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AbstractBased on the condensation reaction between amino groups of either cyclophosphamide or ifosphamide with the carbonyl group of ninhydrin, giving coloured and fluorescent products, a spectrophotometric procedure for both drugs is suggested in the range from 30 to 90μg ml−1at 564 nm, with accuracies of 100.6 ± 1.06% and 100.8 ± 1.02% for cyclophosphamide and ifosphamide, respectively. Also, a spectrophotometric procedure for both drugs is proposed in the range from 1.2 to 3.6 μg ml−1at 465 nm and 485 nm for cyclophosphamide and ifosphamide, respectively, using 380 nm as an excitation wavelength for both drugs with accuracies of 100.4 ± 1.83% and 99.5 ± 1.64%, respectively. This condensation reaction, however, does not differentiate between the two isomeric drugs.Another new method is, therefore, suggested. It depends on the fact that the secondary amino group of ifosphamide is hindered electronically and sterically, while the nucleophilic amino group of cyclophosphamide reacts with the nitrosyl group of sodium nitroprusside molecule, giving a bluish green colour measurable at 708 nm. This colour is used for the determination of cyclophospahmide in the presence of its isomer ifophamide in the range from 0.2 to 1 mg ml−1with repeatability of 99.2 ± 1.49%.The suggested procedures are applied successfully to pharmaceutical formulations of cyclophosphamide and ifosphamide, and their validities are assessed by applying the standard addition technique. The results obtained by applying the proposed procedures are statistically analyzed and compared with those obtained by adopting the United States Pharmacopoeial method.

This is a numerical analysis of the steady-state Maxwell-Bloch equations in a Fabry-Perot cavity with standing waves, atomic detuning and cavity mistuning; the atoms are homogeneously broadened. In the Mean-Field Approximation (MFA) limit, the resulting output-input characteristics agree exactly with the analytical predictions for a ring cavity. This leads to the derivation of a state equation for the Fabry-Perot cavity in the MFA limit identical to that for a ring cavity. Agreement with the MFA within 4% are obtained when αL< 3, the mirror reflectivity is above 90%, and the cavity mistuning below 4% of its free spectral range. Simulations beyond the scope of the MFA are also made and the case of purely dispersive optical bistability is also considered.

A theoretical analysis of the fundamental problem of two-level atomic systems radiatively decaying and coupled to Fock state radiation fields is presented. First, for a broad-band Fock state field and for a single two-level atom the Einstein radiation rate equation is derived within a scheme of matter-field statistical decorrelation. This holds too for N> 1 “independent” two-level atoms. Second, for a single-mode Fock state field exact analytical solution for the atomic inversion, in the single-atom case, is derived within the rotating wave approximation. For N> 1 cooperative two-level atoms exact results are also derived in the steady state regime. In a thermodynamic limit where N→ ∞, the scaled atomic inversion is expressed as Poisson-Charlier polynomials. Connection with earlier results for coherent and incoherent (chaotic) state fields is made. Of mathematical interest: a formal expression for the cofactor elements in terms of the original elements of a triangular matrix is derived in appendix B.

Background: Weight has long been known to be a determinant of health and disease. Both overweight and underweight are associated with health consequences. We report the results of a community survey of underweight, obesity and overweight in two suburban communities in northern Nigeria. Methods: We studied an adult population sample in suburban northern Nigeria. Obesity was defined as BMI >30KgM-2 while overweight was defined as BMI > 25.0 but <30.0; and underweight was defined as BMI <18.5 KgM-2. Results: 317 subjects participated in the study, 267 (84.23%) were males and 50 (15.77%) females. Forty-one (13.1%) of the subjects had obesity, overweight occurred in 58 (18.5%) while underweight occurred in 21(6.7%) subjects. Conclusion: Both over-nutrition and under-nutrition are common in these communities with the former being more prevalent. Concerted efforts should be made to appropriately control the prevalence of overweight and obesity. (Int J Diabetes Metab 15:68-69, 2007)

Background: Obesity is the most important modifiable risk factor in the pathogenesis of type-2 diabetes reported in most cross-sectional studies. However, racial factors seem to be important in the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and glucose intolerance. Methods: Three-hundred and seventeen subjects participated in the study. Mean age of subjects was 35.0 + 9.8 years (33.0 + 9.6 among females and 36.2 + 9.6 among males p= 0.1007). Results: Female subjects had significantly higher BMI than their male counterparts, (26.6 + 7.2 kg/m2 versus 24.0 + 5.4 kg/m2 p=0.0341). Random blood sugar levels were, however, similar between males and females (85.2 + 27.0 mg/dl versus 85.9 + 14.7 mg/dl, p=0.8868). There was a positive but non significant correlation between casual blood sugar and BMI among female subjects (r= +0.1520, p>0.05). In the males however, there was no correlation between these variables (r= -0.0395, p>0.5). Conclusion: BMI is higher among females in this community and correlates with random blood glucose levels. Concerted efforts need to be made to address the issue of weight in this community within the framework of what is culturally acceptable. (Int J Diabetes Metab 14:144-145, 2006)

(Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2018;218(2):161–180)Approximately 15 million babies worldwide are born preterm every year. A short cervical length has high predictive accuracy for spontaneous preterm birth before 34 weeks’ gestation, and a lower predictive accuracy for spontaneous preterm birth before 37 weeks. A 2012 study found vaginal progesterone was associated with a reduction in risk of preterm birth between <28 weeks gestation and <35 weeks gestation, as well as a reduction in adverse neonatal outcomes, in pregnant women with a short cervix (≤25 mm). In 2016 a randomized controlled trial (RCT) published conflicting results and showed vaginal progesterone did not reduce the risk of preterm birth or perinatal morbidity. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine whether vaginal progesterone reduced the incidence of preterm birth in women with a singleton gestation and short cervix.