Introduction: Although it is discouraged, community pharmacy customers can obtain oral corticosteroids (OCSs) without prescriptions from some community pharmacies in Iraq. Medication abuse is defined as the use of medication for non-medical reasons. Objectives: The study aimed to determine demographics, beliefs, and perceptions associated with the abuse of oral corticosteroids for non-illness reasons among community pharmacy customers. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in fall 2018 in four provinces in Iraq. Customers of 19 community pharmacies asking for OCSs for themselves without a prescription were administered a paper survey. This study used the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) to measure the relationship between the motivational factors and the abuse of OCSs. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to evaluate the relationships between the use of OCSs for non-illness and six TRA factors: Normative belief, behavioral belief, evaluation of the behavior, motivation to comply, subjective norms and attitude toward behavior. Results: The study enrolled 141 participants (98 women and 43 men) taking asking for OCSs without prescription. Dexamethasone was the most commonly used OCSs (59.6%). Friends were the primary recommenders for corticosteroids abuse (28.4%). The main reasons for using OCSs were to increase appetite and gain weight (53.9 %). Approximately one-third (36.2 %) of the participants gained weight after using OCSs. The regression analysis of the TRA variables showed two factors were significantly related to the abuse of OCSs. Age had a significant inverse relationship with the abuse of OCSs and the "good appearance" belief had a significant positive association with OCS abuse. Conclusion: Some Iraqi community pharmacy customers use non-prescribed oral corticosteroids to increase appetite and gain weight. Improve body appearance represents the dominant incentive that urges people to use OCSs without prescription. Health officials and healthcare practitioners need to promote people's awareness about the risks of misusing OCSs through education programs and advertisements in public health settings, media, and social media. Article Type: Original Research
Biosorption of lead, chromium, and cadmium ions from aqueous solution by dead anaerobic biomass (DAB) was studied in single, binary, and ternary systems with initial concentration of 50 mg/l. The metal-DAB affinity was the same for all systems. The main biosorption mechanisms were complexation and physical adsorption of metallic cations onto natural active functional groups on the cell wall matrix of the DAB. It was found that biosorption of the metallic cations onto DAB cell wall component was a surface process. The main functional groups involved in the metallic cation biosorption were apparently carboxyl, amino, hydroxyle, sulfhydryl, and sulfonate. These groups were part of the DAB cell wall structural polymers. Hydroxyle groups (–O
... Show MoreIn study of effective bioactive compounds, we have synthesized the Co((ІІ), Mn(ІІ), Fe(ІІ), Cu(ІІ), Ni(ІІ), and Zn(ІІ) complexes of the Schiff base derived from trimethoprim and2'-amino-4-chlorobenzophenone and characterized by spectroscopic (NMR, IR, Mass, UV–vis,), analytical, TGA studies and magnetic data .The solution electronic spectral study suggests the stoichiometry of the synthesized complexes and Elemental analysis detected the square planer and octahedral geometry of the compounds. The prepared metal complexes presented promoted efficiency versus the screened bacterial (Escherichia Coli and Staphylococcus aureus) antibacterial efficacy against (Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp., E. coli, Vibrio spp., Pseudomona
... Show MoreThe [2-hydroxy -1,2-diphynel-ethanone oxime] was reacted with 1,2- dichloroethan to give the new ligand [H2L].this ligand was reacted with some metal ions (Co(II),Ni(II),Cu(II),Zn(II) and Cd(II) in methanol as a solvent to give a series of new (1:1)complexes of the general formula [ M(HL)]Cl ,( where : M= Co(II),Ni(II),Cu(II),Zn(II) and Cd(II)) are isolated All compounds have been characterized by spectroscopic methods [ I.R , U.V -Vis ] atomic absorption . Chloride content along with conductivity measurements. From the above data the proposed molecular structure for (Co, Cu, Ni, Zn and Cd) complexes adopting a tetrahedral structure.
Background: Neonatal hyperbilirubinemia is a common disease in neonates especially in early days of birth that requires a good and successful treatment for reducing the severity and its complications that can produce important and irreversible effects.
Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of conventional phototherapy, intensive phototherapy and exchange transfusion on outcomes of neonatal jaundice at Fatima Al-Zahra Hospital for maternity and child care in Baghdad.
Patients & Methods: A retrospective study was carried out using medical records of neonates with diagnosis of unconjugated jaundice, admitted in the septic neonatal care unit of Fatima Al-Zahra hospital over 6 months period b
... Show MoreBackground: The demand for esthetic orthodontic appliances is increasing; so the esthetic orthodontic archwires were introduced. Among them, Teflon and Epoxy coated stainless steel archwires. The amount of force available from the archwire depends on the structural properties and susceptibility to corrosion. All metallic alloys are changed during immersion in artificial saliva, chlorhexidine mouthwash andtoothpaste, but their behaviors differ from one type to another. They corrode at different rates, which lead to decrease the amount of force applied to the teeth. This in vitro study was designed to evaluate the corrosion pits in stainless steel archwires coated with Teflon and with Epoxy in dry and after immersion in artificial saliva, chl
... Show MoreAbstract
This Research aims for harnessing critical and innovative thinking approaches besides innovative problem solving tools in pursuing continual quality improvement initiatives for the benefit of achieving operations results effectively in water treatment plants in Baghdad Water Authority. Case study has been used in fulfilling this research in the sadr city water treatment plant, which was chosen as a study sample as it facilitates describing and analyzing its current operational situation, collecting and analyzing its own data, in order to get its own desired improvement opportunity be done. Many statistical means and visual thinking promoting methods has been used to fulfill research task.
... Show MoreWe studied the relationship between DNA sequencing of interleukin-10 (IL-10) gene promoter for -1082 (A/G) and -592 (A/C) positions with the concentration of IL-10 in blood serum of Iraqi children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D). Fifty blood serum samples collected from children with age ranged between 7-12 years. Thirty-five blood samples collected from patient children with T1D, and compared with 15 healthy children age matched as control sample. The results revealed decreasing in anti-inflammatory IL-10 concentration in T1D patient’s blood serum (0.068 Pg/ml) as compared with the control sample (0.111 Pg/ml). No significant differences were found in interleukin concentration between the studied samples when they analyzed with the M
... Show MoreLaboratory studies were conducted at the biological control unit, college of Agriculture, University of Baghdad to evaluate some biological aspects of the predator Chilocorus bipustulatus (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), which is considered one of the most important predators on many insect pests, especially the scale insect, Parlatoria blanchardi, (Homoptera: Diaspididae) on date palms. The results showed that biological parameters of the predator were varied according to different degree of temperature. Egg incubation period was significantly different and reached to 7.5 and 5.44 day at 25 and 30°C respectively, Fertility was the same 100% at both temperature degrees. Larval growth periods were 17.41 and 16.12 day as well as the mortality du
... Show MoreInfrared photoconductive detectors working in the far-infrared region and room temperature were fabricated. The detectors were fabricated using three types of carbon nanotubes (CNTs); MWCNTs, COOH-MWCNTs, and short-MWCNTs. The carbon nontubes suspension is deposited by dip coating and drop–casting techniques to prepare thin films of CNTs. These films were deposited on porous silicon (PSi) substrates of n-type Si. The I-V characteristics and the figures of merit of the fabricated detectors were measured at a forward bias voltage of 3 and 5 volts as well as at dark and under illumination by IR radiation from a CO2 laser of 10.6 μm wavelengths and power of 2.2 W. The responsivity and figures of merit of the photoconductive detector
... Show More