Khat-induced liver injuries: a report of two cases

Khat is consumed for recreational purposes in many countries, including Yemen, where >50% of adults chew khat leaves regularly. A wide spectrum of khat-induced liver injuries has been reported in the literature. Herein, we report two patients with khat-induced liver injury. Both patients clinically presented with acute hepatitis, one of whom showed radiological evidence of hepatic outflow obstruction. Based on the histological tests, both patients had acute hepatitis, which indicated drug-induced liver injury [DILI] on a background of chronic hepatitis and portal fibrosis; of the two, one presented with symptoms of immune-mediated liver injury

Preparation of an inactivated oil emulsified vaccine against rabbit viral hemorrhagic disease

An Experimental hatch of an inactivated RHDV oil emulsified vaccine was prepared as water-in-oil emulsion with aqueous to oil ratio 1:2. The efficacy of the prepared vaccine was studied in vaccinated rabbits for one year post vaccination. The efficacy was based on HI antibody response and the resistance to challenge with virulent RHDV. The vaccine induced specific RHDV-antibody titers detected from the 1st week post vaccination in a zigzag like manner through out the year. RHDV-antibody titers measured by HI test in vaccinated rabbits increased and reached the highest level in 6th week post vaccination while the maximum level was attained at 7th month post vaccination. The high level of specific RHDV-antibody titers in the vaccinated rabbits reflected on the challenge test where they could resist the challenge against virulent RHDV up to 12 months post vaccination with 100% protection compared to unvaccinated group [0% protection]. This study concluded the need to produce this vaccine locally in a massive production aiming to save the hard currency lost in importing this vaccine

Dexmedetomidine as a substitute for remifentanil in ambulatory gynecologic laparoscopic surgery

To compare dexmedetomidine with remifentanil in desflurane based ambulatory gynecologic laparoscopic surgery, in respect to its effects on orientation, discharge time, nausea-vomiting, and postoperative analgesic need. Sixty 20-40 year old ASA I-II patients undergoing gynecologic laparoscopic surgery were randomized into 2 groups. This study was performed in the operating theaters of the Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe, Turkey in 2004 as a prospective, randomized, and double blinded study. The remifentanil group group R, and dexmedetomidine group group D received a bolus of 1 ug/kg over 10 minutes, followed by 0.2 ug/kg/minute peroperative infusion of remifentanil, and 0.4 ug/kg/hour of dexmedetomidine. Hemodynamic parameters, time to extubation, and to orientation to person, place, and date, postoperative nausea, vomiting, pain, analgesic requirement at home, and satisfaction with anesthesia were recorded. Demographic, hemodynamic data, postoperative pain scores, and discharge time were similar in both groups. Time to extubation, to orientation to person, to place and date were shorter in group R. Postoperative nausea, vomiting, and analgesic requirements at home were less in group D. This study demonstrated that dexmedetomidine infusion causes a relatively slow recovery with reduced postoperative nausea, vomiting, and analgesic requirements, and similar hemodynamics compared to remifentanil in ambulatory laparoscopic surgeries. It may be an alternative to remifentanil in ambulatory anesthesia

Effects of metronidazole, tinidazole, captopril and valsartan on taste and serum levels of zinc and magnesium

To study the effect of metronidazole, tinidazole, captopril and valsartan on the levels of zinc and magnesium in the serum of rabbits and humans and the histology of taste buds in rabbits. We conducted this study in the College of Medicine and Teaching Hospital, Basrah, Iraq from April 2005 to September 2006. It was in 2 parts: a clinical observational study of 54 patients treated with one of these drugs. The second part involved oral administration of metronidazole [45mg/kg], tinidazole [40mg/kg], captopril [3mg/kg] or valsartan [3mg/kg] or normal saline to 42 rabbits randomly. Serum zinc and magnesium were measured, and histological sections of tongues were examined for taste buds. In rabbits, oral metronidazole [13.6%] or tinidazole [7%] resulted in a significant reduction in serum zinc. Reductions in captopril [6.7%] and valsartan [4.2%] were smaller and insignificant. Body weight increased by 15.5gm [1391 +/- 225.3 gm to 1407 +/- 223.2 gm] in the control group, a lesser increase of approximately 8 gm, was found in the metronidazole group [1452 +/- 222.6 gm to 1460 +/- 221.9 gm]. Rabbit tongues showed moderate degeneration of taste buds caused by tinidazole, severe degeneration of captopril and minimal changes of valsartan. In humans, the drugs did not result in significant changes in serum zinc or magnesium. Approximately 73.3% of patients in the metronidazole group and 11.1% in the valsartan group had taste changes. It is concluded that metronidazole and tinidazole, but not captopril or valsartan resulted in a significant reduction of zinc level in rabbit, but not in human. Captopril and not valsartan caused severe degeneration in taste buds. Serum zinc level seems not to be related to taste buds changes

Septic arthritis of the knee joint secondary to prevotella bivia

Prevotella bivia is an obligatory anaerobic, gram-negative rod, which often produces a detectable beta-lactamase. To date, there has been only 3 descriptions of septic arthritis secondary to this microorganism in a patients pre-existing sever joint disease like rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis or after joint prosthesis. We are reporting the first case of septic arthritis due to Prevotella bivia in a patient with no pre-existing joint symptoms

Nucleated red blood cells in cord blood of singleton, term neonates and the risk factors affecting their count

This study aims to establish normal values for nucleated red blood cells [NRBCs] in healthy, term, singleton neonates and to evaluate the association between some medical and obstetrical conditions, known to be associated with chronic hypoxia, and NRBC count elevation. We prospectively collected umbilical cord blood from 349 live bom, term, singletons, Delivered at our department. Cord blood was analyzed for nucleated RBC. We reviewed the medical record for maternal data and neonatal outcomes of gestations of>. 37weeks duration. The cases were divided into two main groups on the basis of the presence or absence of complicated pregnancies. The mean value for NRBCs per 100 WBCs in control group [those with uncomplicated pregnancies] was 2.4, the SD was 2.1, and the range was 0 to 10. There was significant elevation of NRBCs in cases of small for gestational age. And in cases complicated by maternal diabetes or pre-eclampsia [p< 0.05]. The value did not vary by maternal smoking. Apgar score showed trend toward inverse proportionality to the number of NRBCs. The NRBCs counts in the healthy, term neonates were in the range of 0-10. Elevated NRBC count was associated with states of relative hypoxia such as intrauterine growth restriction, maternal diabetes andpreeclampsia. Elevated NRBC count were also associated with lower Apgar scores

Assessment of fetal oxygenation in grade III placental calcification

To determine whether advanced placental calcification is associated with impaired placental function by assessment of different grades of placental calcification in relation to cord blood NRBCs count, a marker for chronic hypoxia. Nucleated Red Blood Cells [NRBCs] from cord blood of 200 singleton term non -asphyxiated neonates were compared with cord blood NRBCs of 51 term singletons proved to have 2ed and 3ed Grade placental calcification by ultrasound examination Foetal weight and Apgar score were also assessed in different groups. Grade III placental calcification [n=30] was not associated with a significant difference in NRBC counts compared to group one [n=200]: mean 2.45.S.D.2.4I and mean 2.40, SD 2.12 respectively [P> 0.8]. These result illustrated that advanced grades of placental calcification dose not Jeopardize fetal oxygenation, as evidenced by the non significant finding of NRBC counts in different groups, and the non Significant difference in fetal out come by comparing fetal weigh and Apgar scores for different groups

Histochemical evaluation of human sperm in assessment of male infertility

Eight to ten percent of couples experience some forms of infertility problem, in which male factors may account for up to 50%. In a great number of cases of male infertility caused by inadequate spermatogenesis or sperm defects, the origin of the problem still remains unexplained. Many methods and parameters are applied to evaluate the fertilizing capacity of the sperm using biochemistry, histochemistry, electron microscopy as well as sperm function tests, which are [or could be] put to a wide range of uses. To evaluate some sperm structures, by different histochemical reactions, aiming to predict the fertilizing capability of the human sperm. A total number of 68 men were included in this study 20, normal fertile control [had fathered children within 2 years] and 48 infertile men with no recognized cause of female infertility. Their age were ranged from 20 to 45 years old. All cases were collected from the outpatient clinic of Al-Hussein university hospital. A full medical history was taken. Fresh semen samples were prepared for slide examinations. The mean optical densities of the mucopolysaccharides and nucleic acid contents were assessed both for sperm head and midpiece. In this study there was highly statistical significant decrease in the mean optical densities of the mucopolysaccharides contents in all infertile groups [p<0.01]; both in sperm head and midpiece, except in midpiece of asthenotratozoospermic and teratozoospermic groups show no statistical significance, when compared with the values of control fertile group. Also, there was highly significant decrease in the mean optical densities of the nucleic acid contents in all infertile groups, both in sperm head and midpiece in comparison with the control group. The routine semen analysis parameters considered not sufficient for case evaluation. This study opens the door widely for further investigations on the semen and sperm especially other enzymes and the effect of drug therapy on the histochemical pattern of sperm activity, histochemical evaluation of spermatic enzyme activities using image analyzer technique is a reliable method for diagnosis of unexplained male infertility

Fulminant amoebic colitis: a cause of caecal perforation

This is a report of caecal perforation, an infrequent complication of fulminant amoebic colitis, in a 51 year old man who was being treated with steroids for bronchial asthma. A right hemicolectomy was performed followed by the administration of metronidazole for 14 days which Resulted in a completed recovery

Dermal dendrocytes

This study was performed on two normal subjects to identify the ultrastructural features of the newly described, less well characterized dermal dendrocytes. The dendritic character of these cells and their relation to fibroblast were confirmed in this work

Studies on the trivalent metal ion complexes of sulphamethoxypyridazine

This study sheds light on the pH-meter studies of the complexes of sulfamethoxypyridazine with trivalent transition metal ion, in order to obtain a comparison of the relative stability of complexions containing trivalent cations. An attempt was made to obtain the formation constants of the complexes of Cr[III] and Fe[III] with sulfamethoxypyridazine, a sulfonamide possessing pyridazine ring, which have not been widely studied and also to complete studies on the chelating tendencies of sulfa drugs. The study was made in different ionic strength of NaCl at 30 degrees and at one and the same ionic strength 0.1 M at 38 degrees. Thermodynamic parameters [delta G, delta H and delta S] were calculated at 30 degrees and 0.1 M [NaCl] ionic strength