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.
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Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds, teach the pen, taught the human what he didn't know, Ihmad - Almighty - and thank him, and repent to him and ask forgiveness, which is the most forgiving, and bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone has no partner, gives and prevents, And I bear witness that Muhammad is a slave to Allah and his Messenger, who called for guidance and good speech and spoke, peace be upon him and his family and companions, and those who followed them until the Day of Judgment.
Background: Community pharmacists endure significantly elevated levels of work-related stress and depression, posing a threat to their overall well-being and possibly affecting the quality of patient care. Objectives: To explore workplace-associated stress and depression in Iraqi community pharmacists. Methods: This observational study was conducted using a cross-sectional design. Information was gathered through the utilization of an internet-based survey. The study involved a community pharmacist with a minimum of one year of experience working at community pharmacies. The survey utilized pre-validated questionnaires. The level of stress experienced was assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)-10, while the level of depression was
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The subject of this research is the study of the formal alienation of contemporary English sculpture, by comparing the most important sculptors of the new contemporary generation. This research problem is to look for the important factors in the formation of the contemporary sculptural structure of the exotic, and what is the mechanism of formation and output of these forms. The research seeks to explore (Alienation in contemporary sculpture between the works of Anthony Caro and Tony Cragg) in a comparative study. The importance of the research is to identify the concept of alien forms in contemporary British sculpture, especially in the cases of Anthony Caro and Tony Cragg that this research is considered a know
الخلفية: التهاب المفاصل الرَثَيَانِي أو الداء الرثياني أو الالتهاب المفصلي الروماتويدي هو مرض مزمن، من الأمراض الانضدادية التي تؤدي بالجهاز المناعي لمهاجمة المفاصل، مسببة التهابات وتدميرًا لها. ومن الممكن أيضًا أن يدمر جهاز المناعة أعضاء أخرى في الجسم مثل الرئتين والجلد. وفي بعض الحالات، يسبب المرض الإعاقة، مؤدية إلى فقدان القدرة على الحركة والإنتاجية. ويتم تشخيص المرض بواسطة تحاليل دم مخبرية مثل تحلي
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Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has an unknown and complex etiology. It affects 5–10% of women in the reproductive age. Patients are known to have increased ovarian androgen production that is associated with decreased menses, hirsutism, and acne. Urinary tract stones (UTS) are a multifactorial disorder, with age and sex being known risk factors. Many PCOS patients are obese, and links between nephrolithiasis and obesity have been shown previously. Objectives: To identify the relation between PCOS and UTS considering the patients' body mass index (BMI). Methods: This is a cross-sectional study that enrolled 407 women aged 18-40 who attended the gynecology and obstetrics clinic at Al-Elwiya Maternity Teaching Hospital.
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This research will cover different aspects of estimating process of construction work in a desert area. The inherent difficulties which accompany the cost estimating of the construction works in desert environment in a developing country, will stem from the limited information available, resources scarcity, low level of skilled workers, the prevailing severe weather conditions and many others, which definitely don't provide a fair, reliable and accurate estimation. This study tries to present unit price to estimate the cost in preliminary phase of a project. Estimations are supported by developing mathematical equations based on the historical data of maintenance, new construction of managerial and school projects.
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