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

The Iraqi marshes are considered the most extensive wetland ecosystem in the Middle East and are located in the middle and lower basin of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers which create a wetlands network and comprise some shallow freshwater lakes that seasonally swamped floodplains. Al-Hawizeh marsh is a major marsh located east of Tigris River south of Iraq. This study aims to assess water quality through water quality index (WQI) and predict Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) concentrations in Al-Hawizeh marsh based on artificial neural network (ANN). Results showed that the WQI was more than 300 for years 2013 and 2014 (Water is unsuitable for drinking) and decreased within the range 200-300 in years 2015 and 2016 (Very poor water). The

  The research dealt with the design of the cost accounting system for the transport service and its Role in improving the efficiency of pricing decisions through the application of the cost system based on ABC activities. The main activities were defined and cost guides were to measure the cost of each service and to determine the cost of each service for the purpose of providing management with appropriate information and pricing decisions The problem of research in the lack of adoption by some public companies in the service sector on the cost accounting system to calculate the cost of service as well as the lack of identification of productive activities and service activities and therefore cannot make the appropriate decision t

The ring modulator described in part I of this paper is designed here for two operating wavelengths 1550nm and 1310nm. For each wavelength, three structures are designed corresponding to three values of polymer slot widths (40, 50 and 60nm). The performance of these modulators are simulated using COMSOL software (version 4.3b) and the results are discussed and compared with theoretical predictions. The performance of intensity modulation/direct detection short range and long rang optical communication systems incorporating the designed modulators is simulated for 40 and 100Gb/s data rates using Optisystem software (version 12). The results reveal that an average energy per bit as low as 0.05fJ can be obtained when the 1550nm modulator is d

Hybrid architecture of ZnO nanorods/graphene oxide ZnO-NRs@GO synthesized by electrostatic self-assembly methods. The morphological, optical and luminescence characteristics of ZnO-NRs@GO and ZnO-NRs thin films have been described by FESEM, TEM, HRTEM, and AFM, which refers to graphene oxide have been coated ZnO-NRs with five layers. Here we synthesis ZnO-NRs@GO by simple, cheap and environmentally friendly method, which made it favorable for huge -scale preparation in many applications such as photocatalyst. ZnO-NRs@GO was applied as a photocatalyst Rodamin 6 G (R6G) dye from water using 532 nm diode laser-induced photocatalytic process. Overall degradation of R6G/ ZnO-NRs@GO was achieved after 90 minutes of laser irradiation while it ne

This paper presents comprehensive analysis and investigation for 1550nm and 1310nm ring optical modulators employing an electro-optic polymer infiltrated silicon-plasmonic hybrid phase shifter. The paper falls into two parts which introduce a theoretical modeling framework and performance assessment of these advanced modulators, respectively. In this part, analytical expressions are derived to characterize the coupling effect in the hybrid phase shifter, transmission function of the modulator, and modulator performance parameters. The results can be used as a guideline to design compact and wideband optical modulators using plasmonic technology

GFRP was employed in constructions as an alternative to steel, which has many advantages like lightweight, large tensile strength and resist corrosion. Existing researches are insufficient in studying the influence of hybrid reinforced concrete composite columns encased by GFRP I-section (RCCCEG) and I-section steel (RCCCES). In this study twenty one (RC) specimens of a cross-section of 130 mm × 160 mm, with different length (long 1600 mm and short 750 mm) were encased by using I-section (steel and GFRP) and tested under various loading (concentric, eccentric and flexural loads). The test was focused on the influence of many parameters; load-carrying capacity, mode of failure, deformation and drawing an interaction diagram (N-

This study tries to examine a model involving human resources management practices, employees’ outcomes, governmental support, and organizational performance of small businesses in Malaysia. It was hypothesized that HRM practices will be positively related to the organizational performance (financial and operational), and that employees’ outcomes would serve as a mediator in the relationship between HRM practices and performance. Also it was hypothesized that the governmental support will be positively related to organizational performance. The statistical results on data gathered from a sample of 265 small manufacturing businesses will demonstrate the nature of relationships among the study variables. Theoretical and practical

Polish Academy of Sciences