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.
A new method for determination of allopurinol in microgram level depending on its ability to reduce the yellow absorption spectrum of (I-3) at maximum wavelength ( ?max 350nm) . The optimum conditions such as "concentration of reactant materials , time of sitting and order of addition were studied to get a high sensitivity ( ? = 27229 l.mole-1.cm-1) sandal sensitivity : 0.0053 µg cm-2 ,with wide range of calibration curve ( 1 – 9 µg.ml-1 ) good stability (more then24 hr.) and repeatability ( RSD % : 2.1 -2.6 % ) , the Recovery % : ( 98.17 – 100.5 % ) , the Erel % ( 0.50 -1.83 % ) and the interference's of Xanthine , Cystein , Creatinine , Urea and the Glucose in 20 , 40 , 60 fold of analyate were also studied .
Background: Drawing blood to measure total serum bilirubin is painful & time consuming. Transcutaneous bilirubinometer working by multiwavelength spectral reflectance from the skin surface on forehead or upper sternum is a quick & painless technique. Objectives: to compare the effectiveness of transcutaneous (over the upper sternum and forehead) and serum bilirubin measurement of neonate with jaundice. Subjects and Methods: This is a cross sectional prospective study. It enrolled 175 jaundiced neonates & excluded those exposed to phototherapy. It was conducted at Child Central Teaching Hospi |
The other day in the Holy Quran and the four Gospels
Receipt Date:10/11/2021 Acceptance Date:29/12/2021 Publication Date:31/12/2021
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
The study aimed to clarify the conceptual explanations and the theoretical rooting of the concept of the populist phenomenon. And explore the political and cultural implications and connotations contained in populist political discourse. And to stand on the foundations and meanings on w
... Show MoreDue to the scientific and technical development in the free electron laser devices and the accompanying industrial and technological progress in various fields of civil and military life, it became necessary to expand the understanding of the mechanism of interaction of electrons (as an effective medium) with the magnetic field that they pass through to form coherent photons.
In this paper, the Lorentz force effect is simulated and analysed. The results showed that the Lorentz force originates from the magnetic field, making the electron move through it oscillate. This sinusoidal motion of the electron causes it to emit two photons for every electron wavelength. It has been concluded that the electron velocity directly affe
... Show MoreBackground: The objective of this study was to investigate the possibility of standardizing the Bolton ratio analysis as a diagnostic measure for both Iraqi and Egyptian orthodontic populations within three Angle' classification groups. Materials and methods: Two hundred forty pretreatment study casts (one hundred twenty of each population) were included in this study and divided into three Angle' classification groups. The mesiodistal crown diameters of all teeth were measured for computing the anterior and total Bolton ratios. Analysis of variance was performed to compare the mean ratios of Bolton analysis as a function of the Angle classification.HSD test was used to specify the classes of malocclusion that have significant differences.
... Show MoreBackground: Opportunistic viral infections make an important threat to renal transplantation recipients (RTRs), and with the use of more intense newly-developed immunosuppressive drugs; the risk of renal allograft loss due to reactivation of these viruses has increased considerably. At the top priority of these viruses lie BK polyomavirus (BKV) and human cytomegalovirus (CMV). Reactivation of these viruses in these chronically immunosuppressed RTRs can lead to renal impairment and subsequently allograft loss, unless early detected and properly treated. Objectives: The study aimed to detect and quantify plasma viral load of BKV and CMV in RTRs using quantitative real time PCR (qRT-PCR), in order to study the prevalence of these two viruses i
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Communication has seen a big advancement through ages; concepts, procedures and technologies, it has also seen a similar advancement of language. What unites language and media is the fact that each one of them guides and contributes to the other; media exists and results from language and from the other sign systems, and what strengthens this connection is the symbolic language system, as media helps it by providing knowledge and information. The change that occurred through time must leave a significant trace in the media, for example Diction, which has changed concerning development and growth, also the ways and mediums of media have become manifold and widespread. This change affected the recipient whether it was a reader, listener o
... Show MoreThere are numerous bidirectional interactions between the reproductive system and the liver. Sex steroids regulate metabolic health through signaling effects in both peripheral and central metabolic tissues, including adipose tissue, liver, skeletal muscle, and brain, and have a role in the etiology of structural and functional liver diseases. Blood samples were obtained from 90 healthy women (control group) and 90 women that have hormonal changes (patients’ group). The levels of reproductive hormones (follicle stimulation hormone/FSH, luteinizing hormone/LH, estradiol/E2, progesterone/P4) were measured by using fully automated Cobas E411, whereas those of liver enzymes (alanine transaminase /ALT, aspartate aminotransferase/AST, a
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