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 nuclear size radii, density distributions and elastic electron scattering charge form factors for Fluorine isotopes (17,19,20,24,26F) were studied using the radial wave functions (WF) of harmonic-oscillator (HO) potential and free mean field described by spherical Hankel functions (SHF) for the core and the valence parts, respectively for all aforementioned isotopes. The parameters for HO potential (size parameter ) and SHF were chosen to regenerate the available experimental size radii. It was found that using spherical Hankel functions in our work improved the calculated results quantities in comparison with empirical data.
General Background: Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer affecting women, with increasing incidence worldwide. Specific Background: Recent research has focused on the role of epigenetic changes in DNA damage, repair mechanisms, and the potential therapeutic effects of probiotics. Probiotics have shown promise in promoting tissue regeneration and DNA repair. Knowledge Gap: However, the precise impact of probiotics on DNA repair in cancer cells, specifically breast cancer cells, remains underexplored. Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of probiotics on DNA damage repair in AMJ13 Iraqi breast cancer cells and assess the cytotoxic effects of probiotics on these cells. Results: Using the comet assay, we found significan
... Show MoreThe aim of the research is to investigate the effect of cold plasma on the bacteria grown on texture of sesame paste in its normal particle and nano particle size. Starting by using the image segmentation process depending on the threshold method, it is used to get rid of the reflection of the glass slides on which the sesame samples are placed. The classification process implemented to separate the sesame paste texture from normal and abnormal texture. The abnormal texture appears when the bacteria has been grown on the sesame paste after being left for two days in the air, unsupervised k-mean classification process used to classify the infected region, the normal region and the treated region. The bacteria treated with cold plasma, t
... Show MoreSeveral toxigenic cyanobacteria produce the cyanotoxin (microcystin). Being a health and environmental hazard, screening of water sources for the presence of microcystin is increasingly becoming a recommended environmental procedure in many countries of the world. This study was conducted to assess the ability of freshwater cyanobacterial species Westiellopsis prolifica to produce microcystins in Iraqi freshwaters via using molecular and immunological tools. The toxigenicity of W. prolifica was compared via laboratory experiments with other dominant bloom-forming cyanobacteria isolated from the Tigris River: Microcystis aeruginosa, Chroococcus turigidus, Nostoc carneum, and Lyngbya sp. signifi
... Show MoreBackground: White spot lesions (WSLs) are subsurface enamel demineralization manifested as white opacities which had an esthetic problem. The purpose of this in-vitro study was to evaluate the lesion depth improvement of WSLs following application of fluoride varnish, tooth mousse and resin infiltration (ICON). Materials and methods: Artificial WSLs were created on 120 premolar teeth using demineralization solution with pH (4-4.5). Samples randomly allocated into four groups; fluoride varnish, tooth mousse, ICON and untreated group. Groups were discolored in Cola and orange juice for 24 hours. Teeth were ground sectioned by longitudinal cutting then these sections examined and photographed under stereomicroscope at 12X magnification then an
... Show MoreThe Islamic Bank of Al-Nahrain offers a formula for financing the purchase of real estate through a deferred sale contract, through Murabaha to the order to buy, and the payment of the price is in the form of instalments that include (the purchase price of the profit and the mutual agreement on the real estate). This research aims to show the reflection of real estate murabaha on the bank's investments, by measuring the effect of real estate murabaha on the profits achieved by the Islamic Bank of Al-Nahrain Bank. The growth of 'real estate murabaha' realized from the 'amounts granted by Bank X, in addition to analyzing the financial ratios of profitability indicators, including (return on deposits Y2) and for the years (2016 - 20
... Show Morewell log analysis is used to determine the rock properties like porosity, water saturation, and shale volume. Archie parameters in Archie equation, which sometimes considered constants greatly affect the determination of water saturation, also these parameters may be used to indicate whether the rocks are fractured or not so they should be determined. This research involves well logging analysis for Zubair formation in Luhais field which involves the determination of Archie parameters instead of using them as constant.
The log interpretation proved that the formation is hydrocarbon reservoir, as it could be concluded from Rwa (high values) and water saturation values (low values), the lithology of Zubair from cro
... Show MoreA calamitic symmetric liquid crystalline consisting of an azo group containing 5H-Thiazolo[3,4-b][1,3,4]thiadiazole moiety compound[III] was synthesized via sequence reactions starting from reaction terephthaldehyde with mercaptoacetic acid and thiosemicarbazide in the presence of concentrated sulfuric acid to synthesized 5,5'-(1,4-phenylene)bis(5Hthiazolo[4,3-b][1,3,4]thiadiazol-2-amine)[I] then the azo compound [II] synthesized by coupling between diazonium salt of the compound [I] with phenol at (0-4) ̊C., after that the compound [III] was synthesized by the reaction of the compound [II] with methyl bromide in alkaline media. The compounds are characterized by melting points, FTIR and 1HNMR spectroscopy. The mesomorphic behavior was stu
... Show MorePrediction of the formation of pore and fracture pressure before constructing a drilling wells program are a crucial since it helps to prevent several drilling operations issues including lost circulation, kick, pipe sticking, blowout, and other issues. IP (Interactive Petrophysics) software is used to calculate and measure pore and fracture pressure. Eaton method, Matthews and Kelly, Modified Eaton, and Barker and Wood equations are used to calculate fracture pressure, whereas only Eaton method is used to measure pore pressure. These approaches are based on log data obtained from six wells, three from the north dome; BUCN-52, BUCN-51, BUCN-43 and the other from the south dome; BUCS-49, BUCS-48, BUCS-47. Along with the overburden pressur
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