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.
Background: Metabolic syndrome (Mets) is partially heritable. High mobility group AT-hook1 (HMGA1), an architectural transcription factor, affects the homeostasis of glucose. The marked inter-individual differences between T
... Show MoreThe present study is concerned with studying the effect of aquatic plant Hydrella vorticellata with the concentration of 10 and 20 gm/2 K gm soil on percentage and growth rate of germinating seeds of Hordeum vulgare and Vicia faba. More overs, the quantitative amount of NPK in both tested plants and Hydrella vorticellata, are estimated as an organic fertilizer. It has also been find the total number of root cells, the number of dividing cells, and stages of mitosis. The study reveales, that there are no significant differences between the concentration of hydrella used in germination percentage, growth rate, wet and dry weight. While there are differences in the plants containing NPK. The number of cells dividing stages and number of divid
... Show MoreBackground: Chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand (CXCL9) has an important role recruiting the T-lymphocytes and immune response after infection by inducing T-cells accumulation around the areas associated with infections. However, this role is poorly known in relation with Toxoplasma gondii infection and also in association with thyroid hormones, which the present study is focused on. Methods: Eighty-seven women were included in this study for the period between September 2021 and February 2022. Blood samples of uninfected healthy pregnant, in addition to aborted and pregnant women infected with toxoplasmosis, were collected. Sera were then obtained and stored at -10°C. Toxo-latex agglutination test was done, followed by detec
... Show MoreThis study examines Agence France Presse’s (AFP) media treatment of the Great Return Marches in order to identify its contents, the issues it gave attention to, its sources, attitude, techniques, objectives, the journalistic forms used in covering events and the typographic elements used to highlight them.
This descriptive study employed the survey methodology through the use of content analysis method, and the methodology of mutual relations through the use of the case study method. The data was collected by means of a content analysis form. The study was based on the Agenda Setting Theory in the analysis of the study results.
The study sample included (116) news texts from AFP collected during the period from 20/3/2018 to
Although there are many wastewater treatment plants, we still suffer from many problems resulting from a lack of experience or technical operating problems. In this research, the service’s efficiency is evaluated according to the design laws required for small factories in the province of Najaf, which works with filtering technology through point filtration, the old project in the Al-Baraka plant, and the second works. Within the biological treatment mbbr + activated sludge, which is a biomass technology where samples were taken from both plants and annual values of the pollutant rate after treatment in the old Al-Baraka plant project COD 64 mg/L and the demand for biochemical oxyge
There are many images you need to large Khneh space With the continued evolution of storage technology for computers, there is a continuing need and are required to reduce Alkhoznip space Pictures Zguet pictures in a good way, the way conversion Alamueja to Purifiers
Background and Objective: Public demand for procedures to rejuvenate photodamaged facial skin have stimulated the use of fractional CO2 laser as a precise and predictable treatment modality. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of fractional CO2 laser system for reducing periorbital rhytids.
Materials and Methods: twenty seven subjects with mild periocular wrinkles, and photoaged skin of the face were prospectively treated two to three times (according to clinical response) in the periorbital area with a fractional CO2 laser device equipped with a scanning hand piece. Improvements in eyelid wrinkles was evaluated clinically and photographically. Subjects also scored satisfaction and
... Show MoreThe present study addresses the behavior of gases in cultivation media as an essential factor to develop the relationship between the microorganisms that are present in the same environment. This relationship was explained via mass transfer of those gases to be a reasonable driving force in changing biological trends. Stripping and dissolution of oxygen and carbon dioxide in water and dairy wastewater were investigated in this study. Bubble column bioreactor under thermal control system was constructed and used for these processes. The experimental results showed that the removal of gases from the culture media requires more time than the dissolution. For example, the volumetric mass transfer coefficient for the removal
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