Journal of the Faculty of Medicine Baghdad

Background: It is becoming increasingly apparent that the study of infant cancer may lead to further understanding of the mechanisms of carcinogenesis, due to the unique clinical, genetic, and epidemiologic characteristics of cancer in infant.
Objectives: To study the clinical and pathological presentation of infants with cancer, their outcome and survival.
Patients & methods: A retrospective study was done over a 6 years period between (Jan.1st.2001- Dec. 31st. 2006), reviewed the records of 85 infants diagnosed and treated in oncology unit, children welfare teaching hospital, medical city-Baghdad.
Results: The majority of patients 57(67%) were from Baghdad & surrounding provinces; Leukemia was the most common type of cancer reported in 26(30.5%) infants followed by Neuroblastoma in 25(29.4%) infants. Males were more common than females with a ratio of 1.5:1 with duration of onset more than one month in 60(72.3%) patients. Pallor & fever were the most common presenting symptoms in 56(65.8%) and 43(50.5%) patients respectively. Bone marrow was the most common site of involvement in 31(36.4%) patients. Event free survival in treated patients was 16.4% with high rates of death (32.9%) and patients lost to follow-up were 24(28.2%).
Conclusions: The study showed low event free survival due to high mortality rate due to lack of adequate supportive care, intensive care unit, bone marrow transplant facility and abandonment of treatment.
Keywords: Cancer, infants, outcome

Background: Transient tachypnea (TTN) is a common disorder of the newborn. It is characterized by the early onset of tachypnea sometimes with retractions or expiratory grunting and occasionally cyanosis that is relieved by minimal oxygen supplementation (<40%).
Objectives: To identify the risk factors and describe the clinical characteristics, treatment and outcome of infants with TTN.
Patients and methods: This study was carried out on 100 newborn babies with birth weight of 2500 to 4000 gm and gestational ages range from (completed 37 -42 wks), who were admitted to the neonatal care unit of Children Welfare Teaching Hospital, Medical city, Baghdad, from 1st of September 2013 to the 31st of January 2014, and diagnosed as having TTN.
Results: Males represented 68% and females were 32%, with a male to female ratio of 2.1:1. Fifty-three percent aged 38 weeks, compared to 38% aged < 38 weeks and 9% > 38 weeks, indicating that there was a significant inverse correlation between the incidence of TTN and the gestational age. There was a highly significant inverse correlation between the neonate’s weight and the frequency of TTN. Cesarean section done in 80% compared to 20% delivered with spontaneous vaginal delivery (SVD) and neonates who were delivered by elective section were more likely to have TTN than those delivered with SVD or emergency section. The history of maternal diabetes in (17%), a statistically significant association was found between TTN and the maternal Diabetes Mellitus but not with other maternal diseases. Tachypnea and chest retraction were the most frequent clinical manifestations, 93% and 72% respectively. Chest X-ray revealed that 71% had increased pulmonary vascular markings, over aeration in 22%. Out of the 100 cases, 95% were discharged after they improved without complications, 5% complicated with Pneumothorax. No death in the studied group.
Conclusions: There was a significant association between TTN and maternal diabetes, mode of delivery especially elective CS, lower gestational age (38 weeks and less), and lower body weight. The most frequent clinical manifestations of TTN are Tachypnea and chest retraction. Increased pulmonary vascular markings and over- aeration are the most frequent radiological manifestations. TTN is a self-limited disease in most of the cases.
Keywords: Transient Tachypnea of Newborn, Neonatal Care Unit, Cesarean section

Background: Newly developed vessels sealing device built upon bipolar diathermy technology had a great impact on facilitating advances laparoscopic surgery. Laparoscopic splenectomy is well established procedure but in this study the procedure is totally based on bipolar vessel sealing system in devascularization of the spleen
Objective: To evaluate the safety of laparoscopic splenectomy with vessels sealing device and its outcome.
Patient and method: Prospective study conducted in Baghdad Teaching Hospital and Dijlah private hospital from October 2009 to October 2013. Thirty patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura(ITP) were included and had laparoscopic splenectomy . The adapted procedure was stapleless laproscopic splenectomy, without clips using vessels sealing device only.
Result: A total of 30 patients were recruited. The mean of their ages was 25.2 years. Eleven of them were males and 19 were females. The mean operative time was 84.3 min. The mean estimated blood loss was 105 ml. Twenty seven spleens were extracted through small Pfannenstiel incision and 3 spleens were retrieved by retrieval bag. No conversion had occurred; the mean hospital stay was 2.3 days. Neither bleeding nor any other serious complication related to this technique were observed, only one patient complicated by collection which was treated by aspiration under ultrasound guide. No mortalities were recorded.
Conclusion: Laparoscopic splenectomy of normal size and mildly enlarged spleen with use of vessels sealing device without staple or clips is safe and effective.
Key words: spleenectomy, laparoscopic, vessel sealing systems

Background: Postoperative discitis is uncommon 4%, but it is the most disabling postoperative complication after lumbar discectomy.
Objective: To assess the effectiveness of intradiscal Gentamycin in prevention of lumbar discitis post operatively.
Patients and Methods: This is a prospective study involving 320 patients, who had lumbar discectomy. 140 patients (first group) from Jan. 2012 to Jan. 2013 were not had intradiscal gentamycin injection, while 180 patients (2nd group) From Jan 2013 to Jan 2014 (2nd group) had intradiscal injection of 80mg Gentamycin at the end of surgery and before closing up. Follow up was done 10 days to 6weeks after surgery by W.B.C count, ESR, C-reactive protein and clinical assessment.
Results: There were eight cases (6%) of postoperative discitis in the first group, while in the second group there was only one patient (0.5%) with postoperative discitis who had intradiscal injection of Gentamycin (0.5%).
Conclusions: Intradiscal Gentamycin injection during lumbar discectomy is effective in preventing of postoperative discitis.
Key Words: Lumbar discectomy, Discitis, Gentamycin, prevention

Background: Mesh infection after hernia repair is a devastating complication. Preoperative prediction of high risk patients may be useful to avoid infections. This study aims at evaluating risk factors for mesh related wound infection in our setting.
Patients and methods: This prospective cohort analysis study included 120 patients underwent ventral hernioplasty with polypropylene mesh from October 2009 to February 2013 at Baghdad Teaching Hospital. Clinical data analyzed to determine risk factors of mesh related wound infection.
Results: After one year follow up for each of 120; 21 patients (17.5%) developed mesh related wound infection. Predictors of infection were: age ≥ 45 years, BMI≥35 kg/m2, diabetes mellitus, past history of previous surgical repair, presence of more than one sac or defect, defect size larger than 5 cm, type of hernia sac content (small bowel), small bowel anastomoses, and increased duration of surgery.
Conclusion: Clinical history and examination preoperatively can predict high risk patients to develop postoperative infection.
Key word: ventral hernia , mesh ,wound infection.

Background: Use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to calculate skeletal age is a novel idea. MRI provides excellent soft-tissue contrast and multiplanar cross-sectional imaging capability. It could be used as an alternative method of skeletal age determination.
Objectives: To study the value of MRI in estimating the age of healthy Iraqi adolescent males and to compare the obtained results with other countries records.
Population and methods: This cross sectional study was applied on 179 healthy adolescent males between the ages of 13 to18 years in MRI unit at radiology institute in medical city, Baghdad – Iraq. This study was carried out from November 2011 to December 2012. Magnetic resonance imaging of the left wrist was performed by using a 1.5Tesla machine with surface coil. The sequence used was coronal T1weighted images (WI). The degree of fusion of the left distal radial physis was determined by a newly developed grading system.
Results: There is high correlation between chronological age and degree of fusion of distal radius within the participant population. Most adolescent boys in the age group between 13 and 14 years presented as grade I and II, while the complete fusion was found at the age of 17and18 years, the mean age of participants was 17.5 years. Degree of fusion of the distal radius in the sample of the study was almost approaching the obtained values in the Algeria and Malaysia as comparative countries.
Conclusion: MRI offers an alternative; non-invasive method of examination of the epiphysial fusion, which eliminates any risk associated with standard radiographic rating. The grading system can accurately identify the variable degrees of epiphysial fusion in an objective teachable manner.
Key words: bone age, magnetic resonance imaging, left wrist.

Background: urethrocutaneous fistula after hypospadias surgery repair is the most common complication and remains a frustrating problem for surgeon and the patient. The problem is exacerbated because the urethrocutaneous fistula may recur which adds more demands surgery.
Objectives: The purpose of this study is to evaluate of the use of oral mucosal graft for management of recurrent urethrocutaneous fistula after hypospadias repair.
Patients and Methods: twelfth patients with age ranging from 4 year to 15 years were presented with history of recurrent fistula. Most of fistula were located in proximal penile and penoscrotal region (58.3%) . those patients were repaired by using oral mucosal graft with mean postoperative follow up period up to 6 months.
Results: analysis of results showed 10 out of 12 cases (83.3%) had a final successful outcome with no recurrent fistula during follow up period. The two patients with failed repair were candidate for another attempt for fistula repair later on. No donor site morbidity was observed in all patients.
Conclusion: Oral mucosal graft showed very good take and promising results when used for management of recurrent urethrocutaneous fistula after hypospadias repair.
Key words: urethrocutaneous fistula, hypospadias, mucosal graft.

Back ground: Migraine is a common chronic episodic disabling primary headache disorder with associated Symptoms. The neuroendocrinological alterations, disorders of the hypothalamic-hypophysial axis are believed to be implicated in the pathogenesis of primary headache syndromes
Objective: The aim is to determine the effect of sex hormones on migraine.
Patients and methods: Twenty seven adult patients with migraine and 20 controls were assessed for prolactin,testeron,,LH,FSH were tested with immunofluorometric assay.
Results: This study found that migraine is associated with elevated level of FSH, prolactin and testerone P= (<0.05), (<0.05) and (<0.05) respectively .however there was no significant association between LH levels and migraine P (>0,05).
Conclusion: There is a significant correlation between levels of hormones and migraine.
Key word: Migraine,hormones

Background: Since the introduction of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) inhibitors including etanercept, their efficacy and safety in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have been studied in many randomized controlled clinical trials. However, data regarding predictors of clinical response to anti-TNF therapy are still sparse.
Objective: To assess the predictors of response to etanercept in treatment of Iraqi patients with active RA.
Methods: An open label single group prospective study was conducted over 15 months on 190 Iraqi patients with RA. All the included patients were given etanercept at a dose of 50 mg by subcutaneous injection on a weeklybases. Each patient was followed at regular intervals of baseline,1, 3 and 6 months for disease activity using Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28). Also we assess six different patients characteristics (age, gender, disease duration, the presence of rheumatoid factor, smoking status and the concomitant use of methotrexate) as predictors to etanercept response.
Results: Data analysis showed a significant improvement in DAS28 with etanercept use over a period of 6 months. Females were more respondent to treatment than males. The concomitant use of methotrexate showed highly significant correlation with the treatment response. The other variables had no significant effect on response to treatment.
Conclusion: Female gender and concomitant use of methotrexate have a significant correlation with response to etanercept treatment.
Key words: Rheumatoid arthritis, etanercept, predictors of response, methotrxate

Backgound: Varicoceles defined as abnormally dilated testicular veins (pampiniform plexus) of in the scrotum and it is found in approximately 15% of the general population and associated with adverse effects on the seminal fluid and fertility. According to size of that blood vessels; the varicocele is divided into clinical that are discovered in physical examination and subclinical that are only discovered by Doppler examination. It is well known that clinical varicocele affect the seminal fluid and always treated surgically as a part of treatment of infertility or because of pain or cosmetic purpose but the controversy is about the cases of subclinical varicocele and the indication of surgery and its outcome.
Objective: To assess the effects of varicocelectomy on the seminal fluid parameters of patients with clinical and subclinical varicoceles.
Patients and method: 80 infertile patients with varicocele included in this study 50 had clinical and 30 had subclinical diagnosed by Doppler study. Two seminal analyses were done from the patients, one before and the other 3 to 6 months after varicocelectomy.
Results: a significant improvement in the sperms count was found after the operation in both clinical and subclinical varicocele but the sperm motility percentage seems to be not affected in patients with subclinical varicocele unlike the clinical cases that showed a significant improvement after varicocelectomy. There was a non-significant decrease in the percentage of sperms with abnormal morphology in both cases.
Conclusion: varicocelectomy is indicated and had good outcome on the seminal fluid parameters in cases of clinical varicocele while in cases of subclinical varicocele it should be recommended only in patients with low sperm count and assisted reproductive technique must be suggested in cases of poor motility or high percentage of abnormal sperms.
Key words: varicoceles, varicocelectomy, seminal fluid parameters.

Background: Atherosclerosis is a diffuse disease process, being present in one vascular bed predicts its presence in the others. Ankle –Brachial Pressure Index (ABI) is a simple index related to the extent of atherosclerosis in coronary and noncoronary arterial beds, reflecting generalized atherosclerosis.
Objectives: the aim of this study is to evaluate the relation of ABI to left ventricular systolic function using echocardiography in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).
Patients and Methods: Sixty seven patients (67) with CAD of either sex (70% males) with mean age 58± 6 years enrolled in this study, from December 2013 till May 2014; all were referred to the Iraqi Centre for Heart Disease (I.C.H.D.) for further evaluation and management. The ABI for each leg was calculated by dividing the lowest value of the ankle systolic blood pressure (SBP) (over both dorsalis pedis and posterior tibial arteries) by the highest value of either brachial SBP by using a Doppler ultrasound. The lower of the two values was used to define the patient ABI. The ejection fraction (EF) % and fractional shortening (FS) % were determined by using trans-thoracic echocardiography. Participants were divided into two groups according to ABI results: Group І: 29 patients with abnormal low ABI (ABI ≤ 0.90) with ABI mean of 0.79±0.12 and Group ІІ: 38 patients with normal ABI (0.9< ABI ≤1.30) with ABI mean of 1.03±0.10 as a control group.
Results: There were no statistically significant differences in statistics between the two groups regarding risk factors for atherosclerosis. EF% was significantly lower in group I than those in group II in such a way that the mean values of EF% was 53.41±14.72 for group I vs. 63.11±8.93 for group II with the p value = 0.003. Also ABI is correlated with the severity of left ventricular systolic dysfunction.
Conclusion: ABI is a useful bedside clinical test that predicts and assess left ventricular systolic dysfunction in patients with coronary artery disease.
Keywords: Coronary artery disease – Ankle brachial index – Ejection Fraction.

Back ground: The epidemic of obesity is a major health problem in the developed world with a great influence on morbidity and mortality.
The aim of study: to evaluate serum ghrelin levels achieved through LSG and on insulin resistance and the serial changes of insulin concentration in obese patients following gastric sleeve.
Patients and methods: twenty four patients underwent LSG with 25 controls were selected. Body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), lipid profile, fasting blood sugar (FBS), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting insulin, QUICKI and ghrelin hormone concentrations were measured for controls and patients prior LSG, then one month and three months post-surgery.
Results: A significant decline was noticed in BMI, WC, TC, TG, LDL-cholesterol, fasting insulin, and ghrelin, with significant increase in QUICKI in patients undergone LSG with significant differences in all studied parameters between patients and controls. A negative correlation was noticed between ghrelin and BMI in patients before sleeve gastrectomy.
Conclusion: Ghrelin is a hormone closely linked with obesity taking into account the marked loss in appetite in the period after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy.
Key word: obesity, bariatric surgery, ghrelin.

Background: Universal precautions, as defined by centers for disease control (CDC), are a set of precautions designed to prevent transmission of human immunodeficiency virus , hepatitis B virus , and other blood borne pathogens when providing first aid or health care .
Objectives: To measure knowledge of and practice towards universal precautions among healthcare workers (apart from doctors) in Baghdad Teaching Hospital .
Material and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted during the period of two months from 26th of February to the end of April 2007 in Baghdad Teaching Hospital / Medical City ,Baghdad to assess the knowledge and practice of 110 health care workers towards the use of universal precautions in their daily work and to assess the effect of different factors on both knowledge and practice ( including :age , years of experience gender ,level of education ,occupation and hearing about universal precautions ) .
Results: The study showed that (52.7%) had heard about universal precautions with an overall low understanding of precautions except concerning disposal of sharp instruments, use of protective equipment and clean of spilled blood .Health workers showed difficulty to distinguish deep body fluids to which universal precautions should be applied from body secretions to which they are not applied (saliva and sweat) . Good practices were reported regarding hand washing, disposal of needles and sharps,and gloves, masks and gown usage. This study showed that hearing about universal precautions had no positive effect on knowledge as those who had heard about universal precautions had mean knowledge score of (5.9) from total score of (10) which is lower than those who never heard with mean knowledge score of (6.1) ,in contrast to practice score which was higher in those who heard about universal precautions (8.4) than those who never heard (8), from total score of (10).
Conclusion: universal precautions were not only insufficiently but also selectively understood and applied so great work should be done in form of pre- and in-service education and training programs to the staff with good supply of protective equipment to
implement universal precautions on scientific and practical basis in near future.
Keywords: Universal Precautions, knowledge, practice, Healthcare workers, Blood borne pathogens ,centers for disease control (CDC).

Background: Breast cancer is one of the common malignancies among women worldwide. Human papillomavirus (HPV) infections have been linked to many human cancers in addition to cervical cancer and one of them is breast cancer.
Objective: To investigate the presence of human papilloma virus type 6 and type 11in breast cancer tissue specimens by in situ hybridization technique.
Patients and Methods: Thirty four formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded tissue blocks from breast cancer patients were obtained from the archives of the pathology laboratory of Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital from January 2011 to July 2012. In addition formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded blocks tissue for twenty fibroadenoma of breast were collected and used as control group. In situ hybridization technique was used for the molecular detection of HPV type 6 and HPV type 11.
Results: There were 82.4 % of breast cancer tissues positive for HPV type 6 and 88.2 % were positive for HPV type 11.
Conclusion: The presence of human papillomavirus DNA in most breast carcinoma samples merits further investigation and confirmation by second assay in order to establish the exact role of this virus in the pathogenesis of breast cancer.
Keywords: Breast cancer, human papilloma virus type 6 and type 11, In situ hybridization technique.

Background: several factors render chronic lymphocytic leukemia an interesting subject for study by researchers. These include marked progress in understanding the molecular biology of normal and neoplastic lymphoid cells and recent advances in molecular genetics techniques. Among molecular markers, p-53 cancer suppressor gene has been widely studied.
Objectives: is to correlate p-53 protein expression in chronic lymphocytic leukemia, as examined by immunohistochemical method, with some pathological and clinical parameters.
Patients and methods: this is a retrospective study; whereby archival paraffin-embedded bone marrow tissue blocks along with the clinical and hematological records of fifty patients (35 males and 15 females), with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and twenty cases as control were obtained from the Department of Hematology of the Medical City Teaching Laboratories in the period from April 2012 to April 2014. P-53 was studied by immunohistochemical staining.
Results: the frequency of p53 positive patients in the study group was 16% (8 of 60 cases). Patients with high score for p-53 were more frequently and significantly associated with high-risk clinical stage than patients with low score. There was a significant direct positive correlation between increasing scores of p53-positive chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells and advancing clinical stage of the disease.
Conclusion: although p53 alteration may occur early in the course of the disease, as shown by the p53 positivity in a proportion of patients in low and intermediate-risk stage of the disease, the highest frequency p53-positive cells, has been observed in high-risk stage of the disease.
Key words: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia; P-53; Immunohistochemistry.

Background: Elastase, Lactoferrin, Cathapsin G and lysozyme are antigens (proteins) present in several mucosal secretions as well as in secondary granules of polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Anti-Elastase antibodies, anti-Lactoferrin antibodies,anti-Cathapsin G antibodies and anti-Lysozyme antibodies, which belong to Perinuclear Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibodies(pANCA) have been described in several immunomediated diseases, including Rheumatoid Arthritis .
Objectives: Investigate the prevalence of anti-Elastase antibodies, anti-Lactoferrin antibodies,anti-Cathapsin G antibodies , anti- Lysozyme antibodies and rheumatoid factor in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in comparison to healthy control.
Patients &Methods: The study involved 40 Rheumatoid Arthritis patients who were referred to Immunological Department in Teaching laboratory Medical City during period of (1st of January – 31st of June) 2011 and 25 apparently healthy individual used as a control group were investeged to rheumatic factor IgG, IgM ,IgA isotypes and Elastase antibodies, Lactoferrin antibodies, Cathapsin G antibodies , and lysozyme antibodies were measured by using enzyme immunoassay technique.
Results : Anti- Elastase, Abs anti-Cathapsin G Abs ,and anti-lysozyme Abs showed significant correlation with RF screen, and the mean concentration for these antibodies in rheumatoid arthritis patients with significant difference if compare it with the healthy control group. While anti-Lactoferrin Abs showed no significant correlation with RF screen. This study showed a association between the positive results of anti- Cathapsin G Abs with RF IgG and RF IgM only .Anti- Elastase Abs, Anti-Lactoferrin Abs and Anti-lysozyme Abs showed neither a significant correlation with RF IgG, RF IgM nor with RF IgA.
Conclusion:A significant correlation was found between Elastase antibodies, Cathapsin G antibodies , lysozyme antibodies and patients with rheumatiod arthritis Cathapsin G antibodies has a significant association with RF IgG and RF IgM
Key Word: Elastase, Lactoferrin ,Cathapsin G , Lysozyme, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Iraq.

Back ground: Meningitis is an inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord that known as meninges. It is the major cause of morbidity and mortality among infants and children less than the age of 5 years.
Objectives: To determine Haemophilus influenzae type b meningitis incidence in children aged less than 5 years and choice a drug for treatment
Patients and methods: During period from Febraury 2012 to first March 2013 ,250 Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens were collected from children less than 5 years ,which clinically diagnosed with meningitis ,in several hospitals of Iraq.Microbiological, biochemical, latex agglutination test and antibiotics sensitivity were used to identify and choice the antibiotic that should be used for treatment
Results: Culturing CSF specimens identified 18 confirmed cases of Haemophilus influenzae type b meningitis among 250 CSF specimens depending on biochemical and serotyping. The incidence of Haemophilus influenzae type b meningitis among infants less one years of age was 12(66.6%) compared to 6(33.3%) for older children . Incidence among males was 11(61.1%) compared to 7(38.8%) for females. Haemophilus influenzae type b meningitis is sensitive to Ampencillin , Ciprofloxacin, Cefotaxime, Cefotriaxone, Chloramphenicol, while resistant to Trimetheprim-sulfamethoxazole and Gentomycin.
Conclusions: Haemophilus influenzae type b meningitis was most common in children less than 1 years.
Key words: Meningitis, children, Haemophilus influenzae type b, Cerebrospinal Fluid, Antibiotics

Background: Candida albicans is the principal fungal infectious agent in human infection. Adhesion is thought to be an essential step for colonization and establishment of Candida infections.
Objectives: Identification and comparison of ALS1 virulence gene of adhesion family among different isolates of Candida albicans by PCR.
Patients and methods: One hundred eight samples were collected from different group of Iraqi patients. All samples were culture on Sabouraud′s agar, CHROMagar for identification while API Candida kit confirmatory test and extracted DNA was done for just Candida albicans isolates, detected the ALS1 gene, extracted RNA for synthesis of cDNA and detected of gene and compare between isolates.
Result: C. albians isolated from each of vaginal and oral swabs expressed the stronger gene that mean these isolates were the most virulent once. The two isolates from each of urine sample and nail clip which expressed only one strong fluorescence represented by ALS1 gene. C. albicans isolated from cutaneous scrap sample showed the only one moderate fluorescence represented by ALS1 gene.
Conclusion: C. albians isolated from each of vaginal and oral swabs expressed the stronger gene that’s mean these isolates were the most virulent once.
Key words: Candida albicans, ALS1 gene, PCR virulence gene.

Background: Acute phase proteins which include C-reactive protein (CRP) and haptoglobin (Hp) are associated with inflammatory diseases such as injury, infection or malignancy, cardiovascular disease and obesity. Atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) evaluated as the atherogenicity index is correlated with different diseases.
Objective : The study was to investigate hs-CRP and Hp concentration in Iraqi patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and calculate AIP which predicts this disease.
Subject and Method: The study included 64 subjects (39 patients with CAD and 25 healthy subjects as a control group). The markers of inflammatory hs-CRP and Hp levels were measured. Lipid profile (Total cholesterol TC, Triglyceride TG, High density lipoprotein HDLc, and Low density lipoprotein LDLc) was measured also. Atherogenic Index was calculated for both patients and control groups.
Results: The study showed that there was a significant increase in hs-CRP and Hp concentrations in patients with CAD compared to healthy group. A significant increase in TC, TG and LDL was found in patients compared to control group. AIP values were (0.61±0.13) and (0.09±0.06) for patients and control groups respectively, showed high significant differences between the two groups.
Conclusions: Results suggested that increasing concentration of hs-CRP and Hp in patients with CAD can be considered as a risk marker for the disease. Results of AIP concluded that it can provide information and predicate CAD disease.
Key words: Inflammation, Coronary Artery Disease, hs-CRP and Haptoglobin, AIP.

Background:Dietary intakes are critical during pregnancy, because inadequate amounts of key nutrients may compromise fetal development or maternal health. In addition to that maternal diet could be one of the methods to select the gender of the baby. The aim of the study is to correlate the level of the minerals in the mother's blood with the gender and wellbeing of the baby after delivery.
Patients and Methods:
Fifty women were involved in this study with a mean age (23.92 ± 4.75), collected from the labor room during labor in the period between December 2013 and May 2014, in Baghdad teaching hospital. After taking a full history from the women, 10 ml of blood was withdrawn from them, 2ml in EDTA tubes for lead estimation and 8 ml in plain tubes, centrifuged and the serum was used for magnesium, copper, calcium and zinc estimation. The estimation was done by spectrophotometer method.
Results:
Birth weight of the delivered babies was correlated negatively but not significantly to the age of the delivered women. The level of the minerals in the maternal blood was not different between those who delivered male or female babies except for the zinc level which was higher in those women who give birth to male babies. The correlation between the birth weight of the babies and the level of maternal minerals shows a not significant positive correlation between them except for zinc which was significant and the lead level was correlated negatively but not significantly with birth weight.
Conclusions:
Age seems to have no significant effect on birth weight. There is no significant effect of the minerals level on the selection of the baby’s gender except for zinc which is higher in women with male babies, in addition to its significant effect on the birth weight being higher in women with higher birth weight babies.
Key words: calcium, magnesium, copper, lead, zinc, gender, birth weight, maternal age.

Background: Salmonella spp. are one of the most frequently reported causes of bacterial foodborne outbreak in the world.
Objective: This study has been conducted to detect salmonella as a major public health problem worldwide.
Methods: A total of 12 samples including 8 white meat (chicken) and 4 red meat (beef) samples were collected randomly from each sample; 25gr was separated and treated with 225ml of buffered peptone water, incubated at 37C°and 42C° for 24 hours. Samples were streaked on selective enteric agar.
Result: Totally 4 out of 8 chicken meat and one out of 4 red meat samples were contaminated with Salmonella spp.
Conclusion: These results confirmed the previous findings stating the proper packaging of meat products can effectively decrease the rate of microbial contamination.
.Key word: Salmonella, Meat product, local market

Background: The present article is concerned within the scope of Forensic Medicine, specifically Forensic Genetics. The case was taken care of in the Genetic-Molecular Laboratory of the Odessa Regional Bureau of Forensic-Medical Examinations, in Ukraine, during January and February of 2014.
Objectives: The aim of our work was to identify an unknown person, using the techniques: Y-chromosome markers and mitochondrial DNA typing.
Materials and methods: The materials available for our procedure were: pieces of tissue in paraffin blocks, saved from the corpse of the unknown person; blood from a living male subject, who claimed to be the grandfather, and from two females, allegedly the sisters. From all of them we extracted nuclear DNA (nDNA) and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) respectively, that was analyzed to compare and draw the proper conclusions.
Results: The analyzed genetic materials confirmed the kinship.
Conclusion: Using Y-chromosome markers we were able to establish the correspondence of the subject to his paternal line, and by mitochondrial DNA typing we could establish his relation to the proper maternal line.
Keywords: Forensic Genetics, genetic markers, Y-chromosome markers, mitochondrial DNA sequencing, identification of a corpse.