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.
This paper presents an analysis of selected qualitative characteristics of pellets produced from rape straw obtained from cultivations subjected to different fertilization treatments and from mixtures of straw selected for testing with crude glycerol obtained as a by-product from biodiesel production. The assessment focused on the following qualities of the obtained pellets: Moisture content, mechanical durability, heating value and main elements, that is, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, sulphur, chlorine and oxygen. The obtained results indicated that the different treatment regimens applied in spring rape cultivations had a significant impact on the physicochemical qualities of the straw. In terms of the heating value, traditional fer
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This research aims to improve the provided health service level inside Baghdad hospitals and the Yarmouk educational, as well as to shed light on the reality of the health service and the quality within the major operations room in both hospitals, as the operations room represent the research community, as was the use of some quality tools Pareto and Ishikawa diagram to measure and assess the level of quality provided, and include research problem to find out what are the problems and obstacles facing the process of improving quality in both hospitals, and whether there are scientifically accurate method to assess the quality of health service in Baghdad's Yarmouk hospital and educational . Where the researcher h
... Show MoreThe V2O5 films were deposited on glass substrates which produce using "radio frequency (RF)"power supply and Argon gas technique. The optical properties were investigated by, UV spectroscopy at "radio frequency" (RF) power ranging from 75 - 150 Watt and gas pressure, (0.03, 0.05 and 0.007 Torr), and substrate temperature (359, 373,473 and 573) K. The UV-Visible analysis shows that the average transmittance of all films in the range 40-65 %. When the thickness has been increased the transhumance was decreased from (65-40) %. The values of energy band gap were lowered from (3.02-2.9 eV) with the increase of thickness the films in relation to an increase in power, The energy gap decreased (2.8 - 2.7) eV with an increase in the pressure and
... Show MoreCurrent research included preparation, characterization of some new chitosan- hydroxy benzaldehyde-Schiff bases with maleic anhydride. The present study aimed to the synthesis and characterization of novel chitosan Schiff base compounds using para- hydroxy benzaldeh and maleic anhydride. The derivative of the schiff-chitosan base, which is associated with different drugs, has been replaced with different amino and hydroxy drugs. The derivative is characterized by different analytical techniques. The results of FT-IR studies clearly indicate construction of the chief amine group in chitosan and the emergence of new bands that correspond to the association of maleic anhydride with the chitosan base. TGA, 1
... Show MoreIn the present work, the magnetic dipole and electric quadrupole moments for some sodium isotopes have been calculated using the shell model, considering the effect of the two-body effective interactions and the single-particle potentials. These isotopes are; 21Na (3/2+), 23Na (3/2+), 25Na (5/2+), 26Na (3+), 27Na (5/2+), 28Na (1+) and, 29Na (3/2+). The one-body transition density matrix elements (OBDM) have been calculated using the (USDA, USDB, HBUMSD and W) two-body effective interactions carried out in the sd-shell model space. The sd shell model space consists of the active 2s1/2, 1d5/2,
... Show MoreThis study was carried out at the Dept. Hortic. and Land.Gard., Coll. Agric. Eng.Sci., University of Baghdad during fall season of 2019-2020, in order to evaluate the effect of nutrient solution type under hydroponic system (NFT) on growth, yield and quality of broccoli Brassica oleracea var.italica. Two experiments were carried out which were the standard solution experiment (Cooper) and the alternative solution experiment (ABEER) prepared from fertilizers. Results revealed that the type of solution used in the hydroponics system had non significant effect on the leaves content of N,K, Mg, Fe, Cu, B, Chlorophyll, leaves number, root length, weight of the main heads, number of side heads were not significantly affected. 13nt, refl
... Show MoreIn the drilling and production operations, the effectiveness of cementing jobs is crucial for efficient progress. The compressive strength of oil well cement is a key characteristic that reflects its ability to withstand forceful conditions over time. This study evaluates and improves the compressive strength and thickening time of Iraqi oil well cement class G from Babylon cement factory using two types of additives (Nano Alumina and Synthetic Fiber) to comply with the American Petroleum Institute (API) specifications. The additives were used in different proportions, and a set of samples was prepared under different conditions. Compressive strength and thickening time measurements were taken under different conditions. The amoun
... Show MoreTwo series of 1,3,4-oxadiazole derivatives at the sixth position of the 2,4-di-
Labrotary experiment was conducted to study the effect of different levels of nematode population densities of Meloidogyne spp on seed germination percentage and seedling characteristics of Vigna sinensis, Ahelmoschus esculentus, Cicer arietinum, Helianthus annuus and Rap-hanus sativus. Four different levels of nematode populat-ion densities ranged from 1 to 4 prepared from radish in-fected roots and used as inoculating agent to infect all seed types in the experiment Seed germination percentage of Vigna sinensis and Ablemoschus eseulentus were highly reduced (at 0.01 level of significance) with increased nematode population level from 1 to 4. Seedling length of the remaining seed types were significantly reduced (at 0.01 level of signif
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