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.
Background: Although bleaching is typically considered a safe procedure, various investigations have found minor negative effects and changes in mineral composition. The aim was to Evaluate and compare the efficacy of using Nanohydroxyapatite serum on surface microhardness of enamel surface before and after bleaching with chemically cured Boost bleaching. Material and methods: ten sound human permanent upper and lower premolar teeth were used and their roots were removed 2 mm apically to the cementoenamel junction, the crowns were sectioned mesiodistally into two halves buccal and lingual/palatal, the buccal surface was further subdivided into two halves. The samples were embeded in an acrylic resin, resulting in 30 specimens divide
... Show MoreSurvival analysis is one of the types of data analysis that describes the time period until the occurrence of an event of interest such as death or other events of importance in determining what will happen to the phenomenon studied. There may be more than one endpoint for the event, in which case it is called Competing risks. The purpose of this research is to apply the dynamic approach in the analysis of discrete survival time in order to estimate the effect of covariates over time, as well as modeling the nonlinear relationship between the covariates and the discrete hazard function through the use of the multinomial logistic model and the multivariate Cox model. For the purpose of conducting the estimation process for both the discrete
... Show MoreThe aim of this investigation is to evaluate the experimental and numerical effectiveness of a new kind of composite column by using Glass Fiber‐Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) I‐section as well as steel I‐section in comparison to the typical reinforced concrete one. The experimental part included testing six composite columns categorized into two groups according to the slenderness ratio and tested under concentric axial load. Each group contains three specimens with the same dimensions and length, while different cross‐section configurations were used. Columns with reinforced concrete cross‐section (reference column), encased GFRP I‐section, and encased steel I‐section were adopted in each
The process of capital investment appraisal takes hold the attention of managers and accountants of the industrial companies. This process involves the use of multiple and diverse financial evaluation methods to measure the economic attractiveness of capital investment peojects. This multiplicity and diversity of financial evaluation metods have been the motive of this research to: investigate some organizational variables such as the desired objectives, identify managerial procedures which regulate the capital investment process, specify evaluation methods and examine the relationships between these variables and evaluation methods actually used by a sample of public industrial companies in Jordan.
The data wa
... Show MoreObesity is an escalating health problem in developing countries. One to ten children worldwide are overweight in a report showed by the International Obesity Task Force. Ghrelin, orexigenic peptide, has 28 amino acids, it is considered the greatest remarkable promotion in the last two decades for understanding the physiological changes of action regulating food intake and hunger. Obestatin is a 23-amino acid peptide nearly connected to ghrelin that secures from substitutio
... Show MoreSignification with its different aspects constitutes various aesthetic pictures for human and nature creations over different periods of time. It was a focal around which logical thinking loops on the interpretation level of the signification movement according to its structural context expresses its hidden entities with which a human being deals according to two symmetrical levels while interpreting to attain meaning. Sense was the first passing window for the picture of signification which thought deals with. While trying to decode it and because art in general and theatre in particular are considered as the basis of creating signification through its visual and aural elements, so it was necessary to consider one of the elements of cre
... Show MoreBackground: A worldwide health epidemic, type 2 diabetes mellitus was significantly influenced by chronic inflammation, which led to increased insulin resistance (IR). The most widely practiced form of therapy used to control musculoskeletal pain in people with diabetes is non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which provide their action by inhibiting cyclooxygenase enzyme (COX). COX1, COX2, and COX3 are distinct isoforms of the cyclooxygenase enzyme. The potential anti-inflammatory benefits of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors, both selective and non-selective, have been investigated concerning the management of type 2 diabetes patients. Objective: the purpose of this research is to explore the impact of highly selective
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