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 investigates the performance of granular dead anaerobic sludge (GDAS) bio-sorbent as permeable reactive barrier in removing phenol from a simulated contaminated shallow groundwater. Batch tests have been performed to characterize the equilibrium sorption properties of the GDAS and sandy soil in phenol-containing aqueous solutions. The results of GDAS tests proved that the best values of operating parameters, which achieve the maximum removal efficiency of phenol (=85%), at equilibrium contact time (=3 hr), initial pH of the solution (=5), initial phenol concentration (=50 mg/l), GDAS dosage (=0.5 g/100 ml), and agitation speed (=250 rpm). Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis proved that the carboxylic acid, aromatic, alk
... Show MoreThe objective of the conventional well testing technique is to evaluate well- reservoir interaction through determining the flow capacity and well potential on a short-term basis by relying on the transient pressure response methodology. The well testing analysis is a major input to the reservoir simulation model to validate the near wellbore characteristics and update the variables that are normally function of time such as skin, permeability and productivity multipliers.
Well test analysis models are normally built on analytical approaches with fundamental physical of homogenous media with line source solution. Many developments in the last decade were made to increase the resolution of transient response derivation to meet the
... Show MoreThe study of the tendencies of scientific research in specialized journalism through the three specialized levels, specifically the third level. It is referred to be a monthly, quarterly or annual magazine that follows the publication of the researches for new studies which have come to in every specialization. it is directed to the highly educated and is almost an alternative book. Thus, the subject is specialized and the audience is specialized.
The study aims in both its survey and field section at knowing the type of researches and their classification and the form, gender and the use of foreign sources and their scientific tank and the geographical position in addition to knowing the opinions of researchers and their satisfa
... Show MoreThe research focuses on how to reach a mechanism that assists experts, engineers, and others in the architectural & engineering project to verify the co-existence of values and sustainability constituents in it. Research problem shows a clear lack, locally, in the interest to establish a value system and a list that cares about comprehending building components whether considering sustainable building criteria. Hypothesis shows that in order to head towards the applicable sustainable approach of buildings, then a local assessment system should be established to evaluate buildings during its life cycle, and from which buildings would be categorized as sustainable or not. Research aims at establishing main and general
... Show MoreThis paper is devoted to an inverse problem of determining discontinuous space-wise dependent heat source in a linear parabolic equation from the measurements at the final moment. In the existing literature, a considerably accurate solution to the inverse problems with an unknown space-wise dependent heat source is impossible without introducing any type of regularization method but here we have to determine the unknown discontinuous space-wise dependent heat source accurately using the Haar wavelet collocation method (HWCM) without applying the regularization technique. This HWCM is based on finite-difference and Haar wavelets approximation to the inverse problem. In contrast to othe
This work presents the use of laser diode in the fiber distributed data interface FDDI networks. FDDI uses optical fiber as a transmission media. This solves the problems resulted from the EMI, and noise. In addition it increases the security of transmission. A network with a ring topology consists of three computers was designed and implemented. The timed token protocol was used to achieve and control the process of communication over the ring. Nonreturn to zero inversion (NRZI) modulation was carried out as a part of the physical (PHY) sublayer. The optical system consists of a laser diode with wavelength of 820 nm and 2.5 mW maximum output power as a source, optical fiber as a channel, and positive intrinsic negative (PIN) photodiode
... Show MoreThe present study aims to estimating the prevalence of autoimmune thyroid disorders in Iraqi infertile women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Eighty-five Iraqi women, with age range (19-45) years, were divided into three groups; first group included 33 women with PCOS; second group included 30 women without PCOS; while third group included 22 fertile women as controls. The clinical data [age, body mass index (BMI), and menstrual status] have been recorded. Blood samples were collected to determine the levels of reproductive hormones [estradiol (E2), luteinizing hormone (LH), and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH)]; and thyroid hormones [triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxin (T4)]. Also, autoimmune thyroid antibodies assessment h
... Show MoreTransient mixed convection heat transfer in a confined porous medium heated at periodic sinusoidal heat flux is investigated numerically in the present paper. The Poisson-type pressure equation, resulted from the substituting of the momentum Darcy equation in the continuity equation, was discretized by using finite volume technique. The energy equation was solved by a fully implicit control volume-based finite difference formulation for the diffusion terms with the use of the quadratic upstream interpolation for convective kinetics scheme to discretize the convective terms and the temperature values at the control volume faces. The numerical study covers a range of the hydrostatic pressure sinusoidal amplitude range and
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