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 research work covers a study of the possibility of producing porous ceramic bodies
as a thermal insulators by adding fired Dechla kaolinite (grog)to the same non burned
kaolinite.
Different weight percentage ranged between (0,15,25,35and40)from grog and sawdust
passed through mesh 50 to Deuchla-clay kaolinit.Cylindrical shape samples (30mm diameter
and 30mm height) were prepared by the semi-dry methed,moulding pressure was 50 N/mm
2
.
After drying at 110
o
c,the samples were burnet in the furnace at temperatures
900,950,1000,1050,and 1100
o
c. The sawdust burnt out and leaves air spaces which contribute
to the high thermal insulation value.
The fired samples were investigated to de
Back ground: Viruses may be involved in the pathogenesis of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM), either through direct β-cell infection or as triggers of
autoimmunity.
Objective: To investigate the presence of specific anti- viral IgG antibodies for Coxsackie virus type B (CVB5), Poliovirus, and Adenovirus which proposed to be
involved in the etiology of T1DM.
Subjects & methods: A total of 60 Iraqi T1DM children were included in the presents study. They were new onset of the disease (diagnosis was from one week up
to five months). For the purpose of comparisons, 50 apparently healthy control subjects were selected. Serum IgG against Coxsackie virus type B5, Adenovirus type
3, 4, and 7, and Poliovac
Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a mycotoxin produced mainly by fungus Aspergillus flavus in food and feed . It is considered as a carcinogenic toxin for human and animals. The current study was designed for produce antibody (IgG) against aflatoxin B1.It was achieved by immunization of experimental animals (New Zealand White rabbits) with prepared antigen consist of aflatoxin B1-BSA Conjugate (100 and 200 μg ) concentrations, and detection of produced antibody using Ouchterlony double immunodiffusion and ELISA techniques,. Ochterlony and ELISA techniques revealed that, high titer of IgG antibody was obtained by rabbit’s immunize, and the titer of antibody was increased steadily during the immunization schedule. The highest titer of antibody rea
... Show MoreA series of Schiff base-bearing salicylaldehyde moiety compounds (1-4) had been designed, synthesized, subjected to insilico ADMET prediction, molecular docking, characterization by FT-IR, and CHNS analysis techniques, and finally to their Anti-inflammatory profile using cyclooxygenase fluorescence inhibitor screening assay methods along with standard drugs, celecoxib, and diclofenac. The ADMET studies were used to predict which compounds would be suitable for oral administration, as well as absorption sites, bioavailability, TPSA, and drug likeness. According to the results of ADME data, all of the produced chemicals can be absorbed through the GIT and have passed Lipinski’s rule of five. Through molecular docking with PyRx 0.8, these
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Background: Preeclampsia (PE) is a major cause of maternal morbidity and mortality, complicating 3-14% of all pregnancies. Although the etiology remains unknown, placental hypoperfusion and diffuse endothelial cell injury are considered to be the central pathological process; many endocrinological changes have been linked to the etiology of preeclampsia including parathyroid hormone and calcium level.
Objective: to compare serum parathyroid hormone and total serum calcium levels in mild and severe preeclampsia versus normal pregnancy.
Patients and methods: Serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) level and total serum calcium level were measured in thirty normotensive pregnant wom
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Polluted water has been considered a critical issue nowadays, threatening the environment and lives of living creatures. Because of technological and industrial advancements, as well as increased social activities of humans in various countries, pollution sources have multiplied. To reduce the impact of this problem, many techniques have been developed in order to reach zero discharge pollution. In the last decade, graphene oxide (GO) - a member of the graphene nanomaterials family, has been the focus of many research efforts in the water treatment sector because of its extraordinary properties. This review highlights the research efforts conducted to investigate GO as a novel adsorbent for water treatment applications and recen
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The effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus casi
and Lactobacillus rhomunas on the body weight and lipid metabolism on obese rats
were evaluated. In the body weight, the results showed significant deference
between rat groups, the group that consumed 3 probiotic strains showed reduction in
the body weight with ratio 16.63% while the group consumed 2 probiotic strains
showed decreasing with ratio 17.62% compared with control group which increased
in the body weight.In the effeci of probiotics on lipid metabolisim the results
showed significant deference between rat groups, the group that consumed 3
probiotic strains showed decreasing in the cholesterol with ratio 50.7%, triglyce
A group of amine derivatives [4-aminobenzenesulfonamide derivatives, 2-aminopyridine and 2-aminothiazole] incorporated to α-carbon of diclofenac a well known non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) to increase bulkiness were designed and synthesized for evaluation as a potential anti-inflammatory agents with expected COX-2 selectivity. In vivo acute anti-inflammatory activity of the selected final compounds (9, 12 and 13) was evaluated in rats using egg-white induced edema model of inflammation in a dose equivalent to (3 mg/Kg) of diclofenac sodium. All tested compounds produced a significant reduction in paw edema with respect to the effect of propylene glycol 50
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Background: COVID-19 has caused a considerable number of hospital admissions in China since December 2019. Many COVID-19 patients experience signs of acute respiratory distress syndrome, and some are even in danger of dying. Objective: to measure the serum levels of D-dimer, Neutrophil-Lymphocyte count ratio (NLR), and neopterin in patients hospitalized with severe COVID-19 in Baghdad, Iraq. And to determine the cut-off values (critical values) of these markers for the distinction between the severe patients diagnosed with COVID‐19 and the controls. Materials and methods: In this case-control study, we collect blood from 89 subjects, 45 were severe patients hospitalized in many Baghdad medical centers who were diagnosed with COVID
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Background: Iraq is among counttries of intermediate hepatitis B endemicity. Although several studies have been carried out on the prevalence of HBV markers.