is about (12 minutes).
Results: complete recovery seen in (32%) of patients,
moderate improvement in (16%), mild improvement in
(24%), no
Space is considered as an important element in constructing artwork, it can be a dominant and fulfilled part that adds new existence to the content. Each artwork must have a space artistically or analytically. The internal and eternal space of artwork have associated with each other in order to be ann important connected unit that establishes the work epressions and helps the audience to understand it. Such kind of works can be represented by the works of the potter (Sheinyor Abdu Allah) which have uarious expressions of space which this study is based on.The study aims at finding out the treatment of apace in the ceramic sculpture works of the potter (Sheinyar Abdu Allah).The second chapter has many sections. T
... Show MoreBackground: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is one of common peripheral nerve disorder which involves an entrapment neuropathy of the median nerve at the wrist which occurs either due to primary idiopathic cause or secondary to systemic causes. The diagnosis of CTS is clinical and supported by neurophysiological analysis. Surgical intervention is the main treatment modality.
Objective: The aim of the present study is to evaluate the effectiveness of low level laser therapy (LLLT) to treat mild – moderate CTS cases.
Pateients and methods: The study involves 60 symptomatic patients complaining of CTS were divided into two groups. Group A was subjected to real LLLT by Gallium – Arsenide (Ga-As) laser (904 nm), whereas group B was sub
Sewage sludge samples were collected from Al-rasafa and Al-karkh refinement stations which represent the main stations of Baghdad city. Samples were collected from all treatment stages: before, after, and during refinement processes. The High Purity Germanium Coaxial Detector system with energy resolution 1.8 keV for energy line 1333 keV of Co – 60 radioactive sources was used to measure radioactivity from both natural and artificial sources. GENIE – 2000 analysis the results statistically and qualitatively. The results showed that all sewage sludge samples exhibited natural radioactive level and sometimes less than the international regular standards, but Al–Karkh station showed increment in radioactive levels than Al– Rasa
... Show MoreEndometriosis is a common women health disorder that occurs when Endometrial-like tissue grows outside the uterus. This may lead to irregular bleeding , pelvic pain, infertility and other complications. Metformin, because of its activity to improve insulin sensitivity, it is used for the treatment of diabetes; it also has a modulatory effect on ovarian steroid production and has anti-inflammatory properties, all may suggest its possible effect in treatment of endometriosis. This study was planned to determine the effect of metformin on serum levels of&nbs
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The most famous thing a person does is talk. He loves and hates, and continues with it confirming relationships, and with it, too, comes out of disbelief into faith. Marry a word and separate with a word. He reaches the top of the heavens with a kind word, with which he will gain the pleasure of God, and the Lord of a word that the servant speaks to which God writes with our pleasure or throws him on his face in the fire. Emotions are inflamed, the United Nations is intensified with a word, and relations between states and war continue with a word.
What comes out of a person’s mouth is a translator that expresses the repository of his conscience and reveals the place of his bed, for it is evidence of
... Show MoreFive isolates (25%) of Klebsiella pneumoniae were isolated from urine samples. In addition also isolated bacteria were (10) 50% Escherichia coli, while (3)15% Proteus spp., (2)10% Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The ethanolic extract of Cinnamomum zeylanicum bark were tested against Klebsiella pneumoniae by using the well agar diffusion test, the alcoholic bark extract from (200 -12.5) mg/ml possessed antimicrobial activity against tested microorganism. At 200 mg/ml, and 100 mg/ml concentrations was diameter of inhibition zone rang from (18-26mm), (14-16mm) respectively, and these results compared to antibiotics Norfloxacin(10µg) inhibition zone (24-30mm), and Cefotaxim (10 µg) (26-27mm) as
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