Evaluation of Community Pharmacists Knowledge, Attitude and Practice towards Modified Release Dosage Forms

Purpose:To evaluate knowledge, practice and attitude of community pharmacists in Basra regarding modified release dosage forms which are widely used for many therapeutic purposes in pharmacy practice. Methods:The current study was conducted among certified pharmacists in Basra governorate- south of Iraq. Data collection was carried out by a questionnaire. Results:A total number of 175 community pharmacists responded to the questionnaire. The majority worked in OTC based dispensing pharmacies located in the center of the city. Most respondents missed K1 and were unable to state the difference between different types of modified products. There was a major positive agreement towards medical representatives' rule in promoting the prescribing of modified release products by physicians. Avoiding crushing and breaking of solid oral modified release drugs were identified by the majority of participants. Correlation analysis showed a 22.8 correlation coefficient between knowledge and attitude which was statistically significant. Males showed statistically significant higher knowledge and practice scores than females. Conclusions:The conduction of a brief educational program would be very beneficial in bringing basic theoretical knowledge with practicing points of interest and promote a more positive attitude toward this unique class of novel drug delivery system.

Structural Study of Faihaa Oil Field in Basra South of Iraq

This study used structural contour maps to carry out the geometrical analysis for Faihaa structure in Basra southern Iraq. The study used row data of well logs and structural maps while Softwares were Didger 4, Stereonet v.11 and Petrel 2017 Faihaa Oil Field is located at an eastern part of the Mesopotamian Zone within the Zubair Subzone, characterized by subsurface geological structures covered by Quaternary sediments. These structures are oriented in the NW-SE direction in the eastern part of the band and the N-S direction in the southern region, and some in the direction NE-SW. The Faihaa Oil Field shows that is an Anticline structure. The average dip value of an axial surface is 89.7° while the plunge of hinge line between 4–4.2 in North-West direction referred to that Faihaa Structure is upright and gentle fold. Based on the Thickness ratio and axial angle, the Faihaa Structure is thickened Fold. The eastern limb of the fold is longer than the western limb, so Faihaa Oil Field is an asymmetrical structure. The difference in dimensions (5<Length / Width < 2) confirmed the brachy fold of the Faihaa structure.

The Feasibility of Using UAV Structure from Motion Photogrammetry to Extract HBIM of the Great Ziggurat of UR

Culture heritage reflects nation’s legacy and therefore should be protected from damage in order to pass it to future generations. Recently, such protection can be applied by 3D digitization techniques such as conservation, restoration, documentation, etc. The 3D digitalization of heritage assets has encountered numerous focus in the last two decades due to the development in data capturing techniques and technological advancement in 3D remote sensing (RS) approaches such as photogrammetry and laser scanning. However, the abundance of 3D information resources and spatial data modelling and analysis methods have urged stakeholders to adopt intelligent 3D data management system so called Building Information Modelling (BIM) to facilitate data approaching and management. Historic Building Information Model (HBIM) is a special case of the BIM system, however it reflects the possibility to apply the BIM technology to the historical and heritage buildings. In this research, Structure from motion (SfM) photogrammetric routine based on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) images was applied to build HBIM of the Great Ziggurat of Ur in the south of Iraq. Based on the 3D geometric and texturing information extracted through photogrammetry and the historical information provided, virtual reconstruction has been carried out using (HBIM) technology. This was achieved by applying realistic materials and texturing information in order to document the building, which is directed to investigate the feasibility of implementing image-based 3D modelling within HBIM environments. Restoring the missing parts of the Ziggurat temple was also a focus of this research by implementing reverse engineering methodologies based on available information considered within the extracted HBIM. This can successfully represent a complete virtual reality model and a management information system of the Ziggurat building to be passed to future generations. The work also includes data assessment and validation with the as-built model generated from reference measurements within Computer Aided Design (CAD) environment.

Measurement and Analysis of Natural Radioactive Elements in Salty Sediments from Central and Southern Iraq

Purification of fifteen NaCl samples from natural and different area in the middle and south of Iraq are prepared and studied the structural characteristics of samples by powder X-ray diffraction analysis at 𝛌=1.542Å. The present work considered the specific activities of naturally occurring radioactive materials in salt samples, which are measured and analyzed using high resolution HPGe system. Also, the radiological parameters have been considered in this work. The average specific concentration (in Bq.kg-1) of the salt samples is found 16.864.92 for 226Ra, 5.972.05 for 232Th and 9.852.8 for 40K, respectively, which are below the national levels, 40Bq.kg-1, 30Bq.kg-1 and 400Bq.kg-1, respectively (UNSCEAR, 2000). Similarly the absorb dose rates are in the range3.71 nGy.h-1 to 12.591nGy.h-1.The measured radiation hazard indices show that the concentrations of these radionuclides in all samples are within the allowable limits.

Origin and Route of Severe Dust Storms in West Asia (with Horizontal Visibility Less Than 1000 Meters)

Storms are intensified atmospheric phenomena which are sometimes accompanied by heavy rainfall and sometimes by dust. Dust storms, especially storms with horizontal visibility of fewer than 1000 meters, have always been harmful and detrimental to human comfort and health. In recent decades, the worrisome phenomena of conflict, climate change, and droughts have increased the frequency of dust storms in West Asia. Identifying the source and route of dust storms is the first step in limiting the harm they inflict. To investigate this phenomenon, using the daily data of the Meteorological Organization of Iran, storms with horizontal visibility of less than 1000 meters in the southwestern region of Iran, as one of the destination areas of these storms, in a statistical period of 33 years (1987 to 2019) was extracted. First, the monthly, seasonal and annual distribution of dust storms in 13 synoptic stations in this area was investigated. Then, using the site https://www.ready.noaa.gov/HYSPLIT by backward method from the GDAS data system with a step of 0.5 degrees, the origin and path of the storms were identified. Finally, maps of each route were drawn in ArcGIS 10.6. The findings of this study revealed that the biggest number of dust storms occurred in the winter, in terms of temporal distribution (38% of storms). With 23% of storms, spring is in second position. In terms of monthly distribution, the month of January has the most storms, followed by February and December. Storms decrease in intensity as they move from the south to the north, and from the west to the east of the region. The central region of Iraq ranks first in terms of storm origin, accounting for 25% of all storms. If dust storms originating in western Iraq are added to this number, about 35% of storms in west Asia originate in western and central Iraq. Regarding the pattern of large-scale atmospheric circulation prevailing in the middle layer of the atmosphere in this region, most of these dust storms in the west-east direction, after passing through the center and south of Iraq, enter Iran. The study also shows that storms in Syria، Jordan or northwestern Saudi Arabia, are very thick. These storms cover the middle layer of the troposphere and then affect high stations such as Shahrekord and Yasuj with an altitude of more than 2000 meters.

Study of haemoflagellates Trypanosoma sp. infection in some fish of Iraq marshes and relationship of leukocytes with inflammatory response

Fresh water fishes infected with different species of genus Trypanosoma parasite that is similar to that same genus in blood of mammals. Trypanosomiasis or sleeping sickness disease that causes by protozoa flagellate parasites which live inside cell called Trypanosoma. Fish parasites play an important role in regulating the population of their hosts. This study was implemented to verify the infection with Trypanosoma sp. report the cellular intervening through inflammatory response in blood smears of infected fishes. A total of 190 fishes of three species Carasobarbus luteus, Aspius vorax and Liza abu were collected from Al-Hamare and Al-Chibayish marsh south of Iraq. The flagellate parasite Trypanosoma sp. observed in blood of Carasobarbus luteus 41.42% and Aspius vorax 12.28% fishes, while no infection was recorded with Trypanosoma sp. in Liza abu fishes. Prevalence and mean intensity of infection were calculated. The different counts and various types of inflammatory cells were monitored, there are increased in lymphocytes in the infected fishes. Statistically, there are significant differences (p<0.05) among species of infected fish with Trypanosoma sp.

Performance of Two Rice (Oryza Sativa L.) Genotypes Under SRI and Conventional Farming Methods in Three Locations in Iraq

The conservation of natural resources like soil and water and reduces chemical pollution in the environment is the desired goal of the directions of improving the performance of important crops that to meet the global food demand. However System of Rice Intensification (SRI), is a rice cropping system that is consistent with Conservation Agricultural (CA) and Sustainable Agriculture (SA). The current study was aimed to investigate the effects of SRI method on grain yield and its components in two rice varieties compared with conventional practice in farmers' fields (CFM) in different environmental conditions in Iraq. Study was conducted in the fields during the rice season 2019 in three provinces in south of Iraq (Najaf, Diwaniya and Muthanna ). Anber33 and Jasmine rice varieties were grown in each location and the traits were conducted at sites having two donum of land (5,000 m2). The trial was performed as factorial expriments based on a randomized complete blocks design (RCBD) having three blocks. The results showed superior significant of SRI method compared to CFM method in traits (plant height and panicle length, number per panicle and percentage of unfilled grains). Furthermore, SRI method gave higher grain yield as percentage with both varieties in each province (25.6% in at Muthanna, 24.5% in Najaf and 13.2% in Diwaniya province) compared to CFM. However, grain yield in Jasmine variety was higher than on Anber33 approximately 50% in three locations in this study. Overall, our results suggest that SRI method is the most convenient method in Iraq conditions due to the increased grain yield in rice compared to the CFM method.

Performance of Two Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Genotypes Under Modern and Conventional Farming Methods in Three Locations in Iraq

The conservation of natural resources like soil and water and reduces chemical pollution in the environment is the desired goal of the directions of improving the performance of important crops for meeting the global food demand. However,System of Rice Intensification (SRI), is a rice cropping system that is consistent with Conservation Agricultural (CA) and Sustainable Agriculture (SA). The current study was aimed to investigate the effects of SRI method on grain yield and its components in two rice varieties compared with conventional practice in farmers' fields (CFM) in different environmental conditions in Iraq. The study was conducted in the fields during the rice season 2019 in three provinces in the south of Iraq (Najaf, Diwaniya and Muthanna). Anber33 and Jasmine rice varieties were grown in each location and the traits were conducted at sites having 2 donum of land (5,000 m2).The trial was performed as a factorial experiment based on a randomized complete blocks design (RCBD) having three blocks. The results showed superior significant of SRI method compared to CFM method in traits (plant height and panicle length, number per panicle, and percentage of unfilled grains). Furthermore, SRI method gave higher grain yield as a percentage with both varieties in each province (25.6% in Muthanna, 24.5% in Najaf, and 13.2% in Diwaniya province) compared to CFM. However, grain yield in Jasmine variety was higher than on Anber33 approximately 50% in three locations in this study. Overall, our results suggest that SRI method is the most convenient method in Iraq conditions due to the increased grain yield in rice compared to the CFM method.