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 fact of having Journalism being open to people from different orientations professions, working as journalists requiring protection just to spread corruption, is one of the biggest threats faced by journalism.
Journalists noticed the spread of unprincipled journalists with no journalistic ethics amongst them, they tried to protect their profession from these corrupt outsiders who might annihilate the mighty of journalism. The principles of the journalism profession known as journalistic ethics, are one the most important formulations of the law concluded by the journalists and those concerned by the the profession, they were then published in public in order to prove their professionalism, especially for those who don’t und
... Show MoreThe marshes form large areas in southern Iraq, which are large water bodies, covered by reeds and papyrus plants. The marshes are characterized by distinctive physical elements, which have given them a unique and unique identity that can be clearly distinguished by the physical pattern. The physical environment derives its identity through a group Of inputs that interact with each other and represent both cultural and social inputs of the most important inputs that affect the formation of identity, and in the physical environment of the Marshlands many of the symbols that are associated with the collective memory of individuals, these symbols have value in the community Thus, the preservation of these symbols and inherited from one gener
... Show MoreBackground: Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is an irreversible myocardial injury and necrosis caused by serious and long term ischemia. Fibrinogen is considered as
one of the probable risk factors of myocardial infarction.
Patients and methods: 1.8-mL venous blood specimen from 40 patients with MI and 50 control subjects was obtained and put it into tubes containing 0.2 mol/L trisodium citrate. Plasma fibrinogen level was determined by the method of Clauss (Diagnostic Stago, France).
Results The mean age of patients was (45.2 ± 6) years in patients with premature myocardial infarction and (45.06±5) years in the control group (p =0.07). There were no statistically significant relationships between the
Bedsore (pressure ulcers)is a major nurse-careoutcome. There are many influences that can contribute to the progress of pressure ulcers, but the final common pathway to ulceration is tissue ischemia. This study aimed to detect some etiological factors that predispose to bedsore. The study was conducted on patients attending intensive care departments. Out of 82 inpatients who suffered from pressure ulcer, 54were males and 28were females. Specimens were collected during the period of September, 2019 –February, 2020 from different Hospitals (Alkadhimiya Teaching Hospital, General Hospital of AlshaheedAl-Sadr, and Medical City/ Ghazi Al-Hariri hospital) in Baghdad, Iraq. Simultaneously, other 20 specimens were collected as control fromin
... 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 MoreThe 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 MoreMiscarriage is one of the fundamental complications occurring in pregnant women. Many fastidious and uncultivated bacterial species are related to miscarriage and have a significant role in the infection. The association between inverse pregnancy outcomes and infections of abnormal bacteria has been rarely investigated. Therefore, this study aimed to determine Leptotrichia amnionii and Atopobium vaginae as a risk factor for miscarriage states. A total of 80 cervical swabs and blood samples were obtained from females (34 non-pregnant with recurrent spontaneous miscarriage, 11 pregnant who had previous miscarriage, and 35 without miscarriage as control) who were referred to a hospital in Baghdad city. The relationship bet
... Show MoreBackground: IL-4 is an antibodies inflammatory cytokine which has an important role in protecting against the inflammatory reactions in most of diseases. Here, we try to highlights the role of this cytokine in chronic Rheumatic heart disease and its correlation with the extent of histopathological abnormalities.
Patients and Methods: Rheumatic mitral valve surgical fragments were taken from a total of 48 Iraqi patients with chronic rheumatic heart disease under mitral valve replacement surgery in Ibn Al- Bitar Hospital for Cardiac Surgery-Iraq-Baghdad. Paraffin embedded mitral valve tissue sections were prepared. IL-4-expressing cells were detected by using immunohistochemical staining technique and
Inflammation of the tonsils could be described as acute tonsillitis, mainly due to infection. Recurrent tonsillitis could be defined as 3-7 episodes during the first 3 years of age. Vitamin D, which is a neuro-hormone with pleiotropic biological activities may modulate the immune response by alleviation, and stimulation of Th1 and Th2 cell proliferation, respectively, that influence the stimulation, synthesis, and secretion of both pro and anti-inflammatory cytokines. In this study we aimed to shed light on the levels of vitamin D in children with different episodes of tonsillitis in association with levels of interleukins (TNFα, IL-2, IL-4, IL-10). Blood samples were collected from 48 participants in 3 groups: control, acute tonsilliti
... Show MoreBackground: Periodontitis is an infection attributable to multiple infectious; it causes an interrelated cellular and humoral host immune responses. Recent reports have indicated that human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) may contribute to pathogenesis of periodontitis. The HCMV can stimulate the release of cytokines from inflammatory and non-inflammatory cells and weaken the periodontal immune defense. This study aimed to reveal the presence of anti-CMV IgG, and determine the levels of ILâ€6 and TNF-α and to correlate the presence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) with cytokines levels. Materials and Methods: Forty patients with chronic periodontitis and 40 healthy control subjects (their age and sex were matched with the patients) were involved
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