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.
Background :Infectious disorders in general have high morbidity and mortality.. CNS infections include many disorders like bacterial meningitis, tuberculous and other subacute and chronic meningitis, viral meningitis, cerebral abscess, spinal cord infections, and others.
Objective: To assess our locality about prevalence of CNS infections , to have more awareness regarding CNS infections, and to try to find the proper way to reduce their prevalence and to treat them in appropriate way.
Method :We revised the records of all the cases of CNS infections excluding cases of spinal cord infections who were admitted in the wards of neuroscience hospital over the previous two years ( from July/2010 to June 2012 ),those were 132 cases.Seaso
The current paper aims to identify potential factors associated with employees’ intentions to leave information and communication technology companies in Iraq. There is evident variability in the literature regarding these factors; hence, a factor analysis approach was employed to identify these factors within the surveyed environment. Due to the difficulty in precisely delineating the size of the research population, a purposive sampling method was employed to reach an appropriate number of respondents within the aforementioned companies. A total of 288 employees responded to the survey conducted via Google Forms. The test results revealed the presence of five primary factors associated with employees’ intentions to leave, name
... Show MoreBackground: Liver metastasis significantly complicates cancer prognosis, yet easily accessible markers for its early detection and monitoring remain crucial. This study aimed to comprehensively evaluate key hematological parameters as potential indicators for liver metastasis in Iraqi patients. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study comparing hematological profiles between 90 patients (presumably with liver metastasis) and 30 healthy controls. White Blood Cell (WBC) count, Lymphocyte percentage, Neutrophil percentage, and Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) were analyzed. Given non-normal data distributions (confirmed by the Shapiro-Wilk test), group comparisons were performed using the non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test.
... Show MoreThe development of the television industry has led to the emergence of a new type of entertainment program in which producers have abandoned stereotypes in traditional programs, known as (Reality TV show). This type of program has spread rapidly in America, (where there are more than 40 series of these programs), as well as Europe and more than twenty countries around the world, including the Arab countries, where the number of these programs today to about 1000 programs and the number is increasing , Especially with the readiness of the production networks to produce more of these programs for the huge profits they derive from them (because of the high viewing rates and the large number of ads broadcast through them) in return for low prod
... Show MoreAbstract
The researcher seeks, through different aspects of the search, to reach a set of objective concerning in content creation a clear vision about conceptual and practical dimension of relation and effects between (Leader-Member Exchange, and Organizational Commitment) to construct a framework of a pragmatic model as a solution to research problem and it questions. The theoretical problem is derived basically from the scarcity of Arab studies and researches that deal by study and analyses for such important of The two variables blend. The practical problem depends in deriving from reality of every day work in the Iraqi ministry of defense.
On this basis, a formula of research problem for pur
... Show MoreIn his post colonial novel, In the Skin of a lion, the Canadian/Sri Lankan writer,
Michael Ondaatje is so interested in the term "Post colonialism" because he wants to show
that the term doesn't only refer to a period of time that comes after colonialism. In other
words, post colonialism is not only referred to as a literal description of formerly colonial
societies. He deals with the termas a literary genre and an academic construct that describes
the global conditions of a man after a period of colonialism. He shows that post colonialism is
a theory that tries to examine and explore the different styles and faces of European authority
to control the colonized. Ondaatje's attempt through such term is to unmask Europ
This study aims to show some of Imam Al-Bukhari's criticism of the Hadith from the Metn side, and part of his methodology in dealing with the correct hadiths that are tainted by a bug. This research focuses on what Imam Al-Bukhari summarized in his Sahih illusion of the narrator in his attribution, or uniqueness of the narrator, or to suggest a novel. We find that Bukhari sometimes abbreviates the hadeeth, and does not bring it out completely in his Sahih. He is satisfied with the abbreviated position but has done so because of a bug in it. The Bukhari usually does not declare his intention but knows this through tracking, inspection, and research of the correct hadiths.
Sustainable human development means meeting the basic needs of society and striving for continuous improvement in quality, as it seeks to increase economic well-being while providing adequate housing and nutrition, as well as providing electricity, water, health and education services . Ten centuries ago, Islam highlighted the importance of the development effort and the necessity of its sustainability before the West took it in the 1970s. There are a number of challenges that greatly affect the reality of achieving and ensuring Millennium Development Goals. The research recommends the importance of fighting administrative and financial corruption, as this is one of the biggest challenges facing the possibility of advancing the economy and
... Show MoreThe Caputo definition of fractional derivatives introduces solution to the difficulties appears in the numerical treatment of differential equations due its consistency in differentiating constant functions. In the same time the memory and hereditary behaviors of the time fractional order derivatives (TFODE) still common in all definitions of fractional derivatives. The use of properties of companion matrices appears in reformulating multilevel schemes as generalized two level schemes is employed with the Gerschgorin disc theorems to prove stability condition. Caputo fractional derivatives with finite difference representations is considered. Moreover the effect of using the inverse operator which tr