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.
The purpose of this paper is to study the properties of the
partial level density ( ) l g and the total level density g ( ),
numerically obtained as a l sum of ( ) l g up to 34 max l , for
a Harmonic – Oscillator potential well. This method applied the
quantum – mechanical phase shift technique and concentrated
on the continuum region. Also a discussion of peculiarities of
quantal calculation for single particle level density of energy –
dependent potential
The importance of evaluation depends on many institutions, whether governmental or private, including media institutions, rely on the list to evaluate the weight of things and appreciation, as well as judging things, achievements, and everything related to the institution is concerned. Because through evaluation, institutions can recognize weaknesses and strengths. It is also an effective tool for management review, through which the institution can review everything related to planning and decision-making, leadership, incentives and other administrative matters.
Therefore, this study attempts to shed light on the evaluation process, its basics and its importance in general and in the Kurdish media institutions as a model in part
... Show MoreABSTRACT Planetary Nebulae (PN) distances represent the fundamental parameter for the determination the physical properties of the central star of PN. In this paper the distances scale to Planetary Nebulae in the Galactic bulge were calculated re- lated to previous distances scales. The proposed distance scale was done by recalibrated the previous distance scale technique CKS/D82. This scale limited for nearby PN (D ≤ 3.5 kpc), so the surface fluxes less than other distance scales. With these criteria the results showed that the proposed distance scale is more accurate than other scales related to the observations for adopted sample of PN distances, also the limit of ionized radius (Rio) for all both optically thick and optically thin in
... Show MoreBackground: Clinicians and investigators consider the normal range of bowel habit and frequency as between 3 to 21 motions per week . Stool frequency out side the normal range may be unusual but may not be abnormal in the sense of a disease . And according to the consistency, the normal stool ranges from porridge like to hard and pellety .Objectives: To establish a basic data about the bowel habits (consistency and frequency) in a sample of healthy Iraqi population; in addition to learn about their definition of constipation and diarrhea.Methods: Prospective study from Jan 2000- Jun 2000 at Al-Yarmouk teaching hospital, Baghdad. Questionnaires were distributed to 950 healthy persons of different age group .The questionnaire included: Det
... Show MoreThe internet, unlike other traditional means of communication, has a flexibility to stimulate the user and allows him to develop it. Perhaps, the reason for the superiority of the internet over other traditional means of communication is the possibility of change and transmission from one stage to another in a short period. This means that the internet is able to move from the use to the development of the use and then the development of means and innovation as the innovation of the internet is a logical product of the interaction of the user with the network. The internet invests all the proposals and ideas and does not ignore any even if it is simple. This is represented in social networking sites which in fact reflects personal emotio
... Show MoreEvery cultural achievement is a creative text, and every text is a group of signs. The Winged Bull sculpture is a sort of text that is not confined to some signs; indeed, its cultural signs go far beyond as they are open-ended, everlasting and it lends itself to various horizons of interpretation. The recipient has to combine the signs of this sculpture, which belong to different patterns, in the pursuit for perfection so that he can decode its media message.
I have tackled this sculpture by adopting a semiotic approach. The semiotic approach is a modern critical approach which is as wide as culture and as rich as knowledge. It has been linked to modernism, which in turn has been linked to modern critical approaches, because it can
The current research aims to identify the types and rates and the reasons for the crimes that are with the origin and sexual scattered deviation between the fabric of Iraqi society, which reticent about because of the culture of the community, where he offered a researcher investigator justice and tribal leaders and lawyers about proportion and the types and causes of crime is the origin of sexual deviance and finally a question asked a researcher in 1000 young lived their adolescence days of the former regime (1979-2003) from going to brothels researcher found that 920 people and 92% had gone to the house to practice adultery and that 70 of them, and by 7% had engaged in masturbation only and that 10 of them have not committed anything
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