ABSTRAT:Aim: To evaluate the prevalence of over and under weight in children aged 6-14 years in Mosul city and to observe the important risk factors. Methods: A cross-sectional study of four governmental primary schools in Mosul city with a total of 2056 child aged 6-14 years were included. Analysis of the data was done by using SPSS and excel computer systems, X 2 test was used for statistical analysis. Results:The study reveals that the prevalence of under weight is 6.8%; on the other hand the prevalence of over weight and obesity were 11.3% and 9.8% respectively. Also the study shows that about three quarters of over weight and obese students spend three or more hours daily in watching television, and (44.2%) of them eat more than three meals per day. Conclusions: Overweight and obesity are prevalent problems in Mosul, it is valuable to conduct a study to evaluate the risk factors.

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Background: Infection is one of the major problems in neonates. The diagnosis of neonatal septicemia is difficult to establish based on the clinical criteria alone. Empirical treatment should not be delayed because of the high mortality. Blood cultures are considered the gold standard for diagnosis of neonatal sepsis. Creactive protein (CRP) is an acute phase protein found in the blood, the levels of which rise in response to inflammation. During the acute phase response, levels of CRP rapidly increase within 2 hours of acute insult, reaching a peak at 48 hours. Objective: To investigate the diagnostic value of CRP. To show the benefit of doing serial measurement of CRP in neonatal sepsis in providing additional support for the observation and follow up of patient with sepsis. To show the prognostic meaningful of CRP in neonatal sepsis. Methods: A hospital-based cross sectional study design was conducted in Mosul over one year period from the 1 st of Nov. 2010 to the 30 th of Oct. 2011. A total of 198 neonates aged 1-28 days who were admitted to pediatrics wards in Al-Khansaa Teaching Hospital in Mosul during the study period under provisional diagnosis of sepsis and had a positive C-reactive protein level >6 mg/l were included in the study. All patients were sent for blood culture, and the final diagnosis of sepsis depended on the result of blood culture. Results: Male gender constituted 63.5% of patients with sepsis compared to 51% patients without sepsis. Refusal to feed and tachypnea were the most frequent complaints in both groups (sepsis and no sepsis). All patients at admission had high CRP while only 52% had culture-proven sepsis. After 72 hrs of admission, CRP was still high in approximately half of the patients after receiving treatment but only 62% of them had positive blood culture. Higher initial CRP titer constituted 40.4% of the sepsis group compared to only 23.4% of no sepsis group, the difference was significant (p=0.009). CRP levels between 6 mg/L and 12 mg/L were more frequently observed among no sepsis than in sepsis groups (14.4% and 37.2% respectively). In patients with CRP ≥40 mg/L, CRP was significantly higher in patients with blood culture positive than in patients with suspected sepsis but negative blood culture, and after 72 hours of treatment high levels of CRP still constituted 60.6% of cases with proven sepsis compared to 46% among the suspected sepsis group but with negative blood culture. Death rate was 5% and E. coli was the predominant microorganism isolated. Conclusion: Gram-negative microorganisms are a predominant cause of neonatal sepsis in our community. Predictive value of CRP could be enhanced by serial rather than a single measurement. A high cut off value of CRP may be needed to diagnose neonatal sepsis.

Background: Folate is essential for metabolism and development. So, folate metabolism abnormalities are common in infants with some congenital defects. An infant born to mothers with normal folate status has more resistant to congenital heart diseases (CHDs). Evidence on risk factors for developmental defects resulting from drug use before conception and during pregnancy is still very limited. The relationship between folic acid for mothers before and throughout pregnancy and the incidence of fetal malformations and diseases have been recognized. Aims: This article is a rapid review for assessment of the folic acid supplementation as a preventive measure of CHDs during fetal development, and what is already recognized about a policy of this subject, by using systematic review methods to search some of the existing researches. Materials: publications related to determining and quantifying the use of folate by pregnant mothers to decrease the risk of congenital heart diseases were reviewed. Many studies have confirmed the reduction of congenital heart diseases by folic acid supplementation prior to pregnancy. Conclusion: the protective effect of folic acid against congenital heart abnormalities has been established. Though, the dose and time of supplementation are not known; more researches are needed to explain the mechanisms.

Background: Down's syndrome (DS) or trisomy 21 is a chromosomal disorder frequently associated with a varied combination of morphological and structural birth defects. Individuals with Down syndrome are more prone to congenital heart defects such as atrioventricular septal defects (ASD), ventricular septal defects (VSD), isolated secundum atrial septal defects. Congenital and acquired gastrointestinal anomalies and hypothyroidism are common in patient with DS. Aims: To measure the frequency of congenital heart disease (CHD) among study population, to categorize CHD according to their anatomical location and to demonstrate socio-demographic characteristics of Down syndrome patients. Methods: Case series study design was conducted in Mosul over one year period starting from the 1 st ofDec. 2011 to the 30 th of Nov. 2012. Parents have been intervened by one of the investigators, and a specially designed questionnaire form were completed to each patient. Echocardiography have been conducted to all patients included in the study by a qualified pediatric cardiologist in Echo Unit-Khansaa Teaching Hospital, the echo result was recorded in the questionnaire form. Analysis of the data was conducted by using SPSS, and excels computer systems; simple rates and ratios were calculated in order to describe the study findings. Results: The present study includes a total of 69 patients diagnosed with Down's syndrome. Two thirds of study population was below six months of age. Male gender constitutes 69.6% of study population with male to female ratio 1:0.44. 39.2% of mothers are in age group ≥40 years. Fifty patients (72.5%) with DS diagnosed to have CHD by echocardiography. ASD was the most common defect and was diagnosed among 30% of patients, followed by complete AV canal and VSD which constitutes 20% each. 14.5% of patients with DS have extra cardiac anomalies and GIT anomalies were the most frequent one. Conclusion: The incidence of congenital heart disease in patients with Down's syndrome was high in this study (72.5%). ASD was the most frequent form observed.