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 work aims to investigate the tensile and compression strengths of heat- cured acrylic resin denture base material by adding styrene-butadiene (S- B) to polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). The most well- known issue in prosthodontic practice is fracture of a denture base. All samples were a blend of (90%, 80%) PMMA and (10%, 20%) S- B powder melted in Oxolane (Tetra hydro furan). These samples were chopped down into specimens of dimensions 100x10x2.5mm to carry out the requirements of tensile tests. The compression strength test specimens were shaped into a cylinder with dimensions of 12.7mm in diameter and 20mm in length. The experimental results show a significant increase in both tensile and compression strengths when compared to cont
... Show MoreThis study was conducted to isolate and identify killer yeast Hanseniaspora uvarum from dates vinegar and measurement the ability of this yeast to produce killer toxin. The antimicrobial activity of the concentrated supernatant containing partially purified concentrated killer toxin was also detected against several pathogenic bacteria and yeast species, which includes two types of yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa and Candida tropicalis and four human pathogenic bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeurginosa. In addition, the antagonistic activity of examined yeast have been studied toward four types of fungi, where two are pathogenic
... Show MoreAbstract. This work presents a detailed design of a three-jointed tendon-driven robot finger with a cam/pulleys transmission and joint Variable Stiffness Actuator (VSA). The finger motion configuration is obtained by deriving the cam/pulleys transmission profile as a mathematical solution that is then implemented to achieve contact force isotropy on the phalanges. A VSA is proposed, in which three VSAs are designed to act as a muscle in joint space to provide firm grasping. As a mechatronic approach, a suitable type and number of force sensors and actuators are designed to sense the touch, actuate the finger, and tune the VSAs. The torque of the VSAs is controlled utilizing a designed Multi Input Multi Output (MIMO) fuzzy controll
... Show MoreMost studies on deep beams have been made with reinforced concrete deep beams, only a few studies investigate the response of prestressed deep beams, while, to the best of our knowledge, there is not a study that investigates the response of full scale (T-section) prestressed deep beams with large web openings. An experimental and numerical study was conducted in order to investigate the shear strength of ordinary reinforced and partially prestressed full scale (T-section) deep beams that contain large web openings in order to investigate the prestressing existence effects on the deep beam responses and to better understand the effects of prestressing locations and opening depth to beam depth ratio on the deep beam performance and b
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In this search, we examined the factorial experiments and the study of the significance of the main effects, the interaction of the factors and their simple effects by the F test (ANOVA) for analyze the data of the factorial experience. It is also known that the analysis of variance requires several assumptions to achieve them, Therefore, in case of violation of one of these conditions we conduct a transform to the data in order to match or achieve the conditions of analysis of variance, but it was noted that these transfers do not produce accurate results, so we resort to tests or non-parametric methods that work as a solution or alternative to the parametric tests , these method
... Show MoreThe techniques of contemporary Iraqi painting and their reflection on the productions of students of art education is an important subject in the field of painting at the theoretical and practical levels in academic study, whether theoretical or practical. Al-Iraqi is one of the arts with historical roots and a distinguished position among other artistic genres. Painting has received a sufficient level of development through the use of various contemporary techniques to advance it for the better.
The methodological framework included the problem of research and the need for it, and then the importance of research came in shedding light on the techniques of contemporary Iraqi painting, and the impact of these techniques on the producti
The purpose of this research is to highlight the relationship between the administrative investigation and the improvement of institutional performance, and the research sought to achieve a set of cognitive and applied goals. the administrative investigation is the modern trend of managing the offices of the general hginspectors and the main source to build the necessary standards to manage and invest its resources efficiently and effectively required to achieve the goals it seeks. The institutional performance is the cornerstone for the implementation of all tasks and duties carried out by institutions operating within the borders of a particular country, The significant change
... Show MoreToxoplasma gondii has a worldwide distribution and it is one of the most prevalent infectious agents in Iraq. The study was conducted on 200 serum samples of unmarried female university of students age ranged between 18 to 26 years to detect Toxoplasma gondii antibodies. The aim of this study was to detect T. gondii antibodies among unmarried female students in Iraqi universities using different serological tests. Seventy six (38%) serum samples out of 200 subjects were positive for toxoplasma antibodies by Latex agglutination test (LAT). Among 76 LAT sera positive ,only 58 (29%) serum samples were positive with toxoplasma IgG ELISA test , however , the results of IgM ELISA assay were positive only for 3 (1.5%) unmarried
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