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.
In order to achieve overall balance in the economy to be achieved in different markets and at one time (market commodity, monetary and labor market and the balance of payments and public budget), did not provide yet a model from which to determine the overall balance in the economy and the difficulty of finding the inter-relationship between all these markets and put them applied in the form of allowing the identification of balance in all markets at once.
One of the best models that have dealt with this subject is a model
(LM-BP-IS), who teaches balance in the commodity market and money market and balance of payments and the importance of this issue This research tries to shed light on the reality
The research addresses the feminist lament and its representations in the contemporary Arab theatrical text as one of the purposes of the Arabic poetry and its images, samples, and reasons developed and its incentives multiplied through different time periods in which a dramatic image and representations have been manifested that harmonized with the art of theatre. In order to shed light on these representations, this study has come to look for the representations of lament phenomenon in the Arab theatre texts.
The study consists of an introduction in which the two researchers put forward the research problem, significance and objectives, and a theoretical framework which tackles a theoretical foundation for the research consi
Numerous tests are recently conducted to assess vibration's role in accelerating the heat transfer rate in various heat exchangers. In this work, the enhancement of heat transfer by the effect of transfer vibration and inclination angles on the surface of a double pipe heat exchanger experimentally has been investigated. A data acquisition system is applied to record the data of temperatures, flow rates, and frequencies over the tests. A compound technique was adopted, including the application of a set of inclination angles of (0°, 10°, 20°, and 30°) under the effect of frequency of vibration ranging from sub-resonance to over-resonance frequencies. The results showed that the overall heat transfer coefficient enhan
... Show MoreThe current paper aims to identify potential factors associated with employees’ intentions to leave information and communication technology companies in Iraq. There is evident variability in the literature regarding these factors; hence, a factor analysis approach was employed to identify these factors within the surveyed environment. Due to the difficulty in precisely delineating the size of the research population, a purposive sampling method was employed to reach an appropriate number of respondents within the aforementioned companies. A total of 288 employees responded to the survey conducted via Google Forms. The test results revealed the presence of five primary factors associated with employees’ intentions to leave, name
... Show MoreThis study aims to show some of Imam Al-Bukhari's criticism of the Hadith from the Metn side, and part of his methodology in dealing with the correct hadiths that are tainted by a bug. This research focuses on what Imam Al-Bukhari summarized in his Sahih illusion of the narrator in his attribution, or uniqueness of the narrator, or to suggest a novel. We find that Bukhari sometimes abbreviates the hadeeth, and does not bring it out completely in his Sahih. He is satisfied with the abbreviated position but has done so because of a bug in it. The Bukhari usually does not declare his intention but knows this through tracking, inspection, and research of the correct hadiths.
During recent years, there has been an increasing interest in the investigation of the cytokines roles in pathogenesis of cancer, thus the study aimed at evaluating the level of tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-?) in sera of Iraqi multiple myeloma (MM) patients. Beta 2-microglobulion (?2-m) was assessed to determine if there was any association between this cytokine and the level of ?2- m, as the latter is related to the stage of the disease. In addition, the age and gender were also taken into consideration. Furthermore, we investigated the relationship between IgG and TNF-? in sera of patients. 49 Iraqi patients (27 males and 22 females).The patients were also divided into two groups: the first group included (17) patients who were
... Show MoreThe development of the television industry has led to the emergence of a new type of entertainment program in which producers have abandoned stereotypes in traditional programs, known as (Reality TV show). This type of program has spread rapidly in America, (where there are more than 40 series of these programs), as well as Europe and more than twenty countries around the world, including the Arab countries, where the number of these programs today to about 1000 programs and the number is increasing , Especially with the readiness of the production networks to produce more of these programs for the huge profits they derive from them (because of the high viewing rates and the large number of ads broadcast through them) in return for low prod
... Show MoreIn his post colonial novel, In the Skin of a lion, the Canadian/Sri Lankan writer,
Michael Ondaatje is so interested in the term "Post colonialism" because he wants to show
that the term doesn't only refer to a period of time that comes after colonialism. In other
words, post colonialism is not only referred to as a literal description of formerly colonial
societies. He deals with the termas a literary genre and an academic construct that describes
the global conditions of a man after a period of colonialism. He shows that post colonialism is
a theory that tries to examine and explore the different styles and faces of European authority
to control the colonized. Ondaatje's attempt through such term is to unmask Europ
Background :Infectious disorders in general have high morbidity and mortality.. CNS infections include many disorders like bacterial meningitis, tuberculous and other subacute and chronic meningitis, viral meningitis, cerebral abscess, spinal cord infections, and others.
Objective: To assess our locality about prevalence of CNS infections , to have more awareness regarding CNS infections, and to try to find the proper way to reduce their prevalence and to treat them in appropriate way.
Method :We revised the records of all the cases of CNS infections excluding cases of spinal cord infections who were admitted in the wards of neuroscience hospital over the previous two years ( from July/2010 to June 2012 ),those were 132 cases.Seaso