The stratigraphy, sedimentology and syn-depositional tectonic events (SdTEs) of the Upper Cretaceous/ Paleogene (K–P) succession at four localities in north Eastern Desert (NED) of Egypt have been studied. These localities are distributed from south-southwest to north-northeast at Gebel Millaha, at North Wadi Qena, at Wadi El Dakhal, and at Saint Paul Monastery. Lithostratigraphically, four rock units have been recorded: Sudr Formation (Campanian–Maastrichtian); Dakhla Formation (Danian–Selandian); Tarawan Formation (Selandian–Thanetian) and Esna Formation (Thanetian–Ypresian). These rock units are not completely represented all over the study area because some of them are absent at certain sites and others have variable thicknesses. Biostratigrapgically, 18 planktonic foraminiferal zones have been recorded. These are in stratigraphic order: Globotruncana ventricosa Zone (Campanian); Gansserina gansseri, Contusotruncana contusa, Recimguembelina fructicosa, Pseudohastigerina hariaensis, Pseudohastigerina palpebra and Plummerita hantkenenoides zones (Maastrichtian); Praemurica incostans, Praemurica uncinata, Morozovella angulata and Praemurica carinata/Igorina albeari zones (Danian); Igorina albeari, Globanomanlina pseudomenradii/Parasubbotina variospira, Acarinina subsphaerica, Acarinina soldadoensis/ Globanomanlina pseudomenardii and Morozovella velascoensis zones (Selandian/Thantian); and Acarinina sibaiyaensis, Pseudohastigerina wilcoxensis/Morozovella velascoensis zones (earliest Ypresian). Sedimentologically, four sedimentary facies belts forming southwest gently-dipping slope to basin transect have been detected. They include tidal flats, outer shelf, slumped continental slope and open marine hemipelagic facies. This transect can be subdivided into a stable basin plain plus outer shelf in the extreme southwestern parts; and an unstable slope shelf platform in the northeastern parts. The unstable slope shelf platform is characterized by open marine hemipelagic, fine-grained limestones and fine siliciclastic shales (Sudr, Dakhla, Tarawan and Esna formations). The northeastern parts are marked by little contents of planktonic foraminifera and dolomitized, slumped carbonates, intercalated with basinal facies. Tectonically, four remarkable syn-depositional tectonic events (SdTEs) controlled the evolution of the studied succession. These events took place strongly within the Campanian–Ypresian time interval and were still active till Late Eocene. These events took place at: the Santonian/Campanian (S/C) boundary; the Campanian/Maastrichtian (C/M) boundary; the Cretaceous/Paleogene (K/P) boundary; and the Middle Paleocene–Early Eocene interval. These tectonic events are four pronounced phases in the tectonic history of the Syrian Arc System (SAS), the collision of the Afro-Arabian and Eurasian plates as well as the closure of the Tethys Sea.

The stratigraphy, sedimentology and syn-depositional tectonic events (SdTEs) of the Upper Cretaceous/ Paleogene (K–P) succession at four localities in north Eastern Desert (NED) of Egypt have been studied. These localities are distributed from south-southwest to north-northeast at Gebel Millaha, at North Wadi Qena, at Wadi El Dakhal, and at Saint Paul Monastery. Lithostratigraphically, four rock units have been recorded: Sudr Formation (Campanian–Maastrichtian); Dakhla Formation (Danian–Selandian); Tarawan Formation (Selandian–Thanetian) and Esna Formation (Thanetian–Ypresian). These rock units are not completely represented all over the study area because some of them are absent at certain sites and others have variable thicknesses. Biostratigrapgically, 18 planktonic foraminiferal zones have been recorded. These are in stratigraphic order: Globotruncana ventricosa Zone (Campanian); Gansserina gansseri, Contusotruncana contusa, Recimguembelina fructicosa, Pseudohastigerina hariaensis, Pseudohastigerina palpebra and Plummerita hantkenenoides zones (Maastrichtian); Praemurica incostans, Praemurica uncinata, Morozovella angulata and Praemurica carinata/Igorina albeari zones (Danian); Igorina albeari, Globanomanlina pseudomenradii/Parasubbotina variospira, Acarinina subsphaerica, Acarinina soldadoensis/ Globanomanlina pseudomenardii and Morozovella velascoensis zones (Selandian/Thantian); and Acarinina sibaiyaensis, Pseudohastigerina wilcoxensis/Morozovella velascoensis zones (earliest Ypresian). Sedimentologically, four sedimentary facies belts forming southwest gently-dipping slope to basin transect have been detected. They include tidal flats, outer shelf, slumped continental slope and open marine hemipelagic facies. This transect can be subdivided into a stable basin plain plus outer shelf in the extreme southwestern parts; and an unstable slope shelf platform in the northeastern parts. The unstable slope shelf platform is characterized by open marine hemipelagic, fine-grained limestones and fine siliciclastic shales (Sudr, Dakhla, Tarawan and Esna formations). The northeastern parts are marked by little contents of planktonic foraminifera and dolomitized, slumped carbonates, intercalated with basinal facies. Tectonically, four remarkable syn-depositional tectonic events (SdTEs) controlled the evolution of the studied succession. These events took place strongly within the Campanian–Ypresian time interval and were still active till Late Eocene. These events took place at: the Santonian/Campanian (S/C) boundary; the Campanian/Maastrichtian (C/M) boundary; the Cretaceous/Paleogene (K/P) boundary; and the Middle Paleocene–Early Eocene interval. These tectonic events are four pronounced phases in the tectonic history of the Syrian Arc System (SAS), the collision of the Afro-Arabian and Eurasian plates as well as the closure of the Tethys Sea.

The synthesis of indeno[2,1-e]pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyrazin-5-onewas achieved by intramolecular FriedeleCrafts reaction of the acid chloride 3-methyl-1,6-diphenyl-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-b] pyrazine-5-carboxylic acid chloride (4) using AlCl3 in boiling CS2. Compound 4 proved to be a versatile compound for the synthesis of several Indenopyrazolopyrazinone derivatives. The antibacterial and antifungal activities of selected derivatives were evaluated.

The synthesis of indeno[2,1-e]pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyrazin-5-onewas achieved by intramolecular FriedeleCrafts reaction of the acid chloride 3-methyl-1,6-diphenyl-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-b] pyrazine-5-carboxylic acid chloride (4) using AlCl3 in boiling CS2. Compound 4 proved to be a versatile compound for the synthesis of several Indenopyrazolopyrazinone derivatives. The antibacterial and antifungal activities of selected derivatives were evaluated.

FT Raman and IR spectra of the crystallized biologically active molecule, 5-Amino-3-methyl-1-phenyl- 1H-pyrazole-4-carbaldehyde (5-APHC, C11H11N3O) have been recorded and analyzed. The equilibrium geometry, bonding features and harmonic vibrational frequencies of 5-APHC have been investigated with the help of B3LYP density functional theory (DFT) method with 6-31G(d) and 6-311+G(d,p) as basis set. The calculated molecular geometry has been compared with the experimental data. The assignments of the vibrational spectra have been carried out with the help of normal coordinate analysis (NCA) following the scaled quantum mechanical force field (SQM) technique. The optimized geometry shows the co-planarity of the aldehyde group with pyrazole ring. Potential energy surface (PES) scan studies has also been carried out by ab initio calculations with B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) basis set. The red shifting of NH2 stretching wavenumber indicates the formation of N–H  O hydrogen bonding. 1H and 13C NMR spectra were recorded and 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance chemical shifts of the molecule were calculated using the gauge independent atomic orbital (GIAO) method. UV–Vis spectrum of the compound was recorded in the region 200–400 nm and the electronic properties HOMO and LUMO energies were calculated by time-dependent TD-DFT approach. Mulliken charges of the 5-APHC molecule was also calculated and interpreted.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men. The progression and invasion of PCa are normally mediated by the overexpression of chemokine receptors (CKRs) and the interaction between CKRs and their cognate ligands. We recently demonstrated that venom extracted from Walterinnesia aegyptia (WEV) either alone or in combination with silica nanoparticles (WEV+NP) mediated the growth arrest and apoptosis of breast cancer cells. In the present study, we evaluated the impact of WEV alone and WEV+NP on the migration, invasion, proliferation and apoptosis of prostate cancer cells. We found that WEV alone and WEV+NP decreased the viability of all cell types tested (PCa cells isolated from patient samples, PC3 cells and LNCaP cells) using an MTT assay. The IC(50) values were determined to be 10 and 5 μg/mL for WEV alone and WEV+NP, respectively. WEV+NP decreased the surface expression of the CKRs CXCR3, CXCR4, CXCR5 and CXCR6 to a greater extent than WEV alone and subsequently reduced migration and the invasion response of the cells to the cognate ligands of the CKRs (CXCL10, CXCL12, CXCL13 and CXCL16, respectively). Using a CFSE proliferation assay, we found that WEV+NP strongly inhibited epidermal growth factor-mediated PCa cell proliferation. Furthermore, analysis of the cell cycle indicated that WEV+NP strongly altered the cell cycle of PCa cells and enhanced the induction of apoptosis. Finally, we demonstrated that WEV+NP robustly decreased the expression of anti-apoptotic effectors, such as B cell Lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), B cell Lymphoma-extra large (Bcl-(XL) and myeloid cell leukemia sequence-1 (Mcl-1), and increased the expression of pro-apoptotic effectors, such as Bcl-2 homologous antagonist/killer (Bak), Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) and Bcl-2-interacting mediator of cell death (Bim). WEV+NP also altered the membrane potential of mitochondria in the PCa cells. Our data reveal the potential of nanoparticle-sustained delivery of snake venom as effective treatments for prostate cancer.

Optical transmittance measurements near the absorption edge of [Kx(NH4)1x]2ZnCl4 mixed crystals, where x ¼ 0.00, 0.232, 0.522, 0.644, 0.859 and 1.00, are reported over 276–350K range. Analysis reveals that the type of transition is the indirect allowed one. The absorption edge shifted towards lower energy with increasing temperature. It is shown that [Kx(NH4)1x]2ZnCl4 mixed crystals with xp0.644 reveal a phase transition at 319 K, this phase disappeared at high concentrations of K+ ions. The steepness parameter is given, its value is used to estimate the temperature dependence of the indirect energy gap. In the region of the absorption edge, the absorption coefficient obeys Urbach’s rule. Urbach parameters are investigated as a function of temperature. r 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optical transmittance measurements near the absorption edge of [Kx(NH4)1x]2ZnCl4 mixed crystals, where x ¼ 0.00, 0.232, 0.522, 0.644, 0.859 and 1.00, are reported over 276–350K range. Analysis reveals that the type of transition is the indirect allowed one. The absorption edge shifted towards lower energy with increasing temperature. It is shown that [Kx(NH4)1x]2ZnCl4 mixed crystals with xp0.644 reveal a phase transition at 319 K, this phase disappeared at high concentrations of K+ ions. The steepness parameter is given, its value is used to estimate the temperature dependence of the indirect energy gap. In the region of the absorption edge, the absorption coefficient obeys Urbach’s rule. Urbach parameters are investigated as a function of temperature. r 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optical transmittance measurements near the absorption edge of [Kx(NH4)1x]2ZnCl4 mixed crystals, where x ¼ 0.00, 0.232, 0.522, 0.644, 0.859 and 1.00, are reported over 276–350K range. Analysis reveals that the type of transition is the indirect allowed one. The absorption edge shifted towards lower energy with increasing temperature. It is shown that [Kx(NH4)1x]2ZnCl4 mixed crystals with xp0.644 reveal a phase transition at 319 K, this phase disappeared at high concentrations of K+ ions. The steepness parameter is given, its value is used to estimate the temperature dependence of the indirect energy gap. In the region of the absorption edge, the absorption coefficient obeys Urbach’s rule. Urbach parameters are investigated as a function of temperature. r 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.