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 corrosion inhibiting properties of the new furan derivative 5-(furan-2-ylmethylsulfonyl-4-phenyl-2,4- dihydro [1,2,4] triazole-3-thione in acidic solution (1.0 M HCl) were explored utilizing electrochemical, surface morphology (AFM), and quantum chemical calculations approaches. The novel furan derivative 5-(furan-2-ylmethylsulfonyl-4-phenyl-2,4- dihydro [1,2,4] triazole-3-thione shows with an inhibitory efficiency value of 99.4 percent at 150 ppm, carbon steel corrosion in acidic medium is effectively inhibited, according to the results. The influence of temperature on corrosion prevention was studied using adsorption parameters and activation thermodynamics. The novel furan derivative creates a protective layer over the metallic surfa
... Show MoreReaxys Chemistry database information SciVal Topics Metrics Abstract A novel CoO–ZnO nanocomposite was synthesized by the photo irradiation method using a solution of cobalt and zinc complexes and used as a coating applied by electrophoretic deposition (EPD) for corrosion protection of stainless steel (SS) in saline solution. The samples were characterized using powder XRD, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electrochemical polarization. It was also found that the coating was still stable after conducting the corrosion test: it contained no cracks and CoO–ZnO nanocomposites clearly appeared on the surface. SEM showed that the significant surface cracking disappeared. XRD confirmed that CoO–ZnO nanocomposites comprised CoO and Zn
... Show MoreCompetitive advantage is a substantial strategic objective for organizations. It requires high levels in the quality of products and services provided to customers, continuous improvement of costing , care for creativity and innovative employees, and speed unique to the marketing and financial engineering, and business re-engineering processes. The situation in this area, requires actors to attract and develop human resources, including help in proper implementation of the strategic tasks that targeted by those institutions. According to the opinions and viewpoints of management scholars, the competitive advantage resource is the most important issue for organizations in the third millennium, which can be a
... Show MoreNystatin is the drug of choice for treatment of cutaneous fungal infections with main disadvantage that is the need for multiple applications to achieve complete eradication which may reduce patient compliance. Microparticles offer a solution for such issue as they are one of sustained release preparations that achieve slow release of drug over an extended period of time. The objectives of this study were to fabricate nystatin-loaded chitosan microparticles with the ultimate goal of prolonging drug release and to analyze the influence of polymer concentration on various properties of microparticles. Microparticles were prepared by chemical cross-linking method using glutaraldehyde as cross-linking agent. Five formulas, namely N1C1, N1C2,
... Show MoreThis study aims to formulate azithromycin oleogel to locally treat skin infections such as acne vulgaris and skin wound infection. Providing a form of azithromycin that can be administered topically is highly desired to prevent unwanted systemic complications including diarrhea, nausea, and abdominal pain. Additionally, it will avoid first pass metabolism, improves patient acceptance, provides an alternative in nauseated patients, decreases the dose by direct contact with the pathological site, and provides a noninvasive and convenient mode of administration. Furthermore, for treating wound infections, the gel will act as a scaffold biomaterial for wound closure besides its antibacterial effect. Herein, we propose the use of grapeseed oil-b
... Show MoreOrphenadrine is an anticholinergic ,antimuscarinic , centrally acting skeletal muscle relaxant .It presents in the form of citrate and HCl salts which are used in treatment of the symptoms of mild Parkinson's disease and also it is used as adjuvant with other drugs in the therapy .
Many trials were made to formulate Orphenadrine citrate as a plain tablet using wet granulation or direct compression technique in order to get a satisfactory formula through studying the effect of various factors such as binders , diluents and disintegrants types .
The best formula was obtained by using Poly Vinyl Pyrolidine (PVP) as a binder also the results indicated that starch and mannitol
... Show MoreThis study focuses on the impact of technology on creating a dystopian world as presented by the English playwright Caryl Churchill in her play A Number (2002). This dramatic work came as a reaction to the most crucial and valuable turning point in the scientific achievements of human engineering, namely, the cloning of the sheep called Dolly. Therefore, A Number is a play that presents an analytical stage for imagining the biotechnological and scientific future. This dramatic vignette captures the playwright’s fears towards the abnormal progress of technology and science and how far such technological progress affects human relationships and identity. It also portrays how technological progress results in the feeling of a lack of
... Show MoreThe present study attempts to examine verbal/nonverbal impoliteness in the classroom interaction and outside it in one of the movies, namely, The Marva Collins. Impoliteness, which is significantly studied within pragmatics, is a negative attitude towards particular behaviors. It always presumes to have emotional concerns for at least one participant who has caused it. This study is an attempt to examine verbal/nonverbal impoliteness in The Marva Collins movie. The study aims to investigate the different types of impoliteness strategies used in the four selected scenes and find out whether the speaker’s status has anything to do with the types of impoliteness. Besides, the functions performed are also examined by following a qual
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