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: Ovulation induction by human menopausal gonadotrophin (HMG) results in temporal luteal phase defect. Luteal support therapies are required to support embryo implantation in stimulated cycle especially in luteal phase defect infertile women.
Objective: The objective of the present study was to investigate the clinical significance of progesterone, aspirin and HCG on human embryo implantation in women with luteal phase defect following ICSI and embryo transfer (ET).
Patients and Methods: The female patients were divided into six groups depending on the type of the luteal support protocols (LSP). Group 1 (No= 54), received 10 mg oral progesterone (P), group 2 (No= 35) received P plus HCG
Background: Any child with Down's syndrome does not develop in the same manner as normal child. Therefore, the child should not be viewed as being like everyone else. Developmental enamel defects in primary teeth have been found at least twice as frequently in disabled children as in control children. Down's syndrome consumed protein more than the recommended daily allowance compared to other disabled groups. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate developmental defects of enamel and their relations to nutrient intake among Down's syndrome children in comparison to normal children. Materials and Methods: A sample consisted of fifty institutionalized Down's syndrome children (study group) and 50 normal children (control group)
... Show MoreThe effect of chronic exposure to two different levels of cadmium chloride (CdCl2) 30 ppb and 40 ppb in drinking water for 12 weeks on thyroid function of mature male rabbits was studied. Eighteen mature male rabbits were randomly divided into three groups (each of six ) , control group (group I ): were offered ordinary tap water , and treated groups (II and III ) were offered tap water containing 30ppb and 40 ppb respectively for 12 weeks .Serum concentration of thyroxin (T4 ) and triiodothyronine (T3) were measured every six weeks ,as an index of thyroid function , further more , section of thyroid gland were prepared for histological studies. The results showed that chronic exposure of male rabbits
... Show MoreBackground: Thalassemias are a group of heterogeneous genetic disorders, in which the rate of production of hemoglobin is partially or completely suppressed due to reduced rate of synthesis of α or β- chain
Objectives: to estimate the prevalence of Hepatitis C infection among B thalassemia patients attending Ibn-AL-Baladi center of blood diseases in AL-Sader city, in AL-Resafa Quarter of Baghdad and to determine the possible risk factors.
Type of the study: Cross- sectional study.
Methods: A cross sectional study conducted on B Thalassemia patients attending the blood diseases center in Ibn-AL-Baladi hospital during the period from 1st
... Show MoreThis study was achieved to investigate the accumulation of some heavy metals included: Cadmium, Lead and Nickel in the tissues (gill, intestine, liver, muscles and skin) of Silurus triostegus Heckel, 1843 (Siluriformes, Siluridae) and its larval stage of the nematode Contracaecum sp. (Rhabditida, Anisakidae). As well as to assess the infection patterns of Contracaecum among S. triostegus specimens which were purchased fresh from the local market in Baghdad. One hundred and nine nematodes specimens in larval stage were recovered from the fish host; the overall prevalence of Contracaecum sp. was 38.6%. The sex of the host was not significantly (P ˃ 0.05) associated with the infection of this nematode.
Results showed that the overall me
The determination of captopril (CAP) using a new continuous flow injection analysis (CFIA) method was given in this work CAP in its pure state and some of its pharmaceutical preparations. The technique can be described as simple, fast, sensitive, easy to operate, and low-cost. The CAP reacted with ammonium ceric(IV) sulfate (ACS)2(NH4 )2SO4Ce(SO4)2. 3 H2O in an acidic medium and the reaction led to the formation of a white, slightly yellowish precipitate. The formed precipitate was studied using Ayah 6S×1-ST-2D Solar cell-CFI Analyzer, a through the reflection of accident light on the surfaces of the precipitate particles at (0-1800), expressed as the response
... Show MoreOrganizational learning is one of the most important means of human resource development in organizations, but most of the organizations, especially public ones do not realize the importance of organizational learning enough, and estimated his role accurately in building intellectual capital, the resource competitive importantly for organizations of the third millennium and who suffers is other end of lack of understanding of its meaning and how to prove its presence and measured in public organizations, so there is the need for this research, which aims to investigate the effect of organizational learning its processes (knowledge acquisition, Information transfer, Interpreting the information, Organizational me
... Show MoreIt is known that energy subiect has ocuppied a lot of scientests minds about
how to treat the traditional energy and the renewing energy . we know that
most traditional energy coal , oil , Natural gas, neuclear fuel , are limited
guantiy and alsow subjected to be ended .Statics studies refer to reserve
of oil in world will exhausted btween ( 2075- 2100) and alsow cosl too .
While neuclear fuerl which the world seek today through explod the uranium
atom ( 233) the therum atom (239) and neuclear mxied through ruemlear
mixing , These energy have effect on environment and humanity speciaty if
they are used in militery purposes .
For all theses scientests srarch for resources of renewing enery through
researches
The research aims to determine the role of knowledge management to measure performance on a sample of faculties of Administration and Economics the University of Kufa, and to achieve this goal through a researcher from the theoretical literature and research and studies related to the construction of the scheme shows the hypothetical relationship between the variables, which was adopted by the independent variable knowledge management, distributed four variables are: (knowledge generation, knowledge storage, knowledge dissemination, the application of knowledge), as well as four variables representing the variables adopted for the performance of the university are:
(to reduce costs and increase profits, improve quality, scie
The level of liver enzymes and kidney functions in pregnant women in the second trimester of pregnancy at different age groups was determined. This study is composed of fifty pregnant women in the second trimester of pregnancy and were classified into two subgroups; first group included twenty-five pregnant with an age between 22-30 years, a second group included twenty-five pregnant with an age 35-42 years. A control group included twenty-five non-pregnant, healthy women was also included. Blood samples were obtained from each group, centrifuged, serum was collected from each group to measure liver enzymes (AST, ALT and ALP) and kidney function tests (urea and creatinine) were measured using enzymatic kits. The results of present study
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