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.
Nanosponges (NS) of etodolac(ETO) was prepared using the emulsion solvent diffusion method ; the effects of drug: polymer ratio, the effect of level concentration of internal phase and stirring time and other variables that effect on the physical characteristics of NS were investigated and characterized, The selected formula was lyophilized then incorporated into hydrogel ; which also evaluated .The results show that the formulation that contain Drug: PVA:EC in ratio 1:3:2 is the best with smallest particle size 40.2±0.098 with polydispersibility0.005 and in vitro release 97.6±0.11%, , ETO NS Carbopol hydrogel produced a significant(p<0.05) improvement of the in vitro release than pure ETO hydrogel.
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The present study investigates the relation between the biliteral and triliteral roots which is the introduction to comprehend the nature of the Semitic roots during its early stage of development being unconfirmed to a single pattern. The present research is not meant to decide on the question of the biliteral roots in the Semitic languages, rather it is meant to confirm the predominance of the triliteral roots on these languages which refers, partially, to analogy adopted by the majority of linguists. This tendency is frequently seen in the languages which incline to over generalize the triliteral phenomenon, i. e., to transfer the biliteral roots to the triliteral room, that is, to subject it to the predominant pattern regarding the r
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Background : A retrospective study was done in the Pediatric ward /AL-Kadhimiyia Teaching Hospital on cases diagnosed as idiopathic thrombocytopenic Purpura admitted since the first of January1992 – the end of December 2004.
Aim of the study : The objective of this paper is to review the natural history of idiopathic thrombocytopenic Purpura , presenting feature and response to treatment.
Patients and methods : The review included age ,sex , clinical presentation , physical finding , complications , investigation ,treatment and course of the diseases .
Results: total number of the patients were 65, peak age was between (2 -5) years, 40 cases (61.53%). Females were affected more than Males with male: female
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The rapid increase in the number of older people with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other forms of dementia represents one of the major challenges to the health and social care systems because of a large number of people affected. Early detection of AD makes it possible for patients to access appropriate services and to benefit from new treatments and therapies, as and when they become available, and to plan for the future. The onset of AD starts many years before the clinical symptoms become clear. A biomarker that can measure the brain changes in this period would be useful for early diagnosis of AD. Potentially, the electroencephalogram (EEG) can play a valuable role in early detection of AD. Damage caused to the brain due to AD leads t
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It sheds light on the cultural dimension in the decentralized administration experience in Iraq as evaluation tool by adding a new dimension in studying decentralization in addition to the administrative, political and legal dimensions .The proposal of study is that without the civil political culture ,the administrative decentralization in Iraq which remains weak and it may be imposed to a set of problems. - The study includes an introduction, conclusion and a set of political and cultural issues , its components and it may have the political analysis of this culture and its role in determining the movement of the administrative decentralized movement in Iraq post 2003.
Background: Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a rare chronic liver disease of known etiology, characterized by hypergammaglobulinemia, characteristic auto antibodies, and a favorable response to immunosuppressive treatment.Strong circumstantial evidences denoted that there is quite long list of environmental factors such as (food additives and drugs), viruses and toxins which play an important role in precipitating this disease.<br />Patients and Methods: the study was performed on 13 Iraqi patients with acute viral hepatitis, attending the Teaching Hospital for Gastroenterology and Liver Disease and Al-Khadymia Teaching Hospital in the period between November 2003 and July 2005. ANA, SMA and anti-LKM 1 were detected by immunoflurescen
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