Background: Occupational exposure to hazardous drugs occurs in all aspects of anticancer drug handling. Proper recommendations and guidelines should be applied to control and reduce exposure. Objective: To assess pharmacists' knowledge and practice regarding the safe handling of anticancer drugs. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at seven major hospitals in Baghdad City, Iraq, from December 2023 to February 2024. A pre-designed questionnaire was given to pharmacists who handled anticancer drugs in chemotherapy units. The questionnaire comprises sociodemographic data, knowledge of the safe handling of cytotoxic drugs and thoughts about exposure and risk, practices for safely handling cytotoxic drugs, and challenges for safely handling cytotoxic drugs. Results: A total of 126 pharmacists were enrolled in the study. Less than half of the participants (46%) received training on anticancer drugs. While more than a third (42.9%) of the pharmacists were handling more than 100 cytotoxic preparations weekly, the total knowledge score was 7.14, while the total practice score was 73.36, with less than half of the pharmacists having good knowledge (44.44%) or practice (48.41%). Pharmacists who received training had significantly higher total practice scores than those who did not. Pharmacists with more than 100 weekly preparations were more knowledgeable than those with 50–99 preparations. Conclusions: The majority of participating pharmacists had fair to excellent knowledge and practice regarding the safe handling of cytotoxic medications. However, there were some gaps regarding important knowledge and practice issues. To improve knowledge and practices regarding anticancer handling, training is necessary.
: The Aluminium (Al) material emerged as a plasmonic material in the wavelength ranges from the ultraviolet to the visible bands in different on-chip plasmonic applications. In this paper, we demonstrate the effect of using Al on the electromagnetic (EM) field distribution of a compact hybrid plasmonic waveguide (HPW) acting as a polarization rotator. We compare the performance of Al with other familiar metals that are widely used as plasmonic materials, which are Silver (Ag) and Gold (Au). Furthermore, we study the effect of reducing the geometrical dimensions of the used materials on the EM field distributions inside the HPW and, consequently, on the efficiency of the polarization rotation. We perform the study based o
... Show MoreThe current study was conducted to determine the sensitivity of some pathogenic bacterial isolates isolated from wounds and burns water toward the disposer of the Yas Rue tested five crude bacterial isolates isolated from wounds and burns which these isolates sensitive to aqueous extract crude
Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni contains diterpenoid steviol glycosides that have no adverse impact on blood sugar levels despite being 300 times sweeter than sugar. This study aimed to investigate the rate of callus induction from stevia leaves and the content of glycosides when changing the sucrose percentage in the culture medium.. Murashige and Skoog (MS) culture medium supported by 4.0 mg/l naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) and 1.0 mg/l benzyl adenine (BA) was used, and different concentrations of sucrose (2, 3, 4, 5 and 6%) were tested .The extraction of glycosides from leaf and callus tissues was performed by using methanol. Extracted glycosides were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results showed signific
... Show MoreThe present study includes the effect of the ethanolic and aqueous extract of Piper nigrum against the third instar of Culex pipiens molestus (Diptera:Culicidae) in different concentrations: 1, 1.5 ppm of ethanolic extracts of Piper nigrum causing 100% mortality of larvae in the second day of treatment, while the concentrations 5% of aqueous extracts of Piper nigrum caused 100% mortality of larvae in the second day of treatment. The concentration 2.5% caused 100% mortality of larvae after four days of treatment. The current study also detected the effect of 0.1% concentration of Piper nigrum aqueous extract. The effect of this concentratio
... Show MoreIn this study, the effect of Nd: YAG laser on the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and alcoholdehydrogenase (ADH) was investigated. The Saccharomyces cells were irradiated using 532nm Q-Switched Nd: YAG laser with (1Hz) frequency. Different fluences 11.3, 22.6 and 33.9mJ/cm2 and different number of pulses 15, 30 and 60 pulse were used. The irradiated cells were incubated in a liquid nutritive medium for 24 hours. After incubation, the cells were harvested and disrupted to extract the intracellular enzymes and their activities were assessed. In comparison with the control, the irradiated cells showed a significant increase in the activity and the specific activity of SOD at energy densities of 11.3 and 22.6mJ/cm2 at 30 and 60 pulses
... Show MoreBackground: This study was formulated to compare the effect of 5%hydrofluoric acid in comparison to 37%phosphoric acid with and without the application of silane on bond strength of composite to porcelain. Materials and Methods: Specimen preparation was divided in to two phases, metal-disks fabrication (8mm-diameter and 4mm-thickness) and ceramic veneering. Thirty two specimens were prepared, sandblasted with 50 μm aluminum oxide, and divided into four groups of eight samples. Groups I and III were etched with 37%phosphoric acid while groups II and IV were etched with 5%hydrofluoric acid; and groups I and II were silaneted while groups III and IV were not. Heliobond, and resin composite were applied to each specimen using a plastic transpa
... Show MoreThere were signs of the first civilization known to humanity for more than 6000 years BC in the north of Iraq have disappeared this civilization to appear after 500 years in southern Iraq, the Sumerian civilization, which was considered as the opinion of scientists or civilizations, exceeds the impact to Asia and the countries that had been in contact (Sumerians) and see them today in other towns and villages. In subsequent periods of time appeared distinct personalities to their nature, religious, social, special clothing with clothes seem especially long. And usually dress is made from raw wool material making them in the Sumerian era. Put the garment on the body and leaves the top of the right shoulder with the survival of an ope
... Show MoreLentic ecosystems are important for fish production and are a critical habitat for waterfowl and numerous migratory birds. In this study we have gathered data on primary productivity of lakes across Iraq to provide updated information to strategize conservation and management. Tigris and Euphrates rivers are the primary sources of filling up major lakes in Iraq the overall assessment shows that the primary productivity is dependent on the algal composition and environmental factors with coincident role of macrophytes. An average of 37 to 637 mg carbon/m3/day of primary productivity was calculated for most of the lakes comprised of Bacillariophyceae and followed by
The public budget in Iraq depends on a number of legislations across its fourth stages, starting from preparation to implementation and control; one of these legislations is the amended law of financial management and public Debt. No. (95) In 2004. Accordingly, the public budget cycle faces various failures, some of them resulted from the shortcomings in the legislation depended that effect on the public budget in a way or another; whereas the other failure resulted from no applying the legislation that adversely effect on the public budgeting stages that call for studying them and paying the attention toward them to present the suggestions that contribute in handling and developing public budgetin
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