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.
Sulfamethoxazole (SMX) was added to P-N,N-dimethyl amino benzaldehyde (PDAB) by condensation reaction in acidic medium to form, a yellow colored dye compound which exhibits maximum absorption (λmax) at 450.5 nm. The concentration of (SMX) was determined spectrophotometrically. The optimum reaction conditions and other analytical parameters were evaluated. In addition to classical univariate optimization, design of experiment method has been applied in optimization of the variables affecting the color producing reaction. Beer’s law obeyed in the concentration range of 0.1-10 μg.mL-1 with molar absorptivity of 5.7950×104 L.mol-1.cm-1. The limit of detection and Sandell's sensitivity value were 0.078 μ
... Show MoreThe purpose of this study is to demonstrate a simple high sensitivity vapor sensor for propanol ((CH3)2CHOH). A free space gap was employed in two arms of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer to serve as the sensing mechanism by adding propanol volume (0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, and 1) ml and to set the phase reference with a physical spacing of (0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2) mm. The propagation constant of transmitted light in the Mach-Zehnder interferometer’s gap changes due to the small variation in the refractive index inside sensing arm that will further shift the optical phase of the signal. Experimental results indicated that the highest sensitivity of propanol was about 0.0275 nm/ml in different liquid volume while highest phase shift was 0.182×103 i
... Show MoreThere are many tools and S/W systems to generate finite state automata, FSA, due to its importance in modeling and simulation and its wide variety of applications. However, no appropriate tool that can generate finite state automata, FSA, for DNA motif template due to the huge size of the motif template. In addition to the optional paths in the motif structure which are represented by the gap. These reasons lead to the unavailability of the specifications of the automata to be generated. This absence of specifications makes the generating process very difficult. This paper presents a novel algorithm to construct FSAs for DNA motif templates. This research is the first research presents the problem of generating FSAs for DNA motif temp
... Show MoreIn this work, porous silicon gas sensor hs been fabricated on n-type crystalline silicon (c-Si) wafers of (100) orientation denoted by n-PS using electrochemical etching (ECE) process at etching time 10 min and etching current density 40 mA/cm2. Deposition of the catalyst (Cu) is done by immersing porous silicon (PS) layer in solution consists of 3ml from (Cu) chloride with 4ml (HF) and 12ml (ethanol) and 1 ml (H2O2). The structural, morphological and gas sensing behavior of porous silicon has been studied. The formation of nanostructured silicon is confirmed by using X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurement as well as it shows the formation of an oxide silicon layer due to chemical reaction. Atomic force microscope for PS illustrates that the p
... Show MoreThis research deals with a shrinking method concernes with the principal components similar to that one which used in the multiple regression “Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection: LASS”. The goal here is to make an uncorrelated linear combinations from only a subset of explanatory variables that may have a multicollinearity problem instead taking the whole number say, (K) of them. This shrinkage will force some coefficients to equal zero, after making some restriction on them by some "tuning parameter" say, (t) which balances the bias and variance amount from side, and doesn't exceed the acceptable percent explained variance of these components. This had been shown by MSE criterion in the regression case and the percent explained v
... Show MoreBackground: Removing dental plaque is important to maintain a good oral hygiene and prevent periodontal disease; this could not be accomplished by the use of toothbrush alone, it needs the help of interdental aids or intra-oral irrigator devices. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of using Waterpik flosser as adjunct to tooth brushing than using the dental floss with the brushing. Materials and methods: A single blind, six weeks study included 45 subjects divided into three groups of 15 subjects at each group. Group B (brushing) was instructed to use the toothbrush only, group BF (brushing & flossing) was instructed to use dental floss and tooth brushing while group BW (brushing and Waterpik flosser) was instructed to use Water
... Show MoreIn this paper we proposes the philosophy of the Darwinian selection as synthesis method called Genetic algorithm ( GA ), and include new merit function with simple form then its uses in other works for designing one of the kinds of multilayer optical filters called high reflection mirror. Here we intend to investigate solutions for many practical problems. This work appears designed high reflection mirror that have good performance with reduction the number of layers, which can enable one to controlling the errors effect of the thickness layers on the final product, where in this work we can yield such a solution in a very shorter time by controlling the length of the chromosome and optimal genetic operators . Res
... Show MoreParasitic diseases can affect infection with COVID-19 obviously, as protective agents, or by reducing severity of this viral infection. This current review mentions the common symptoms between human parasites and symptoms of COVID-19, and explains the mechanism actions of parasites, which may prevent or reduce severity of this viral infection. Pre-existing parasitic infections provide prohibition against pathogenicity of COVID-19, by altering the balance of gut microbiota that can vary the immune response to this virus infection.
The purpose of this research work is to synthesize conjugates of NSAIDs (ibuprofen, and naproxen) with sulfadiazine as possible mutual prodrugs to overcome the local gastric irritation of NSAIDs with free carboxyl group by formation of ester linkage that supposed to remain intact in stomach and may hydrolyze in intestine chemically or enzymatically; in addition to that attempting to target the synthesized derivative to the colon by formation of azo bond that undergo reduction only by colonic bacterial azoreductaze enzyme to liberate the parent compound to act locally (treatment of inflammation and infections in colon)
The aim of this study is to calculate the ene expenditure from fatty substance contents of the
frog. Rana ridibunda during its hibernation. It was found that, almost, all frogs enter
hibernation during the last week of December and emerge from hibernation during the first
week of March. Hence, January and February are considered the hibernation period.
December is the pre-hibernation period and March is the post-hibernation period. The
reduction in percent of body lipid during the hibernation period was 4.8% in males and 7.7%
in females. The reduction in percent of lipid of fat bodies during the hibernation period was
2.758% in males and 0.733% in females.
The calorific value of R. ridibunda lipid amounted to 1233