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.
Nowadays, many new technologies developed in a lot of countries. These technologies are promising in many areas such as environmental monitoring, precision agriculture as well as in animal production. The purpose of this study was to define a better understanding of how new and advanced technologies affect the agriculture and livestock sector alike. Although agriculture and animal husbandry are among the most important sectors, advanced equipment and information technology cannot be used adequately. This situation leads to low production efficiency. It is also known that there can be a significant difference in temperature between the position of the climate control sensor (room temperature) and the area occupied by the animal. This study e
... Show MoreA series of coumarin derivatives linked to amino acid ester side chains were synthesized and evaluated of their antibacterial and antifungal activity. The coumarin derivatives was alkylated by the ethyl bromoacetate and then using potassium carbonate to get alkylated hymecromone. Conventional solution method for amide bond formation was used as a coupling method between the carboxy-protected amino acids with acetic acid side chain of coumarin derivatives. The DCC/ HOBt coupling reagents were used for peptide bond formation. The proposed analogues were successfully synthesized and their structural formulas were consistent with the proposed struct
... Show MoreThe study aimed to reveal the possibility of predicting academic procrastination through both Cognitive distortions and time management among students of Al-Aqsa Community College, as well as to reveal the level of both cognitive distortions, time management, and academic procrastination. Additionally, it aimed to identify the size of the correlation between cognitive distortions, time management, and academic procrastination. The study sample consisted of (250) students from Al-Aqsa community college students. The results of the study concluded that the mean for each level of cognitive distortions and academic procrastination is average. The mean level of time management is high. There is a statistically significant positive relationshi
... Show MoreObjective: The objective of the present study was to design and optimize oral fast dissolving film (OFDF) of practically insoluble drug lafutidine in order to enhance bioavailability and patient compliance especially for a geriatric and unconscious patient who are suffering from difficulty in swallowing.Methods: The films were prepared by a solvent casting method using low-grade hydroxyl propyl methyl cellulose (HPMC E5), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (SCMC) as film forming polymers. Polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG400), propylene glycol (PG) and glycerin were used as a plasticizer to enhance the film forming properties of the polymer. Tween 80 (1% solution) and poloxamer407 were used as a surfactant, citri
... Show MoreEpithelial ovarian cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in women. To date, an effective screening tool for ovarian cancer has not been identified Several clinical and biological factors including serum cancer antigen 125 (CA- 125) have been assessed for prognostic and predictive relevance CA-125 is an epithelial marker derived from coelomic epithelium. It is elevated in 90% of advanced ovarian cancers and in 50% of early ovarian cancers while 20% of ovarian cancers have low or no expression of CA- 125 CA-125 concentrations were measured by Mini Vidas test (VIDAS CA125 II / BIOMERIEUX / France). The median CA-125 levels were significantly higher in the sera of ovarian cancer patients than in those with benign tumors an
... Show MoreHypertension is one of the main causes of heart disease; beta- blockers play a crucial role in the management of patients with essential hypertension. Bisoprolol is one of the widely used drugs for the treatment of hypertension. Bisoprolol tablets were prepared by two methods (direct and wet) using different proportion and types of diluents, different binder types and forms, then evaluated for, weight variation, hardness, friability, disintegration time and dissolution rate. The results were compared with a reference Bisoprolol tablet.
Both methods of preparation wet and direct compression method gave good results, which are consistent with the requirements of British Pharmacopeia and United States Pharmacopeia. It was found that
... Show MoreMn(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), and Cr(III) metal complexes with the ligand (L) [3-(2nitro benzylidene) amino-2-thioxoimidazolidin-4-one] have been prepared and characterized in their solid state using the elemental micro analysis (C.H.N.S), flame atomic absorption, UV-Vis spectroscopy, FT-IR, magnetic susceptibility measurements, and electrical molar conductivity. The ratio of metal to ligand [M:L] was got for all complexes in the ethanol by using the molar ratio method, which produced comparable results with those results obtained for the solid complexes. From the data of all techniques, octahedral geometry was proposed for Cr(III), Mn(II), and Co(II) complexes, while tetrahedral structure was proposed for Ni(II), Cu(II) complexes.