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.
ABSTRACT Background: One of the methods used in the treatment of maxillofacial fracture is intermaxillary fixation(IMF), the most common type is the Erich arch bar with interdental wiring. This study was conducted to investigate the impact of intermaxillary fixation on gingival health condition among a group of patients with facial fracture in relation to salivary physical properties. Materials and methods: Thirty patients with an age range of (17-37) years old with facial fractures and indicated for IMF. Plaque index and gingival index (Loe, 1967) were used to assess both of them before application and after removal of IMF. Unstimulated saliva sample collection was carried out under standardized conditions according to Navazesh and Kum
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Background: Osteoporosis is an extra-articular complication of rheumatoid arthritis that results in increased risk of fractures and associated morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. Objective: To evaluate changes in bone mineral density in a sample of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients on biological (anti tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha) and non-biological agent disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). Patients and Methods: A cross sectional study enrolled 60 RA patients diagnosed by rheumatologist according to the 2010 American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism (2010 ACR/EULAR) classification criteria for RA. Thirty patient on biological agent (anti TNF alpha) and 30 patient on non-biological agent (D
... Show MoreThe contemporary business environment is witnessing increasing calls for modifications to the traditional cost system, and a trend towards adopting cost management techniques to provide appropriate financial and non-financial information for senior and executive departments, including the Resource Consumption Accounting (RCA) technique in question, which classifies costs into fixed and variable to support the decision-making process. Moreover, (RCA) combines two approaches to cost estimation, the first based on activity-based cost accounting (ABC) and the second on the German cost accounting method (GPK). The research aims to provide a conceptual vision for resource consumption accounting, after Considering it as an accounting te
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The research aims to improve the insurance service through the marketing commission as a tool that enables the insurance companies to achieve a competitive advantage. The researcher, by observing the challenges faced by insurance companies, insurance agents and brokers, raised the main question of the research: Is there an effect of the marketing commission on the competitive advantage of insurance companies? The data was obtained through the financial statements and annual reports of the research sample companies (the National General Insurance Company, the Iraqi General Insurance Company, Al-Hamra Private
... Show MoreScience occupies great importance in Islamic thought. Science and learning are considered an essential part of Islamic teachings, and this importance appears in several aspects,Among them is thatScience as a means of understanding religion :Science is a means of understanding the teachings of the Islamic religion. Islam encourages thinking and rational research to understand the Holy Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet, enabling Muslims to direct their lives and actions in accordance with the directives of their religion,And also to encourageResearch :Islam encourages scientific research and the use of reason in understanding the nature of the universe and God’s signs in it. Muslims are encouraged to study the natural and social s
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Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the top ten most common cancers worldwide. There are multiple risk factors for CRC, one of which is aging. However, in recent years, CRC has been reported in children. Objective: To describe the main characteristics and symptoms of CRC as well as highlight pathologic data for early-onset CRC. Methods: 79 CRC patients were recruited from the Oncology Teaching Hospital in the period February–December 2022. A questionnaire was used to collect demographic and clinical data. Results: 25 (31.6%) of patients were below 50 years of age. 52 (65.8%) patients had tumors in the colon. The most common symptom is bleeding per rectum in both age groups. There was no significant difference in patholog
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In this study, the two researchers try to identify the degree of psychological flow among third-stage students in the College of Physical Education and Sports Sciences / University of Baghdad, by constructing a psychometric flow meter for third-stage students in the College of Physical Education and Sports Sciences / University of Baghdad, and the research sample reached 123 female students They represent 100% of the research community, and after conducting the scientific foundations for building the scale, the two researchers reached the final version of the psychometric flow scale with 21 items with four axes.
The research aims to reach a set of objectives concerning creation a clear vision about conceptual, philosophical and practical dimension of relations, and effects between knowledge management, costumer orientation and competitiveness to construct a framework of a pragmatic model as a solution to research problem and its questions which the main one is about the role of knowledge management and costumer orientation in competitiveness of business organizations. To achieving this goal, it was necessary to make, in priory, a review and discussion to the theoretical dimension of research variables to have a clear vision about constructing hypostatical research model implying a set of hypotheses which, by proving them in companies studied, repr
... Show MoreThe research aims to shed light on banking liberalization and explain its impact on attracting customers, especially since Iraq adopted this policy after (2003) due to the changes that occurred, as the Central Bank of Iraq granted flexibility to banks in setting the interest rate on deposits and loans as well as allowing the entry of foreign banks in the local environment. The research relied on the analytical method for the dimensions of banking liberalization represented by (liberating interest rates, liberating credit, legal reserve requirements, entering foreign banks, privatization) as well as the factors affecting the attraction of customers, and a number of Iraqi banks listed in the Iraqi Stock Exchange were selected as a
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