Laparoscopic simple nephrectomy: preliminary experience in theodor bilharz research institute

Aim: The open simple nephrectomy is associated with significant mobidity and laparoscopic nephrectomy is now becoming the standared of care in many centers. In this study we will try to evaluate the actual results of laparoscpic nephrectomy for benign renal lesions in comparison to open nephrectomy

Methods: 17 patients were divided into 2 groups in a non-randomized trial. 8 patients 5 males and 3 females, aged 19-56 underwent open simple nephrectomy. 9 patients, 3 males and 6 females, aged 16-53, underwent laparoscopic simple nephrectomy [3 retroperitoneal and 6 transperitoneal]

Results: In spite of the high conversion rate [4 out of 9 cases] the laparoscopic simple nephrectomy was superior to the open technique in terms of intraoperative complications [0 versus 2 patients who needed blood transfusion and another with pleural injury], duration of analgesia requirements [2 versus 4.5 days post operative], starting oral feeding [1 versus 3 days post operative], wound infection [0 versus 2 cases], hospital stay [3 versus 7.5 days] and time for full recovery [22 versus 40 days] The superiority of the laparoscopic simple nephrectomy in terms of analgesia requirement, post operative oral feeding, hospital stay and time for complete recovery were all statistically significant

Conclusion: In spite of this being a preliminary experience of the Urology Department started in association with the General Surgery Department in TBRI, laparoscopic simple nephrectomy was not only found to be a safe procedure but also other all parameters were in favor of the laparoscopic versus the open simple nephrectomy. The conversion rate was expectedly high but it is not until the learning curve peaks up before the true rate appear and properly judged

Cd 34 glycoprotein as a differentiating marker between basal cell Carcinoma and Trichoepithelioma

Trichoepithelioma [TE] is a benign skin tumor with follicular differentiation, which is sometimes difficult to distinguish clinically and histologically from basal cell carcinoma [BCC]. One of the most helpful differences is the histologic appearance of the stroma. CD34 is an antigen known to stain the spindle shaped cells located around the middle portion of normal hair follicles. We selected twenty clinically confused cases. After routine histopathological staining by haematoxylin and eosin, all cases showed typical diagnosis in seventeen cases [9BCC and 8 TE] while the remaining three cases revealed overlapped features. Immunoperoxidase technique using anti-CD34 antibody carried out in all cases displayed two out of the three overlapped cases had a staining pattern similar to the typical BCC cases; the immediate tumor stroma together with the spindle cells intermixing the tumor nests were CD34 negative. Moreover, the remaining uncertainly diagnosed case had a pattern resembling the typical TE cases; the immediate tumor stroma as well as the spindle cells surrounding the tumor islands were focally CD34 positive. From our study, we concluded that the CD34 staining pattern can be considered as a helpful tool in differentiation between TE and BCC particularly when these lesians are in doubt about the clinical or routine histologic diagnosis

Macrocytosis in patients with down syndrome with and without congenital heart disease. Does it mask iron deficiency in such patients?

Four groups were enrolled in this study: Group I included 30 infants and children with isolated Down syndrome [DS], group II included 15 infants and children with DS and congenital heart disease [CHD], group III included 20 infants and children with different types of CHD and group IV comprised 15 clinically healthy infants and children. Full medical history taking, thorough clinical examination, CBC, assessment of RBCs indices, reticulocytic count, serum folate, serum vitamin B12, serum iron [SI], total iron binding capacity [TIBC], serum ferritin and transferrin% saturation calculation were done for all studied infants and children. Cardiac evaluation using X-ray chest and heart, ECG and echocardiography was done for patients in groups II and III. The current study confirmed the presence of significantly high prevalence of macrocytosis in children with DS with and without CHD, which is not associated with a deficiency of serum folate and/or vitamin B12, an observation that necessitates putting norms of RBCs indices for this special category of patients. Also, the study showed the inverse correlation between RBCs indices and markers of iron status in patients with isolated IDS, DS and CHD and isolated CHD that needs to be considered when investigating whether a child belonging to these groups is anemic and the cause of the anemia

Some physiological studies on the effect of the growth retardant [Pix] on vicia faba plant: morphological characteristics and metabolic activities during growth and development

The effect of MC on growth, photosynthetic pigments, carbohydrates, nitrogenous constituents, nucleic acids and the activity of certain enzymes of Vicia faba plants were studied. The results showed that the relatively low concentration [250 ppm] of the Pix caused significant increases in most of the growth parameters. Meanwhile the relatively higher concentration [1500 ppm] resulted in a reduction in these parameters. All used concentrations of mepiquat increased chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, chlorophyll [a+b] and carotenoid contents in Vicia leaves. All concentrations of Pix also increased reducing sugars, sucrose, polysaccharides and total sugars. On the contrary, highly significant decreases in DNA and RNA contents were detected. On the other hand, high significant increases were observed in the total-N, protein-N, total soluble-N and amino-N contents at lower concentration, while induced highly significant decreases in the same contents with the higher concentrations were induced. Concerning alpha-amylase, Beta-amylase, protease and RN-ase activities the growth retardant [MC] induced high significant decreases. Contrary IAA-oxidase activity showed high significant increases

Effect of foliar treatment with boron and zinc on physiological responses of cow pea [vigna sinensis Cv. cream 7]: II Metabolic activities during growth and development

In the present study Vigna sinensis plants cv. Cream 7 were sprayed with 10, 50 and 250 mg/L of boron or zinc. The effect of boron and Zn nutrition on different constituents shoots and roots of Vigna sinensis plants were investigated. At all three concentrations of boron or zinc chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and carotenoid contents of Vigna sinensis leaves were increased. The low concentrations applied of both boron or zinc mostly increased the reducing sugars, sucrose, polysaccharides, total carbohydrates, DNA and RNA contents concomitantly with increases in the number and activities of gibberellin compounds and decreases the total-N contents of shoots and roots of Vigna sinensis plants. The highest concentrations of boron or zinc induced a significant reduction in DNA and RNA contents in most stages of growth and development of Vigna sinensis plants. In general, all concentrations of boron or zinc induced mostly highly significant decreases in a and [3-amylase activities of shoots and roots of Vigna sinensis plants throughout the experimental period. At flowering and fruiting stages, the highest concentrations of boron or zinc mostly decreased the protease activity in shoots and roots of Vigna sinensis plants, while the lower concentrations of both elements increased this activity. Moreover, the high concentration of boron or zinc mostly induced highly significant increases in RNase activity of Vigna sinensis plants throughout the experimental stages

Some physiological effects of abscisic acid on vicia faba plants III- changes in gibberellins and cytokinins contents

The activity levels of the endogenous gibberellins and cytokinins were followed in the extracts of radicles and plumules of Vicia faba seedlings at different stages of germination and seedling growth. It has been observed that the changes in the activity levels of both gibberellins and cytokinins were detected after treatment with the concentration of ABA [10-6 M]. Low concentration of ABA [10-9 M] induced marked increase in the contents of the same hormone in the radicles and plumules extracts throughout the experimental period

Some physiological effects of abscisic acid on vicia faba plants I- morphological characteristics and metabolic activities during germination and seedling growth

The effect of ABA on germination, growth, carbohydrates, nitrogenous constituents, nucleic acids and the activity of certain enzymes of Vicia faba seedlings throughout an experimental period of 192 hours were studied. It was found that the highest concentration of ABA [10-3 M] delayed the start of germination, while the relatively low concentration [10-9 M] induced nonsignificant effect on this parameter. The high concentration of ABA induced highly significant decreases in radicle and plumule lengths, fresh and dry weights of the seedlings, while the lowest concentration [10-9 M] highly significantly increased these characters. 10-6 and 10-9 M ABA decreased the reducing sugars content whereas the polysaccharides and total sugars were increased. 10-9 M ABA induced significant increases in total soluble nitrogen, decreased nonsignificantly the protein nitrogen whereas 10-6 M decreased the protein-N content and increased the total N. The activities of protease, RN-ase were decreased at all test concentrations

Some physiological effects of abscisic acid on vicia faba plants II- changes in the endogenous auxins, growth inhibitors and certain oxidative enzymes

The activities of IAA-oxidase, peroxidase and catalase in the extract of radicles and plumules of Vicia faba seedlings throughout an experimental period of 192 hours germination are markers to get information about the effect of abscisic acid on the endogenous auxins and growth inhibitors. It was found that 10-6 M ABA markedly reduced the biological activities of auxins and markedly increased the growth inhibitors particularly the unsaturated lactone compounds and ABA. On the other hand, the low concentration of ABA [10-9 M] induced opposite changes. The activities of IAA-oxidase and peroxidase were increased while the activity of catalase was decreased at all concentrations of ABA used

Occurance of organochlorine pesticides in fresh water fish in Assiut markets

Organochlorine pesticides: total DDT complex [p.p-DDT, o.p-DDT, p.p-DDE and p.p-DDD]; hexachlorocyclobexane isomers [alpha-, beta-, gamma- and delta-isomers]; heptachlor and heptachlor epoxide; aldrin and dieldrin; endrin and hexachlorobenzene [HCB] were investigated in five species of fresh water fish [Oreochromis niloticus; Clarias lazera; Labeo niloticus; Bagarus bayed and Synodonits species] collected from Assiut markets. Chlorinated residues were analyzed by gas chromatography with electron capture detector [GS-ECD] using capillary column. The analytical results revealed that all samples were ontaminated with one or more of the investigated pesticides. Total DDT complex, total HCH isomers were found in all analyzed saples with the highest values, followed by endrin, HCB, dieldrin, and heptachlors. Total DDT complex average were 1.077, 1.865, 3.911, 3.832 and 3.476 ppm, while total HCH isomers averages were 0.297, 0.160, 0.108, 0.093 and 0.029 ppm in the investigated five species, respectively. The residue levels detected were compared to those of the international limits and its hazardous effects were discussed

Analytical applications using aunintricanboxyIic acid for spectrophotometric determination of iron [III], copper [II] and peridium [II] estimation of iron in some pharmaceutical preparations

A spectrophotometric study of the reaction between aurintricarboxylic acid and Fe[3], Cu[2], and Pd[2] ions showed that 1: 1 and 1: 2 violet water-soluble-complexes were formed at pH 8. The organic reagent was found to be very suitable for spectrophotometric determination of Fe[3] and Pd[2] up to 10.8, 6.4 and 12.5 ppm, respectively. The application of the ligand as an indicator in the spectrophotometric titration of Fe[3], Cu[2], and Pd[2] with EDTA and the interference of various cations and anions were reported. This method was applied to some pharmaceutical preparations for estimation of iron

Potentiometric and spectrophotometric methods for determination of PKa, for weak acids Correlation of solvent properties with pKa values for phenol derivatives

The ionization of phenols, as weak acids, depends on the nature of the solvents used. Correlations between their pKa values and the solvent properties exist, but are mostly nonlinear. Free energies of ionization suggested the presence of solvent types of interactions

Physico-chemical characteristics and determination of some divalent metal ions with 1- [2pyridylazo] -2-naphthol [PAN]

The complexes formed between 1-[2-pyridylazo]-2-naphthol] [PAN] and Cu [2], Ni [2], Co [2], Fe [2], Mn [2], Cd [2] and Pb [2] were studied spectrophotometrically in solution. The different complexes were characterized and their stoichiometric ratios were thoroughly investigated. Methods for the spectrophotometric determination of these metals and spectrophotometric titration using EDTA were reported. The interference of several anions and cations was reported. The complexes have been isolated in solid state and have been characterized on the basis of mass spectra and IR data

Spectrophotometric and potentiometric studies of some lanthanide chelates with O-chloro-Schaffer acid azo-dye

The complication of O-chloro-schaffer acid azo-dye with some lanthanides; namely, La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Er, Yb, and Lu, were studied. Lanthanides formed chelated complexes of different lambda max with orthochloro-schaffer acid azo-dye at different pH values. The composition [MR, MR2 and MR3] of the chelates investigated was established spectrophotometrically by the continuous variation of molar ratio, slope ratio, and straight line methods and by the conductometric titration method. For photometric determination of lanthanides with this reagent Sandell's sensitivity, Beer's Law were also determined. The Bjerrum and Calvin potentiometric titration technique was employed to determine the stepwise formation constants

Gamma rays induced histopathologic changes in some internal organs of male rats

150 rats were divided into 4 groups, of 30 rats each. Rats in each group were subjected to irradiation dose levels of 265,500, 650 and 1000 rats respectively. Histopathologic study using Hx and E. stained paraffin sections were performed 24, 48, 72,96, 120 and 144 hours post-irradiation. The most radiosensitive organs noticed were spleen and testis, especially on exposure to the high doses of 650 and 1000 Rats, Splenic white pulp atrophy and testicular spermatogenic arrest were noticed. Next, came the lungs and supra renal glands followed by the kidneys. Liver seems to be radioresistant. We recommend that haematopoietic function as well as male fertility should be observed carefully on exposure to irradiations

Ionisation of weak acids: I Correlation of solvent properties with pKa values for benzocyclobutenone derivatives

The ionization of benzocyclobutenones, as weak acids, depends on the nature of the solvents used. Correlation between their pKa values and the solvent properties exist, but are mostly nonlinear

Applications involving oxidation with KBrO3 rapid potentiometric methods for vanadium alone or in mixtures

A RAPID and reliable method is given for the determination of vanadium based on oxidation of the V [IV] with a known excess of bromate to V[V]. The unreacted oxidant as well as V[V] are subsequently reduced with sulphurous acid to V [IV]. The resulting Br was potentiometrically titrated with Hg [I] using silver amalgam as the indicator electrode. The method finds application to the analysis of some binary and ternary mixtures