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.
Hashimoto Thyroiditis (HT) is the most common autoimmune thyroid disease and the commonest cause ofhypothyroidism. C-reactive protein (CRP) is synthesized in hepatocyte in response to autoimmune disorders;strongly induced by IL-6. This study aimed to estimate serum IL-6 and CRP levels in autoimmune and non-autoimmune hypothyroidism. The present study included 60 Iraqi female hypothyroid patients divided to 30autoimmune and 30 non-autoimmune, with age ranged between 24-50 years and 30 healthy controls withage ranged between 27-52 years. Serum samples were collected from study groups. The levels of thyroidhormones (TSH, T4 and T3) were determined by using automated Chemiluminescence Immunoassay (CLIA)analysis system. Detection the levels of t
... Show MoreThe chemical composition of wastes of pressed grapes and found that the main components of wastes of pressed grapes, represented by the percentage of moisture was 6.47%, and the proportions are 3.71%. Either carbohydrates amounted to 85.77 %, either in fat models using petroleum ether Petroleum ether) was the increase of 0.27%. estimated the percentage of ash in the sampls was 3.78%, either fiber reached 69.47 %,, in addition to the test extracts towards the growth of seven types of bacteria, which included Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus stearothermophilus, Escherishia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhimurium and Pseudomonas fluorescens and yeast Candida albicans and Kluyveromyces marxianus, ( diffusion method ).
... Show MoreThe research deals with financial and supplies support from the rulers and governors of the
Arab cities and Islamic regions to the poor of common people and the poor of their own . The
Islamic Arab community was characterized , since the prophet's era , with great humanistic
features that formed the cultural characteristic which organized individual's economic life .
The prophet , senior Muslims and the rich cared a lot about this side . There was a large
variation in the degrees of wealth and poverty in the Muslim Arab community as a heritage
from the pve – Islamic society where there is no concern about helping the needy and poor .
Thus , the research sheds light on the different forms of help offered by rulers a
Tuberculosis (TB) still remains an important medical problem due to high levels of morbidity and mortality worldwide. A series of innate immune mechanisms that create a cytokine network control the pathogenesis of tuberculosis and this response has the capacity to modify the host genomic DNA structure through epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation which could constantly alter the local gene expression pattern that can modulate the metabolism of the tissues and the immune-response. Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) is an important pro-inflammatory cytokine regulator of the innate immune response to TB. This study aims to determine DNA methylation patterns of INF-γ gene promoter and measure serum IFN- γ level in newly diagnosed TB patient
... Show MoreThe results shows existence of metals such as copper, iron, Cadmium, lead and zinc in most of examined samples , the highest concentration are up to (2.26, 40.82, 282.5, 31.02, 19.26, 4.34) Part per million) ppm) in pasta hot (Zer brand), Indomie with chicken, granule (Zer brand), brand (Zer brand), and rice (mahmood brand) respectively, with presence nickel in spaghetti( Zer brand), granule, Zer brand with concentration reached to 4.34 ppm and 1.06 ppm respectively.
The results of cereals group and its products show that two kinds of fungi, Aspergillus spp. and Penicillin spp. were found in rice (Mahmood brand) with numbers got to 1.5×103 Colony Forming Unit/ gram (c.f.u./g),while Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus were isola
The problem of rebellion is considered one of the features of rapid changes that a society undergoes in all spheres and directions of life, especially in the realm of social relations, customs, traditions, values, and principles. Rebellion may manifest itself in rebellion against oneself, against values or traditions, or against social or governmental authority. One may find that submission plays a vital role in all of these interactions. This study deals with the problem of rebellion in the works of two renowned authors: The French Gustave Flaubert and the Israeli Amos Oz, through two main characters who share similar qualities and traits. Emma Bovary and Henna Konin demonstrate this through their rebellion against themselves, their relati
... Show MoreThis study addresses the issue of academic writing in English by comparing pragmatic argumentation in the writing of 40 graduate students studying at Iraqi universities (SSIU) with the writing of 40 graduate students studying at American universities (SSAU). In these 80 theses, six selected aspects of academic writing were analyzed: (a) paragraph structure, (b) length and construction of sentences, (c) organization of information in sentences, (d) vocabulary, (e) topic sentences, and (f) discourse markers. This study seeks to go beyond the traditional and often onedimensional analysis of pragmatics of argumentation in English academic writing to distinguish and describe different aspects of academic writing and their results when used by EF
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