Challenges and Opportunities in the Adoption of p-TIPS for Acute Variceal Bleeding: Insights from a US Tertiary Center.

Background And Aims: Since the overwhelmingly positive results of the 'early use of TIPS' published in 2010, studies in Europe and Asia have confirmed early/pre-emptive transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (p-TIPS) in high-risk patients with acute variceal bleed (AVB) reduces treatment failure and mortality compared to standard of care (SOC). There are no studies evaluating p-TIPS in a US cohort.

Methods: A review of patients with cirrhosis from June 2010 to June 2020 with AVB was conducted from a single large US center.

Evaluation of Random and Aligned Polycaprolactone Nanofibrous Electrospun Scaffold for Human Periodontal Ligament Engineering in Biohybrid Titanium Implants.

Stem cells are introduced to regenerate some living tissue to restore function and longevity. The study aims to isolate in vitro human periodontal ligament stem cells (hPDLSCs) and investigate their proliferation rate on plasma-treated aligned and random polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofibrous scaffolds made via an electrospinning technique to attempt periodontal-like tissue in dental implants. hPDLSCs were isolated from extracted human premolars and cultured on plasma-treated or untreated PCL-aligned and random scaffolds to enhance adhesion of periodontal ligament (PDL) cells as well as interaction and proliferation.

Oncolytic Newcastle Disease Virus and Photodynamic Therapy as Dual Approach for Breast Cancer Treatment.

Objective: We hypothesized that attacking cancer cells by combining various modes of action can hinder them from taking the chance to evolve resistance to treatment. Incorporation of photodynamic therapy (PDT) with oncolytic virotherapy might be a promising dual approach to cancer treatment.

Methods: NDV AMHA1 strain as virotherapy in integration with aminolaevulinic acid (ALA) using low power He-Ne laser as PDT in the existing work was examined against breast cancer cells derived from Iraqi cancer patients named (AMJ13).

Plant-Parasitic Nematode Genera Associated with Date Palm in Central Iraq.

A survey of plant-parasitic nematode genera associated with roots of mature date palm trees was conducted in central Iraq to study the occurrence, population density and geographical distribution. This study in Baghdad, Babil, Diyala, Karbela, Najaf, and Wasit governorates was conducted from 2019 to 2023, during the months from October to April. A total of 150 soil and root samples were gathered from 46 fields, and plant parasitic nematodes were extracted and morphologically identified to genus level.

Teleproctoring in therapeutic neurointervention: Experience from Iraq-Saudi Arabia collaboration.

Background: Proctoring in neuroendovascular surgery is one of the potential solutions for the shortage of personnel and experience, particularly in unstable and limited-resource areas such as Iraq.

Methods: The study was conducted at the Baghdad Neurovascular Center (BNC), the first Hybrid neurovascular institution in Iraq, where sequential online zoom-based meetings between the BNC team and the expert from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia were used for teleproctoring for neurointerventional procedures.

Results: A total of 28 sessions were conducted, four sessions for each case.