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.
This study aimed at comparing the performance of vertical, horizontal and hybrid subsurface flow systems in secondary treatment for the effluent wastewater from the primary basins at Al-Rustumia wastewater treatment plant, Baghdad, Iraq. The treatments were monitored for six weeks while the testsduration were from 4 to 12 September 2018 under continuous wastewater feeding for chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solid (TSS),ammonia-nitrogen(NH4-N) and phosphate (PO4-P) in comparison with FAO and USEPA standards for effluent discharge to evaluate the suitability of treated water for irrigation purposes. Among the systems planted with Phragmites Australia, the hybrid subsurface flow system which cons
... Show MoreThe alfalfa plant, after harvesting, was washed, dried, and grinded to get fine powder used in water treatment. We used the alfalfa plant with ethanol to make the alcoholic extract characterized by using (GC-Mass, FTIR, and UV) spectroscopy to determine active compounds. Alcoholic extract was used to prepare zinc nanoparticles. We characterized Zinc nanoparticles using (FTIR, UV, SEM, EDX Zeta potential, XRD, AFM). Zinc nanoparticle with Alfalfa extract and alfalfa powder were used in the treatment of water polluted with inorganic elements such as Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Cd, Ag by (Batch processing). The batch process with using alfalfa powder gets treated with Pb (51.45%), which is the highest percentage of treatment. Mn (13.18%), which is the
... Show MoreThis research involves the synthesis of some sulphanyl benzimidazole derivatives (Ia-c), which were prepared from reaction of 2-mercaptobenzimidazole substituted benzyl halide, and structures were identified by spectral methods[FTIR, 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR].These compounds were investigated as corrosion inhibitors for carbon steel in 1M H2SO4 solution using weight loss, potentiostatic polarization methods; obtained results showed that the sulphanyl benzimidazole derivatives retard both cathodic and anodic reactions in acidic media, by virtue of adsorption on the carbon steel surface. This adsorption obeyed Langmuir’s adsorption isotherm. The inhibition efficiency of (Ia-c) ranging between (65-92) %. By using different Ib derivative conc
... Show MoreBackground: Pleomorphic adenoma is the most common benign salivary gland tumor and shows a pronounced morphological complexity and diversity; for this The immunoprofiles and clinical course of PA differed according to cellular differentiation. Therefore, it is important to assess potential biomarkers in diagnostic and therapeutic trials. This study evaluates the immunohistochemical expression of D2-40, VEGF and PCNA as markers of lymphangiogenesis, angiogenesis and proliferation of PA and their correlation with clinicpathological parameters and with each other. Materials and Methods: Twenty five formalin – fixed, paraffin – embedded tissue blocks were included in this study. After histopathological reassessment of haematoxylin & eosin
... Show MoreThe applications of herbal medicine have recently acquired growing interest in range of the prophylaxis and treatment of diseases. Olibanum has been used since ancient eras and several reports studied the pharmacological characteristics of boswellic acid, particularly their effect on the inflammatory response, analgesic properties, and anti-arthritic activity mostly in cell lines, but new approaches include animal models to assess these natural derivatives effects taking into consideration of being safer than synthetic preparations. The impact of olibanum oil on several parameters was studied in rats during this study. These included white blood cell (WBC) count, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and C reactive protein (CRP), as well a
... Show MoreObjectives: Assessment of glycodelin (GD) as a marker for unruptured ectopic pregnancy (EP) in the first trimester of pregnancy. Materials and Methods: This case-control study was conducted during June 2016 to May 2017 in the Obstetrics and Gynecological Department of Baghdad University at Baghdad teaching hospital/medical city complex. In this study, 100 pregnant women in their first trimester of pregnancy were included after clinical and ultrasonic findings. Results: Based on the results, GD levels in EP were significantly lower than those with normal intrauterine pregnancy (1.58 ± 1.18 vs. 30.1 ± 11.9). In addition, using receiver operator curve analysis, the cut-off GD level of 9.5 and less had acceptable validity results (100
... Show MorePregnancy- including hypertension(PIH), also known as preeclampsia, is one of the major causes of maternal and fetal death. This study was carried out on 30 pregnant women with preeclampsia and 30 healthy pregnant women as control ranging in age mean ±SD (28.84±3.55) years , BMI (76.80±9.78) Kg/m2 and gestation age(30.82±0.75)week. The aim of this research was studied the plasma Metanephrine level and other biochemical parameters such as Hemoglobin(Hb), serum Protein, S. Albumin, Globulin, Albumin/Globulin ratio (Alb/Glu. ratio), S.Glutamate Pyruvate aminotransferase (GPT), S.Glutamate Oxaloacetate aminotransferase(GOT). The obtained results have been compared with 30 healthy pregnant women as control group. The result showed that ther
... Show MorePregnancy- including hypertension(PIH), also known as preeclampsia, is one of the major causes of maternal and fetal death. This study was carried out on 30 pregnant women with preeclampsia and 30 healthy pregnant women as control ranging in age mean ±SD (28.84±3.55) years , BMI (76.80±9.78) Kg/m2 and gestation age(30.82±0.75)week. The aim of this research was studied the plasma Metanephrine level and other biochemical parameters such as Hemoglobin(Hb), serum Protein, S. Albumin, Globulin, Albumin/Globulin ratio (Alb/Glu. ratio), S.Glutamate Pyruvate aminotransferase (GPT), S.Glutamate Oxaloacetate aminotransferase(GOT). The obtained results have been compared with 30 healthy pregnant women as control group. The result showed
... Show MoreThe environmental problems that have emerged recently as a result of pressure on the environment due to the increase in population size, especially in urban cities, where this increase was accompanied by the need for housing as well as the need for services and activities. This led to the establishment of many vertical residential buildings represented by residential complexes within the urban fabric of the city of Baghdad. As part of following the methodology of urban dictation policies in empty areas, and to accommodate the largest number of residents as a result of the multiplicity of floors and housing, these buildings must be subject to the standards and requirements of sustainability at the level of their spatial location and their
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