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.
Abstract
The current research aims to identify the level of organizational relaxation among the employees of educational directorates in the Sultanate of Oman. The descriptive approach was used, as well as a questionnaire of two parts to collect data. The questionnaire consists of (15) items divided into three themes about the relaxing level. It was applied on a sample of (406) male & female employees of the educational directorates who were randomly selected. The results of the study showed that the level of organizational relaxation was low. The study results also found that there were no statistically significant differences at the level of significance (α ≤ 0.05) of the study sample in the level of org
... Show MoreMacrocheles glaber (Müller) is one of several mites that feeds on eggs, newly hatched &
small larvae of house fly Musca domestica L. This mite was reared in the laboratory on house
fly frozen eggs at constant conditions of 28°C±1 and 90% relative humidity using sterilized
horse dung substrate. The predation rate of adult female and male on frozen eggs was (18, 3)
eggs/mite/day respectively, the number of frozen eggs destroyed by adult female through its
life was 185.6 eggs.
The mean duration of adult female from egg to adult stage was 2.67 days, the longevity of
female was 27.8 days, the mean daily egg production was 2.7 egg with total egg productivity
of 72.1 egg.
Introduction: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a common protozoan disease in Iraq characterized by localized ulcers, primarily on exposed skin. This study aimed to investigate the hematological parameters of infected patients using a complete blood count (CBC) in the endemic area of Diyala Governorate, northeast of Baghdad. This has been studied in newly diagnosed, untreated individuals and patients receiving sodium antimony gluconate. Methodology: Hematological screening was performed on blood samples from 161 patients with microscopically diagnosed cutaneous leishmaniasis before and after treatment. Anti-Leishmania IgG was also assessed by ELISA in seropositive and seronegative subjects. Results: The newly diagnosed, untreated pati
... Show Moreatrogenic atrial septal defect (IASD), post Catheter ablation during electrophysiological study simply can be assess with Echocardiography nowadays ablation consider the main line in the managements of patients with various type of arrhythmia. This study aims to de-termine the outcomes of Iatrogenic Atrial Septal Defect (IASD) six months post radiofrequency ablation (RF) procedure of left atrial arrhythmia using non-invasive Transtho-racic Echocardiography (TTE) parameters (LVEF, E/e` and ASD size) with sheath size as predictors of atrial septal defect closure. Patients and methods: A prospective study was con-ducted in Iraqi Centre for Heart Diseases included 47 patients post Electrophysiology procedure and ablation of left atrial SVT were
... Show MoreBackground: Congenital heart disease is one of the most common developmental anomalies in children. These patients commonly have poor oral health that increase caries risk. Dental management of children with congenital heart disease requires special attention, because of their heightened susceptibility to infectious endocarditis. The aims of this study were to assess the severity of dental caries of primary and permanent teeth and treatment needs in relation to nutritional indicator (Body Mass Index) among children with congenital heart disease. Materials and Methods: In this case-control study, case group consisted of 399 patients aged between 6-12 years old with congenital heart disease were examined for dental status in Ibn Al-Bitar spec
... Show MoreThis paper introduces a non-conventional approach with multi-dimensional random sampling to solve a cocaine abuse model with statistical probability. The mean Latin hypercube finite difference (MLHFD) method is proposed for the first time via hybrid integration of the classical numerical finite difference (FD) formula with Latin hypercube sampling (LHS) technique to create a random distribution for the model parameters which are dependent on time [Formula: see text]. The LHS technique gives advantage to MLHFD method to produce fast variation of the parameters’ values via number of multidimensional simulations (100, 1000 and 5000). The generated Latin hypercube sample which is random or non-deterministic in nature is further integ
... Show MoreThis research is an attempt to study aspects of syntactic deviation in AbdulWahhab Al-Bayyati with reference to English. It reviews this phenomenon from an extra-linguistic viewpoint. It adopts a functional approach depending on the stipulates of systemic Functional Grammar as developed by M.A.K. Halliday and others adopting this approach. Within related perspective, fairly’s taxonomy (1975) has been chosen to analyze the types of syntactic deviation because it has been found suitable and relevant to describe this phenomenon. The research hypothesizes that syntactic deviation is pervasive in Arabic poetry, in general and in Abdul-Wahhab Al-Bayyati Poetry in specific, and can be analyzed in the light of systemic Functional Grammar
... Show MoreAn improved Metal Solar Wall (MSW) with integrated thermal energy storage is presented in this research. The proposed MSW makes use of two, combined, enhanced heat transfer methods. One of the methods is characterized by filling the tested ducts with a commercially available copper Wired Inserts (WI), while the other one uses dimpled or sinusoidal shaped duct walls instead of plane walls. Ducts having square or semi-circular cross sectional areas are tested in this work.
A developed numerical model for simulating the transported thermal energy in MSW is solved by finite difference method. The model is described by system of three governing energy equations. An experimental test rig has been built and six new duct configurations have b