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.
In this research, titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) were prepared through the sol-gel process at an acidic medium (pH3).TiO2 nanoparticles were prepared from titanium trichloride (TiCl3) as a precursor with Ammonium hydroxide (NH4OH) with 1:3 ratio at 50 °C. The resulting gel was dried at 70 °C to obtain the Nanocrystalline powder. The powder from the drying process was treated thermally at temperatures 500 °C and 700 °C. The crystalline structure, surface morphology, and particle size were studied by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The results showed (anatase) phase of titanium dioxide with the average grain size
... Show MoreOrganophosphorus insecticide and growth regulator namely Ethephon (2-chloroethylphosphonic acid) are widely used as a ripening process accelerator and a cultivation duration inhibitor. Pomegranate extract (PPE) has recently been taken into consideration due to its pharmacological effects especially those associated with renal diseases. Thus, this study aims to investigate the possible protective effect of PPE against ethephon-induced nephrotoxicity in rats. In this study four groups of adult male rats were divided into control group, PPE 400 mg/kg group, Ethephon 250 mg/kg group, and finally, PPE + Ethephon group (treated with the same dose of PPE group and Ethephon group). In the current study, kidney function parameters (KIM-1, creatin
... Show MoreIntroduction: Dental fear is defined as the patient’s specific reaction towards stress related to dental treatment in which the stimulus is unkn..
Objective: An efficient solution for stabilization is the mobilization of the joints for the arthrokinematics affected by the positional defect of the CAI (i.e. chronic ankle instability). This study put to comparison the impacts of ankle dorsi flexion range of motion (DFROM) as well as dynamic balance ability (DBA) in the patients who have CAI using PJM (i.e. passive joint mobilization), a technique typically been used in previous works, and active joint mobilization (AJM), a technique which could have a greater impact on cortical excitability with the spontaneous movement. Design: rehabilitation program to treat recurrent ankle. Methods: A total of 10 players from the Iraqi clubs Muay Thai team were registered, 5 from each of
... Show MoreWastewater recycling for non-potable uses has gained significant attention to mitigate the high pressure on freshwater resources. This requires using a sustainable technique to treat natural municipal wastewater as an alternative to conventional methods, especially in arid and semi-arid rural areas. One of the promising techniques applied to satisfy the objective of wastewater reuse is the constructed wetlands (CWs) which have been used extensively in most countries worldwide through the last decades. The present study introduces a significant review of the definition, classification, and components of CWs, identifying the mechanisms controlling the removal process within such units. Vertical, horizontal, and hybrid CWs
... Show MoreEnamel White Spot Lesions (EWSLs) are a common dental condition characterized by being opaque or chalky white in appearance. In this review, an overview of the etiology, prevention, and treatment techniques for EWSLs is presented. Enamel demineralization caused by bacteria in dental plaque which releases acids upon the consumption of fermentable carbohydrates causing mineral loss is thought to be the main cause of those lesions, which could be predisposed through orthodontic treatment, poor diet, inadequate oral hygiene and certain medical conditions. So, sustaining an adequate carbohydrate consumption, proper fluoride exposure and good oral hygiene are some of the practices which aid in these lesions’ prevention. Although the suc
... Show MoreIbn al-Haytham is the pioneer of optics, which is a science that had described optics circumstances. Optics or landscape science as it was known by the Arab and Muslim scientists at the time when is a science known as the conditions of sighters in their quantity and quality as the proximity and distance from the beholder , the different forms , conditions and what mediate between the beholder and the microscopes , to explain useful knowledge of what obscures the sight of the conditions of sighters and is used to measure the space Distant criminality and mirrors.
Ibn al-Haitham wrote his famous book The Book of Mirrors and studied mistakes adopted the m
... Show MoreOrbital varices are vein dilations in the orbit presenting various symptoms. This scoping review synthesizes existing evidence on their epidemiology, clinical features, and treatment efficacy.
Literature was reviewed according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. PubMed and Scopus were searched until April 31, 2024, for articles on clinically diagnosed ocular varices detailing diagnostic methods, treatments, and outcomes. Exclusions were reviews, animal studies, and incomplete case reports. Data on study characteristics, diagnosis, management, and o