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.
Marriage is a holly secret in Christian religion .So it id natural that its ceremonies acquired religious form .In general the marriage is contracted by minister of religion in presence of the two parties or by a proxy or presence of parents if it is necessary . And to make the condition of publicity for the marriage ,its procedures must be made before witnesses .Also the minister of religionhave to confirm the agreement of the two parties before beginning the procedures.The marriage ceremonies are made.These procedures are religious traditions that includes praying and make blessings and putting the rings in fingers by thepriest . The marriage is a holly secret performed by the crown pray according to the church religious traditions
The humid and warm conditions in greenhouses provide an excellent environment for pests’ living conditions, and therefore, they provide ideal medium for alien introductions. Molluscs are among the most significant pests that infest plastic covered greenhouses. To identify and report their mollusc species, 23 greenhouses in Iraq were surveyed between March 2023 and April 2024. Of these, 11 were found to be infested with snails. A total of 158 specimens were collected and morphologically identified to seven species: Monacha obstructa (L. Pfeiffer, 1842), Eobania vermiculata (O.F. Müller, 1774), Xeropicta krynickii (Krynicki, 1833), Rumina decollata (Linnaeus, 1758), Polygyra cereolus (Megerle Von Mühlfeld, 1818), Cochlicella barba
... Show MoreBackground: Diabetic cheiroarthropathy is a term derived from the Greek word “cheiros” meaning “of the hand”, It is characterized by stiff hands with distinctively thick, tight, and waxy skin, especially on the dorsal aspects of the hands. It is part of long term complication of diabetes and many suggest it is associated with microvascular complication. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of diabetic cheiroarthropathy in Iraqi patients with diabetes, and to study its association with diabetic retinopathy and glycemic control. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study in which 110 diabetic patients and 110 non-diabetic healthy people who accepted to take part in the study were ran
... Show MoreThe developments in forensic DNA technology have led us to perform this study in Iraqi population as reference database of autosomal Short Tandem Repeat (aSTR) DNA markers . A total of 120 unrelated individuals from Wasit province were analyzed at 15 STR DNA markers. Allele frequencies of DNA typing loci included in the AmpFlSTR1 IdentifilerTM PCR Amplification Kit panel from Applied Biosystems (D3S1358, vWA, FGA, D8S1179, D21S11, D18S51, D5S818, D13S317, D7S820, TH01, TPOX, CSF1PO, D19S433, D2S1338, D16S539) and several forensic efficiency statistical parameters were estimated from all the sample. the combined Matching Probability (CMP) using the 15 STR genetic loci in Iraqi population was estimated at 1 in 2.08286E-18 and the Combined
... Show MoreUltrasound is a mechanical energy which can generate altering zones of compression and rarefaction along its path in the tissues. Ultrasound imaging can provide a real time screening for blood and multiple organs to aiding the diagnostic and treatment. However, ultrasound has the potential to deposit energy in the blood and tissues causing bio effects which is depending on ultrasound characteristics that including frequency and the amount of intensity. These bio effects include either a stable cavitation presented non thermal effects or inertial cavitation of harmful effect on the tissues. The non-thermal cavitation can add features in diagnostic imaging and treatment more than the inertial cavitation. Ultrasound Contrast agents are a micro
... Show MoreIn recent years, the linguo-philosophical studies of metaphor have tended to define metaphor as an interaction of the object, that is the referent of conceptualization and some features that are associated with sensual manner realities, whose name is used when resolving the conceptual problem-nominative situation, namely the situation of the formation of a new concept and its verbalization. The objective of this term paper lies in the phenomenon of metaphors used in modern political discourse. In our understanding a metaphor is not only of a linguistic nature, but also political. This paper approaches the subject of conceptual metaphor and political argumentation through the prism of synergies of the political topic, affirmative or negative
... Show MoreThe current research is concerned with a pragmatic study of attack and defense acts that are used by President Donald Trump in the American Presidential Debate in 2020. Attack is an attempt to harm or defeat someone, and it is a bold message that the speaker or attacker does not like or disagree with the other antagonist. On the contrary, defense means a person responds to an attack of his or her opponent. After an attack, the politician either negates or fact-checks claims made by his opponents or tries to set the record straight. By the end of the study, it is expected to answer the following questions: What are the most frequent strategies of attack and defense that utilized by President Trump to formulate his speech? What are the reason
... Show MoreBackground: Swine influenza (also Called pig influenza, swine flu, hog flu and pig flu) is an infection by any one of several types of swine influenza virus (SIV) or S-OIV (Swine-Origin influenza virus) is any strain of the influenza family of viruses that is endemic in pigs. Patients and Methods:- Ninety patients with there families suspected of swine flu who were admitted to Central Teaching Hospital of Pediatric in Baghdad seventy one from Baghdad Al-Kerkh, twelve from Baghdad Al-Rasafa and seven other Iraqi Governorate (1 in Suleimaniya, 2 in Baquba, 4 in Anbar) they were included in a prospective study started from the 1st October till the 30 th of November 2009. Results:- The study revealed from )90( suspected cases the H1N1 Virus Pos
... Show MoreThe present study aims at analyzing the polysemy of the English preposition in from the cognitive linguistic (CL) point of view using Evans' and Tyler's approach (2003). The perplexity faced by Iraqi second language learners (L2) due to the multi-usages of this preposition has motivated the researcher to conduct this study. Seventy-six second year university students participated in this experimental study. The data of the pre-test and post-test were analyzed by SPSS statistical editor. The results have shown the following: First, a progress of more than (0.05≤) has been detected as far as students' understanding of the multiple usages of the preposition in is concerned. Second, the results of the questionnaire have s
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