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Abstract : Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is a major surgical operation where atheromatous blockages in a patient’s coronary arteries are bypassed with harvested venous or arterial conduits. Post-CABG mortality has been associated with multiple patient factors such as advanced age, preoperative renal dysfunction, diabetes, low preoperative Ejection Fraction (EF), stroke, carotid artery disease, dysrhythmias, concomitant valvular disease and multiple other comorbidities. To assess the mortality rate and discuss the possible risk factors associated with mortality following CABG. A cross sectional study was conducted in the Cardiac Center in Erbil, Kurdistan region of Iraq from June 2020 to March 2021. Data was collected from case files of 200 patients in the hospital records and follow up data was obtained after a 6-15-month period by interviewing the patients directly. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 23 (SPSS, IBM, Armonk, NY, USA). The mortality rate after CABG was 8.5% in the study duration, with the majority being in the 50-59 age group. Female gender, left ventricular dysfunction, hyperlipidemia, double vessel disease and triple vessel disease, valvular disease and concomitant valve surgery were identified as risk factors for mortality in the postoperative period. More efforts should be directed towards preventing and controlling cardiovascular risk factors to decrease the prevalence and impact of CAD in our community.

Abstract : Venous varicose of the epidural is regarded as an infrequent cause of the root of the nerve, impingement, and theca sac compression that cause the radiculopathy of the lower limb. The essential purpose of the study is to focus on this problem during the process. It also aims to focus shed a light on using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) before the operation. This research also attempts to evaluate the outcome of the surgery. Symptoms of epidural varicose with radiculopathy are rare and the diagnosis is often inaccurate by preoperative clinical examination and radiology investigations. Thus, in many cases the diagnosis is made intra- operatively. The 12 cases were age between 34 and 51 years old were 7 females and 5 males who have consulted our outpatient clinic from 2014 to 2020 complaining from acute radicular pain in the lower back and down to lower limb. MRI was done for them and showed disc herniation. Intra operatively revealed an abnormal dilatation of epidural vein impingement on nerve root and spinal cord. We initiated a thermo coagulation of the epidural vein from proximal to distal ends at disc level and used gel foam patch to control bleeding that was removed all at the end of operation. Then, coagulation ablation was performed. The operation resulted in relief of symptoms and neurologic recovery occurred during follow up period. According to our cases and previously published case reports, the outcome is good with recovery of neurological signs and symptoms that can be obtained by coagulation ablation of epidural varicose vein.

Abstract : To determinate the purity and antibiotic composition on farm-raised honey in Quang Ngai province. Acacia honey is harvested in Minh Long district, Quang Ngai province during the rainy and dry seasons. The chemical composition and antibiotic content in final products are accurately low in the limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantitation (LOQ). They are validated to be technically suitable for consumer according to the guidelines provided by the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) and the International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH). The result of analysis of chemical components of the studied honey shows that the C4 sugar content ranges from 3.1 to 5.2%, which is within the range of pure honey. The Fluoroquinolones Antibiotic Group, including Ciprofloxacin, Danofloxacin, Difloxacin, Enoxacin, Enrofloxacin, Flumequin, Gatifloxacin, Levofloxacin, Lomefloxacin, Marbofloxacin, Nalidixic Acid, Norfloxacin, Orbifloxacin, Oxolinic Acid, Pefloxacin, Sarafloxacin, as well as some other antibiotics such as Sparfloxacin, Chloramphenicol, and Streptomycin, are almost undetectable. Research results indicate that farm-raised honey is safe for consumer.

Abstract : Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has emerged as the investigation of choice for the preoperative evaluation of perianal fistulas. The objectives of this study were to assess the usefulness of MR imaging in the evaluation of various grades and types of perianal fistula, correlate with intraoperative findings, and evaluate its role in postoperative recurrence. A prospective observational study was conducted over a period of 18 months on 55 patients referred with suspicion of perianal fistula. Preoperative MR fisulography scanning findings of patients were analysed and compared with intraoperative findings. Intraoperative findings were consistent with radiological description for detection of tracts. MRI could correctly diagnose primary tracts in 53 out of 55 patients and branched tracts in 19 out of 21 cases. For the detection of abscesses (14% of cases) and horse shoe components (7% of cases), MRI showed 100% concordance with surgery. High concordance was noted between MRI and surgical findings in relation to both St James and Park’s classifications, with p values of 0.01 and 0.0002 respectively. In the detection of internal openings, MRI showed high sensitivity (96%), specificity (83%), and positive predictive value (94.5%) with respect to surgical finding. Preoperative MRI showed reduced postoperative recurrence of fistula with only 2 cases out of 55 showing recurrence after 1 year. Preoperative MR fistulogram improves diagnostic effectiveness in the assessment of fistulous tract courses by demonstrating the location of the fistula in relation to anal sphincters and correctly identifying internal openings, branch tracts, abscesses, and horse shoe components.It also reduces post-operative recurrence.

Abstract : Detection of the phytochemicals in medicinal plants and determining their antibacterial property can lead to drug discovery and development. This study performed ethanolic leaf extract of the ten medicinal plants to identify bioactive compounds and the sample's antibacterial activities. The selected medicinal plants were Pandanus amaryllifolius, Asplenium nidus, Corchurus olitoroius, Schefflera odorata, Adonidia merrillii, Artocarpus altilis, Bixa orellana, Mentha arvensis, Polyscias scutellaria, and Camptostemon philippinensis. Phytochemical screenings of the plant extracts employed standard methods. The potency of the ten sample extracts was obtained through the disc diffusion method against the gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus epidermidis and Bacillus cereus, and gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli and Serratia marcescens. Results showed that all plant extracts contained saponins, tannins, coumarins, and glycosides. However, bioactive compound steroids are present in the extracts of P. amaryllifolius, A. nidus, A. merrillii, A. altilis, and B. orellana. Antimicrobial activities of the plant extracts revealed that A. nidus has the highest potency against S. marcescens at 10mg/ml and its minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) at 5mg/ml with 18.67.33mm 16.33mm zone of inhibition, respectively. Escherichia coli showed considerable susceptibility to S. odorata extracts at the 5mg/ml MIC with 9.83mm inhibition. Thus, these are implications that the plant extracts containing specific phytochemicals beneficial to human health to develop into potential medicine against the susceptible bacteria.