Background: Rituximab is a chimeric IgG1 kappa immunoglobulin that has been genetically modified to incorporate human constant region sequences together with murine light- and heavy-chain variable region sequences. People use it to treat rheumatoid arthritis and certain malignancies. Objective: The study aimed to assess the potential association between the serum levels of Factor I, CD59, interleukins (IL)-6, and interferon-gamma (IFN)-γ and the response to Rituximab treatment in Iraqi rheumatoid arthritis patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the rheumatology center at Baghdad Teaching Hospital. Ninety adult patients who have been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and are receiving Rituximab intravenous infusions were included. The enrolled patients were divided into a responder group (45 patients) and a non-responder group (45 patients). The response to Rituximab was assessed according to the 28-joint Disease Activity Score (DAS28). Results: The serum levels of Factor I and CD59 were significantly higher in the non-responders group in comparison to the responders group. In addition, the serum IL-6 and IFN-γ levels were significantly elevated in the non-responders group in comparison to the responders group. The estimated marker serum levels showed a strong, significant correlation with the 6-month change in DAS28. Conclusions: In Rituximab nonresponder RA patients, serum levels of Factor I, CD59, Factor H, IL-6, and IFN-γ are higher, and they have good potential to be used in the assessment of the response to Rituximab therapy.
Steady natural convection in a square enclosure with wall length (L= 20 cm) partially filled by saturated porous medium with same fluid (lower layer) and air (upper layer) is investigated. The conceptual study of the achievements of the heat transfer is performed under effects of bottom heating by constant heat flux (q=150,300,450,600W/m2 ) for three heaters size (0.2,0.14,0.07)m with symmetrically cooling with constant temperature on two vertical walls and adiabatic top wall. The relevant filled studied parameters are four different porous medium heights (Hp=0.25L,0.5L, 0.75L, L), Darcey number (Da1) 3.025×10-8 and (Da2) 8.852×10-4 ) and Rayleigh number range (60.354 - 241.41), (1.304×106 – 5.2166×106 ) for Da1 and Da2 cases respecti
... Show MoreBackground: Gasoline constituents and its derivatives had many hazardous effects on the general health of humans. Thus, gasoline stations workers may be affected by different types of related diseases.This study was conducted to assess selected salivary elements and their relation with dental caries, oral hygiene status and periodontal diseases among gasoline stations workers in comparison with individuals have no regular exposure to gasoline. Materials and methods: The study group consists of thirty male subjects with an age range (33-39) years who worked in different gasoline stations in different areas of Baghdad city and thirty persons that matching in age and gender and not exposed to gasoline were selected as a control group. Dental c
... Show MoreRock type identification is very important task in Reservoir characterization in order to constrict robust reservoir models. There are several approaches have been introduced to define the rock type in reservoirs and each approach should relate the geological and petrophysical properties, such that each rock type is proportional to a unique hydraulic flow unit. A hydraulic flow unit is a reservoir zone that is laterally and vertically has similar flow and bedding characteristics. According to effect of rock type in reservoir performance, many empirical and statistical approaches introduced. In this paper Cluster Analysis technique is used to identify the rock groups in tertiary reservoir for Khabaz oil field by analyses variation o
... Show MoreIt is well known that drilling fluid is a key parameter for optimizing drilling operations, cleaning the hole, and managing the rig hydraulics and margins of surge and swab pressures. Although the experimental works represent valid and reliable results, they are expensive and time consuming. In contrast, continuous and regular determination of the rheological fluid properties can perform its essential functions during good construction. The aim of this study is to develop empirical models to estimate the drilling mud rheological properties of water-based fluids with less need for lab measurements. This study provides two predictive techniques, multiple regression analysis and artificial neural networks, to determine the rheological
... Show MoreIntroduction: Although it is discouraged, community pharmacy customers can obtain oral corticosteroids (OCSs) without prescriptions from some community pharmacies in Iraq. Medication abuse is defined as the use of medication for non-medical reasons. Objectives: The study aimed to determine demographics, beliefs, and perceptions associated with the abuse of oral corticosteroids for non-illness reasons among community pharmacy customers. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in fall 2018 in four provinces in Iraq. Customers of 19 community pharmacies asking for OCSs for themselves without a prescription were administered a paper survey. This study used the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) to measure the relation
... Show MoreThis work deals with the production of light fuel cuts of (gasoline, kerosene and gas oil) by catalytic cracking treatment of secondary product mater (heavy vacuum gas oil) which was produced from the vacuum distillation unit in any petroleum refinery. The objective of this research was to study the effect of the catalyst -to- oil ratio parameter on catalytic cracking process of heavy vacuum gas oil feed at constant temperature (450 °C). The first step of this treatment was, catalytic cracking of this material by constructed batch reactor occupied with auxiliary control devices, at selective range of the catalyst –to- oil ratio parameter ( 2, 2.5, 3 and 3.5) respectively. The conversion of heavy vacuum gas
... Show Moreبسبب محدودية الموارد الطبيعية، فأن سكان الخليج ومنذ القدم وجهوا جلّ نشاطاتهم توجهاً بحرياً: صيد الاسماك وصناعة اللؤلؤ العنصر الرئيس في حجم التشغيل، وتكوين الفائض الاقتصادي في المنطقة آنذاك.
لقد تزايدت أهمية هذا النشاط بخاصة بعد النصف الثاني من القرن التاسع عشر، لرواج تجارة اللؤلؤ عالمياً، وأنفتاح الخليج على الدول الاوروبية التي شهدت نهضة صناعية متسارعة، وحيث وصلت الخليج العديد من بضائع
... Show MoreThe economy of a city has an important role not only in its establishment but also in its development. This is quite clear in the city of Baghdad throughout its history since its building in 762 A.D. In addition, most of its problems that the city is suffering from are basically related to not giving enough importance to the economic factors in the master planning of Baghdad since 1950’s. This may explain the failiars of master plans in dealing with the actual population growth and the city's inability to absorb such increases and interrelated and diverse activities which are negatively reflected on the economic variables particularly the effect on the land values, and the strong competitions amongst the land uses without previ
... Show MoreThe negotiation phase is gaining great importance in investment loans due to the magnitude of the amounts awarded and the need to obtain adequate lending guarantees and the development of better conditions, and this requires that negotiating policy with fixed principles that balance between meeting the demands of customers and maintain market share and achieve profits and avoid defaults and losses the bank, and so I have touched Find the concept of investment loans and procedures for granting and the concept of the negotiation process for the granting of loans. The practical side to ensure the preparation of examination form consists of questions commensurate with the methodology developed by the researchers, were directed to the officia
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