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: Polycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS) is one of the most common endocrine disorder affecting women in reproductive age. No single etiologic factor fully accounts for the spectrum of abnormalities in the polycystic ovary syndrome. Different changes in hormonal, metabolism and the inflammatory markers as squealy of PCOS with adverse effect on the women life. OBJECTIVE: To study the relationship between polycystic ovary syndrome and levels of C-reactive protein, human interleukin and hormonal and metabolic alteration in women with PCOS PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty women with Polycystic Ovary syndrome (PCOS) and other thirty women without PCOS were included. Venous blood samples were taken in early follicular phase of menstrual cycle [day
... Show More: zonal are included in phraseological units, form metaphorical names for a person, give him various emotional and evaluative characteristics. This article examines the topic of zoomorphic metaphors that characterize a person in the Russian and Arabic languages in the aspect of their comparative analysis, since the comparative analysis of the metaphorical meanings of animalisms is an important method for studying cultural linguistics, since zoomorphic metaphors are a reflection of culture in a language.
Background: Worldwide gastric cancer is the fifth most common cancer with poor prognosis. In early stages, it is hard to distinguish gastric cancer from benign gastric diseases, resulting in delayed diagnosis. There is a need to develop a biomarker for differentiating between gastric cancer and benign gastric diseases. Serum cholinesterase is synthesized in liver and released into plasma, and it has an important role in oncogenesis.
Objectives: To determine the correlation between serum cholinesterase activity and gastric cancer, in comparison to benign gastric diseases.
Subjects and Methods: A case control study carried out at Medical City Direct
... Show MoreSince the emergence of the science of international relations as an independent academic scientific field, various theories and trends have appeared and have tried to understand and explain the international reality and give a clear picture of what is happening within the international system of interactions and influences and the search for tools for stability and peace in international relations. Among these theories is the feminist theory, which is a new intellectual trend on the level of international relations theories, which tried to give an explanation of what is happening in world politics and in international relations in particular. The main issue that feminist theory is concerned with is the lack of women’s subordination
... Show MoreBackground: Chronic kidney disease is a gradual loss of kidney function with diabetes and hypertension as the leading cause. Chronic kidney disease is one of these systemic diseases that can affect salivary contents. Aims: This study aimed to assess salivary immunoglobulin A, interleukin-6 and C- reactive protein in chronic kidney disease patients on hemodialysis and those on conservative treatment in comparison with control subjects. Materials and methods: Ninety subjects were included in this study divided into three groups: 30 patients with chronic kidney disease on hemodialysis for at least 6 months ago; 30 patients with chronic kidney disease on conservative treatment and 30 healthy control subjects. Secretory immunoglobulin A, inte
... Show MoreAcinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) is a major opportunistic nosocomial pathogen, mostly resistant to several groups of antibiotics. Colistin is now used as a last-line treatment for isolates that are highly resistant. The purpose of this study is to identify the importance of LptD; which is involved in the translocation of LPS from the inner membrane to the outer membrane in compartment with LptA and LptC of A. baumannii and its indispensable role as a virulence factor, and the efficiency of colistin as a monotherapy. In the current research, two isolates of A.baumannii were used, the local isolate HHR1 isolated from urine sample and the global strain ATCC 17904, and three antibiot
... Show MoreThis research is about the resources and the way of al-Waqidi in his
researching of al-sira of the Prophet. And what happened in the first of Islam.
This research is about the documents which al-Waqidi had it. Some of it,
which he had visited, was the places, especially the periods which the events had took
place in. He was asking those whom were contemporary to the happenings, from the
sons of al-Sahaba and al-Tabi’een.
Also this research is lightening on the new studies that gave this historian a
good respect during his work, in which he could gave the reality about his authorship.
The research is trying to draw real way of al-Waqidi and what were reported by him,
especially the documents, and what he had s
Discriminant between groups is one of the common procedures because of its ability to analyze many practical phenomena, and there are several methods can be used for this purpose, such as linear and quadratic discriminant functions. recently, neural networks is used as a tool to distinguish between groups.
In this paper the simulation is used to compare neural networks and classical method for classify observations to group that is belong to, in case of some variables that don’t follow the normal distribution. we use the proportion of number of misclassification observations to the all observations as a criterion of comparison.
Imagination as a Path to Reality