Background: Rituximab is a chimeric IgG1 kappa immunoglobulin that has been genetically modified to incorporate human constant region sequences together with murine light- and heavy-chain variable region sequences. People use it to treat rheumatoid arthritis and certain malignancies. Objective: The study aimed to assess the potential association between the serum levels of Factor I, CD59, interleukins (IL)-6, and interferon-gamma (IFN)-γ and the response to Rituximab treatment in Iraqi rheumatoid arthritis patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the rheumatology center at Baghdad Teaching Hospital. Ninety adult patients who have been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and are receiving Rituximab intravenous infusions were included. The enrolled patients were divided into a responder group (45 patients) and a non-responder group (45 patients). The response to Rituximab was assessed according to the 28-joint Disease Activity Score (DAS28). Results: The serum levels of Factor I and CD59 were significantly higher in the non-responders group in comparison to the responders group. In addition, the serum IL-6 and IFN-γ levels were significantly elevated in the non-responders group in comparison to the responders group. The estimated marker serum levels showed a strong, significant correlation with the 6-month change in DAS28. Conclusions: In Rituximab nonresponder RA patients, serum levels of Factor I, CD59, Factor H, IL-6, and IFN-γ are higher, and they have good potential to be used in the assessment of the response to Rituximab therapy.
Abstract
Mitoxantrone is an antitumor agent used in the treatment of breast and prostate cancer, acute leukemia, lymphoma, and also in the treatment of multiple sclerosis due to its immunosuppressive properties. The mitoxantrone's cardiotoxicity is irreversible, dose-dependent, and it may occur years after treatment. Zinc is considered as an essential mineral for cell division and the synthesis of DNA and protein; furthermore, such mineral has an important role in states of cardiovascular diseases; and may have protective effects in coronary artery disease and cardiomyopathy.
Objective: The current study is designed to investigate effects of two different doses of zinc sulfat
... Show MoreAbiotic stress-induced genes may lead to understand the response of plants and adaptability to salinity and drought stresses. Differential display reverse transcriptase – polymerase chain reaction (DDRT-PCR) was used to investigate the differences in gene expression between drought- and salinity-stressed plantlets of Ruta graveolens. Direct and stepwise exposures to drought- or salt-responsive genes were screened in R. graveolens plantlets using the DDRT technique. Gene expression was investigated both in the control and in the salt or drought-stressed plantlets and differential banding patterns with different molecular sizes were observed using the primers OPA-01 (646,770 and 983 pb), OPA-08 (593 and 988 pb), OPA-11 (674 and 831 pb
... Show MoreThis paper presents ABAQUS simulations of fully encased composite columns, aiming to examine the behavior of a composite column system under different load conditions, namely concentric, eccentric with 25 mm eccentricity, and flexural loading. The numerical results are validated with the experimental results obtained for columns subjected to static loads. A new loading condition with a 50 mm eccentricity is simulated to obtain additional data points for constructing the interaction diagram of load-moment curves, in an attempt to investigate the load-moment behavior for a reference column with a steel I-section and a column with a GFRP I-section. The result comparison shows that the experimental data align closely with the simulation
... Show MoreTwenty bacterial isolates were identified as Staphylococcus aureus collected from wounds and catheters related infections. A capsulated S. aureus isolate was chosen after performing serum soft agar test, for this study Neutropenic mice were challenged with capsulated S. aureus ,and the effect of G-CSF with or without moxifloxacin was studied. The results indicated that the addition of G-CSF to moxifloxacin therapy have a synergistic effect in the killing of the bacteria, while when each G-CSF and moxifloxacin were used seperately have a similar effect on bacterial killing. It was found that the moxifloxacin has the same activity as G_CSF but is less costly than the latter one.
Climate change is a global environmental issue and a common concern for humanity, and it is an inevitable result of civilization development, especially after the industrial revolution All areas of life At the level of the Iraqi situation , Iraq faces several challenges posed by Climate change , Such as high temperature, lack of rain, water scarcity , land salinity , and the increase in the proportion of sand and dust storms and the resulting disasters, which impedes development and hinders efforts to reduce poverty , enhance livelihoods , and reduce conflict to obtain natural resources.
... Show MoreBaghdad governorate has many areas of distinctive architectural and architectural character, which are heritage and valuable areas that we must preserve and take care of. But we see many manifestations of it, which have a negative impact on buildings, areas and roads, so that they distort the view and thus lead to visual pollution in general. The research examined the visual pollution from random advertising, which stretched buildings, walls, electricity poles and sidewalks. The study covered different areas of al-Karkh and al-Rassafa (Jadreya Bridge, Nation Square, Jordan Square, alkindy Street)Most of the distortions were the result of non-removable posters, Handwriting, election candidate adve
... Show MoreA new Schiff bases ligand 4- ((2-hyolroxy phenylimino) methyl) -2, 6-dimethoxyphenol derived from condensation of 2- amino phenol with 4-hydroxy -3, 5-dimethoxy benzaldehyde have been synthesized and characterized by spectroscopy, spectra, Mass spectrum and elemental microanalysis (C.H.N). Metal Complexes with ions have been also synthesized and characterized spectroscopic methods spectroscopy, flame atomic absorption, molar conductivity measurements and magnetic susceptibility. These studies indicate that the moler ratio for the complexes. The complexes showed characteristics octahedral geometry with the (O,N) ligand coordinated in bidentate mode while with showed square planer. The enzyme activity of the ligand and i
... Show MoreTransition metal complexes of Y(III), La(III) and Rh(III) with azo dye 2,4-dimethyl-6- (4-nitro-phenylazo)-phenol derived from 4-nitroaniline and 2,4-dimethylphenol were synthesized. Characterization of these compounds has been done on the basis of elemental analysis, electronic data, FT-IR,UV-Vis and 1HNMR, as well as conductivity measurements. The nature of the complexes formed were studies following the mole ratio and continuous variation methods, Beer's law obeyed over a concentration range (1x10-4- 3x10-4). High molar absorbtivity of the complex solutions were observed. From the analytical data, the stoichiomerty of the complexes has been found to be 1:3 (Metal:ligand). On the basis of Physicochemical data octahedral geometries were as
... Show MoreTransition metal complexes of Y(III), La(III) and Rh(III) with azo dye 2,4-dimethyl-6(4-nitro-phenylazo)-phenol derived from 4-nitroaniline and 2,4-dimethylphenol were synthesized. Characterization of these compounds has been done on the basis of elemental analysis, electronic data, FT-IR,UV-Vis and 1HNMR, as well as conductivity measurements. The nature of the complexes formed were studies following the mole ratio and continuous variation methods, Beer's law obeyed over a concentration range (1x10-4- 3x10-4). High molar absorbtivity of the complex solutions were observed. From the analytical data, the stoichiomerty of the complexes has been found to be 1:3 (Metal:ligand). On the basis of Physicochemical data octahedral geometries were a
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