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

It is through a review of conversion of vegetable oils into glycidyl ethers focusing on their roles in achieving sustainability and improved epoxy resin performance. It involves functionalization of triglycerides in the form of epoxidation followed by glycidylation and yields bio-based monomers having improved mechanical as well as thermal properties. The review covers the underlying chemistry, production drivers, industrial applications, and future issues, supported by quantitative data and comparative studies. In addition, it integrates recent data on catalyst choice, feedstock flexibility, and environmental performance factors of bio-based resins, indicating their suitability for replacing traditional petroleum-based components.<

The study was conducted during spring seasons of 2000 and 2001.The aim was to study the changes in the moisture content of sunflower plants during growth stages under hardening conditions to drought tolerance .Agricultural practices were made according to recommendation. Asplit-split plots design was used with three replications. The main plots included irrigation treatments:irrigation to100%(full irrigation),75and50%of available water. The sub plots were the cultivars Euroflor and Flame.The sub-sub plots represented four seed soaking treatments: Control (unsoaked), soaking in water ,Paclobutrazol solution(250ppm),and Pix solution(500ppm). The soaking continued for 24 hours then seeds were dried at room temperature until they regained t

Renal transplantation is a principal treatment option for end-stage kidney failure. Bone loss and fracture are serious complication of kidney transplantation, associated with morbidity and mortality. The pathogenesis of post transplantation bone loss is multifactorial and complex

Smoking-related diseases can be attributed to the inhalation of many different toxins, including heavy metals, which have a host of harmful health effects. The primary objective of this study was to determine whether local and imported cigarette brands used in Iraq , have they elevated levels of metals or not .Three metals Lead (Pb) , Cadmium (Cd) and Chromium(Cr) were determined in tobacco of seventeen brands of imported cigarettes commonly available in Iraq and three Iraqi domestic cigarettes , which were randomly taken from retail market in Baghdad by using flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The produced data of imported and local cigarette brands were discussed and compared together and with studies from elsewhere .The result

Football tennis is a team game derived from the integration of football skills, tennis and some of the laws of volleyball. This game originated in 1920, but it was officially approved in 2010 and an international federation was formed for it. Football tennis, like other sports, has its own basic laws and rules, but it is characterized by physical requirements, the way of playing and how to perform skills. Determining these abilities and working to improve and develop them is important and a scientific step to reach the best results, as the special abilities of the game contribute to mastering technical performance of skills and play without errors and thus competition in an ideal technical and legal situation. The research aims to:

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, inflammatory, immune mediated disease of the central nervous system, mostly affecting young adults with mean age of 30 years, twice as high in women compared to men. The etiology of MS is not fully elucidated. MS symptoms are directly related to demyelination and axonal loss, along with other psychological symptoms, can result in functional limitations, disability and reduced quality of life (QoL).  The QoL assessments in patients with a chronic disease may contribute to improving treatment and could even be of prognostic value. The goals  of this study were  to  compare the QoL of  Iraqi patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS),using three different diseas

The flat-headed borer, Capnodis tenebrionis  (Linnaeus, 1760) , dispersed extensively in various geographical regions; it is extremely harmful and a dire threat to most stone fruit cultivars, and once the larva enters under the host tree crown, the infested host tree will gradually dry and eventually die. In this study, specimens were collected from several sites in Erbil province, Kurdistan Region- Iraq; then the fully grown larvae were selected for morphological study. In addition, clarification of morphological consequential and implication for most diagnostic characters were studied in all dissected parts. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to further analyze the hidden features of the selected characteristics;