[Genetical, cytological and biological studies of OWSWF, Chrysomya bezziana exposed to gamma rays: III effect on flight ability index and mating competitiveness value]

Results showed that the Flight Ability Index [FAI] of old World Screwworm [OWS] fly chrysomya bezziana adults which emerged from irradiated pupae with 30, 45, 60 and 75 Gy of gamma ray was not affected under lab. conditions but it was effected under field condition. Result of mating competitiveness of adults emerged from irradiated pupae with 30 and 60 Gy of gamma rays and mated as follows: a- Irradiated males: unirradiated males: unirradiated females. b- Irradiated females: unirradiated females: unirradiated males. c- lrradiated females: irradiated males: unirradiated females: unirradiated males. Showed that males irradiated with 30 Gy and mated as in a: reduced and have the percentages of egg hatching and have a very good competitiveness value and this dose which caused complete sterility in C. bezziana had no effect on this parameter, moreover, 30 Gy gamma rays caused an effect to females which mated as in b: Finally the results showed that irradiated males and females with 30 Gy as in c: had a very good mating competitiveness value

Relation between behavioral factors, malnutrition and persistent diarrhea in children under two years of age. A hospital study

A high prevalence of behaviors which are related to persistent diarrhea and the prevalence of moderate to severe malnutrition in patients with persistent diarrhea in children. To asses the prevalence of negative behaviors that cause the persistent diarrhea and to asses the prevalence of malnutrition among children with persistent diarrhea and to compare prevalence of malnutrition due to persistent diarrhea to that of national figures. This study was carried out at the Central Teaching Hospital for Children in Baghdad, a total number of 200 cases of persistent diarrhea [lasting more than 14 days] [with no more than 48 hour normal bowel motions in this period] in children less than 2 years of age. The period of the study was one year from the 1st of January 1999 to the thirty-first of December 1999. Information was taken from patient's companions usually the mothers and the patients were selected at inpatient, out patient and Emergency departments in a randomized way. The study showed that the most common age group of persistent diarrhea was the 2[nd] half of the first year constituting [47%] [94/200] of patients with persistent diarrhea. Patients whose mothers were illiterate constituted a high proportion [48%] [96/200]. Patients on bottle or mixed feeding constituted [77%] [144/200]. A high prevalence of some behaviors which is related to persistent diarrhea was noticed like allowing the children to pick up food spilled on the floor and eat it [65%] [130/200], stopping or altering feeding during episodes of diarrhea [78%] [156/200], mothers neglecting washing hands or their babies hands before feeding their children [74%] [148/200] and [66%] [132/200] respectively, failure to introduce solid food in 1st year of life [72.3%] [94/ 130] and failure to eat adult type of food in 2[nd] year of life [65.7%] [46/70]. The prevalence of moderate to severe malnutrition at the three age groups was significantly higher in children with persistent diarrhea in present study compared to general population figures reported by polio immunization national day [PIND] survey at 1999 in Iraq, marasmus was significantly more common in 2[nd] half of the 1[st] year of life and the prevalence of kwashiorkor was significantly higher [15.8%] [11/70] among the older age group [2[nd] year of life]. The most common age group who developed persistent diarrhea was the second half of the first year of life. The negative behaviors of the mothers had a significant effect on the occurrence of persistent diarrhea in children and the development of malnutrition diseases like marsmus and kwashiorkor

Hepatitis C virus antibodies, RNA and genotype in patients with hepatdellular carcinoma

Hepatitis C virus [HCV] has been implicated as a pathogenetic agent for hepatocellular carcinoma [HCC] in number of countries. The goal of this study is to determine whether exposure to HCV acts as a risk factor for the development of HCC in Iraq and to determine the predominant HCV genotype in Iraqi patients with HCC. A case-control study was conducted in which 65 patients with HCC were compared to 82 patients having other malignant diseases [control]. HCV antibodies [anti-HCV] were measured in both groups using subsequently third generation enzyme immunoassay [EIA-3] and immunoblot assay [Lia-Tek III] as screening and confirmation respectively. In addition 26 positive anti-HCV sera [taken from both groups] were subjected to molecular analysis using the most recently developed RT-PCR and DNA enzyme immunoassay [DEIA] method. Anti-HCV seropositivity rate was significantly higher, 17/65 [26.1%] in the HCC patients compared to 9/82 [10.9%] in the control groups. The presence of HCV-RNA was confirmed in 12 of the HCC and 2 of the control group with positive anti-HCV. Anti-HCV seropositivity was found to be a significant risk factor for the development of HCC [OR=2.37, 95% CI=1.1-7]. There was no significant association between HCC and HCV genotype. There were 7 HCC patients who had HCV-1b as a single or mixed pattern of infection. One HCC serum with positive HCV-RNA could not be typed. The remaining sera were infected by genotype 1a or 4. There was a significantly higher rate of anti-HCV seropositivity in HCC patients, and HCV infection was found to be a significant risk factor of HCC. In addition, HCC patients harbored HCV-1b at a higher rate than the control group