New Mixed Ligand Complexes of Ditertiary Phosphanes with Ni(II) Alkylxanthates

Mixed Iigand complexes of Ni(II) with alkylxanthates and ditertiary phosphanes of the composition Ni(ROCSSb(diphoshhave been prepared, where R = methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, and cyclohexyl and diphos = bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane (dpe) and bis- (diphenylphosphino)butane (dpb). The newly prepared compounds were characterized on the basis of chemical analyses, infrared and electronic spectra, lH-NMR, molar conductance, and thermal analysis. A square planar structure was proposed for the complexes

Nanosized Supramolecular Coordination Polymers Derived from Divalent Metal Ions, 4-Pyridylacetate and Auxiliary Ligands Containing Nitrogen and Phosphorus Donors

A series of coordination polymers of Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) or Cd(II) comprising 4-pyridylacetate (pya) and certain auxiliary ligands including benzimidazole (Hbzim), 1,10-phenanthroline (phen), 2,2'-bipyridine (2,2'-bipy),  2-amino-4-methylthiazole (A-Mtz), quinazole (Quz), 2,5-dimethylpyrazine (dpmz), bis(diphenylphosphino)methane (dpm), 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane (dpe) and 1,3-bis(diphenylphosphino) propane (dpp) were prepared  and characterized by spectroscopic, magnetic and  thermal techniques. In these coordination polymers 4-pyridylacetate coordinates to the metal ions in a monodentate fashion through the carboxylate oxygens and/or the pyridyl nitrogen. Octahedral structures around the metal ions were suggested for all the complexes. The kinetic analyses of the thermal decomposition of the complexes were studied using the Coats-Redfern equation. The kinetic and thermodynamic parameters of the thermal decomposition were also calculated and discussed. From the X-ray powder diffraction data, the crystal parameters as well as the particle sizes (15.7-18.7 nm) of the complexes could be evaluated. Some of the compounds exhibit catalytic activity. The biological activity of the compounds was screened as well. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17807/orbital.v13i1.155

Simultaneous determination of warfarin and 7-hydroxywarfarin in rat plasma by HPLC-FLD

In this study, high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD) has been used for the first time, for direct determination of warfarin and its major metabolite, 7-hydroxywarfarin, in rat plasma. The simple and sensitive method was developed using Fortis® reversed-phase diphenyl column (150 × 4.6 mm, 3 μm) and a mobile phase composed of phosphate buffer (25 mmol L–1)-methanol-acetonitrile (70:20:10, V/V/V), adjusted to pH 7.4, at a flow rate of 0.8 mL min–1. The diphenyl chemistry of the stationary phase provided a unique selectivity for separating the structurally related aromatic analytes, warfarin and 7-hydroxywarfarin, allowing their successful quantification in the complex plasma matrix. The method was linear over the range 0.01–25 μg mL–1, for warfarin and 7-hydroxywarfarin, and was found to be accurate, precise and selective in accordance with US FDA guidance for bioanalytical method validation. The method was sensitive enough to quantify 0.01 μg mL–1 of warfarin and 7-hydroxywarfarin (LLOQ) using only 100 µL of plasma. The applicability of this method was demonstrated by analyzing samples obtained from rats after oral administration of a single warfarin dose, and studying warfarin and 7-hydroxywarfarin pharmacokinetics

Inventory and Assessment of the Geomorphosites of Bahariya

The study area forms the central territory of the Western Desert, Egypt, and encompasses two declared Protected Areas namely, the White Desert National Park and Al Wahat Al Bahariya under the law number 102 /1983 in the framework of protected areas in Egypt. The Ministerial Decrees No. 1220/2002 and No. 2656/201

Magnetic and Spectral Properties of 2-Methylbenzoxazole, Benzothiazole, and 2-Methylbenzothiazole Complexes with Copper(II) Dichloroacetate

The complexes in the title have been synthesized and their magnetic and spectral behaviour have been studied. Magnetic susceptibility was determined in the temperature range of 80- 300 K. The IR spectra were obtained in KBr pellets, and UV spectra in acetone. The conductivity of the complexes in acetone solutions were also measured

Nanosized Supramolecular Coordination Polymers Derived from Divalent Metal Ions, 4-Pyridylacetate and Auxiliary Ligands Containing Nitrogen and Phosphorus Donors

A series of coordination polymers of Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) or Cd(II) comprising 4-pyridylacetate (pya) and certain auxiliary ligands including benzimidazole (Hbzim), 1,10-phenanthroline (phen), 2,2'-bipyridine (2,2'-bipy),  2-amino-4-methylthiazole (A-Mtz), quinazole (Quz), 2,5-dimethylpyrazine (dpmz), bis(diphenylphosphino)methane (dpm), 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane (dpe) and 1,3-bis(diphenylphosphino) propane (dpp) were prepared  and characterized by spectroscopic, magnetic and  thermal techniques. In these coordination polymers 4-pyridylacetate coordinates to the metal ions in a monodentate fashion through the carboxylate oxygens and/or the pyridyl nitrogen. Octahedral structures around the metal ions were suggested for all the complexes. The kinetic analyses of the thermal decomposition of the complexes were studied using the Coats-Redfern equation. The kinetic and thermodynamic parameters of the thermal decomposition were also calculated and discussed. From the X-ray powder diffraction data, the crystal parameters as well as the particle sizes (15.7-18.7 nm) of the complexes could be evaluated. Some of the compounds exhibit catalytic activity. The biological activity of the compounds was screened as well. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17807/orbital.v13i1.155

Prospective study for commercial and low-cost hyperspectral imaging systems to evaluate thermal tissue effect on bovine liver samples

Thermal ablation modalities, for example radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and microwave ablation, are intended to prompt controlled tumour removal by raising tissue temperature. However, monitoring the size of the resulting tissue damage during the thermal removal procedures is a challenging task. The objective of this study was to evaluate the observation of RFA on an ex vivo liver sample with both a commercial and a low-cost system to distinguish between the normal and the ablated regions as well as the thermally affected regions. RFA trials were conducted on five different ex vivo normal bovine samples and monitored initially by a custom hyperspectral (HS) camera to measure the diffuse reflectance (Rd) utilising a polychromatic light source (tungsten halogen lamp) within the spectral range 348–950 nm. Next, the light source was replaced with monochromatic LEDs (415, 565 and 660 nm) and a commercial charge-coupled device (CCD) camera was used instead of the HS camera. The system algorithm comprises image enhancement (normalisation and moving average filter) and image segmentation with K-means clustering, combining spectral and spatial information to assess the variable responses to polychromatic light and monochromatic LEDs to highlight the differences in the Rd properties of thermally affected/normal tissue regions. The measured spectral signatures of the various regions, besides the calculation of the standard deviations (δ) between the generated six groups, guided us to select three optimal wavelengths (420, 540 and 660 nm) to discriminate between these various regions. Next, we selected six spectral images to apply the image processing to (at 450, 500, 550, 600, 650 and 700 nm). We noticed that the optimum image is the superimposed spectral images at 550, 600, 650 and 700 nm, which are capable of discriminating between the various regions. Later, we measured Rd with the CCD camera and commercially available monochromatic LED light sources at 415, 565 and 660 nm. Compared to the HS camera results, this system was more capable of identifying the ablated and the thermally affected regions of surface RFA than the side-penetration RFA of the investigated ex vivo liver samples. However, we succeeded in developing a low-cost system that provides satisfactory information to highlight the ablated and thermally affected region to improve the outcome of surgical tumour ablation with much shorter time for image capture and processing compared to the HS system

Ore Genesis of the Abu Ghalaga Ferro-Ilmenite Ore Associated with Neoproterozoic Massive-Type Gabbros, South-Eastern Desert of Egypt: Evidence from Texture and Mineral Chemistry

Massif-type mafic intrusions (gabbro and anorthosite) are known for their considerable resources of vanadium-bearing iron–titanium oxide ores. Massive-type gabbroic and anorthosite rocks are frequently associated with magmatic rocks that have significant quantities of iron, titanium, and vanadium. The most promising intrusions that host Fe-Ti oxide ores are the gabbroic rocks in the south-eastern desert. The ilmenite ore deposits are hosted in arc gabbroic and anorthosite rocks. They are classified into three types, namely black ore, red ore, and disseminated ore. The black ilmenite ore is located at the deeper level, while the oxidized red ore is mainly located at or near the surface. Petrographically, the gabbro and ilmenite ores indicate a crystallization sequence of plagioclase, titaniferous pyroxene, and ilmenite. This reveals that the ilmenite is a magmatic deposit formed by the liquid gravity concentration of ilmenite following the crystallization of feldspar and pyroxene. Meanwhile, quartz, tremolite, zoisite, and opaque minerals are accessory minerals. The Fe-Ti ores are composed of ilmenite hosting exsolved hematite lamellae of variable sizes and shapes, gangue silicate minerals, and some sulfides. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) data reveal the presence of two mineral phases: ilmenite and hematite formed by the unmixing of the ferroilmenite homogeneous phase upon cooling. As a result, the ore is mostly made up of hemo-ilmenite. Using an electron microscope (SEM), as well as by observing the textures seen by the ore microscope, ilmenite is the dominant Fe-Ti oxide and contains voluminous hematite exsolved crystals. Under the scanning electron microscope, ilmenite contained intergrowths of hematite as a thin sandwich and lens shape. The formation of hematite lamellae indicates an oxidation process. Mineral chemistry-based investigations reveal late/post-magmatic activity at high temperatures. The examined ilmenite plots on the ferro-ilmenite line were created by continuous solid solution over 800 °C, whereas the analyzed magnetite and Ti-magnetite plot near the magnetite line and were formed by continuous solid solution exceeding 600 °C

The role of hepatic progenitor cells in predicting response to therapy in Egyptian patients with chronic hepatitis C, genotype 4

Background: Interferon therapy is used as a line of treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) in several areas of the world including Egypt.Objective: Our aim was to investigate the value of hepatic progenitor cells (HPCs) in predicting response of patients with chronic HCV, genotype 4 to pegylated interferon (PEGIFN) plus ribavirin (RBV) therapy.Methods: Pre-treatment liver biopsies obtained from 110 patients with chronic HCV, genotype 4 were examined immunohisto- chemically for HPCs using cytokeratin19. The mean number of HPCs as ductular reaction (DR) and as isolated progenitor cells (IPCs) was counted in each case. The patients were classified into: those with sustained virological response (SVR) and those who did not achieve SVR. The results were compared between the two groups. Also, the relationships between HPCs and other clinico-pathologic variables were estimated using multivariate analysis.Results: The mean number of HPCs was the only independent predictor of therapeutic response, being significantly higher in non-responders (P = 0 for DR and P = 0.03 for IPCs). On the other hand, fibrosis stage and steatosis were the only independent factors which showed a significant direct association with the mean number of HPCs in the form of DR and IPCs (P = 0 for each).Conclusion: The number of HPCs provides prognostic information in chronic HCV since it is significantly associated with stage of fibrosis. More importantly, it can be used as a marker to predict response of patients with chronic HCV to PEGIFN plus RBV therapy.Keywords: Chronic hepatitis C, genotype 4, response to therapy, hepatic progenitor cells

Prognostic impact of lipid profile in adult Egyptian acute leukemia patients

Introduction: Acute leukemia is a malignant disorder which results from clonal proliferation of lymphoid and myeloid blast cells. Several studies have reported changes in lipid metabolism at the time of diagnosis of leukemia. Although investigators have reported decreased total cholesterol, decreased high-density lipoprotein, and elevated triglyceride (TG) in leukemic patients, there is a lack of agreement about these changes among different types of leukemia and between children and adult patients, in addition to different data about their impacts on prognosis. In this study, lipid profile has been examined at the time of diagnosis of acute leukemia in order to correlate it with response to therapy. Material and methods: This is a prospective study carried out at the Oncology Center at Mansoura University, Egypt between 2018 and 2019. Fifty patients newly diagnosed with de novo acute leukemia were included. Thirty-four patients were diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) (68%), while 16 patients were diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) (32%). Lipid profile and body mass index (BMI) data was obtained. Results: Overweight/obese patients showed a more statistically significant association with female patients than with male patients (p = 0.009). By comparing the lipid profile between overweight/obese patients and other patients, there was no statistically significant association. 76.7% of AML patients were overweight or obese (p = 0.015), and 81.3% of ALL patients showed hypertriglyceridemia (p = 0.014). There was no statistically significant association between lipid profile and complete response (CR) rate; however, there was a marginally significant association between non-CR rate and overweight and obese patients (p = 0.051). In addition, there was no impact of BMI or lipid profile on overall survival among acute leukemia patients. Conclusions: Female, and acute myeloid leukemia, patients were more commonly associated with overweight and obesity, and high TG level was found to be associated with acute lymphoid leukemia. Changes in lipid profile showed no impact on complete response rate or on overall survival in acute leukemia patients