Social movements and the question of organisation: Egypt and everywhere

This paper considers the nature of activism and revolutionary process in the 21st century by examining some of the dilemmas involved in the case of Egypt. It argues that the characteristics of horizontal networks of activism, especially the absence of centralised organisational structures, although well suited to the phase of mass protests in the lead-up to the ousting of Mubarak, can pose a challenge to the prospects of long-term revolutionary projects

What should medical students do to choose their specialty?

No Abstract

COVID-19 Coagulopathies: Highlights of 2020–2021 Reported Data

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has evolved dramatically over the past two years, and literature on COVID-19 coagulopathy has been overwhelming, which complicates the process of understanding the literature or assessing the quality of the data available. The objective of this narrative review was to highlight and analyze data reported on COVID-19-induced coagulopathy and its outcomes in patients with severe or critical disease over two years of the pandemic. Methods: Studies published in high-impact journals reporting on hospitalized adult COVID-19 patients, their coagulation parameters, and their thrombotic complications were included. We searched MEDLINE, Embase, and Ovid between Dec 1, 2019 and July 18, 2021. We abstracted the following data: country; date of publication; total number, age, and sex of patients; detailed coagulation parameters; thrombotic complications; and anticoagulation data. Descriptive statistics, including percentages and averages, were used where applicable; otherwise, individual study data were presented. We used the New Ottawa Scale (NOS) to assess risk of bias in the included studies. Results: A total of 18,581 patients (9,255 males) reported in 62 studies from 16 different countries published between March 2020 and July 2021 were included this review. The highest number of studies was reported in July–August 2020, with additional peaks in February and May 2021. Coagulation laboratory parameters were reported in most studies, with considerable heterogeneity. A key finding is a more pronounced pro-coagulant profile in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Controversy existed around thrombocytopenia and other platelet abnormalities in association with severe or late disease. Elevated D-dimer was consistently reported and was predictive of thrombosis and poor outcomes. Thrombosis occurred despite guideline-recommended thromboprophylaxis. Anticoagulation was reported in all studies, but practices were diverse, with 83% and 88% of studies in 2020 and 2021 respectively reporting thromboprophylaxis or thromboprophylaxis alongside treatment. Conclusion: This narrative review provided highlights of the literature regarding coagulation impairments, thrombotic complications, and anticoagulation use in COVID-19 patients over two years of the pandemic. We hope this analysis contributes to better understanding of COVID-19-induced coagulopathy and supports investigators designing future studies

Utilization of Colocynth (Handal) Seeds Oil as a Lubricating Base Oil

This study investigated the use of Colocynth seeds oil as lubricating base oil. The Colocynth seeds were collected from Eastern Gezira and Western Kordofan. Viscosity index is 162 and 164; Flash point is 292oC and 288oC for Eastern Gezira and Western Kordofan samples, respectively. The pour point is -3oC for both samples. At 40oC, the kinematics viscosity is 34.37 cSt and 32.69 cSt, and at 100oC is 8.00 cSt and 7.77 cSt for Eastern Gezira and Western Kordofan samples, respectively. The study suggested that the Colocynth seeds oil is a suitable base fluid to produce lubricants

Determination of dimenhydrinate and cinnarizine in combined dosage form in presence of cinnarizine impurity

Three accurate, sensitive and time saving spectrophotometric methods have been developed and validated for determination of mixture of dimenhydrinate (DMH) and cinnarizine (CIN) in presence of cinnarizine impurity (1-(diphenylmethyl)piperazine) (IMP). In method A; dimenhydrinate was determined by measuring 1D amplitudes at 292.0 nm while cinnarizine and its impurity were determined by 1DD method at 256.2 and 219.6 nm, respectively, using standard spectrum of 20 µg/mL of dimenhydrinate as a divisor. Method B depends on dividing spectrum of ternary mixture by standard spectrum of 20 µg/mL of dimenhydrinate and then cinnarizine and its impurity were determined in the obtained ratio spectrum by ratio difference method using the difference between 219.0 and 237.2 nm and between 230.0 and 264.0 nm, respectively. On the other hand dimenhydrinate could be determined by dividing spectrum of ternary mixture by standard spectrum of 20 µg/mL of cinnarizine and then it were determined at the obtained ratio spectrum by ratio difference method using the difference between 216.8 and 232.8 nm. Method C is the mean cantering of ratio spectra method (MCR) where the amplitudes at 234.8, 240.0 and 233.6 nm in the second mean centering ratio spectra were used for determination of dimenhydrinate, cinnarizine and its impurity, respectively. The developed methods were validated according to ICH guidelines regarding good accuracy and precision, and they were successfully applied to pharmaceutical formulation and laboratory prepared mixtures. The results were statistically compared with those obtained by reported method and no significant difference was found

Utilization of Used Vegetable Oil as a Biodiesel Fuel

In this study the reusing of vegetable oil as an alternative substitute for biodiesel was investigated. The used vegetable oil (UVO) was obtained from Baraka Factory – Potato chips line, Wad Madani, Sudan. The biodiesel is produced from used vegetable oil by alkali transesterification. The kinematic viscosity of biodiesel (at 40ºC), flash point, density (at 15ºC), and calorific value were 5.35cSt, 119ºC, 0.881gm/ml, and 41.9MJ/kg respectively. The results showed that the used vegetable oil is suitable for biodiesel productio

Development and validation of different spectrophotometric and chromatographic methods for determination of clotrimazole and hydrocortisone in a topical cream

In this study, we developed and validated different spectrophotometric and chromatographic methods for determination of clotrimazole (CLO) and hydrocortisone (HDC) in their combined dosage form. The developed spectrophotometric methods were first derivative spectrophotometry (1D) by measuring the peak amplitude at 247.4 and 236.2 nm for CLO and HDC, respectively, second derivative of ratio spectra (2DD) at 225.4 nm for CLO and 269 nm for HDC, dual wavelength spectrophotometry (DW) by measuring absorbance difference between 225.4 and 264 nm for CLO and between 228 and 247 nm for HDC determination, advanced absorbance subtraction method (AAS) between 225.4 and 264 nm and mean centering of ratio spectra (MCR) spectrophotometric method in the range of 232-265 nm. On the other hand, the proposed chromatographic method was Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography method (UPLC) using acetonitrile:water (50:50, v:v) as a mobile phase and the peaks were detected at 228 nm. All these methods were successfully applied to determine the two studied drugs in pure forms; laboratory prepared mixtures and combined dosage form. Methods validations were carried out regarding linearity, accuracy, precision and selectivity. The spectrophotometric methods exhibited a linear dynamic range over 5-40 and 5-45 µg/mL for CLO and HDC, respectively, and over 3-35 and 5-50 µg/mL for UPLC method. Sensitive and selective spectrophotometric and UPLC methods for the determination of clotrimazole and hydrocortisone in their topical formulation were successfully developed and validated. The developed methods were statistically confirmed to be accurate, precise and reproducible

Novel styryl and aza-styryl cyanine dyes: Synthesis and spectral sensitization evaluation

Novel styryl cyanine dyes and aza-styryl cyanine dyes having the nucleus of furo[(3,2-d)pyrazole;(3',2'-d)oxazole] iodide salt were prepared. Spectral sensitization evaluation for all the synthesized styryl and aza-styryl cyanine dyes was carried out through investigating their electronic visible absorption spectra in 95% ethanol solution. The dyes were thought to be better spectral sensitizers when they absorb light at longer wavelength bands (bathochromic shifted and/or red shifted dyes). Consequently the spectral sensitization of the dyes decreased when they absorb light at shorter wavelength bands (hypsochromic shifted and/or blue shifted dyes). The results discussed in this study revealed that the spectral sensitization properties of the examined dyes is highly effected by the type of the X substituted in the phenyl ring system for the styryl cyanine dyes and by the type of the phenyl and/or the naphthyl ring system for the aza-styryl cyanine dyes. Structural confirmations were identified by elemental analysis, visible spectra, IR and 1H NMR spectroscopic data