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: Otitis media with effusion is a common and important pediatric clinical problem; it is the leading cause of hearing impairment in children. Medical treatment remains controversial. Aim: To evaluate the usefulness of using topical nasal steroids in the treatment of otitis media with effusion. Patients and Methods: Between November 2019 and October 2022, a prospective controlled clinical study was carried out in the department of otolaryngology at Al-Jerrahat Teaching Hospital in Medical City, Baghdad, Iraq. This study comprised 40 patients with bilateral otitis media with effusion (23 males, 17 females). Two groups were created for the patients. Patients in group A (20 patients) were treated with mometasone furoate nasal spra
... Show MoreThe aesthetic and technical expertise help in producing the artistic work and achieving results in aesthetic formulations that reflect the aesthetic and expressive dimensions and the reflective dimensions of the pottery, surpassing its traditions, asserting its active presence in life, cherishing it even when it breaks or get damaged by employing techniques that are originated from the Japanese environment.
The research problem is to study how ( Kintsugi) technique and similar techniques are used to create new rebirths of pottery piec
... Show MoreReintervention after balloon angioplasty is often considered inevitable in children with coarctation of the aorta (COA). The present study aimed to evaluate predictors of re-intervention after balloon angioplasty for COA, with the goal of identifying patient and procedural characteristics that may influence long-term outcomes
The aim: In this study, we present and evaluate the vest-over-pants technique as a simple way to correct urethrocutaneous fistulas after hypospadias. Materials and methods: Between October 2018 and June 2020, twenty male patients aged 5 to 20 years came to us with post hypospadias repair fistula, these patients underwent vest-over-pant repair of their fistula. The size of fistula was ranging between 2.5-5 mm. The distribution of fistula was coronal (3 patients), distal penile (9 patients), midshaft (2 patients) and proximal penile (6 patients). In 14 patients there were single fistula and 6 patients had more than one fistula. Eleven of patients were exposed to a previous failed fistula repair procedure. Results: Six months after the operati
... Show MoreResearch deals the crises of the global recession of the facets of different and calls for the need to think out of the ordinary theory and find the arguments of the theory to accommodate the evolution of life, globalization and technological change and the standard of living of individuals and the size of the disparity in income distribution is not on the national level, but also at the global level as well, without paying attention to the potential resistance for thought the usual classical, Where the greater the returns of factors of production, the consumption will increase, and that the marginal propensity to consume may rise and the rise at rates greater with slices of low-income (the mouths of the poor) wi
... Show MoreMost of drinking water consuming all over the world has been treated at the water treatment plant (WTP) where raw water is abstracted from reservoirs and rivers. The turbidity removal efficiency is very important to supply safe drinking water. This study is focusing on the use of multiple linear regression (MLR) and artificial neural network (ANN) models to predict the turbidity removal efficiency of Al-Wahda WTP in Baghdad city. The measured physico-chemical parameters were used to determine their effect on turbidity removal efficiency in various processes. The suitable formulation of the ANN model is examined throughout many preparations, trials, and steps of evaluation. The predict
Rhythm is considered one of the creative concepts in the recent architectural thought; it has emerged clearly as a mean of creating the highest levels of creativity in architecture, especially in contemporary architectural movements. The importance of rhythm has emerged, especially, when the architecture , its beginnings concentrated on the principle of the links with poetic structures. Many architectural studies deal with concept of rhythm in architecture with different ways various according to the trend of each study, this show the importance of studying the concept of rhythm in the architectural field in general. This study try to focus on the utilization of rhythm as creative system in architecture of heritage and contemporary
... Show MoreSalmonella enteritidis one of more important as epidemiological bacteria between other salmonella types. It is very important pathologically that cause food poising and gastrointestinal tract infections. This study includes some of immunological changes that appear by ELISA test and antibiotic sensitivity test against these bacteria in mice. ELISA test results appears high immunological response happen after 3 days of inoculation, mean titration readings beginning 0.198 and the maximum mean titration after 15 days of inoculation 1.538 and begin to decrease after this time slowly to remain about 0.297 after 40 days of inoculation. An antibiotics sensitivity test result appears, this bacteria sensitive to Chloramphenicol, Ceftriaxone,
... Show MoreThe experimental and theoretical methods were studied for inhibition of the corrosion titanium in HCl by using neomycin sulfate drug. The results of neomycin sulfate drug had good corrosion protection for titanium in hydrochloric acid and the inhibition efficiency (%IE) increasing with increasing concentration of drug because the neomycin sulfate drug had adsorption from acid solution on surface of titanium metal. The program of hyperchem-8.07 was used for theoretical study of the drug by molecular mechanics and semi-empirical calculations. Quantum chemical was studied drug absorption and electron transferred from the drug to the Titanium metal, also inhibition potentials of drug attachment with the (LUMO-HOMO) energy gap,
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