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.
Urban expansion and its environmental and safety effects are one of the critical information needed for future development planning, safety considerations and environmental management. This work used two methods to monitor urban expansion and it's environmental and safety effects, the first is based on Google Maps for the years 2002 and 2010, and the second was the usage of spatial videos for the year 2013. Although the usage of satellite images is critical to know and investigate the general situation and the total effects of the expansion on a large piece of area, but the Spatial videos do a very detailed fine scale investigation, site conditions regarding both environmental and safety cannot be easily distinguished fr
... Show MoreThis book in our hands is a 'book in the science of rhymes' written by the linguistic and grammatical world 'Othman bin Jenni' 'T 392 AH', and included in it: the concept of rhyme, its characters, movements, and disadvantages, with mention of its ramifications, defining them by definition, clarification and martyrdom poetry, It is concise in size, but it is a book containing a full science in its content.
The study was divided into two parts, the first: the study, and included a study of the author and the author, I talked first about his life, such as his name and origin, and scientific status, and the words of scientists in it, and so on, and secondly: the name of the book, and his percentage, and the time of its composition, etc. I
The research discusses the public relations services, registration, and academic advising at Petra University for the years 2013-2014. Using a field study and surveying Petra University students to be informed about the services and to cover the tiny details that have to do with public relations role in the university as a specialized department interested in serving public and gaining their trust in terms of what is legal and possible to build and enhance the university reputation. And gain mutual trust between the university and its publics.
The public relations is consi
Inherent fluctuations in the availability of energy from renewables, particularly solar, remain a substantial impediment to their widespread deployment worldwide. Employing phase-change materials (PCMs) as media, saving energy for later consumption, offers a promising solution for overcoming the problem. However, the heat conductivities of most PCMs are limited, which severely limits the energy storage potential of these materials. This study suggests employing circular fins with staggered distribution to achieve improved thermal response rates of PCM in a vertical triple-tube heat exchanger involving two opposite flow streams of the heat-transfer fluid (HTF). Since heat diffusion is not the same at various portions of the PCM unit,
... Show MoreBackground: Breast cancer is the commonest type of malignancy worldwide and in Iraq. It is a serious disease that affects the general health and cause systemic changes that affect the physical and chemical properties of saliva leading to adverse effects on oral health. This study was conducted toassess the tumor marker CA15-3 and selected elements in saliva and their relation to oral health status among breast cancer patients compared to control group. Materials and Methods: The total sample consisted of 60 women aged 35-45 years. 30 women were newly diagnosed with breast cancer before taking any treatment and surgery (study group) and 30 women without clinical signs and symptoms of breast cancer as a control group. Dental caries was record
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The paper exposes a discourse taxonomy of language clichéd units in English and Russian, and presents some definitions of what is a cliché as being a semioticform of perceiving language and discourse. Also, it deals with language clichés as being units of structure reflecting a scheme of stereotypical situations of dialogue, whether among individuals of one culture, or in relation to cross-cultural communication. The paper proposes a taxonomy of units in language clichés in English and Russian by tackling clichés of daily use, such as professional, cultural, artistic, and scientific clichés.
Аннотация
... Show MoreLiquid-crystalline organic semiconductors exhibit unique properties that make them highly interesting for organic optoelectronic applications. Their optical and electrical anisotropies and the possibility to control the alignment of the liquid-crystalline semiconductor allow not only to optimize charge carrier transport, but to tune the optical property of organic thin-film devices as well. In this study, the molecular orientation in a liquid-crystalline semiconductor film is tuned by a novel blading process as well as by different annealing protocols. The altered alignment is verified by cross-polarized optical microscopy and spectroscopic ellipsometry. It is shown that a change in alignment of the
This paper offers a postcolonial analysis of Sudanese author Tayeb Salih's novel Season of Migration to the North (1966), emphasizing the interplay between indigenous and colonial narratives. The analysis centers on the protagonist, Mustafa Sa'eed, who embodies its essence. The character of Mustafa Saeed represents the intricate interplay between colonial and indigenous elements. This research employs Edward Said's postcolonial concept, Contrapuntal Reading (1993), which underscores the interconnection of the histories of colonizers and the colonized through the portrayal of Mustafa Saeed's character, focusing on the mechanisms of colonial power, such as cultural hegemony, identity manipulation, and the resistance of the colonized.
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Business organizations are using the technological innovations like cloud computing (CC) as a developmental platform in order to improve the performance of their information systems. In that context, our paper discusses know-how in employing the public and private CC to serve as platforms to develop the evaluation system of annual employees' performance (ESAEP) at Iraqi universities. Therefore, we ask the paper question which is “Is it possible to adopt the innovative solutions of ICTs (Like: public and private CC) for finding the developmental vision about management information systems at business organizations?”. In addition, the paper aim
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