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

Artificial Intelligence Algorithms have been used in recent years in many scientific fields. We suggest employing flower pollination algorithm in the environmental field to find the best estimate of the semi-parametric regression function with measurement errors in the explanatory variables and the dependent variable, where measurement errors appear frequently in fields such as chemistry, biological sciences, medicine, and epidemiological studies, rather than an exact measurement. We estimate the regression function of the semi-parametric model by estimating the parametric model and estimating the non-parametric model, the parametric model is estimated by using an instrumental variables method (Wald method, Bartlett’s method, and Durbin

This paper presents a robust algorithm for the assessment of risk priority for medical equipment based on the calculation of static and dynamic risk factors and Kohnen Self Organization Maps (SOM). Four risk parameters have been calculated for 345 medical devices in two general hospitals in Baghdad. Static risk factor components (equipment function and physical risk) and dynamics risk components (maintenance requirements and risk points) have been calculated. These risk components are used as an input to the unsupervised Kohonen self organization maps. The accuracy of the network was found to be equal to 98% for the proposed system. We conclude that the proposed model gives fast and accurate assessment for risk priority and it works as p

The habitat type and food availability always influence the population size of many
organisms. Bird’s feeding pattern should be abstracted to complete avian community structure
data. The agronomy main research farm of Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology
is a well-managed multi-crop agro-ecosystem which provides a suitable ground for ecological
research. In a multi-crop farmland, the association of Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica Linnaeus,
1758, with the Indian mustard Brassica juncea (L.) Czernajew, 1859 crops have been
recorded for the first time while hovering only on this field. A flock of Barn swallows was
recorded in 32 field visits while flying continuously over the Indian mustard field after
flow

     Diabetic kidney disease is an illness of the glomerulus that interferes with the glomerular filtration barrier (GFB), which is worked to enable kidney to selective purification of water and solutes in addition to limiting the movement of large macromolecules such as albumin. In the glomerular endothelium, mesangial cells, foot cells, and the brush border of the proximal tubules, ACE-2 is expressed and that the kidneys represent the highest-expressing region of this enzyme. Thus, the current study aimed to evaluate ACE-2 level in this case compared to healthy condition. The study Conducted with 120 male and female ranging in age (30-65) years old. Ninety patients with type 2 diabetes subdivided into three groups on the basis of A

This work aims to detect the associations of C-peptide and the homeostasis model assessment of beta-cells function (HOMA2-B%) with inflammatory biomarkers in pregnant-women in comparison with non-pregnant women. Sera of 28 normal pregnant women at late pregnancy versus 27 matched age non-pregnant women (control), were used to estimate C-peptide, triiodothyronine (T3), and thyroxin (T4) by Enzyme-linked-immunosorbent assay (ELISA), fasting blood sugar (FBS) by automatic analyzer Biolis 24i, hematology-tests by hematology analyzer and the calculation of HOMA2-B% and homeostasis model assessment of insulin sensitivity (HOMA2-S%) by using C-peptide values instead of insulin. The comparisons, correlations, regression analysis tests were perfo

The behavior and shear strength of full-scale (T-section) reinforced concrete deep beams, designed according to the strut-and-tie approach of ACI Code-19 specifications, with various large web openings were investigated in this paper. A total of 7 deep beam specimens with identical shear span-to-depth ratios have been tested under mid-span concentrated load applied monotonically until beam failure. The main variables studied were the effects of width and depth of the web openings on deep beam performance. Experimental data results were calibrated with the strut-and-tie approach, adopted by ACI 318-19 code for the design of deep beams. The provided strut-and-tie design model in ACI 318-19 code provision was assessed and found to be u

There many methods for estimation of permeability. In this Paper, permeability has been estimated by two methods. The conventional and modified methods are used to calculate flow zone indicator (FZI). The hydraulic flow unit (HU) was identified by FZI technique. This technique is effective in predicting the permeability in un-cored intervals/wells. HU is related with FZI and rock quality index (RQI). All available cores from 7 wells (Su -4, Su -5, Su -7, Su -8, Su -9, Su -12, and Su -14) were used to be database for HU classification. The plot of probability cumulative of FZI is used. The plot of core-derived probability FZI for both modified and conventional method which indicates 4 Hu (A, B, C and D) for Nahr Umr forma

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of thermo cycling and different pH of artificial saliva (neutral, acidic, basic) on impact and transverse strength of heat cure acrylic resin reinforced of with 5% silanated ZrO2 nano fillers. Materials and methods: 120 samples were prepared, 60 samples for impact strength test and another 60 samples for transverse strength test, for each test, samples were divided into two major groups (before and after thermo cycling), then each of these major groups were further subdivided into 3 subgroups according to the pH of prepared artificial saliva (neutral, acidic, basic). Charpy impact device was used for impact strength test and Flexural device was used for transverse strength test. R

 Abstract

The study of oxygen mass transfer was conducted in a laboratory scale 5 liter stirred bioreactor equipped with one Rushton turbine impeller. The effects of superficial gas velocity, impeller speed, power input and liquid viscosity on the oxygen mass transfer were considered. Air/ water and air/CMC systems were used as a liquid media for this study. The concentration of CMC was ranging from 0.5 to 3 w/v. The experimental results show that volumetric oxygen mass transfer coefficient increases with the increase in the superficial gas velocity and impeller speed and decreases with increasing liquid viscosity. The experimental results of k_la were correlated with a mathematical correlation des