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.
True random number generators are essential components for communications to be conconfidentially secured. In this paper a new method is proposed to generate random sequences of numbers based on the difference of the arrival times of photons detected in a coincidence window between two single-photon counting modules
This research aims to know the role and impact of participation in the capabilities of human resources programs, and for the purpose of measuring it has been determined the dimensions of these two variables by relying on standards for this purpose, was chosen as the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research / device supervision and scientific calendar as one of the important departments in the ministry and includes a large number of individuals at different organizational levels for the purpose of answering a questionnaire prepared for the purpose of measurement and access to the results and the achievement of the objectives of the research and which ha
... Show MoreThis research aims to modify the components of stainless steel alloy by the method of surface engineering through the single diffusion coating technique in order to obtain new alloys with high efficiency in resisting harsh environmental conditions. Steam a mixture of sodium chloride ( ) and sodium sulfate ( ) at a temperature of 900 and then compare it with the base alloy. The results showed that the alloys produced in this way are very efficient. The results showed that the aluminum coating showed high efficiency in resisting oxidation and provided better protection for a longer time compared to the uncoated alloy due to the oxide crust layer formed with high adhesion as well as the aluminum-rich phases, whether the phase
... Show MoreAbstract Portable communication devices such as WLAN, WiMAX, LTE, ISM, and 5G utilize one or more of the triple bands at (2.32.7 GHz,3.4–3.6GHz,and5–6GHz)andsufferfromtheeffectofmultipathproblemsbecausetheyareusedinurbanregions.To date, no one has performed a review of the antennas used for these types of wireless communications. This study reviewed two types of microstrip antennas (slot and fractal) that have been reported by researchers (as a single element) using a survey that included the evaluation of several important specifications of the antennas in previous research, such as operating bandwidth, gain, efficiency, axial ratio bandwidth (ARBW), and size. The weaknesses in the design of all antennas were carefully identified to de
... Show MoreBiological drugs have an active substance that is made by a living organism or derived from a living organism. They are one of the important therapy options used in a wide range of diseases especially life-threatening diseases. Biological therapy opens new opportunities for treating different diseases for which drug therapy is minimal, but they have considerable differences in the safety consequences in comparison with non-biological drugs. The aim of the current study was to assess the post-marketing safety profile of biological drugs used in Iraqi hospitals by the analysis of the reported adverse drug reactions regarding their severity, seriousness, preventability, expectedness, and outcome. It is a retrospective study of the individu
... Show MoreWe define L-contraction mapping in the setting of D-metric spaces analogous to L-contraction mappings [1] in complete metric spaces. Also, give a definition for general D- matric spaces.And then prove the existence of fixed point for more general class of mappings in generalized D-metric spaces.
This research aims to shed light on some phonetic linguistic terms used in the Arabic phonetic lesson for the purpose of monitoring, analyzing and tracking its developments. Such a step helps to standardize and weigh between them. The study follows a descriptive-analytical approach; it surveys the problem of the phonetic linguistic term, and its linguistic exactness. Then, it examines some phonetic terms in the Arabic phonetic lesson, such as phonology and phonology; intensity, looseness and mediation; the production, articulatory, transition, position, and the two vocal chords. One of the most prominent conclusions of the study is that the phonetic linguistic terminology enjoyed a tangible development since its infancy, given that phone
... Show MoreIn the present study, the aim was made to identify the relationship between thyroid autoimmunity (TAI) and female infertility. The study was performed on 30 infertile women and 22 age-matched healthy fertile control age (33 ± 5 years). Overall, serum prolactin (PRL), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) assay is the key test for the diagnosis and management of hypo and hyperthyroidism. Anti-TPO Ab and anti-TG Ab were measured. The mean ± SE of serum PRL (31.080 ± 3.06) ng/ml was significantly (P<0.05) higher in infertile group compared with control (16.191±1.36) ng/ml. Serum TSH was significantly (P<0.05) higher in infertile group (5.689 ± 1.12) µIU/ml compared to control group (2.282 ± 0.18) µIU/ml. The prevalence of positive
... Show MoreThe present study is a qualitative study that aims to investigate the way the Iraqi caricaturist,Dheaa Al-Hajjar uses caricatures to produce a satirical meaning humorously.Producing satire while at the same maintaining humor requires a creative thinking on the part of the caricaturist. Thus, the study examines the production of humorous satire in terms of creativity. The analysis is done from the cognitive linguistic point of view using Arthur Koestler's theory of bisociation as presented in his book The Act of Creation in 1964. The main principle on which the theory is based is that humor is created via linking (or bisociating in Koestler's terms) two habitually incompatible trains of thought in order to come up with a novel me
... Show More