INFLUENCE OF MILK AND SOME SUDANESE MEALS ON THE DISSOLUTION OF CIPROFLOXACIN TABLETS

For a drug to be effective , it must be released from the dosage form , fully dissolved in the gastro-intestinal fluids ,  be stable as solution in the gastro-intestinal fluids,  pass through the gastrointestinal barriers into the mesenteric circulation  without being  metabolized , pass through the liver into the systemic circulation unchanged and reach its site of action. Food  is one of the factors which interfere with these processes. The effect of Sudanese meals will  be different due to their high contents of fats, proteins and fibers    This study  aimed to  determine the influence of milk and some Sudanese meals (Foul –Vicia faba - , “Gorrassah with damaa” and “ Kissraa with sharmoot” )on the dissolution of ciprofloxacin HCl  tablets and hence bioavailability. The influence of milk and the mentioned Sudanese meals on the dissolution of ciprofloxacin was studied using paddle dissolution apparatus. The dissolution of the drug was measured in the presence of each meal individually using U.V-  visible spectrophotometer. The samples were taken with 5 minutes intervals  up to 30minutes The results obtained were compared to the results of the dissolution of this drug in simulated gastric fluid in fast state [0.1 N HCl]. The study revealed that the dissolution of ciprofloxacin in Sudanese meals is lower than its dissolution in milk- whose reduction of dissolution of ciprofloxacin was mentioned in a lot of studies world-wide. The order of the influence of Sudanese meals, used in the study,  was foul followed by kissraa then  gorrasah which showed that the influence was directly proportional to the viscosity of the meal.  Using two different volumes of foul ,the study revealed that influence of meals on the dissolution of ciprofloxacin was significant even small amounts were used

Use of VP60 RT-PCR to overcome the limitation of haemagglutination inhibition diagnosis of rabbit viral haemorrhagic disease

[EN] Rabbit viral haemorrhagic disease (RVHD) is a highly contagious, highly fatal, peracute and acute viral disease of both wild and domestic rabbits caused by rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV). Testing for haemagglutination (HA) activity in processed liver samples is one of the cornerstones for rapid diagnosis of RHDV outbreaks in national rabbitries. However, RHDV isolates exhibiting no HA activity are increasingly being reported. The extent of deviation from classical HA activity patterns for RHDV strains in Egypt has not been investigated. This study compared the HA activity patterns of samples collected from 61 RHDV outbreaks that occurred between 1999 and 2005 to determine whether dependence on HA test (HAT) for diagnosis of RHDV outbreaks needs to be reviewed. All samples were confirmed RHDV positive using SDS-PAGE and western blotting. Using slide HAT, only 36.1% of samples were positive (22 samples). Plate HAT conducted at 4 0C detected an additional 16 positive samples bringing the total HA-positive samples to 38 (62.3%). Plate HAT conducted at 22 0C failed to detect additional positive samples. The majority of samples detected after plate HA testing (62.5%) had HA titres comparable to those obtained from slide-HA-positive samples, indicating that the difference in HA activity is dependent on the nature of the HA antigen rather than its presence. Direct detection of HA activity failed in 37.7% of samples despite the presence of classical signs, pathology, and being RT-PCR positive for three different VP60 regions. Experimental infection of seronegative rabbits with 9 HA negative RHDV samples showed that 5 isolates were in-fact HA positive, while only 4 isolates remained HA negative. The increased detection of viruses lacking HA activity and the low HAT sensitivity mandates the use of molecular techniques for rapid confirmation of RHDV diagnosis in the Egyptian environment.This work was partially funded by the Veterinary Serum and Vaccine Research Institute, Abbasia, Cairo, Egypt, and by Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.Shakal, M.; Khelfa, D.; Salman, O.; Yousif, A.; Salwa, E. (2011). Use of VP60 RT-PCR to overcome the limitation of haemagglutination inhibition diagnosis of rabbit viral haemorrhagic disease. World Rabbit Science. 19(1):11-20. doi:10.4995/wrs.2011.813SWORD112019

STUDENTS’ PERCEPTION TOWARD THE INVOLVEMENT IN DEVELOPING INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEOS USING POWTOON TOOL

Student-faculty partnership has proven to significantly enhance many attributes in the teaching-learning process due to its ability to expose students to higher levels of engagement, enforcing the confidence, motivation, and responsibility of the students, as well as the establishment of a friendly and tight relationship between the students and faculties. Nevertheless, the student-faculty partnership is not only limitedly practised in Malaysia, but also the occasionally reported practices have involved matured postgraduate students with educational background and significant experience in teaching and learning. In this study, the student-faculty partnership has been implemented for undergraduate students to enhance the process of teaching and learning. This is done by involving the students in developing instructional videos using POWTOON tool. The study analysed three sources of data, viz. a survey questionnaire, online quiz marks, and test 1 marks, to assess the students’ perception toward this experience as well as to evaluate its impact on their academic performance. The findings indicate that student-faculty partnership has significantly improved the students’ learning and soft skills. In fact, the students responded positively to the activities conducted throughout this experience and gave positive feedback about the developed instructional materials. As an implication of this study, we strongly believe that the findings will serve as a good start for spreading the practice of the partnership of undergraduate students with faculties in Malaysian universities

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

On the solution of the space-time fractional cubic nonlinear Schrödinger equation

The space–time fractional nonlinear Schrödinger equation is studied based on the modified Riemann–Liouville derivative. The fractional mapping expansion method is used to find analytical solution of this model. We discuss the effects of the fractional differential order on the W-soliton and bright soliton solutions. The derived solutions show direct proportionality between soliton intensities and the value of the fractional order derivative. Keywords: Fractional mapping expansion method, Nonlinear fractional differential equation, Modified Riemann–Liouville derivative, Space-time fractional nonlinear Schrödinger equatio

Enhancement of solar distiller performance by photovoltaic heating system

This study aims to improve the productivity of traditional multi-slope solar stills, which are still employed in isolated villages with no power and no clean drinking water. The conventional multi-slope solar still was equipped with a photovoltaic array system that heated the water through an electric heater submerged in the basin to increase the productivity of the conventional solar stills. This study analyzed and compared the productivity of a PV-coupled solar still (PVSS) with a solar still basin area of 0.64 m2 to that of a conventional solar still (CSS). The results showed that the productivity of the PVSS improved more than triple times (9.39–10.9 L/m2.day) during active mode compared to the CSS, which had a daytime solar still production without a PV system (passive mode) that varied between 2.2–2.34 L/m2.day. The daily efficiency of the passive mode without any additional external energy input was around 27%, which resulted in a distilled water yield of 1.4 L. However, when operated in active mode with supplementary energy inputs, such as electrical heating elements that were powered by solar panels, the daily efficiency of the solar still was approximately 44.8%, resulting in a distilled water yield of 6 liters. The payback period for PVSS was found to be two years. The main observation is that the PVSS has demonstrated its applicability for distillation improvement and a significant increase in production for the entire day when employing a clean energy source

Cation Distribution in Natural Chromites from Oman

Two specimens or natural chromite from the Oman ophiolite were studied using Mossbauer Spectroscopy (MS), X-ray Diffraction (XRD). and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The diffraction patterns obtained at room temperature showed that the two specimens have a face-centered cubic spinal structure. Their Mossbauer spectra at 295 K. 160 K and 78 K have been fitted to three doublets. assigned to two Fe 2+ at the tetrahedral (A1+,A2) sites and one Fe1+ at the octahedral (B) site. The ferrous-ferric ratio obtained from the Mossbauer analysis together with the atomic concentration derived from the microprobe data are used to derive the chemical formulae for the two specimens. The data also supports also supports  a model of ordered caution distribution in the specimens examined

Olanzapine for the Prevention of Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting: A Comparative Study From Sudan

Purpose: Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) is a distressing adverse effect. Neurokinin-1 receptor antagonist (NK1RA)–containing regimens are the standard regimens for CINV prophylaxis in patients with cancer receiving highly or moderately emetogenic chemotherapy (HEC or MEC). NK1RA agents are expensive and were not registered in Sudan. Recently, regimens containing olanzapine, the available and affordable medication in Sudan, were introduced as another option. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of an olanzapine-containing regimen with the antiemetic regimen that was currently used in our institute for CINV prophylaxis in HEC/MEC settings. Patients and Methods: The study prospectively compared an olanzapine-containing regimen (acute phase: olanzapine, ondansetron, dexamethasone; delayed phase: olanzapine, ondansetron) with an ondansetron/dexamethasone regimen (acute phase: ondansetron, dexamethasone; delayed phase: ondansetron) in adult patients with cancer receiving HEC or MEC. The study outcomes were complete response (CR; no emesis and no rescue medications) and nausea control (no nausea), which were assessed in the acute (0 to 24 hours), delayed (24 to 120 hours), and overall (0 to 120 hours) phases. Results: The study included 131 patients (olanzapine-containing: 50 patients; ondansetron/dexamethasone: 81 patients). CR and nausea control were higher in the olanzapine-containing than in the ondansetron/dexamethasone regimen (CR: acute phase, 86% v 71.6%; P = .086; delayed phase, 72% v 30.9%; P < .001; overall phase, 66% v 25.9%; P < .001; nausea control: acute phase, 86% v 74.1%; P = .127; delayed phase, 76% v 34.6%; P < .001; overall phase, 72% v 29.6%; P < .001). The major toxicity of olanzapine was grade 1 and 2 sedation or drowsiness (25 patients). Conclusion: An olanzapine-containing regimen has better efficacy for prevention of CINV in the HEC/MEC setting. Oncologists working in a limited-resource setting should be familiar with olanzapine-containing regimens, because NK1RA agents are not affordable and not easily available