Electrochemical behaviour of some arylidene derivatives of carbohydrazide at mercury electrode in aqueous ethanolic buffer solutions

The electrochemical behavior of some arylidene derivatives of carbohydrazides was investigated by dc-polarography, de-polarography, cyclic voltammetry, and controlled potential coulometry techniques, at a mercury electrode in 50% ethanolic Britton-Robinson buffer solutions of pH 2-10. In acidic media [pH <4], the reduction occurs along a single irreversible 8-electron wave corresponding to the cleavage of the 2 N-N bonds and saturation of the 2 C=N centers, while at 6 /7] the total limiting current decreases on increasing the pH, this decrease is accompanied with the formation of a polarographic minimum till the wave disappears completely at pH's >10. The kinetic parameters, nature of the waves, the effect of pH on the limiting current and half-wave potentials as well as the reduction mechanism are discussed

Effect of calcium supplementation during pregnancy on blood pressure in normal Egyptian pregnant women

In this study, about 88 young healthy nulliparous women in their 2nd trimester between 20 and 35 years of age with normal singlet one pregnancy were enrolled in a double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial. From 24-weeks till delivery, a dose of 2 gm/day was given to one group [n=30], while a dose of only 1 gm/day was given to another group [n=30]. A third group [n=28] of controls received no calcium supplementation. The incidence of pregnancy-induced hypertension [PIH] was found to reach 10.7% in control group compared to an incidence of 6.67% in 1-gm supplementation group and to an increase of 3.3% in the 2-gm supplementation group. Treatment was associated with a decreased level of diastolic blood pressure in late pregnancy in the high-dose supplementation group. In addition, a significant reduction of the mean level of serum parathyroid hormone [parathormone, PTH] and a significant rise of the mean level of total serum calcium was found in those receiving 2-gm calcium daily