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 Baghdad city, Iraq, the traffic volumes have rapidly grown during the last 15 years. Road networks need to reevaluate and decide if they are operating properly or not regarding the increase in the number of vehicles. Al-Jadriyah intersection (a four-leg signalized intersection) and Kamal Junblat Square (a multi-lane roundabout), which are two important intersections in Baghdad city with high traffic volumes, were selected to be reevaluated by the SIDRA package in this research. Traffic volume and vehicle movement data were abstracted from videotapes by the Smart Traffic Analyzer (STA) Software. The performance measures include delay and LOS. The analysis results by SIDRA Intersection 8.0.1 show that the performance of the roundab
... Show MoreThe study focused on the treatment of real oilfield produced water from the East Baghdad field affiliated to the Midland Oil Company (Iraq) using an oil skimming process followed by a coagulation/flocculation process for zero liquid discharge system applications. Belt type oil skimmer was utilized for evaluating the process efficiency with various operating conditions such as temperature (17-40 °C) and time (0.5-2.5 hr.). Polyaluminum chloride (PAC) coagulant and polyacrylamide (PAM) flocculant was used to investigate the performance of the coagulation/flocculation process with PAC dosage (5-90 ppm) and pH (5-10) as operating conditions. In the skimming process, the oil content, COD, turbidity, and TSS decreased with an increase in tempera
... Show MoreThis study investigates the impact of nonsurgical periodontal treatment (NSPT) on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in patients with periodontitis stages (S)2 and S3, and the factors associated with the prediction of patient-reported outcomes. Periodontitis patients (n = 68) with moderately deep periodontal pockets were recruited. Responses to the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP)-14 questionnaire and clinical parameters including plaque index, bleeding on probing (BOP), probing pocket depth (PPD), and clinical attachment loss (CAL) were recorded. All patients received supra- and subgingival professional mechanical plaque removal. All clinical parameters and questionnaire responses were recorded again 3 months after NSPT.
... Show MoreThe basis of the personality of each individual lies in the early years of his or her life. If the personality of the child has been well organized and if the motives have been fully expressed and effectively directed, the child will have a strong will, happy self-confidence and a strong personality. If there is a failure In the early years, the individual will be unable to meet his responsibilities in life and may be the victim of many psychological disorders. The family is a learning process through which children acquire the customs, traditions, attitudes and values prevailing in their social environment. (Pre-and-after) play and its relationship to parenting methods of (democratic-bullying-overprotection- and neglect), which wi
... Show MoreThe compound 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), an environmental contaminant, is a potent ligand for aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). In the current study, we made an exciting observation that naive C57BL/6 mice that were exposed i.p. to TCDD showed massive mobilization of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in the peritoneal cavity. These MDSCs were highly immunosuppressive and attenuated Con A–induced hepatitis upon adoptive transfer. TCDD administration in naive mice also led to induction of several chemokines and cytokines in the peritoneal cavity and serum (CCL2, CCL3, CCL4, CCL11, CXCL1, CXCL2, CXCL5, CXCL9, G-CSF, GM-CSF, VEGF, and M-CSF) and chemokine receptors
Background Immunological gene and serum level for interleukin- 9 rs 17317275 have been established to have linked to predisposition systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and its severity. SLE is a severe, systemic autoimmune disease characterized by autoantibody generation, complement activation, and immune complex deposition. In the pathophysiology of SLE, cytokines have a pleiotropic function. Recently, IL-9 was discovered to mediate strong anti-inflammatory effects in numerous cells or experimental autoimmune models. Objective This study aimed to determine the role of age, IL-9 serum level and genetic polymorphism, C-reactive protein (CRP), Anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) and Anti- double-stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA) to recognize SLE pathogenesis.
... Show MoreIn Indonesia, cattle feces (CF) and water hyacinth (WH) plants are abundant but have not been widely revealed. The use of microorganisms as decomposers in the fermentation process has not been widely applied, so researchers are interested in studying further. This study was to evaluate the effect of the combination of CF with WH on composting by applying white-rot fungal (WRF) (Ganoderma sp) microorganism as a decomposer. A number of six types of treatment compared to R1(ratio of CF:WH)(25%:75%)+WRF; R2(ratio of CF:WH)(50%:50%)+WRF; R3(ratio of CF:WH)(75%:25%)+WRF; R4(ratio of CF:WH)(25%:75%) without WRF; R5(ratio of CF:WH)(50%:50%) without WRF; R6(ratio of CF:WH)
... Show MoreThe conjunctive ''and'' and its Arabic counterpart ''و'' are discourse markers that express certain meanings and presuppose the presence of other elements in discourse. They are indispensable aids to both the text writers and readers. The present study aims to show that such cohesive ties help the writer to organize his main argument and communicate his ideas vividly and smoothly. They also serve as explicit signals that help readers unfold text and follow its threads as realized in the progression of context. The researcher has utilized the Quirk Model of Semantic Implication for data analysis. A total of 42 (22 for English and 20 for Arabic) political texts selected from different elite newspapers in both Arabic and English for the analy
... Show MorePraise be to Allah. Praise be to Him. We seek refuge in Him. We seek forgiveness from him. We seek forgiveness from him.
And the disadvantages of our actions, of his hands
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It is important, if not all, to pay tribute to God
Muhammad Abdo and Rasoulou, there is no way to deprive the nation of the weakness of God alone and not to share it
Which suffer from the Quran, and the loss of its borders, bad
The work did not work and did not improve
Do what they offer and delay the others, except by reference to this Koran and the extraction of treasures and secrets
And news.
The Great Quran Study
Lu Imito ordered each poisoned, and achieved several targets of
YEMYA: Knowing the secrets of the Grea