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.
The problem of multi assembly line balancing appears as one of the most prominent and complex type of problem. The research problem of this dissertation is concerned with choosing the suitable method that includes the nature of the processes of the multi assembly type of the sewing line at factory no. (7). The State Company for Leather Manufacturing. The sewing line currently suffers from idle times at work stations which resulted in low production levels that do not meet the production plans. The authors have devised a flexible simulation model which uses the uniform distribution to generate task time for each shoe type produced by the factory. The simulation of the multi assembly line was based on assigni
... Show MoreThe present research is descriptive and analytical by nature; it practically presents the method of implementing the standard pattern in an unconventional way using the bias-cut line. The study aims at investigating the variables of bias-cut and their suitability for fitting large-shaped Iraqi ladies. It also aims at exploring the artistic and innovative features of the bias-cut. Therefore, one needs to understand the rules and basics of clothing and the nature of the body to reach the maximum degree of control.Consequently, the study is to answer the following questions: What is the effectiveness of tailoring on the bias-cut in fitting a standard template of a large-shaped Iraqi ladies? Is it possible to obtain from the offered possibil
... Show MoreThis study describes the preparation of new series of tetra-dentate N2O2 dinuclear complexes (Cr3+, Co2+, Cu2+) of the Schiff base derived from condensation of 1-Hydroxy-naphthalene-2-carbaldehyde with 2-amino-5-(2-hydroxy-phenyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazole. The structures of the ligands were identified using IR, UV-Vis , mass, elemental analysis and 1H-NMR techniques. All prepared complexes have been characterized by conductance measurement, magnetic susceptibility, electronic spectra, infrared spectrum, theromgravimatric analysis (TGA) and metal analysis by atomic absorption. From stoichiometry of metal to ligand and all measurements show a octahedral geometry proposed for all
... Show MoreAmong several separation processes, the air flotation distinguish as remarkably high potential separation process related to its high separation efficiency and throughput, energy-efficient, simple process, cost-effective, applicable to a wide range of oily wastewater and no by-products. The current study aimed to investigate the effect of the type and concentration of surfactant on the stability of oil-water emulsion and efficiency of the separation process. For this purpose, three types of surfactant where used (anionic SDS, mixed nonionic Span 85/Tween 80, and cationic CTAB). The results demonstrated that the Span 85/Tween 80 surfactant has the best stability, and it increases with the surfactant concentration augmentation. The removal ef
... Show MoreMultiplicative inverse in GF (2 m ) is a complex step in some important application such as Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) and other applications. It operates by multiplying and squaring operation depending on the number of bits (m) in the field GF (2 m ). In this paper, a fast method is suggested to find inversion in GF (2 m ) using FPGA by reducing the number of multiplication operations in the Fermat's Theorem and transferring the squaring into a fast method to find exponentiation to (2 k ). In the proposed algorithm, the multiplicative inverse in GF(2 m ) is achieved by number of multiplications depending on log 2 (m) and each exponentiation is operates in a single clock cycle by generating a reduction matrix for high power of two ex
... Show MoreThis piece of research work aims to study one of the most difficult reaction and determination due to continuous and rapid variation of reaction products and the reactants. As molybdenum (VI) aid in the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide in alkaline medium of ammomia, thus means a continuous liberation of oxygen which cuases and in a continuous manner a distraction in the measurement process. On this basis pyrogallol was used to absorbe all liberated oxygen and the result is an a clean undisturbed signals. Molybdenum (VI) was determined in the range of 4-100 ?g.ml-1 with percentage linearity of 99.8% or (4-300 ?g.ml-1 with 94.4%) while L.O.D. was 3.5 ?g.ml-1. Interferring ions (cations and anions) were studied and their main effect was red
... Show MoreThis study aimed to manufacture an innovative device that enables the player to walk after the operation and improves the functional efficiency through the improvement in the range of motion as well as the improvement in the size of the muscles working on the knee joint. The research, the study population consisted of players with severing the anterior cruciate ligament of the advanced soccer players, and the number of the research sample was (5) injured for the control sample and (5) for the experimental sample in Abu Ghraib Hospital and some rehabilitation centers for a period of six months, and the pre-tests were conducted after two weeks of The cruciate ligament surgery was performed, and the innovative device was used for the e
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