A retrospective analysis of surgical techniques and outcomes of hydatid disease in Wasit, Iraq.

Echinococcosis is a parasitic infestation with high prevalence in Iraq. Surgical treatment remains the standard gold method for treating this disease. The selection of surgical approach depends on the general condition of the patient and characters of the cyst, e.g., size, location, number of cysts, intraoperative findings, and complications such as adhesion, bile leakage, and bleeding. Our study aimed (1) to summarize the most common surgical approaches for treating liver hydatid cyst (HC) in our locality, and (2) to highlight common intraoperative and postoperative complications and the duration of hospital stay. We analyzed the clinical data of 42 patients operated for liver HC. We found that the highest incidence rate of HC was anatomically in the right hepatic lobe with or without synchronous cysts in other organs. The most frequent type of surgery was partial pericystectomy with external tube drainage (ETD) or simple endocystectomy with omentoplasty and ETD. The most important intraoperative finding was cystic-biliary communication. The majority of patients had uneventful postoperative recovery. There is no standardized surgical procedure for hepatic HC. The surgical technique should be modified according to the cyst size, anatomic location of cyst/cysts, number of cysts, cystobiliary communications, cystic infection, and the presence of extrahepatic hydatid cyst or cysts. The surgeon's experience plays a vital role in selecting the surgical technique for hepatic hydatid cystectomy.

Preparation of F(ab')2 antivenom in Iraq against scorpion (Hottentotta saulcyi) venom.

The aim of this study was to prepare specific F(ab')2 antivenom against Iraqi scorpion (Hottentotta saulcyi). Venom was obtained by electrical stimulation method, the scorpions venom storage capacity was 1.7 ±â€¯0.4 mg and LD50 found to be 1.07 mg/kg by subcutaneous (s.c) route. Three local horses aging 3-4 years were selected for immunization. During the schedule each horse received 0.5-14 mg venom in 49 days by s.c route. The horses immune response was monitored by Ouchterlony double immunodiffusion method, however, older horse A showed the highest antibody titer (1:1056576). Hyperimmune plasma was purified by modified World Health Organization (WHO) protocol using pepsin and ammonium sulfate, whereas high purity and total removal of albumin was detected by serum protein electrophoresis (SPEP) method on cellulose acetate. ED50 of the antivenom was determined via s.c route and found to be 83 LD50/ml, neutralizing 1.78 mg (venom)/ml (antivenom). Protein concentration of the antivenom was 30 mg/ml, less than limited value (100 mg/ml) by WHO. Abnormal toxicity test showed no abnormal signs when 0.2 ml of the antivenom injected intraperitoneally in mice.

Experimental measurements for the effect of dilution procedure in blood esterases as animals biomarker for exposure to OP compounds.

Organophosphate compounds can bind to carboxylesterase, which may lower the concentration of organophosphate pesticides at the target site enzyme, cholinesterase. It is unclear from the literature whether it is the carboxylesterase affinity for the organophosphate and/or the number of carboxylesterase molecules that is the dominant factor in determining the protective potential of carboxylesterase. The fundamental dilutions and kinetic effects of esterase enzyme are still poorly understood. This study aims to confirm and extend our current knowledge about the effects of dilutions on esterases activities in the blood for birds with respect to protecting the enzyme from organophosphate inhibition. There was significantly higher esterases activities in dilution 1 : 10 in the all blood samples from quail, duck, and chick compared to other dilutions (1 : 5, 1 : 15, 1 : 20, and 1 : 25) in all cases. Furthermore, our results also pointed to the importance of estimating different dilutions effects prior to using in birds as biomarker tools of environmental exposure. Concentration-inhibition curves were determined for the inhibitor in the presence of dilutions 1 : 5, 1 : 10, plus 1 : 15 (to stimulate carboxylesterase). Point estimates (concentrations calculated to produce 20, 50, and 80% inhibition) were compared across conditions and served as a measure of esterase-mediated detoxification. Results with well-known inhibitors (malathion) were in agreement with the literature, serving to support the use of this assay. Among the thiol-esters dilution 1 : 5 was observed to have the highest specificity constant (k(cat)/K(m)), and the K m and k cat values were 176 µM and 16,765 s(-1), respectively, for S-phenyl thioacetate ester, while detected in dilution 1: 15 was the lowest specificity constant (k(cat)/K(m)), and the Km and k cat values were 943 µM and 1154 s(-1), respectively, for acetylthiocholine iodide ester.

A Method for Fast Assessment of OP/CB Exposure in the Japanese Quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) Using Combined Esterases Enzyme Activity as Biomarkers.

The aims of this study were to investigate the presence of different esterase activities in plasma and liver for Japanese quail and to combine determination of both carboxylesterase and cholinesterase as biochemical biomarker in order to identify the effects of carbamate and organophosphate compounds exposure. Carboxylesterase exhibits larger sensitivity to carbamate and organophosphate compounds than to cholinesterase and is present at higher levels. This permitted nature and distribution of carboxylesterase or cholinesterase to be measured. One predominant toxicological form of enzyme level constant in its patterns of motivation and inhibition with cholinesterase was identified in plasma with an apparent Michaelis constant for butyrylthiocholine iodide of 0.394 mM. Carboxylesterase activity in liver was considered by its preferential hydrolysis of the S-phenyl thioacetate. A concentration dependent decrease of carboxylesterase and cholinesterase has demonstrated during in vitro incubation of malathion, parathion, and trichlorfon in the range 0.125-2 mM, while with methomyl was in the range 0.25-4 mM. When quail (n = 15) was exposed orally for 48 h to concentrations of carbamate or organophosphate compounds of 3-200 mg/kg, the percentage inhibition of cholinesterase was in each case larger than that of carboxylesterase and reached statistical significance (P < 0.05) at lower concentrations.