Sleep Disturbances Among Pregnant Women Attending a Maternity Teaching Hospital in Erbil, Iraq.

Background and aim Sleep disturbances during pregnancy are a common occurrence and can significantly impact both maternal and fetal health. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the severity of sleep disturbances among pregnant women attending the Erbil Maternity Teaching Hospital in Erbil, Iraq. Method This cross-sectional study was conducted from July 15, 2023, to August 15, 2024, at the Erbil Maternity Teaching Hospital in Erbil using convenience sampling.

Comparison of Patient Satisfaction on a Day-case Mastectomy Pathway for Breast Cancer a Traditional Inpatient Delivery Model, Using a Validated Questionnaire.

Background: In 2011, a guidance was issued by the National Health Service (NHS) Improvement a model on how mastectomy could be offered in the day-case setting. The goal of this guidance was to reduce inpatient bed days and cost to the NHS, and demonstrate that it can be performed within an acceptable safety profile. The aim of this study was to assess whether patients find the day-case pathway for mastectomy an acceptable management model.

The use of polymeric clips in securing the appendiceal stump during laparoscopic appendicectomy: a systematic review.

Purpose: A key step during laparoscopic appendicectomy is securing the appendiceal stump. This has traditionally been achieved using vicryl endoloops, but increasing evidence suggests that the use of polymeric clips (Hem-o-lok) may be a safe and viable method. Current evidence for its clinical use in laparoscopic appendicectomy is unknown.

Managing aesthetic referrals in NHS Scotland: Outcomes from 1122 patients in the East of Scotland.

The Adult Exceptional Aesthetic Referral Protocol (AEARP) encompasses a series of aesthetic procedures which, as they do not treat an underlying disease process, are not routinely available within the National Health Service. Provision of these services can only be provided on an exceptional basis. In this prospective study, we evaluated the referral process and outcomes of 1122 patients referred under the AEARP over a 3.

Course Review: Birmingham and Coventry Hand and Forearm Cadaveric Dissection Course.

Hand surgery constitutes an important part of plastic surgery and orthopedic training curricula. Although the value of simulation-based training is being increasingly recognized, attendance at such courses may be limited owing to cost, availability, and non-learner-centered schedules.The Birmingham and Coventry hand and forearm cadaveric dissection course is a 1-day course with a loose agenda that offers an inexpensive and learner-centered approach toward surgical access, dissection, and soft tissue coverage in the upper limb.

Course Review: AOTrauma-Hand Fixation for Surgeons.

Hand trauma forms an important part of plastic surgery and orthopedic training curricula. Although numerous practical hand trauma courses exist, there is always difficulty in achieving the right balance between educational content and practical workshops. AOTrauma-Hand Fixation for Surgeons is a 2.

Expert consensus document: Clinical and molecular diagnosis, screening and management of Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome: an international consensus statement.

Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS), a human genomic imprinting disorder, is characterized by phenotypic variability that might include overgrowth, macroglossia, abdominal wall defects, neonatal hypoglycaemia, lateralized overgrowth and predisposition to embryonal tumours. Delineation of the molecular defects within the imprinted 11p15.5 region can predict familial recurrence risks and the risk (and type) of embryonal tumour.

Course Review: Plastic Surgery for Surgical Trainees.

Early in their careers, trainees contemplating a career in plastic surgery may have limited specialty experience. Courses can provide valuable insight into specialty training and help develop necessary basic skills. However, this is not without a significant financial burden.

Anti-colchicine Fab fragments prevent lethal colchicine toxicity in a porcine model: a pharmacokinetic and clinical study.

Background: Colchicine poisoning is commonly lethal. Colchicine-specific Fab fragments increase rat urinary colchicine clearance and have been associated with a good outcome in one patient. We aimed to develop a porcine model of colchicine toxicity to study the pharmacokinetics and efficacy of ovine Fab.

Post-exposure treatment of non-human primates lethally infected with Ebola virus with EBOTAb, a purified ovine IgG product.

Despite sporadic outbreaks of Ebola virus (EBOV) over the last 4 decades and the recent public health emergency in West Africa, there are still no approved vaccines or therapeutics for the treatment of acute EBOV disease (EVD). In response to the 2014 outbreak, an ovine immunoglobulin therapy was developed, termed EBOTAb. After promising results in the guinea pig model of EBOV infection, EBOTAb was tested in the cynomolgus macaque non-human primate model of lethal EBOV infection.

Post-exposure treatment of Ebola virus disease in guinea pigs using EBOTAb, an ovine antibody-based therapeutic.

Ebola virus (EBOV) is highly pathogenic, with a predisposition to cause outbreaks in human populations accompanied by significant mortality. An ovine polyclonal antibody therapy has been developed against EBOV, named EBOTAb. When tested in the stringent guinea pig model of EBOV disease, EBOTAb has been shown to confer protection at levels of 83.

Phenotype, cancer risk, and surveillance in Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome depending on molecular genetic subgroups.

Patients with Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS) have an increased risk to develop cancer in childhood, especially Wilms tumor and hepatoblastoma. The risk varies depending on the cause of BWS. We obtained clinical and molecular data in our cohort of children with BWS, including tumor occurrences, and correlated phenotype and genotype.

Development of a Cost-effective Ovine Polyclonal Antibody-Based Product, EBOTAb, to Treat Ebola Virus Infection.

The highly glycosylated glycoprotein spike of Ebola virus (EBOV-GP1,2) is the primary target of the humoral host response. Recombinant EBOV-GP ectodomain (EBOV-GP1,2ecto) expressed in mammalian cells was used to immunize sheep and elicited a robust immune response and produced high titers of high avidity polyclonal antibodies. Investigation of the neutralizing activity of the ovine antisera in vitro revealed that it neutralized EBOV.

Immunological cross-reactivity and neutralisation of European viper venoms with the monospecific Vipera berus antivenom ViperaTAb.

Medically important cases of snakebite in Europe are predominately caused by European vipers of the genus Vipera. The mainstay of snakebite therapy is polyclonal antibody therapy, referred to as antivenom. Here we investigate the capability of the monospecific V.

Methylation analysis and diagnostics of Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome in 1,000 subjects.

Background: Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS), a congenital overgrowth disorder with variable expressivity and a predisposition to tumorigenesis, results from disordered expression and/or function of imprinted genes at chromosome 11p15.5. There are no generally agreed clinical diagnostic criteria, with molecular studies commonly performed to confirm diagnosis.

Attenuated familial adenomatous polyposis manifests as autosomal dominant late-onset colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) risk is well defined for families of patients with classical familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP). However, the risk for those with an attenuated form of FAP is less well characterised. In this study, we estimated CRC risks for carriers of a novel germline mutation in the APC gene that causes attenuated FAP (AFAP).

Single-reagent one-step procedures for the purification of ovine IgG, F(ab')2 and Fab antivenoms by caprylic acid.

Antivenoms are typically produced in horses or sheep and often purified using salt precipitation of immunoglobulins or F(ab')2 fragments. Caprylic (octanoic) acid fractionation of antiserum has the advantage of not precipitating the desired antibodies, thereby avoiding potential degradation that can lead to the formation of aggregates, which may be the cause of some adverse reactions to antivenoms. Here we report that when optimising the purification of immunoglobulins from ovine antiserum raised against snake venom, caprylic acid was found to have no effect on the activity of the enzymes pepsin and papain, which are employed in antivenom manufacturing to digest immunoglobulins to obtain F(ab')2 and Fab fragments, respectively.

Long-term physicochemical and immunological stability of a liquid formulated intact ovine immunoglobulin-based antivenom.

An antivenom should be stable under the conditions that it will be both transferred and stored. Thus instability may lead to a loss of efficacy and an increased incidence and severity of adverse effects. Stability is a particular problem in countries where the temperatures and humidity are high.

Development and evaluation of an ovine antibody-based platform for treatment of Clostridium difficile infection.

Treatment of Clostridium difficile is a major problem as a hospital-associated infection which can cause severe, recurrent diarrhea. The currently available antibiotics are not effective in all cases and alternative treatments are required. In the present study, an ovine antibody-based platform for passive immunotherapy of C.

Formulation of a liquid ovine Fab-based antivenom for the treatment of envenomation by the Nigerian carpet viper (Echis ocellatus).

Most antivenoms are required for use in tropical or sub-tropical countries where temperatures may be high and refrigerated storage unavailable or unreliable. Although freeze-dried products can be expected to have maximal storage stability, many antivenoms are manufactured in liquid form to lower their cost and ease their use. We developed a liquid formulation of an existing freeze-dried antivenom against the carpet viper (Echis ocellatus) for use in Nigeria.