Using of Activated Jurdiga for Bleaching of Sunflower Edible Oils

Bleaching process is cost intensive process for the refining vegetable oils and this is due to the consumption of bleaching earth which is imported from abroad which contributes in raising the total operating cost of the process. The objective of this study is to investigate the possibility of using activated jurdiga to bleach edible oils to meet the local demand and lower production cost. Jurdiga was brought from Um-Shoka area in Sennar State, Sudan. The chemical composition of jurdiga was determined. The analysis of jurdiga revealed high total sodium carbonate equal to 24 % and sodium bicarbonate equal to 20%. Jurdiga was crushed and was activated by 5%, 5%, 10% and 20% of concentrated   () . The bleaching efficiency of the produced activated jurdiga for bleaching of sunflower oil was investigated by adding various dosages of 1.5, 2.5, 3.5 and 4.5 grams of activated Jurdiga at temperatures of 80℃, 100℃ and 120℃ and compared with commercial fuller earth. The conditions that gave best results for the sulfuric acid activation and bleaching test was found to be 10% acid concentration, 4.5 grams of activated jurdiga at 120℃ for 70 gram of oil. The bleaching efficiency of the activated jurdiga was 70 %. This result is compararable with commercial fuller earth which has 90% bleaching efficiency.  Key words: Bleaching, Fuller earth, Activation, Jurdiga, Edible oils

Some New Fixed Point Theorems in Weak Partial Metric Spaces

          الهدف الرئيسي لهذا البحث هو استعراض ودراسة بعض النقاط الصامدة للدوال التي تحقق الشرط    في الفضاءات المترية الجزئية الضعيفة وتم إعطاء بعض التعميمات الجديدة لمبرهنات النقطة الصامدة لكل من ماثيوس وهيكمان. ان اهم النتائج التي حصلنا عليها هي توسيع وتوحيد العديد من النتائج في مبرهنات النقطة الصامدة وتعميم بعض النتائج الحديثة في الفضاء المتري الجزئي الضعيف كما اعطينا مثال لتوضيح نتائجنا.The main objective of this work is to introduce and investigate fixed point (F. p) theorems for maps that satisfy contractive conditions in weak partial metric spaces (W.P.M.S), and give some new generalization of the fixed point theorems of Mathews and Heckmann. Our results extend, and unify a multitude of (F. p) theorems and generalize some results in (W.P.M.S). An example is given as an illustration of our results

Pharmacy students' attitudes toward pharmaceutical care in Qatar

Objectives: The study objectives were to investigate Qatar pharmacy students' attitudes toward pharmaceutical care (PC), to identify the factors that influence their attitudes, and to recognize their perceived barriers for PC provision. Methods: A cross-sectional and online survey of Qatar pharmacy students was conducted. Results: Over 4 weeks, 46 surveys were submitted (88% response rate). All respondents agreed that the pharmacist's primary responsibility is to prevent and resolve medication therapy problems. Most respondents believed that PC provision is professionally rewarding and that all pharmacists should provide PC (93% and 91% of respondents, respectively). Highly perceived barriers for PC provision included lack of access to patient information (76%), inadequate drug information sources (55%), and time constraints (53%). Professional year and practical experience duration were inversely significantly associated with four and five statements, respectively, out of the 13 Standard Pharmaceutical Care Attitudes Survey statements, including the statements related to the value of PC, and its benefit in improving patient health and pharmacy practitioners' careers. Conclusion: Qatar pharmacy students had positive attitudes toward PC. Efforts should be exerted to overcome their perceived barriers.Scopu

Role of oxidative stress in antituberculous drugs (individuals and combined) cytotoxicity in HepG2 cells

Hepatotoxicity is a common side and toxic effect of Antituberculous (Anti-TB) drugs with reported higher incidence with anti-TB combinations. Oxidative stress was shown to have a role. This study examined oxidative stress effects of the first line Anti-TB drugs; Rifampicin (RIF), isoniazid (INH) and pyrazinamide PZA (individually and combined) on HepG2 cells. MTT assay (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) was used to study the cytotoxic effect of the tested Anti-TB drugs. The effect of anti-TB drugs on total glutathione HepG2 cells and the production of reactive oxygen species (ROSs) were studied (individually and in combinations). Furthermore, the protective effect of the antioxidant reduced glutathione was assayed. The data revealed that the tested anti-TB were cytotoxic to HepG2 cells. RIF was the most potent. The tested drugs in their estimated IC50s, to different extents, enhanced significantly (P<0.0001) ROSs production and decreased total glutathione (P <0.0001). Furthermore, 48 hours pre-treatment with INH (3mM) significantly increased ROS production and decreased glutathione with RIF (0.1mM) (P <0.01 and P <0.05 respectively) and PZA (10 mM) (P <0.01 and P <0.05 respectively). Combined RIF (0.1mM) and INH (3mM) significantly decreased total glutathione (P<0.05 for each) and increased ROSs production (P<0.05) in HepG2 cells (P<0.05 for each). Interestingly, reduced glutathione (GSH) significantly decreased the cytotoxicity of RIF and INH (P=0.005 and 0.015, respectively). These data showed that oxidative stress play a crucial role in anti-TB induced hepatotoxicity, which can be alleviated by inclusion of antioxidant in therapy, though there is need of clinical trials. Moreover, combined anti-TB therapy should be considered as a risk factor with any other oxidative liver injuries

Untuk Kaaffah Masih Berat

Sejak bergulirnya reformasi di Indonesia, banyak kota-kota dan kabupaten yang menyiapkan pelaksanaan syari'at Islam. Berikut adalah wawancara dengan Ayat Dimyati, akademisi dari UIN SGD Bandung pada tahun 2003

Antidepressants are cytotoxic to rat primary blood brain barrier endothelial cells at high therapeutic concentrations

Antidepressants are commonly employed for the treatment of major depressive disorders and other psychiatric conditions. We investigated the relatively acute cytotoxic effects of three commonly prescribed antidepressants: fluoxetine, sertraline, and clomipramine on rat primary blood brain barrier endothelial cells over a concentration range of 0.1–100 μM. At therapeutic concentrations (0.1 μM) no significant cytotoxicity was observed after 4, 24, or 48 h. At high therapeutic to overdose concentrations (1–100 μM), antidepressants reduced cell viability in proportion to their concentration and exposure duration. At 1 μM, antidepressants significantly reduced mitochondrial membrane potential. At drug concentrations producing ~ 50% inhibition of cell viability, all drugs significantly reduced cellular oxygen consumption rates, activities of mitochondrial complexes I and III, and triggered a significant increase of lactate production. Fluoxetine (6.5 μM) and clomipramine (5.5 μM) also significantly lowered transcellular transport of albumin. The mechanism of cellular cytotoxicity was evaluated and at high concentrations all drugs significantly increased the production of reactive oxygen species, and significantly increased the activity of the pro-apoptotic caspases-3, 8, and 9. Comet assays revealed that all drugs were genotoxic. Pre-incubation of cells with glutathione significantly ameliorated antidepressant-induced cytotoxicity, indicating the potential benefit of treatment of overdosed patients with antioxidants

Psychological autopsy study and risk factors for suicide in Muslim countries

Background: Suicide and risk factors have been poorly studied in the Muslim-majority countries that hinder the formulation of prevention strategies and affect suicide prevention eventually.Objectives: We aimed at identifying and analyzing the psychological autopsy studies assessing the risk factors for suicide conducted in Muslim-majority countries.Methods: We did a search to trace all the available psychological autopsy studies in the Muslim countries with the search term psychological autopsy study in Muslim countries. We also checked the available bibliographies to identify the psychological autopsy studies in the Muslim countries so that all the possible studies could be included.Results: Out of the Muslim countries, only eight psychological autopsy studies were identified in five countries (Bangladesh [1], Indonesia [1], Iran [1], Pakistan [2], and Turkey [3]). Six studies adopted a case-control study design, and all were carried out in urban settings. The prevalence of psychiatric disorders among case-control studies varied from 52.8% in Turkey to 96% in Pakistan. Psychiatric illness, self-harm, and stressful life events were the commonly replicated risk factors for suicide across studies.Conclusions: Psychological autopsy studies have been conducted only in five Muslim countries revealing that the risk factor for suicide is certainly under-researched in the incumbent countries. This review identified a similar list of risk factors for suicide, namely, psychiatric disorder, past non-fatal attempts, and adverse life events compared to the Western countries even though the rate varies

World Health Organization Surgical Safety Checklist with Addition of Infection Control Items: Intervention Study in Egypt

BACKGROUND: Surgical team is in command of the operating room (OR) and takes decisions regarding various patient care procedures. Educational programs directed to them, should be creative, provocative and tailored to their specific needs and the expected outcomes. AIM: This study aims to design and conduct an educational program of patient safety and infection control for the OR team based on the WHO surgical safety checklist and to assess their post-intervention knowledge and practices. METHODS: This interventional study was conducted at the ORs of Port-said general hospital. It passed through three stages; baseline assessment of knowledge and practice regarding patient safety and infection control among OR team (surgeons, anaesthetists and nurses), intervention stage in which an educational program based on the WHO surgical safety checklist with modifications and additions of more infection control items was conducted, then re-assessment of their post-intervention knowledge and practices. RESULTS: All the studied participants showed improvement in both knowledge and practices of patient safety and infection control after the educational program based on the WHO surgical safety checklist with modifications and additions of more infection control items and including not only practices but also knowledge as well, than before. CONCLUSION: The modification of the WHO surgical safety checklist to fit local knowledge and practices created a comprehensive tool that led to an improvement in both knowledge and practices of patient safety and infection control among the OR team

Evaluation of Green Spaces in Hilla City According to Green Network Concept

The study focuses on the feasibility of connecting urban green spaces at an urban scale through a network because of the population growth and land use changes at the expense of green areas, which has led to the fragmentation and destabilization of the ecosystem in the Hilla city center in Babylon province /Iraq. The methodology will be according to two stages: first, the current state assessment was used to determine the encroachment of the areas. Secondly, it uses the gravity model and the least-cost path model in GIS to determine the level of interaction between nodes. Therefore, the research hypothesis was that connecting strong nodes to a comprehensive and integrated network increases the strength of the interaction. According to the results, there is no clear hierarchy in the distribution of urban green spaces within Hilla city, with only two levels: locality and urban on the urban level, there is no possibility of establishing a network between green spaces because of three factors: encroached uses mainly the residential, distance between patches and the node weight

Evaluation of LL 37 Lipoprotein as Innate Immunity Marker among Sudanese Patients Cutaneous Leishmania

Background: The leishmaniasis is a group of diseases with a broad range of clinical manifestations caused by several species of parasites belonging to the genus Leishmania. LL-37/hCAP18, the only cathelicidin in human, is expressed as an 18-kDa preproprotein. The most prominent function of cathelicidins is their ability to inhibit propagation of a diverse range of microorganisms, which occurs at a micromolar range. Aim: The study was aimed to evaluate the LL37 plasma level in Leishmania Sudanese patients. Materials and Methods: In a case-control study, three hundred subjects were enrolled (200 as case and 100 controls). Five ml. of venous blood was collected in EDTA container, then plasma was obtained and stored frozen at -80ºC. LL 37 was estimated using competitive ELISA. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 21. Results: The results revealed that 115 (57%) of Leishimania patients were male and 85 (43%) were female. Plasma LL 37 level was significantly increased in Leishmania patients (1.30±0.71) compared to the control (0.21±0.20) with (p-value 0.000). Conclusion: Leishmania patients had higher levels of plasma LL37, suggesting effective anti-microbial immunity process enhancing healing of cutaneous leishmaniasis. Keywords: &nbsp;Cathelicidins; LL37, Innate Immunity, Leishmania , Sudan