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.
A simple, rapid and environmentally friendly dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction method-based spectrophotometric method for the trace determination of folic acid has been developed. The proposed method is based on the formation of a deep yellow product via reaction of folic acid and 1,2-naphthoquine-4-sulfonate at pH = 9. The formed complex was extracted using a mixture of chloroform and ethanol. Then, the tiny organic droplets were measured at λ = 520 nm. At the optimum conditions, linearity was ranged from 0.05 to 1.5 μg/mL for the standard and samples, with a linear correlation coefficient of 0.9996. The detection limits were 0.02, 0.027, 0.03, 0.02 and 0.04 μg/mL for standard, tablet (5 mg), tablet (1 mg), syrup and fl
... Show MoreSports skills in some individual games require physical and motor qualities to facilitate the process of skill performance and also require the instructor or trainer to use more than one strategy, method and way to bring the performance to the level of mastery and avoid injury. The aim of the research is to know the effect of using special exercises using tools and their effect on teaching the skill of a front shoulder circle. The research hypothesis is that using special exercises with tools has a positive effect on teaching the skill of a front shoulder circle on the rings apparatus. Research method: - The researchers used the experimental method by designing two equal groups, the control and the experimental, to suit the research
... Show MoreSports management is a fundamental pillar that supports sports institutions and plays a pivotal role in achieving advanced levels of success in talent development. The Talent Development Project is one of the key strategic initiatives of the Ministry of Youth and Sports. This study compares department heads with effective managerial competence to those with ineffective competence to highlight differences in performance quality. Through this comparison, the urgent need to assess the administrative performance skills of the heads of sports talent departments becomes evident, particularly their ability to lead and manage the Sports Talent Development Project. The objective is to identify strengths and weaknesses, establish a clear framework fo
... Show MoreThis study was carried out to determine the heavy metal accumulation of Juncus rigidus Desfontaines, 1798 from three different regions of the Basrah Province in Southern of Iraq. Specifically, the concentrations of lead, nickel, and cadmium were determined in the roots, culms and leaves of the plant. The results indicated that the highest accumulation of the heavy metal was recorded in lead (Pb) 12.50± 3.58 mg kg-1and then in nickel (< 0.30). The lowest value was recorded for cadmium (< 0.05). As well, lead concentrations in J. rigidus varied in different locations and parts of the plant from undetectable in control to 12.66, 19.33, and 9.80 mg kg-1 in leaves, culm, and roots respective
... Show MoreThe electronic payment systems are considered the most important infrastructure for the work of banks, particularly after a steady and remarkable development in information and communication technology, Which created the reality of the work of the infrastructure for these systems and these systems also become one of the most important components of infrastructure for the work of banks, cause it is one of the most important channels through which the transfer of cash, financial instruments between financial institutions in general and banking in particular.
In order to achieve the objectives of the research, the most important to identify the concept of electronic payment systems, and its divisions, and th
... Show MoreThis research was conducted to measure the safety of heat stable enterotoxin a (STa) produced by enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, through studying its toxic effect on human blood lymphocyte, since it showed a promising effect in reducing the proliferation of colorectal cancer cells. the cytogenetic effects of (STa) by using five different concentrations (100, 200, 400, 800 and 1600μg/ml) in comparison with negative (PBS, Phosphate buffer saline) and positive (MMC, Mitomycin C) at concentration of 5μg/ml, controls on human blood lymphocytes obtained from both (10) normal healthy persons and (20) colorectal cancer patients was measured by employing the following parameters: mitotic index, blast index, chromosomal aberrations and micronucle
... Show MoreZanthoxylum L. 1753 belongs to the family Rutaceae. The plant, with its forest green color and with its distinctive fragrance attracted the attention of the study, specially it was an exotic to the environment of Iraq. Zanthoxylum is an exotic plant produced to Iraq and planted in gardens as an ever-green aromatic plant named (BUKHUR HINDI), as it is known among sellers and farmers in Iraq, because of the aromatic smell that emanated from the leaves and resembles Indian incense. The plant adapted to environmental conditions and succeeded in growing and blooming. It was examined and diagnosed for the first time in Iraq as Zanthoxylum beechyanum K. Koch. (Chinese pepper tree). Morphological characteristics and anatomical characteristi
... Show MoreDeficiencies in revenue-related accounting standards, including American accounting standards as well as international accounting standards, prompted the issuance of the International Financial Reporting Standard IFRS 15 "Revenue from contracts with customers" as part of the convergence plan between the FASB and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) according to the requirements of The joint venture between the two councils, whereby the standard aims to define the basis for reporting useful information to the users of the financial statements about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty about the revenues and cash flows arising from a contract with the customer, The standard is base
... Show MoreSimulation of free convection heat transfer in a square enclosure induced by heated thin plate is represented numerically. All the enclosure walls have constant temperature lower than the plate’s temperature. The flow is assumed to be two-dimensional. The discretized equations were solved stream function, vorticity, and energy equations by finite difference method using explicit technique and Successive Over- Relaxation method. The study was performed for different values of Rayleigh number ranging from 103 to 105 for different angle position of heated thin plate(0°, 45°, 90°). Air was chosen as a working fluid (Pr = 0.71). Aspect ratio of center of plate to the parallel left wall A2
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