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: Preeclampsia occurs in 3-5% of
pregnancies and is a major cause (12-20 %) of
maternal mortality in developed countries. It is the
leading cause of preterm birth and intra-uterine
growth restrictions (IUGR).
Objective: The study was designed to determine and
demonstrate the ultra structural changes of
endothelial cells in placenta of women suffering from
hypertensive disease.
Patients & Methods: Placental samples were
obtained from two groups of pregnant women
groups (preeclamptic and normal pregnant women).
The specimens were fixed in 2.5% gluteraldehyde
and preceded for electron microscopic examination.
Results: Placenta of women with preeclampsia has
shown marked degenerative
Background: Psoriatic arthritis is a type of arthritis that can often affect some patients who suffer from psoriasis. Approximately 40-50% of individuals with psoriatic arthritis have the HLA-B27 genotype
Objective: To investigate whether we could confirm the role of HLA-B27 alleles and psoriatic arthritis in Iraqi Arab Muslims patients.
Method: A cross sectional case control comparative study included thirty Iraqi Arab Muslims who had psoriatic arthritis that consulted the Dermatological and Rheumatological Department in AL-Kindy Teaching Hospital from November 2014 to June 2015. HLA-genotyping for HLA-B27 were assessed. A control group consisted of fifty-one healthy vol
... Show MoreOptical properties of Rhodamine-B thin film prepared by PLD
technique have been investigated. The absorption spectra using
1064nm and 532 nm laser wavelength of different laser pulse
energies shows that all the curves contain two bands, B band and Q
bands with two branches, Q1 and Q2 band and a small shift in the
peaks location toward the long wavelength with increasing laser
energy. FTIR patterns for Rhodamine-B powder and thin film within
shows that the identified peaks were located in the standard values
that done in the previous researches. X-ray diffraction patterns of
powder and prepared Rhodamine-B thin film was display that the
powder has polycrystalline of tetragonal structure, while the thin film
The aim of this research is to identify the strengths and weaknesses of organizational health in the Iraqi Central Handball Federation from the point of view of those who manage the implementation of the annual curriculum, and adopt a descriptive approach in the method of studying the case. This is based on a sample of administrators of the Iraqi Handball Federation curriculum [trainers, governors, members, president, the 138 members of the Central Federation's Administrative Authority, the President, members of the sub-federations of the sports market (2021/2022) selected deliberately by 100% and then divided into statistical analysis sample (30), reconnaissance sample (10), and application sample (98)]. The regulatory health questionnaire
... Show MoreTranslation is a dynamic and living process that cannot be considered equal to the original text and requires the appropriate structure, language, thought and culture of the target language, and the translator's intellectual, linguistic and cultural influences inadvertently penetrate into the translated text. It causes heterogeneity of the destination text with the source text.
Admiral's theory is trying to help by providing components and suggested approaches to resolve these inconsistencies. In the meantime, in addition to the mission of putting words together, the translator must sometimes sit in the position of the reader and judge and evaluate the translated text in order to understand its shortcomings and try to correct it a
... Show MoreThe importance of this research has been to rationalize the cost of producing maize seeds through the followers of modern techniques and methods in agricultural activities such as genetic engineering for increasing production efficiency of maize seeds as well as the importance of calculating seed cost rationalization through the ABC system and thus rationalizing government spending. The research is based on one hypothesis in two ways that the use of genetic engineering on maize seeds works to: one - increase production efficiency of seeds and savings in agricultural inputs. 2. Rationalize the costs of examining and planting maize seeds. In order to calculate the costs will be based on the cost system based on activities ABC. The research
... Show MoreThe study aims to identify the impact of the implementation of the integrated education strategy in the curriculum of the Arabic language for the seventh grade on the academic achievement in the schools of the capital Amman. The researcher adopted the experimental method, where two divisions of the seventh grade students were chosen from the secondary school for girls. The sample of the study was 60 students divided into two equal groups: 30 students represented the experimental group (A) and (30) students represented the control group. To collect the needed data, a test of (40) Multiple Choices was used. The results showed statistically significant differences between the mean scores of the experimental group who were taught acc
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