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.
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Research Summary
It highlights the importance of assessing the demand for money function in Iraq through the understanding of the relationship between him and affecting the variables by searching the stability of this function and the extent of their influence in the Iraqi dinar exchange rate in order to know the amount of their contribution to the monetary policies of the Iraqi economy fee, as well as through study behavior of the demand for money function in Iraq and analyze the determinants of the demand for money for the period 1991-2013 and the impact of these determinants in the demand for money in Iraq.
And that the problem that we face is how to estimate the total demand for money in
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Pure cadmium oxide films (CdO) and doped with zinc were prepared at different atomic ratios using a pulsed laser deposition technique using an ND-YAG laser from the targets of the pressed powder capsules. X-ray diffraction measurements showed a cubic-shaped of CdO structure. Another phase appeared, especially in high percentages of zinc, corresponding to the hexagonal structure of zinc. The degree of crystallinity, as well as the crystal size, increased with the increase of the zinc ratio for the used targets. The atomic force microscopy measurements showed that increasing the dopant percentage leads to an increase in the size of the nanoparticles, the particle size distribution was irregular and wide, in addition, to increase the surfac
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Abstract:
The models of time series often suffer from the problem of the existence of outliers that accompany the data collection process for many reasons, their existence may have a significant impact on the estimation of the parameters of the studied model. Access to highly efficient estimators is one of the most important stages of statistical analysis, And it is therefore important to choose the appropriate methods to obtain good estimators. The aim of this research is to compare the ordinary estimators and the robust estimators of the estimation of the parameters of
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A new Schiff base [1-((2-(1H-indol-3-yl)ethylimino)methyl)naphthalene-2-ol] (HL) has been synthesized by condensing (2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde) with (2-(1H-indol-3-yl)ethylamine). In turn, its transition metal complexes were prepared having the general formula; [Pt(IV)Cl2(L)2], [Re(V)Cl2(L)2]Cl and [Pd(L)2], 2K[M(II)Cl2(L)2] where M(II) = Co, Ni, Cu] are reported. Ligand as well as metal complexes are characterized by spectroscopic techniques such as FT-IR, UV-visible, 13C & 1H NMR, mass, elemental analysis. The results suggested that the ligand behaves like a bidentate ligand for all the synthesized complexes. On the other hand, theoretical studies of the ligand as well its metal complexes were conducted at gas phase using Hyp
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Current research targeted: Recognizing the impact of the differentiated education strategy on the achievement of the students of the Institute of Fine Arts / Diyala, for the academic year (2018-2019).
The researcher used the experimental approach designed by two groups (control - experimental) and with a post-test to achieve the goal of the research, and the research sample was chosen from students of the fourth stage for the academic year (2018-2019).
The sample was distributed randomly into two groups, the first experimental consisting of (30) students who studied using the differentiated education strategy, and the second control group consisting of (30) students who studied using the traditional method.
The researcher pre
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
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Purpose: To use the balanced measurement approach as a strategic link for increasing the effectiveness of strategic planning in the direction of achieving satisfaction rates at Bisha University in Saudi Arabia
Design / methodology / approach –The questionnaire survey was used to collect the data of the study from the faculty members at University of Bisha.
Findings –Prove the assumption that the use of the balanced measurement approach - as a strategic planning tool - leads to maximize the satisfaction rates among faculty members at the University of Bisha.
Research limitations/implications- adopt effective strategic planning in order to achieve
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