Clinico-pathological profile of acute promyelocytic leukaemia at Al-Amal oncology-haematology centre, Qatar

This cases series describes the profile of adult patients with acute promyelocytic leukaemia [APL] at a referral hospital in Qatar of 34 acute myeloid leukaemia [AML] cases diagnosed, 11 [32%] were classified as APL. Disseminated intravascular coagulation was common at presentation [91%]. Severe thrombocytopenia was seen in 73%, leukocytosis in 55% and severe anaemia in 45%. Only 2 patients were of the classic hypergranular type. In the remaining 9 patients, 3 morphological subtypes were recognized: microgranular variant [6 patients], hyperbasophilic [2 patients] and regular nuclear outline M3r [1 patient]. Translocation t[15;17] was detected in 63% of cases. APL constitutes a high proportion of AML cases in Qatar, with considerable morphological heterogeneity and a predominance of APL variants with unfavourable presenting features

Passive immunization of lambs through colostrum of ewes vaccinated E. Coli K99 vaccines

A total of 80 Barki lambs were fed on colostrum of 3 groups vaccinated dams by E. coli K99 vaccines and one group was Ieft non vaccinated as control. A total of 80 colostrum samples were collected at parturition time and blood samples were collected at different intervals, from the newborn lambs [born to vaccinated and non - vaccinated ewes]. The indirect method of ELISA technique and agglutination test were preformed for the detection of K99 antibodies in sera and colostrum samples. Vaccination of pregnant ewes during the late period of pregnancy, resulted in an increase of the K99 antibody levels in the colostrum samples when compared with that of non - vaccinated dams. The mean antibody reading of lamb serum samples showed a gradual increase during the first week of life. It reached the maximum level in samples of the 3[rd] to the 7[th] day of age. There was a decrease in the antibody titers later on, but a detectable level of antibody was still recorded up to 12[th] week after parturition. Lambs nursing ewes vaccinated with aluminum hydroxide formalin killed vaccine showed a significant abrupt rise in their K99 antibody levels, followed by those vaccinated with scourguard vaccine and then lambs nursing ewes vaccinated with irradiated vaccine

Colorimetric estimation of certain thione compounds of pharmaceutical importance

Simple and sensitive spectrophotometric method for the assay of ethionamide, thiopentone sodium and thiacetazone has been reported. The method is based on the formation of stable orange-coloured product with sodium nitroprusside in basic medium which exhibits absorption maxima at wavelengths of 510 nm, 480 nm and 470 nm for ethionamide, thiopentone sodium and thiacetazone respectively. The optimal experimental parameters for the colour production has been worked out. Conformity to Beer's law enables the assay of the studied drugs in their pharmaceutical dosage forms. Recoveries from bulk drugs were 99.99-100.00 with relative standard deviation of +/- 0.235-1.16. The obtained recoveries were in good agreement with those obtained by the official methods

Spectrophotometric determination of captopril in pharmaceutical preparations

Two simple and sensitive spectrophotometric methods for the estimation of captopril were presented. The first was based on the formation of stable charge-transfer complex between iodine monochloride [ICl], as sigma-acceptor, and captopril; Beer's law was obeyed in the concentration range 2-12 mug.ml -1. The second method involved the formation of a stable high colored radical anion of chloranilic acid [CA], as pi-acceptor, upon reaction with captopril; Beer's law was obeyed in the concentration range 0.4-8 mug.ml -1. The optimum experimental conditions in each case were determined. The proposed procedures have been successfully applied to the determination of captopril tablets and the results obtained showed a good agreement with those obtained by the official methods