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 study aims to identify the degree of Arabic language teachers at the secondary stage possessing the teaching competencies necessary to develop the skills of literary savor among their students from the perception of educational leaders in Bisha Province. To achieve the objectives of the study, the descriptive approach was used by adopting a comprehensive survey method. The study sample consisted of (48) school principals and Arabic language supervisors in Bisha Province who supervise the teaching of Arabic language at the secondary level in Bisha Province. The necessary data was collected using a questionnaire. The results of the study revealed that the evaluation of the study sample for the degree to which Arabic language teachers
... Show MoreThis study aims to examine the sources of organizational power prevailing among the academic leaders at the University of Tabuk from the faculty members’ viewpoint. The purposes behind such an aim are: to reveal the level of administrative and technical institutional creativity, the nature of the relationship between the reality of organizational power and the level of institutional creativity, and to disclose statistically the significant differences between the averages of faculty members’ responses attributed to the demographic variables (gender, years of experience, academic degree). The study used the descriptive approach, both survey and correlational. A questionnaire was used to collect data from a simple random sample o
... Show MoreSchiff base (methyl 6-(2- (4-hydroxyphenyl) -2- (1-phenyl ethyl ideneamino) acetamido) -3, 3-dimethyl-7-oxo-4-thia-1-azabicyclo[3.2.0] heptane-2-carboxylate)Co(II), Ni(II), Cu (II), Zn (II), and Hg(II)] ions were employed to make certain complexes. Metal analysis M percent, elemental chemical analysis (C.H.N.S), and other standard physico-chemical methods were used. Magnetic susceptibility, conductometric measurements, FT-IR and UV-visible Spectra were used to identified. Theoretical treatment of the generated complexes in the gas phase was performed using the (hyperchem-8.07) program for molecular mechanics and semi-empirical computations. The (PM3) approach was used to determine the heat of formation (ΔH˚f), binding energy (ΔEb), an
... Show MoreSchiff base (methyl 6-(2- (4-hydroxyphenyl) -2- (1-phenyl ethyl ideneamino) acetamido) -3, 3-dimethyl-7-oxo-4-thia-1-azabicyclo[3.2.0] heptane-2-carboxylate)Co(II), Ni(II), Cu (II), Zn (II), and Hg(II)] ions were employed to make certain complexes. Metal analysis M percent, elemental chemical analysis (C.H.N.S), and other standard physico-chemical methods were used. Magnetic susceptibility, conductometric measurements, FT-IR and UV-visible Spectra were used to identified. Theoretical treatment of the generated complexes in the gas phase was performed using the (hyperchem-8.07) program for molecular mechanics and semi-empirical computations. The (PM3) approach was used to determine the heat of formation (ΔH˚f), binding energy (ΔEb
... Show MoreObjective: To evaluate the functional outcomes after extended curettage and reconstruction using a combination of bone graft and bone cement (sandwich). Methodology: In this prospective case series 16 skeletally mature patients with primary giant cell tumor around the knee were included. Patients with previous surgically treated, malignant transformation, degenerative knee changes and those presenting with pathological fracture were excluded. The tumor was excised with bone graft filling space beneath the articular cartilage and a block of gel foam was placed over the cortical surface of picked bone graft. Remaining cavity was filled with polymethylmethacrylate cement (sandwich) with or without internal fixation. The func tional evaluation
... Show MoreThe present work aimed to study effect of (N749 & N3) dyes on TiO2 optical and electrical properties for optoelectronic application. The TiO2 paste prepared by using a doctor blade method. The samples were UV-VIS specterophometricall analyzes of TiO2 before and after immersed in dyes (N749 & N3). The results showed absorption spectra shift toward the visible region due to the adsorption of dye molecules on the surface of oxide nanoparticles. It is seen that the Eg determined to give a value of 3.3eV for TiO2 before immersing in dyes, and immersing in dyes (N749 & N3) are (1.4 &1.6 eV) respectively. The structural properties (XRD), (FTIR) and (SEM) for the sample prepared were investigated and (J-V) characteristics was stu
... Show MoreSilver Indium Aluminum Selenium AgIn1xAlxSe2 AIAS for x=01 thin films was deposited by thermal evaporation at RT and different︣︢︡ ︠︣1thickness 100 150 and 200 nm on the glass Substrate and p2Si wafer to produce AIAS/p3Si heterojunctionsolarcell4 Structural optical electrical and photovoltaicproperties6 are investigated for the samples XRD analysis reveals that all the deposited AIAS films show polycrystalline structure without any change due to increase of thickness Average diameter and roughness calculated from AFM images shows an increase in its value with increasing thickness The optical absorbance and transmittance for samples are measured using a spectrometer type UV Visible 1800 spectra1photometer to study the energy6gap The
... Show MoreThe structural, optical and photoelectrical properties of fabricated diffusion heterojunction (HJ) solar cell, from n-type c-Si wafer of [400] direction with Boron, has been studied. AgAl alloys was used because of its properties that affect as a good connection materials. TiO2 has been used as a reflecting layer to increase the absorption radiation. The HJ has direct allowed energy gap equal to 3.1 eV. The c-Si/B HJ solar cell yielded has an active area conversion efficiency of 16.4% with an open circuit voltage of (Voc) 0.592V, short circuit current (Isc) of 2.042mA, fill factor (F.F) of 0.682 and % =10.54.
Inhibition of T cell derived cytokine production could help suppress osteoclast differentiation in inflammatory skeletal disorders. Bisphosphonates are typically prescribed to prevent inflammatory bone loss but are not tolerated by all patients and are associated with an increased risk of osteonecrosis of the jaw. In light of this other anti-resorptives such as phytoestrogens are being considered. However the effect of phytoestrogens on T cell-induced osteoclast formation is unclear. The effect of genistein and coumestrol on activated T cell-induced osteoclastogenesis and cytokine production was therefore examined. Concentrations of genistein and coumestrol (10−7 M) previously shown to directly inhibit osteoclast formation also suppressed
... Show MoreIn the present work is the deposition of copper oxide using the pulsed laser deposition technique using Reactive Pulsed Laser as a Deposition technique (RPLD), 1.064μm, 7 nsec Q-switch Nd-YAG laser with 400 mJ/cm2 laser energy’s has been used to ablated high purity cupper target and deposited on the porous silicon substrates recorded and study the effect of rapid thermal annealing on the structural characteristics, morphological, electrical characteristics and properties of the solar cell. Results of AFM likelihood of improved absorption, thereby reducing the reflection compared with crystalline silicon surface. The results showed the characteristics of the solar cell and a clear improvement in the efficiency of the solar cell in the
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