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.
Cytokines are signaling molecules between inflammatory cells that play a significant role in the pathogenesis of a disease. Among these cytokines are interleukins (ILs) 17A and 33, and accordingly, the current case-control study sought to investigate the role of each of the two cytokines in the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS). Sixty-eight relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) Iraqi patients and twenty healthy individuals (control group) were enrolled. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits were used to determine serum levels of IL-17A and IL-33. Results revealed that IL-17A and IL-33 levels were significantly higher in MS patients than in controls (14.1 ± 4.5 vs. 7.5 ± 3.8 pg/mL; p < 0.001 and 65.3 ± 16
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The superconductor compound (YBa2Cu2.8Zn0.2O7+δ) is prepared by solid state reaction (SSR), Sol-gel (SG) and laser Pulse deposition (PLD) methods. We used the X-ray diffraction technique, which shows an orthorhombic crystalline system for all the samples, and increase in the high-phase (Y-123) and decrease in low-phase and vary in proportion according to the method of preparation with the emergence of some impurities. The behavior of the samples in terms of electrical resistance and critical temperature was investigated all samples showed superconducting behavior. The properties of the dielectric (real dielectric constant, imaginary dielectric constant, loss tangent, alternating electrical conductivity) were s
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Objective To detect the changes in serum Lipids among Iraqi patients with active Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and the effects of drug therapy.
Patients and methods Fifty Iraqi patients with untreated active Rheumatoid Arthritis and 50 matched healthy control were studied with concentration on estimation of fasting serum Lipid profile which is repeated after 3month treatment with different disease modifying anti Rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) regimens.
Results Fifty Iraqi patients were included in this prospective study 47 females (94%) and 3 males (6%). The mean age of patients was (45±3.20).
fifty healthy individuals were included in this study as a control group 45 females (90%) and 5 males (10%) the mean age of the control group was
Chlopheniramine maleate ( CPM ) , is one of the H- receptor antagonist , widely used in allergic diseases ,like skin rash and pruritis .CPM 3%w/w was successfully loaded in 2%w/w sodium alginate (SA) as a gel base , and to be considered as a selected formula .It was found that the diffusion of CPM through the skin of albino rat was increased as the concentration of CPM increased from 2 %w/w sodium alginate , More
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The design was distinguished in Late Twenty-First Century With new and new methods Through which the ability to adapt all technical media in the formation of two-dimensional and three-dimensional figures and shapes was achieved .
Which led to the emergence of endless sets of design ideas characterized by the heterogeneity of design forms and design solutions that preceded it. The designer could not access these creations in various architectural and artistic fields only through computer programs, especially those related to the activation of mathematical logic and what is known as algorithms in the formation and construction of the form, which led to the emergence of the "parametric direction" and the problem of research is summarized
The study aims at knowing the relationship between retirement problems and psychological flexibility, besides identifying the difference of retirement problems and psychological flexibility due to the wok place variable and sex variable.
The study sample consists of 250 registered retirees in both associations of the government and the UNRWA. The researcher had prepared and used a retirement problems scale and a psychological flexibility scale. The study findings show the following:
- The economic problems were greatly common by a relative weight of 76.3 %.
- The psychological compatibility was the most widespread domain in the psychological fl
The evacuated tube solar collector ETC is studied intensively and extensively by experimental and
theoretical works, in order to investigate its performance and enhancement of heat transfer, for Baghdad climate
from April 2011 till the end of March 2012. Experimental work is carried out on a well instrumented collector
consists of 16 evacuated tubes of aspect ratio 38.6 and thermally insulated tank of volume 112L. The relation
between convective heat transfer and natural circulation inside the tube is estimated, collector efficiency, effect of
tube tilt angles, incidence angle modifier, The solar heating system is investigated under different loads pattern (i.e
closed and open flow) to evaluate the heat loss coefficient
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Background: There are many sources for Leptin secretion, and it is activated by binding with its receptor known as leptin receptor, that play a role in male infertility.
Objective: To assess the levels of leptin and leptin receptors in seminal plasma among primary infertile men and its impact on semen parameters.
Patients and Methods: A case control study of 75 primary infertile males and 40 healthy individuals who were enrolled in this study during March 2013 to May 2013. Estimation of age, body mass index (BMI), semen analysis, seminal plasma leptin, leptin receptor and testosterone hormone concentration were done for all study subjects.
Results: Highly significant difference found in mean of semen parameters of infertile male
Tourist business organizations face a challenging and the risks dynamic environment reflected its impact on the community and generate extra under pressure in the responsibilities and burdens of exceptional and affected much of factors, accidents and risks as a result of the actions and attitudes of disasters variety may exceed the geography of States border, which requires the absorption of risks facing the tourism and how to manage and deal with them scientific and reasonable grounds for the diagnosis and treatment of risk and how to reduce the aggravation and the different kinds.
As risks affecting the most important and vital to organizations as a tourist aspects of the market share and styles tourist
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Background: The demographic characteristics of Iraqi patients with the metabolic syndrome (MS) and presenting with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) has been scarcely studied before.
Aim of the study To study the socio-demographic characteristics of a group of Iraqi patients with MS presenting with ACS.
Patients and Methods: A convenience sample of 150 cases presenting with ACS and admitted to the coronary care unit (CCU) of Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital in Baghdad from mid-January through July 2011 were included in the current cross-sectional study. The data needed for the study was collected through a direct interview to fill a questionnaire by all cases carried out by a consu
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