[ effect of radioactive lantern mantle powder and bentonite-zeoloite minerals on the volume of blood loss, bleeding and clotting time]

Over the past decade the US army has widely studied new technologies for stopping sever hemorrhages and has introduced an effective Zeolite based hemostatic agent. On the other hand, Mortazavi and his colleagues previously reported the bio-stimulatory effects of the topical application of radioactive lantern mantle powder on wound healing. Their subsequent studies showed significant changes in some histological parameters concerning healing. In this light, here the bio-stimulatory effect of burned radioactive lantern mantles powder as well as two minerals; bentonite and zeolite arepresented. This experimental study was conducted in the center for radiological studies, Shiraz university of Medical Sciences in 2008. Fifty male Wistar rats were divided randomly into 5 groups of 10 animals each. Following anesthesia, animals' tails were cut at a thickness of 5 mm by using a surgical scissor. No intervention was made on the animals of the 1[st] group. The 2[nd] group to 4[th] group received topical non-radioactive lantern mantle powder, radioactive lantern mantle powder, Bentonite mineral or a mixture of Bentonite-Zeoliteat minerals respectively. After treatment with above mentioned agents, the volume of blood loss was measured using a scaled test-tube. The bleeding time and clotting time were also measured using a chronometer. SPSS software was used for statistical analysis. ANOVA was used for comparing the means of each parameter in the 5 groups. The volume of blood loss, bleeding and clotting times in control animals were 4.39 +/- 1.92 cc, 112.10 +/- 39.60 sec and 94.9 +/- 54.26 sec, respectively. In the 5[th] group in which the animals were treated with a mixture of Bentonite-Zeoliteat minerals, the volume of blood loss, bleeding and clotting times were 1.31 +/- 0.60 cc, 34.50 +/- 4.65 sec and 24.2 +/- 4.61 sec, respectively. This is the 1[st] investigation that studied the alterations of bleeding and clotting times following the use of lantern mantle powder as well as bentonite or the mixture of bentonite-zeolite minerals. The results obtained in this study clearly show the significant effect of the volume of blood loss as well as the bleeding time following the topical use of the mixture of bentonite-zeolite minerals. The radioactive and non-radioactive lantern mantle and the bentonite mineral alone had considerable effects but overally the magnitude of the effect was less than that of the mixture of bentonite-zeolite minerals

[Comparison of the effects of drying processes: vacuum oven, freeze, solar and microwave with traditional method on the qualitative characteristics of the Iranian saffron]

Saffron, the world's most expensive condiment, is one of Iran's most important non-petroleum exports. The drying method is determinant of saffron quality and price in the world market. So, the aim of this study was the comparison of the effects of saffron dehydration methods, like vacuum oven, freeze, microwave and solar drying with traditional method. During this experimental study and for production of saffron flowers, one of the farms in Gonabad was selected randomly and the flowers were picked and mixed thoroughly, together. The morphological specifications, percentage of yield of the stigmas, chemical test [moisture, ash, total nitrogen and, acid insoluble ash] were determined. Stigmas were dried. After dehydration the moisture content, total ash, acid insoluble ash, water soluble extract, total nitrogen, crude fiber, crocin, picrocrocin, saffranal and sensory specifications [color, texture and odor] were determined. The results of chemical analysis indicated that the solar dried, vacuum oven dried and microwave dried samples had preferable color [crocine] outcomes. However, from aromatic point of view [saffranal] traditional sample had significant preference [P<0.05]. The amount of the picrocrocin [taste compounds] in samples did not have significant differences within each other. The results of sensory analysis indicated that, color of dried samples by solar, freeze and microwave methods, soluble color of dried samples by solar, freeze and vacuum oven had significant differences [P<0.05] that other methods. The results of the microbiological test of all dried samples were in Iranian standard levels except the traditional and freeze dried samples. Although the samples of four methods of drying were of high quality compared to the traditional samples, the solar drying method can be reasonably applied in rural area as suggested method of drying

Comparison of the effects of vacuum oven-, freeze-, solar-, and microwave- drying with traditional drying methods on the qualitative characteristics of ghaen saffron

Saffron, the world's most expensive condiment, is one of Iran's most important non-petroleum exports. Its annual production in the country is about 220-228 tons and its export value over 59-70 million USD [the price is 454-482 USD/kilogram]. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of different dehydration methods, including vacuum oven-, freeze-, microwave- and solar0drying methods with the traditional drying method on the characteristics of saffron and determine the most suitable method. The study was conducted in the National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Tehran, Iran between 2001 and 2002. The methodology was experimental. A farm in the safflower-growing region of Ghaen was selected randomly, and the flowers were picked and mixed thoroughly. The percentage yield of the stigmas, and the morphological and chemical [moisture, ash, total nitrogen and acid-insoluble ash] characteristics were determined. Stigmas were dried, followed by determinations of the moisture content, total ash, acid-insoluble ash, cold water-soluble extract, total nitrogen, crude fiber, crocin, picrocrocin, and saffranal. The total microbial, choliform, yeast, mold, and Esherishia coli counts were also measured in the dried samples. The results indicated that from the color [crocin] point of view the solar-, vacuum oven-, and microwave-dried samples were the best [p<0.05]. As regards the contents of saffranal and picrocrocin, responsible for aroma and taste, respectively, there were no significant differences among the dried samples. The results of the microbial tests on the dried samples indicated that all the samples except those dried using the traditional or the freeze-drying method, the counts conformed with the Iranian standards. Although all of the four non-traditional methods of drying were better than the traditional method, we recommend sun-drying as a suitable method in the rural areas where saffron is produced