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.
Superconducting compound Bi2Sr2-xYxCa2Cu3O10+δ were Synthesized by method of solid state reaction, at 1033 K for 160 hours temperature of the sintering at normal atmospheric pressure where substitutions Yttrium oxide with Strontium. When Y2O3 concentration (0.0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5). All specimens of Bi2Sr2Ca2Cu3O10+δ superconducting compounds were examined. The resistivity of electrical was checked by the four point probe technique, It was found th
six specimens of the Hg0.5Pb0.5Ba2Ca2Cu3-y
A metal-assisted chemical etching process employing p-type silicon wafers with varied etching durations is used to produce silicon nanowires. Silver nanoparticles prepared by chemical deposition are utilized as a catalyst in the formation of silicon nanowires. Images from field emission scanning electron microscopy confirmed that the diameter of SiNWs grows when the etching duration is increased. The photoelectrochemical cell's characteristics were investigated using p-type silicon nanowires as working electrodes. Linear sweep voltammetry (J-V) measurements on p-SiNWs confirmed that photocurrent density rose from 0.20 mA cm-2 to 0.92 mA cm-2 as the etching duration of prepared SiNWs increased from 15 to 30 min. The
... Show MoreSolar cells thin films were prepared using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as a thin film, with extract of natural pigment from local flower. A concentration of 0.1g/ml of polyvinyl alcohol solution in water was prepared for four samples, with various concentrations of plant pigment (0, 15, 25 and 50) % added to each of the four solutions separately for preparing (PVA with low concentrated dye , PVA with medium concentrated dye and PVA with high concentrated dye ) thin films respectively . Ultraviolet absorption regions were obtained by computerized UV-Visible (CECIL 2700). Optical properties including (absorbance, reflectance, absorption coefficient, energy gap and dielectric constant) via UV- Vis were tested, too. Fourier transform infra
... Show MoreThis paper proposes an on-line adaptive digital Proportional Integral Derivative (PID) control algorithm based on Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) Model. This research aims to design and implement Neural Network like a digital PID using FPGA in order to generate the best value of the hydrogen partial pressure action (PH2) to control the stack terminal output voltage of the (PEMFC) model during a variable load current applied. The on-line Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm is used for finding and tuning the optimal value of the digital PID-NN controller (kp, ki, and kd) parameters that improve the dynamic behavior of the closed-loop digital control fue
... Show MoreThis research aims to solve the nonlinear model formulated in a system of differential equations with an initial value problem (IVP) represented in COVID-19 mathematical epidemiology model as an application using new approach: Approximate Shrunken are proposed to solve such model under investigation, which combines classic numerical method and numerical simulation techniques in an effective statistical form which is shrunken estimation formula. Two numerical simulation methods are used firstly to solve this model: Mean Monte Carlo Runge-Kutta and Mean Latin Hypercube Runge-Kutta Methods. Then two approximate simulation methods are proposed to solve the current study. The results of the proposed approximate shrunken methods and the numerical
... Show MoreThe reaction of LAs-Cl8 : [ (2,2- (1-(3,4-bis(carboxylicdichloromethoxy)-5-oxo-2,5dihydrofuran-2-yl)ethane – 1,2-diyl)bis(2,2-dichloroacetic acid)]with sodium azide in ethanol with drops of distilled water has been investigated . The new product L-AZ :(3Z ,5Z,8Z)-2azido-8-[azido(3Z,5Z)-2-azido-2,6-bis(azidocarbonyl)-8,9-dihydro-2H-1,7-dioxa-3,4,5triazonine-9-yl]methyl]-9-[(1-azido-1-hydroxy)methyl]-2H-1,7-dioxa-3,4,5-triazonine – 2,6 – dicarbonylazide was isolated and characterized by elemental analysis (C.H.N) , 1H-NMR , Mass spectrum and Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer (FT-IR) . The reaction of the L-AZ withM+n: [ ( VO(II) , Cr(III) ,Mn(II) , Co(II) , Ni(II) , Cu(II) , Zn(II) , Cd(II) and
... Show MoreLongitudinal data is becoming increasingly common, especially in the medical and economic fields, and various methods have been analyzed and developed to analyze this type of data.
In this research, the focus was on compiling and analyzing this data, as cluster analysis plays an important role in identifying and grouping co-expressed subfiles over time and employing them on the nonparametric smoothing cubic B-spline model, which is characterized by providing continuous first and second derivatives, resulting in a smoother curve with fewer abrupt changes in slope. It is also more flexible and can pick up on more complex patterns and fluctuations in the data.
The longitudinal balanced data profile was compiled into subgroup
... Show MoreIn this work, a functional nanocomposite consisting of multi walled carbon nanotubes combined with nanoparticles of silver and Pomegranate peel extract (MWCNTs- SNPs -NPGPE) was successfully synthesized using ultra sonic technique. The nanocomposite has been characterized using Transmission electron microscope (TEM), XRD, Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) UV-Vis and FTIR. The obtained results reveal that the MWCNTs-SNPs-NPGPE nanocomposite exhibits form of nanotubes with rough surfaces and containing black spots, which are the silver nanoparticles. The dimensions of this tube are 161 nm in length and 60 nm in width with nanoparticles of silver not exceeding 20 nm. The XRD pattern of the prepared MWCNTs-SNPs-NPGPE nanocomposite s
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