Evaluating the Baluti Formation at Sararu village, Ora Anticline, Iraqi Kurdistan : a stratigraphic and geochemical approach

Open access through Springer Compact Agreement Acknowledgements The authors would like to thank Colin Taylor and Walter Ritchie from University of Aberdeen for their technical support and assistance with laboratory work. We would also like to thank Mr. Omer Kamil Ali, the Head of the Qumri village, for providing accommodation during fieldwork.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Recurrence Relations for Moments of Dual Generalized Order Statistics from Weibull Gamma Distribution and Its Characterizations

In this paper, we establish explicit forms and new recurrence relations satisfied by the single and product moments of dual generalized order statistics from Weibull gamma distribution (WGD). The results include as particular cases the relations for moments of reversed order statistics and lower records.We present characterizations ofWGD based on (i) recurrence relation for single moments, (ii) truncated moments of certain function of the variable and (iii) hazrad function

Potentiometric Determination of Ketotifen Fumarate in Pharmaceutical Preparations and Urine Using Carbon Paste and PVC Membrane Selective Electrodes

This study compares between unmodified carbon paste (CPE; the paste has no ion pair) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) membrane selective electrodes that were used in potentiometric determination of ketotifen fumarate (KTF), where sodium tetraphenylborate (NaTPB) was used as titrant. The performance characteristics of these sensors were evaluated according to IUPAC recommendations which reveal a fast, stable, and linear response for KTF over the concentration range of 10−7 to 10−2 mol L−1. The electrodes show Nernstian slope value of 52.51 ± 0.20 and 51.51 ± 0.25 mV decade−1 for CPE and PVC membrane electrodes at 30°C, respectively. The potential is nearly stable over the pH range 3.0–6.0 and 2.0–7.0 for CPE and PVC membrane electrodes, respectively. Selectivity coefficient values towards different inorganic cations, sugars, and amino acids reflect high selectivity of the prepared electrodes. The electrodes responses at different temperatures were also studied, and long operational lifetime of 12 and 5 weeks for CPE and PVC membrane electrodes, respectively, were found. These are used for determination of ketotifen fumarate using potentiometric titration, calibration, and standard addition methods in pure samples, its pharmaceutical preparations (Zaditen tablets), and biological fluid (urine). The direct potentiometric determination of KTF using the proposed sensors gave recoveries % of 98.97 ± 0.53 and 98.62 ± 0.74 with RSD 1.42 and 0.63% for CPE and PVC membrane selective electrodes, respectively. Validation of the method shows suitability of the proposed sensors for use in quality control assessment of KTF. The obtained results were in a good agreement with those obtained using the reported spectrophotometric method

Effect of extreme low and high temperatures on the almond moth, Ephestia cautella (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

he different immature stages of the almond moth, Ephestia cautella (Walker) were exposed to low temperature of -5ºC for different exposure times. Exposure of eggs to 240 to 360 minutes is sufficient to achieve 100% mortality for this stage. Exposed early larval instar to -5ºC for 180 minutes is sufficient to achieve 100% mortality. Exposure of the late larval instars to 300 and/or 360 minutes is effective to achieve a complete mortality for the late larval instars of the pest. The calculated LT50 and LT95 were 113.73 and 208.64 minutes. Exposure of pupae to 300 minutes or more is effective to get a complete mortality for the pupal stage. High temperatures of 45º, 50º, 55º and 60ºC were tested against egg, late larval instars and pupal stages of E. cautella. Mortality tended to be increased with the increasing of temperature and exposure time. Exposure time for more than one hour at 45ºC, 15 minutes at 50ºC and 10 minutes at 55ºC were more effective and led to more than 95% mortality for the egg stage of E. cautella. Exposure of the late larval instars for more than 97.22, 72.17, 17.65 minutes at 45, 50 and 55ºC is sufficient to achieve more than 95% mortality for the late larval instars as indicated by LT95 values. Exposing the pupae to 25 minutes at high temperatures of 50ºC and to 15 minutes at 55ºC is an effective to get complete mortality for the pupal stage. Thus exposure times for more than 90 minutes at high temperature of 45ºC; 33 minutes at 50ºC and/or 11.67 minutes at 55ºC were more effective to achieve more than 95% mortality of the pupal stage of E. cautella.

Comparison between oxytocin, ergometrine and misoprostol in active management of the third stage of labour: a randomized controlled trial

Background: The aim of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of sublingual misoprostol, intravenous infusion of oxytocin, and intravenous infusion of Ergometrine in reducing blood loss during the third stage of labor.Methods: This is a no-random trial study conducted in in Ribat University Hospital, Khartoum among 150 laboring ladies with a healthy singleton pregnancy. After obtaining their written informed consent to participate in the study, they were randomly assigned to one of three possible treatment groups: 400 μg of sublingual misoprostol; 10 IU of intravenous infusion oxytocin; and 0.5 mg of intravenous infusion of Ergometrine. Blood loss was estimated by weighing the collected blood and converting the weight to milliliters.Results: The shortest mean duration of the third stage of labor was seen in patients who received misoprostol (3.89±0.37 min), followed by oxytocin (4.6±0.9 min), and Ergometrine (5.45±0.9 min). The lowest mean blood loss was seen in the patients who received 400 µg misoprostol (168.36±24.83 ml), followed by those who received 10 IU oxytocin (205.56±34.82 ml), and 0.5 mg Ergometrine (214.49±35.97 ml).Conclusions: Present study showed that 400 µg sublingual misoprostol was more effective than the conventional parenteral uterotonics in reducing the amount of the blood loss during the third stage of labor and has comparable effect to that of 10 IU intravenous oxytocin in shortening the duration of third stage of labor. It also showed that the use of misoprostol reduces the need for extra-uterotonics and blood transfusion