PREPARATION, EVALUATION, AND CLINICAL APPLICATION OF SAFFLOWER CREAM AS TOPICAL NUTRITIVE AGENT

Objective: The objective of this study was to formulate and evaluate safflower seeds oil as herbal nutritive skin cream and to study its clinical effect.Methods: After collecting the safflower seeds, the oil was extracted using an expeller or cold pressing. Physical parameters of oil were determined. Determination of unsaturated fatty acids was done by gas-liquid chromatography (GLC). The oil is then placed in an emulsifier to form cream using various additives and all formulas evaluated according to physical properties, PH, and viscosity.All symptoms such as skin damage by sunlight, skin aging, oxidative damage after sunburn or after chemical treatments, all of these conditions have recovered. Statistical data analysis was carried out using Statistical Analysis System, and all recorded data for analysis of variance and least significant difference were at least the significant difference at level 0.01.Results: The results of the GLC analysis indicated that safflower oil contains five different fatty acids, including linoleic acid (56.37%), linolenic acid (15.02%), stearic acid (2.37%), oleic acid (14.83%), and palmitic acid (7.91%).Refractive index values, density, and specific gravity were 1.476, 0.921 g/cm3, and 0.925, respectively.The results of a clinical study showed the effect of safflower cream as an antioxidant which protected the skin in particular from oxidative damage after sunburn and reduced the symptoms of skin aging. This effect was evident in both concentrations 10% and 15% when compared with control.Control response rate, 10% of safflower cream, and 15% of safflower cream were reached to 76%, 85%, and 92% within 2 weeks of treatment, respectively.Conclusion: The study showed the importance of safflower oil as a source of omega-3 and contains various unsaturated fatty acids which act as an antioxidant to restore skin health and aging resistance. This study approved that safflower oil characteristics can make it the main ingredients in the preparation of topical agents for the treatment of various skin problems

The Importance of Implementing Modern Accounting and Automation Systems in Russian Higher Education Institutions

Automation technology has brought great changes to the accounting profession. However, opponents of the technology revolution view this progress as a step back because many accountants will fail to adapt to this new environment and this will lead to their decline. Therefore, our study aims to stimulate scientific discussion extensively about the importance of using automation technology in accounting information systems of Russian higher education institutions. There are many accounting processes and activities that are still being updated and are not automated or partially automated in universities. Russia is considered one of the developed countries in many fields, and its universities must be among the institutions that keep pace with modern developments in the world. We have followed the description, comparison, analysis and presentation methodology in this article for clarification. The importance of using modern accounting information systems and automation, and the importance of developing the skill of accountants on modern systems so that they can know the programs and mechanisms currently used. By using this technology, it leads to improving efficiency, saving time, increasing the level of transparency and productivity, predictability, increasing the level of reliability and lowering costs. The limitations are represented by the difficulty of regulatory compliance due to the application of automation

Evaluation of Water Quality Parameters for Shatt Al-Basrah Canal in Basrah Authorities

A significant increase in freshwater demand has been reported recently due to several factors such as population growth, industrialization, rising living standards and global warming effects. As a direct result of that, numerous water crises have occurred around the world especially in downstream countries such as Iraq. Due to the previous reasons, water in terms of quality and quantity considered as a first priority by the Iraqi government. This study focuses on Basrah city, which is located in the south region. The purpose of this research is evaluating the physicochemical qualities of water from the Shatt Al-Basrah Canal to evaluate its suitability to be used for domestic or industrial uses. Data gathered from two sampling stations located on the canal to measure the physicochemical characteristics of the water such as pH, Ca, Mg, PO4, Cl, SO4, DO, NO3, TDS, and EC. With this specific purpose, water samples were collected from the study area, and the water quality has been evaluated. Water samples were collected during six months period during 2013 for assessment purposes. The results of the analysis were assessed according to international water standards for drinking water. From these results of this study, it is often asserted that there is a water pollution in the Shatt Al-Basrah canal and therefore immediate protective actions need to be utilized to minimize the pollution and improve water quality

Evaluation of Green Corrosion Inhibition by Extracts of Citrus aurantium Leaves Against Carbon Steel in 1 M HCl Medium Complemented with Quantum Chemical Assessment

Employing plants as corrosion inhibitors is a physical direction to detect less expensive green friendly inhibitors. Researchers found that the Citrus aurantium leaves extracts are mixtures containing vitamins, minerals, phenolic compounds and terpenoids. The flavonoids contained in C. aurantium can be divided into four groups, including flavones, flavanones, flavonols, and anthocyanins. These compounds indicate the extracts of Citrus aurantium leaves are appropriate to be applied as green corrosion inhibitors. Extracts of Citrus aurantium leaves have been researched by utilizing EIS, gravimetric and SEM techniques as novel eco-friendly corrosion inhibitors for carbon steel in corrosive environments. Inhibition effectiveness of tested extract depends on different concentrations of extract, starting from 0 to 40% v/v. Inhibition effectiveness of 81.2% is reached at the concentration of 20% v/v of the extract in 1 M corrosive solution for three hours at 25℃. Temperature effects and activation parameters have been investigated. A theoretical investigation of Citrus aurantium leaves extract isomers as corrosion inhibitors have been done using DFT/ B3LYP density functional theory. The results shows that, in general, Citrus aurantium leaves have good inhibiting activities at relatively low concentrations. Phenolic groups of Citrus aurantium leaves were picked for examination as substituents of the four inhibitors. Hydroxyl groups of the studied extract compounds result in an increase in inhibition effectiveness, while methylation of the hydroxyl group leads to decrease in inhibitive effectiveness. Citrus aurantium leaves extracted isomers symbolize a considerable enhancement in the inhibition performance

Synthesis and Characterization of Methyl Ammonium Lead Halide Perovskite MAPbI3 for Applications in Photodetector Devices

Methyl ammonium lead iodide (CH3NH3PbI3) Perovskite was synthesized by a mixing method in one and two steps. The ethanol solvent was also used to dissolve CH3NH3I that is compared with isopropanol solvent. The characterizations of synthesized perovskite samples include the structural properties, morphological characteristics, and optical properties. The intensity and orientation in X-ray diffraction patterns appear clearly in ethanol solvent. Additionally, the ethanol solvent increases the grain size of perovskite which is homogeneous of the surface morphology. It causes a decrease in the wavelength of absorbance edge in addition to an increase in the energy bandgap value. The photodetector parameters for MAPbI3 perovskites cover the PbS nanocrystal which was prepared on the FTO glass dissolved by Isopropanol and DMF where the responsivity Rλ= 0.0037 and the quantum efficiency QE=1.016% was under λ nm =650 nm and Vbias=0V. These values were decreased by using Ethanol solvent

Synthesis and characterization of erbium trioxide nanoparticles as photocatalyzers for degradation of methyl orange dye

The present work focuses on the photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange (MO) on erbium trioxide nanoparticles (Er2O3 NPs). In this study, Er2O3 nanoparticles were synthesized and fully characterized via various techniques, including X-ray diffraction, UV–visible spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy techniques. The results revealed that the photocatalytic activity of the prepared Er2O3 NPs was manifested in MO photodegradation. The optimum efficiency obtained was 16&thinsp;%.</p

Phase 2 Study of Pemetrexed Plus Carboplatin, or Pemetrexed Plus Cisplatin with Concurrent Radiation Therapy Followed by Pemetrexed Consolidation in Patients with Favorable-Prognosis Inoperable Stage IIIA/B Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer

IntroductionThere is no consensus chemotherapy regimen with concurrent radiotherapy (RT) for inoperable stage IIIA/B non–small-cell lung cancer. This trial evaluated pemetrexed with carboplatin (PCb) or cisplatin (PC) with concurrent RT followed by consolidation pemetrexed.MethodsIn this open-label, noncomparative phase II trial, patients with inoperable stage IIIA/B non–small-cell lung cancer (initially all histologies, later restricted to nonsquamous) were randomized (1:1) to PCb or PC with concurrent RT (64–68 Gy over days 1–45). Consolidation pemetrexed monotherapy was administered every 21 days for three cycles. Primary endpoint was 2-year overall survival (OS) rate.ResultsFrom June 2007 to November 2009, 98 patients were enrolled (PCb: 46; PC: 52). The 2-year OS rate was PCb: 45.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 29.5–60.0%); PC: 58.4% (95% CI, 42.6–71.3%), and in nonsquamous patients was PCb: 48.0% (95% CI, 29.0–64.8%); PC: 55.8% (95% CI, 38.0–70.3%). Median time to disease progression was PCb: 8.8 months (95% CI, 6.0–12.6 months); PC: 13.1 months (95% CI, 8.3–not evaluable [NE]). Median OS (months) was PCb: 18.7 (95% CI, 12.9–NE); PC: 27.0 (95% CI, 23.2–NE). The objective response rates (ORRs) were PCb: 52.2%; PC: 46.2%. Grade 4 treatment-related toxicities (% PCb/% PC) were: anemia, 0/1.9; neutropenia, 6.5/3.8; thrombocytopenia, 4.3/1.9; and esophagitis, 0/1.9. Most patients completed scheduled chemotherapy and RT during induction and consolidation phases. No drug-related deaths were reported during chemoradiotherapy.ConclusionsBecause of study design, efficacy comparisons cannot be made. However, both combinations with concurrent RT were active and well tolerated

ECOG-ACRIN (E4805) Randomized Phase II Study to Determine the Effect of 2 Different Doses of Aflibercept in Patients with Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma

Background—Aflibercept is a recombinantly-produced fusion protein that has potent anti-VEGF activity. We tested whether aflibercept has clinical activity in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). The recommended Phase 2 dose was 4 mg/kg but several patients treated at 1 mg/kg demonstrated prolonged progression-free survival (PFS). We therefore tested both doses in a parallel group randomized trial. Methods—Eligible patients (pts) had histologically confirmed advanced or metastatic ccRCC and previous treatments including prior exposure to a VEGF RTKI. Patients received aflibercept (either 1 mg/kg or 4 mg/kg) day 1 of a 14-day cycle until progression. Patients randomized to 1 mg/kg could crossover to 4 mg/kg at progression. The primary endpoint was proportion alive and progression-free at 8 weeks. A Simon 2-stage design was used for each arm with 33 and 24 eligible pts/arm enrolled in stages 1 and 2. Results—94 pts were enrolled, 59 and 35 to 4 mg and 1 mg doses, respectively. 72% had 1 prior tx most commonly sunitinib. 16 eligible pts crossed over at progression to the 4 mg dose. Most common adverse events were hypertension, proteinuria, and fatigue. Only 4 pts reported Grade 4 or higher toxicity. With 36/59 (61%) pts PFS at 8 wks, the 4-mg/kg dose met protocol specified efficacy criteria. Conclusions—Aflibercept is active in previously treated ccRCC and may be worthy of further study

Overall Survival with Fulvestrant plus Anastrozole in Metastatic Breast Cancer

BACKGROUND We previously reported prolonged progression-free survival and marginally prolonged overall survival among postmenopausal patients with hormone receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer who had been randomly assigned to receive the aromatase inhibitor anastrozole plus the selective estrogen-receptor down-regulator fulvestrant, as compared with anastrozole alone, as first-line therapy. We now report final survival outcomes. METHODS We randomly assigned patients to receive either anastrozole or fulvestrant plus anastrozole. Randomization was stratified according to adjuvant tamoxifen use. Analysis of survival was performed by means of two-sided stratified log-rank tests and Cox regression. Efficacy and safety were compared between the two groups, both overall and in subgroups. RESULTS Of 707 patients who had undergone randomization, 694 had data available for analysis. The combination-therapy group had 247 deaths among 349 women (71%) and a median overall survival of 49.8 months, as compared with 261 deaths among 345 women (76%) and a median overall survival of 42.0 months in the anastrozole-alone group, a significant difference (hazard ratio for death, 0.82; 95% confidence interval (CIS, 0.69 to 0.98; P=0.03 by the log-rank test). In a subgroup analysis of the two strata, overall survival among women who had not received tamoxifen previously was longer with the combination therapy than with anastrozole alone (median, 52.2 months and 40.3 months, respectively; hazard ratio, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.58 to 0.92); among women who had received tamoxifen previously, overall survival was similar in the two groups (median, 48.2 months and 43.5 months, respectively; hazard ratio, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.74 to 1.27) (P=0.09 for interaction). The incidence of long-term toxic effects of grade 3 to 5 was similar in the two groups. Approximately 45% of the patients in the anastrozole-alone group crossed over to receive fulvestrant. CONCLUSIONS The addition of fulvestrant to anastrozole was associated with increased long-term survival as compared with anastrozole alone, despite substantial crossover to fulvestrant after progression during therapy with anastrozole alone. The results suggest that the benefit was particularly notable in patients without previous exposure to adjuvant endocrine therapy.National Cancer Institute; AstraZeneca6 month embargo; published 28 March 2019.This item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]