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.
Purpose A diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) of the head and neck has been a dilemma for clinicians, because the clinical and pathologic features tend to mimic different pathologies. Our study aimed to identify the demographic, clinical, and pathologic features of head and neck TB to help healthcare providers in the early detection of the disease. Materials and Methods We performed a retrospective analysis using the medical archives at the pathology laboratory. Twenty-one patients with a clinical and pathologic diagnosis of head and neck TB were identified from 2010 to 2019. Results The age distribution was broad, with 28.5% of the patients younger than 15 years old. Seven patients had oral TB, with the most common sites affected the labial ves
... Show MoreIn this paper, a Cholera epidemic model is proposed and studied analytically as well as numerically. It is assumed that the disease is transmitted by contact with Vibrio cholerae and infected person according to dose-response function. However, the saturated treatment function is used to describe the recovery process. Moreover, the vaccine against the disease is assumed to be utterly ineffective. The existence, uniqueness and boundedness of the solution of the proposed model are discussed. All possible equilibrium points and the basic reproduction number are determined. The local stability and persistence conditions are established. Lyapunov method and the second additive compound matrix are used to study the global stability of the system.
... Show MoreSchiff bases (SBs) based on amino acid derivative stand for multipurpose ligands that formed by condensing amino acids with carbonyl groups. They are significant in pharmaceutical and medical areas due to their widespread biological actions such as antiseptic, antifungal, along with antitumor actions. Transition metallic complexes resulting from SB ligands with biological activity were extensively experimented in the literature. In this article, we review, in details, about synthesizing and biological performances of SBs along with its complexes.
Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems are used as an efficient and effective method of exchanging patients’ health information with doctors and other key stakeholders in the health sector to obtain improved patient treatment decisions and diagnoses. As a result, questions regarding the security of sensitive user data are highlighted. To encourage people to move their sensitive health records to cloud networks, a secure authentication and access control mechanism that protects users’ data should be established. Furthermore, authentication and access control schemes are essential in the protection of health data, as numerous responsibilities exist to ensure security and privacy in a network. So, the main goal of our s
... Show MoreStylistics represents a modern approach in understanding the literary text through the linguistic patterns that form it. The distinctive phenomena that the text includes constitute special features in it. As well as exploring its aesthetic aspects through description and analysis at the same time. The close link between stylistics and linguistics made stylistics occupy a prominent place in modern literary criticism.
In this regard, we do not want to dwell on the different directions of stylistics. Rather, we will prolong the discussion in the study of the style as a (deviation. Aversion) from the original. Because this trend plays on the chord of the paradox between the surface structure and the deep structure, especially when the sur
The study explored applications of artificial intelligence and its dialectical relationship with international human rights law of individuals, which requires assessing the effects of this technology on human rights and freedoms. The problem of privacy of humanity, as AI technologies can control human rights and freedoms, while monitoring potential violations in this context. The study use of documentary research and qualitative lens to analyze the data. In conclusion, unawareness of the use of AI may impose significant hurdles on future generations and may infringe on human rights across all sectors of society. The government should mandate obligations for artificial intelligence businesses concerning education, health, human right
... Show MoreA case of angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia (ALH) is reported in a 42-year-old woman who developed multiple nodules behind the ear. Angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia usually occurs on the head and neck of young adults and is more common in women than in men. Characteristic histologic features of ALH present in this case included proliferation of thick-walled blood vessels lined by prominent endothelial cells, infiltration of the interstitium by chronic inflammatory cells (mainly eosinophils), and presence of lymphoid follicles with germinal centers. The patient referred for surgeon for complete excision. in this context , cases previously described in the literature, and the differential diagnosis of ALH are discussed
... Show MoreNowadays, the use of natural bio-products in pharmaceuticals is gaining popularity as safe alternatives to chemicals and synthetic drugs. Algal products are offering a pure, healthy and sustainable choice for pharmaceutical applications. Algae are photosynthetic microorganisms that can survive in different environmental conditions. Algae have many outstanding properties that make them excellent candidate for use in therapeutics. Algae grow in fresh and marine waters and produce in their cells a wide range of biologically active chemical compounds. These bioactive compounds are offering a great source of highly economic bio-products. The prese
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The aim of this study is to shed light on the importance of biofuels as an alternative to conventional energy, in addition to the importance of preserving agricultural crops, which are the main source of this fuel, to maintain food security, especially in developing countries. The increase in global oil prices, in addition to the fear of global warming, are among the main factors that draw the world’s attention to searching for alternative sources of traditional energy, which are sustainable on the one hand, and on the other hand reduce carbon emissions. Therefore, the volume of global investment in renewable energy in general, and in liquid biofuels and biomass in particular, has increased. Global fears emerged that the excessive convers
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