Background: Neural tube defects (NTDs) are said to be inherited in a multifactorial fashion, i.e. genetic-environmental interaction. Maternal nutritional deficiencies had long been reported to cause NTDs, especially folate deficiency during early pregnancy. More attention had been paid to the exact mechanism by which this deficiency state causes these defects in the developing embryo. The most significant of all researches was that connecting reduced folate and increased homocysteine level in maternal serum on one hand and the risk of developing a NTD baby on the other hand. Objectives : to determine the significance of homocysteine level in Iraqi mothers who gave birth to babies with NTDs as compared to normal controls. Patients, Materials and Methods: Fifty Iraqi women having babies born with NTDS, referred to the genetic clinic in Baghdad Teaching Hospital, were included in this study (the study group) as well as 37 healthy women having normal children (the control group). This study was conducted from November, 2002 till October, 2003. Analysis of total serum homocysteine level for all women was done using a computerized HPLC system. Results : the age of women in both groups was comparable (mean+SD in the study group was 26.2+5.14 years vs. 26.3+4.57 years in the controls). Among the study group, 4 (8%) had normal tHcy level; 44 (88%) had mildly elevated level, and only 2 (4%) had moderately elevated tHcy level, while all (100%) women in the control group had their tHcy level within normal level. This difference was statistically highly significant (p<0.001). Conclusions : Women become at an increased risk of delivering a baby with NTD when having an elevated tHcy level in their sera, and that tHcy level is an important marker in maternal serum that is associated significantly with pregnancy outcome.
This study investigates the effectiveness of mental games in enhancing shooting accuracy among young basketball players. Initially, baseline shooting accuracy was assessed through tests conducted prior to a three-week intervention involving mental games. A follow-up test revealed a significant improvement in participants' shooting accuracy following the intervention. Given the noticeable differences in the new shooting scores compared to the initial assessments, a second set of pre-intervention tests was conducted. These tests reaffirmed the significant enhancement in shooting accuracy, substantiating the hypothesis that mental games positively affect performance. The findings highlight the importance of these intervention programs
... Show MoreThe present study aimed to evaluate the effect of lead exposure on hemopoetic system (through the index delta-Aminolevulinic acid dehydratase ?-ALAD activity & hemoglobin concentration (Hb) ) and on iron status (levels of iron Fe, Ferritin Fr, Total iron binding capacity TIBC, percentage of transferine saturation TF%) in 44 Iraqi worker at lead batteries factory. Workers divided into two groups: smokers(n=21) mean aged (37.33±4.82 year)and non smokers(n=23) mean aged(40.78±7.89 year) and 45 healthy subjects mean aged (33.97±5.08)as control group . Activity of ?-ALAD ratio shows significant decrease (p ? 0.05) ,while Hb and hematocrit Hct were non significant (p ? 0.05) in smoker workers more than non smoker as compared to control . The r
... Show MoreArt of legend was arisen out of pillars of theatre which casts light on those legends that were written to glorify powers and situations surpass level of human beings . So we find that legend was transformed through its doctrine sides over level of concept and realization on field of subjects where by which Greek theatre was founded . As soon as it was adopted by drama art as legendary ritual phenomena with its stories . With that modes of social , spiritual expressions were differentiated within communities , peoples over all different countries and civilizations . This explains us the apparent difference in cases of legends , alike if they were within thoughtful , social or cultural sides between civilizations . Since drama art is mirr
... Show MoreThis work dealt with separation of naphthenic hydrocarbons from non-naphthenic hydrocarbons and in particular concerns an improved process for increasing the naphthenes concentration in naphtha, The separation was examined using adsorption by Y and B zeolite in a fixed bed process. The concentration of naphthenes in the influent and effluent streams was determined using PONA classification. The effect of different operating variables such as feed flow rate (2- 4 L/hr); bed length (50 - 80 cm) on the adsorption capacity of Y and zeolite was studied. Increasing the bed length lead to increase the naphthenes concentration, and increasing the flow rate lead to decrease in the concentration of naphthenes, It was found that the decrease
... Show MoreOne of most the important compounds which have active hydrogen (substrate) is the thiols which used in a wide field in preparation of Mannich bases . A large number of Mannich bases have been prepared as a biologically active compound (pharmaceutical, pesticides, bactericidal, fungicidal and tuberculostatic) and in order to correlate their structure and reactivity with their pharmacological activity such as . It has been reported that the reaction is easily proceeded by using primary and secondary amine beside formaldehyde. But when we tried the reaction of thiols as substrate and formaldehyde and succinimide instead of amine, the reaction did not proceed to give Mannich base but product were methylenene – bis – sulfide . Mann
... Show MoreObesity is an escalating health problem in developing countries. One to ten children worldwide are overweight in a report showed by the International Obesity Task Force. Ghrelin, orexigenic peptide, has 28 amino acids, it is considered the greatest remarkable promotion in the last two decades for understanding the physiological changes of action regulating food intake and hunger. Obestatin is a 23-amino acid peptide nearly connected to ghrelin that secures from substitutio
... Show MoreCountries are developing the spatial development of their societies through the projects that they undertake in various ways, and this development may be cause great impact on the environment, which also depend on the type of development, whether industrial, agricultural, or service and after the problems that occurred as a result of development on the environment, most of the countries currently did to legislating laws Environmental and some other procedures before granting environmental approvals for the purpose of establishing spatial development projects. One of the most important of these laws and regulations is Environmental impact assessment (EIA). The environmental impact asse
Background: osteoporosis is characterized by a reduction in bone mineral density, skeletal microstructure breakdown, increased bone fragility, and fracture susceptibility. Osteopenia is the preceding step to osteoporosis because it causes a decrease in bone mass, osteoporosis reduces a person's quality of life. Periostin (encoded by Postn), its name is derived from the fact that it was first detected in periosteal osteocytes and osteoblasts. Periostin deficiency has been linked to osteoporosis and weak bones. Study objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine periostin levels in serum of Iraqi patients with osteoporosis and osteopenia, and it is also possible to consider periostin as a diagnostic factor to follow the progression o
... Show MorePharmaceutical companies assign a budget for activities and promotions that aim to change the prescription habits of the physicians to choose the most suitable medications for their patients, which will eventually grow their sales. The study's objectives were to explore physicians' and medical representatives' perspectives on the criteria of impactful professional PP and the factors influencing the interaction between physicians and medical representatives. Qualitative in-depth interviews with flexible probing techniques were carried out in 2023. A semi-structured, open-ended interview questionnaire was used to interview physicians and medical representatives (MRs) from different private clinics in several governorates in Iraq. Ten physicia
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