Background: Neural tube defects (NTD) are group of heterogeneous and complex congenital anomalies of the CNS. Commonly included in this group anencephaly, spina bifida and
encephaloceles. Anencephaly is the most severe defect; it is always lethal and results in stillbirth or early neonatal demise, is characterized by absence of the brain and cranium above the base of the skull and orbits
Objective: The objective of this study is to assess the relationship between maternal serum zinc level and anencephaly occurrence in women with second -trimester induced abortion due to anencephalic fetus.
Study design and setting: This study is a case- control study, carried out in Baghdad teaching hospital through

Background: Human semen contains high concentrations of fructose, zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) in bound and ionic forms for Zn and Cu. The presence of abnormal levels of fructose and those trace elements may affect spermatogenesis with regard to production, maturation, motility and fertilizing capacity of the spermatozoa.Objective: To evaluate the levels of fructose, Zn and Cu in seminal plasma in different groups of male infertility and to correlate their concentrations with various sperm parameters.Methods: The concentrations of fructose, Zn and Cu were measured in 114 semen samples from normozoospermic, oligozoospermic, astheno-zoospermic, and azoospermic men using the electrothermal-atomic absorption spectrometry for Zn and Cu determinatio

Rate of zinc consumption during the cathodic protection of copper pipeline which carries saline water was measured by weight loss technique in the absence and presence of bacteria. Variables studied were solution flow rate, temperature, time and NaCl concentration. It was found that within the present range of variables; the rate of zinc consumption increases with the increase of all operating conditions. The presence of bacteria increases the zinc consumption. Fourth order multi-term model and one-term model were suggested to represent the consumption data. Nonlinear regression analysis was used to estimate the coefficients of these models, while statistical analysis was used to determine the effect of each coefficient. Both models were re

pancreatic islets in which a process of programmed cell death (apoptosis) is elicited in the β-cells by interaction of activated T-cells and proinflammatory cytokines in the immune infiltrate. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a pleiotropic cytokine with a key impact on both immunoregulation and nonimmune events in many cell types .
Objective: to assess the level of serum IL-6 as an inflammatory marker in type 1 diabetic children, with correlation to FBG and HbA1c.
Subjects and methods: 45 type 1 diabetic child (20 males and 25 females), mean age 10.9± 3.4 years who attended the National Diabetic Center, Al-Mustansiria university were included in this study. 45 apparently healthy controls matched for age and sex were participated in this s

Background: Nephrotic syndrome is an immune mediated disorder of the kidney associated with T cell dysfunction and secondary disturbance of B cell with changes in levels of immunoglobulin.
Objectives: The objectives of this study were to compare immunoglobulin levels in children with nephrotic syndrome in relapse and healthy children, and to assess relationship between the degree of albuminuria and the mean concentrations of immunoglobulin.
Methods: We studied 60 children with nephrotic syndrome during January 2008 to January 2011 in the Pediatric Nephrology consultation clinic, Children Welfare Teaching Hospital –Baghdad Medical Complex –Iraq. Urine protein and blood samples were collected from the 60

Background: Visceral Leishmaniasis( VL ) is a systemic infection of the reticulo- endothelial system that could affect the immune system and biochemical parameters like the concentration of Copper which may be significantly hanged .
Objective: The study aims to evaluate the level of cytokines (INF- γ ,IL-10 ) and trace element (Cu ) in Visceral Leishmaniasis in children after diagnosis .
patients and Methods: A total of 98 children, whose their ages ranged (6 menthes -5 years) were attending the Central Public Health Laboratory and Teaching Laboratories of Medical City, who were suspected to be infected with kala- azar, who were diagnosed by both IFAT technique and Rapid Kala-azar (r-K39) detecting test and trying to evaluate the

Background: Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis (RAS) is the most common painful oral mucosal disease, affecting approximately 20% of the population. RAS presents with a wide spectrum of severity ranging from a minor nuisance to complete debility. Many of factors thought to have been involved in its etiology; that might have at the same time a direct or indirect impact upon oxidant/antioxidant system and trigger free radicals production. The aim of this study was to determine the possible association of oxidant/total antioxidant status and recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS). Subjects, materials and methods: The study consisted of thirty patients with recurrent aphthous stomatitis and thirty healthy controls from which saliva and blood samples we

The field work to study morbidity & nutritional status of 3828 child aged between 659 months in Basra, Misan and Thi Qar governorate.  The results indicated that 14%, 11.7% and 5.4% of the children suffer from diarrhea, Fever & Acute Respiratory Infection (API) respectively. While the prevalence of malnutrition for the children at the three governorate indicated that the chronic was 24.8%, 25.1% and 23%, general malnutrition was 17.1%, 21.4% and 22% where as the acute malnutrition was 9.2, 9.4 and 14.2 respectively.

Background: The timing of eruption of permanent teeth is of considerable importance to the dental health planning for diagnostic, preventive and therapeutic measures for children and teenagers. The purposes of this study were to determine timing of maxillary and mandibular permanent teeth emergence (except third molars) and to evaluate the effect nutritional status by anthropometric measures on the eruption time of permanent teeth, investigations had been done according to jaw and gender variations. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted among four to fifteen years old children and teenagers from kindergarten and schools in Basrah city in the south region of Iraq. The total sample composed of 1807 children and teenagers that were