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 present work reports the performance of three types of polyethersulfone (PES) membrane in the removal of highly polluting and toxic lead Pb2+ and cadmium Cd2+ ions from a single salt. This study investigated the effect of operating variables, including pH, types of PES membrane, and feed concentration, on the separation process. The transport parameters and mass transfer coefficient (k) of the membranes were estimated using the combined film theory-solution-diffusion (CFSD), combined film theory-Spiegler-Kedem (CFSK), and combined film theory-finely-porous (CFFP) membrane transport models. Various parameters were used to estimate the enrichment factors, concentration polarization modulus, and Péclet number. The pH values signif
... Show MoreAround 65 million individuals suffer from epilepsy worldwide, and when it is not properly treated, it is linked to higher rates of physical harm and mortality. Due to the requirement for long‐term therapy and the side effects of many medications, medication compliance is a significant issue. The purpose of this review was to summarize the findings of previous studies examining the quality of life (QOL), adherence, patient education, and medication knowledge, as well as the impact of a pharmacist‐led educational intervention. Additionally, to find out if these studies benefit epileptic patients, to find the appropriate method used to help them in all aspects of their lives, and to use these in future studies. A systematic and comprehensi
... Show MoreRemoving Congo red (CR) is critical in wastewater treatment. We introduce a combination of electrocoagulation (EC) and electro-oxidation (EO) to address the elimination of CR. We also discuss the deposition of triple oxides (Cu–Mn–Ni) simultaneously on both anodic and cathodic graphite electrodes at constant current density. These electrodes efficiently worked as anodes in the EC-EO system. The EC-CO combination eliminated around 98 % of the CR dye and about 95 % of the Chemical Oxygen demand (COD), and similar results were obtained with the absence of NaCl. Thus, EC-EO is a promising technique to remove CR in an environmentally friendly pathway.
In this work, we synthesized thirteen compounds of 1-(2-furoyl)thiourea derivatives 1-13 by conversion of 2-furoyl chloride to 2-furoyl isothiocyanate by reacting it with potassium thiocyanate in dry acetone in a quite short reflux time then, in the same pot, different of (primary and secondary amines) were added individually to achieve thiourea derivatives. The products were characterized spectroscopically using (FT-IR, 1H NMR and 13C NMR) techniques. Some of them were evaluated as antioxidant agents using DPPH radical scavenging method, and all were examined theoretically as enzyme inhibitors against Bacillus pasteurii urease (pdb id: 4ubp) and by studying molecular docking using Autodock (4.2.6) software.
This study aims to measure and analyze the direct and indirect effects of the financial variables, namely (public spending, public revenues, internal debt, and external debt), on the non-oil productive sectors with and without bank credit as an intermediate variable, using quarterly data for the period (2004Q1–2021Q4), converted using Eviews 12. To measure the objective of the study, the path analysis method was used using IBM SPSS-AMOS. The study concluded that the direct and indirect effects of financial variables have a weak role in directing bank credit towards the productive sectors in Iraq, which amounted to (0.18), as a result of market risks or unstable expectations in the economy. In addition to the weak credit ratings of borr
... Show MoreEvidences indicate that human beings were preoccupied with extreme forms of mental and psychic experiences long before they were recorded in literature. Greek myths and legends appear to include symbolizations of delusions, mania, and other bizarre forms of thought and behaviuor. The figure of the mad man or woman is analogous to the wild man, or the imaginary being who appears in various forms throughout western literature and art. Various studies refer to the notion of the wild man as a response to a persistent psychological urge. This urge gives an external expression and a valid form to the impulses of reckless physical self-assertion which is believed to be hidden in all of us, but is normally kept under control. Such impulses were exp
... Show MoreBACKGROUNDS Nasoalveolar molding (NAM) application is among presurgical management (PSM) techniques used for infants with cleft lip and palate (CLP). It helps to approximate the palatal cleft and to reshape the nasoalveolar complex prior to primary lip repair. This study aimed to explore types of PSM and the dental speciality provision for infants with CLP in Baghdad. The status of NAM usage and surgeons’ perceptions toward NAM usage were assessed. MATERIALS AND METHODS This is a cross-sectional paper-based questionnaire study that collected responses of surgeons perform primary lip and nose repair regarding PSM. The questionnaire was distributed amongst public and private hospitals in Baghdad. Twenty surgeons were enrolled (only those su
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