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.
Background Osteoarthritis is a chronic degenerative disorder with rising prevalence. Early detection of structural damage is difficult. Consequently, there is a pressing demand for reliable biomarkers that enable an earlier diagnosis of osteoarthritis. The aim is to investigate the level of serum fibulin-3 in patients with primary knee osteoarthritis and its correlation with disease severity. Subjects and methods A case–control study was conducted at the Baqubah Teaching Hospital from November 2023 to January 2024. One hundred twenty persons participated in this study (eighty females with the diagnosis of knee osteoarthritis in its early and late stages, and forty age-matched, apparently healthy control. Serum fibulin-3, ESR, CRP, and cal
... Show MoreBackgroundCarcinoma of the larynx represent 10% of head & neck malignancies. The treatment of advanced carcinoma of larynx may include partial or total laryngectomy, with or without laser , radiotherapy,and or chemotherapy . Carcinoma of the larynx usually affect old age , heavy smoker with possible risk of pulmonary diseases & ischemic heart disease , which add risk to the general anaesthetic complication operative & postoperative - Objectives this study was designed to assess the feasibility of total laryngectomy under local anaesthesia in medically unfit patients for general anaesthesia & to re-establish practice doing total laryngectomy under local anaesthesia in those patients.
Methods a prospective study on 12 pa
BackgroundCarcinoma of the larynx represent 10% of head & neck malignancies. The treatment of advanced carcinoma of larynx may include partial or total laryngectomy, with or without laser , radiotherapy,and or chemotherapy . Carcinoma of the larynx usually affect old age , heavy smoker with possible risk of pulmonary diseases & ischemic heart disease , which add risk to the general anaesthetic complication operative & postoperative - Objectives this study was designed to assess the feasibility of total laryngectomy under local anaesthesia in medically unfit patients for general anaesthesia & to re-establish practice doing total laryngectomy under local anaesthesia in those patients.
Methods a prospective study on 12 pa
Purpose: The main objective of this paper is, to determine the optimal no. of technicians’ men in a workshop crew of an Industrial System. Theoretical framework: The purpose of applying these tools is to explore their ability to reduce costs and improvements that can be obtained in the process of providing services to the end customer. Design/methodology/approach: The literature structure review was built from analyzing 12 of scientific papers and books, from web sciences and the Elsevier database. The papers were analyzed from descriptive, methodologic, and citation characteristics. Finding: By applying the equation model of the paper, the optimal no. of technician men in the crew of the workshop can be determined when
... Show MoreThis work, in fact, is an English language teaching study (henceforth, ELT) which may provide the inspiration for much –needed research on issues such as testing students' level of achievement in articulatory phonetics at the university level. It attempts to answer two questions: 1)What is college students' level of achievement in articulatory phonetics? 2- Are there any statistical significant differences in the achievement of college students in articulatory phonetics between the production and recognition testing techniques? This research falls into three sections: Section one indicates the problem, the aims, the hypotheses, the procedures, the limits and the value of the study. Section two provides a general overview of the articul
... Show MorePrediction of penetration rate (ROP) is important process in optimization of drilling due to its crucial role in lowering drilling operation costs. This process has complex nature due to too many interrelated factors that affected the rate of penetration, which make difficult predicting process. This paper shows a new technique of rate of penetration prediction by using artificial neural network technique. A three layers model composed of two hidden layers and output layer has built by using drilling parameters data extracted from mud logging and wire line log for Alhalfaya oil field. These drilling parameters includes mechanical (WOB, RPM), hydraulic (HIS), and travel transit time (DT). Five data set represented five formations gathered
... Show MoreThe relationship between chronic hepatitis B virus and Helicobacter pylori infection was evaluated to determine, seventy five patients with chronic hepatitis B infection (8-70 years) were investigated. The results were compared with the results of 50 healthy volunteers. Anti-H. pylori antibodies IgA and IgG were measured by Indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) in sera of patients and healthy groups. The percentage of anti-H.pylori IgA antibodies (26.67%) were significantly (P<0.01) higher than healthy control group. While, no significant difference was found between the percentages of anti-H. pylori IgG antibodies (48 %) in patient sera and these kind of antibodies in sera of healthy control group (P > 0.05). The present results indica
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