Effects of diosmine-hesperidine on experimental colonic anastomosis.

AIM: Our goal was to determine the effects of a diosmine-hesperidine combination on wound healing in a rat model of colonic anastomosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, 20 Wistar Albino female rats were randomized into four experimental groups containing five rats in each group. A segment of 1 cm of colon was excised 4 cm proximally to the peritoneal reflection in all rats without carrying out any mechanical or antibacterial bowel preparation. Colonic anastomosis was performed with interrupted, inverting sutures of 6/0 polypropylene. Beginning from the first postoperative day, the rats in Groups II and IV received 100 mg/kg per day of diosmine-hesperidine via orogastic route by 4F fine feeding catheter. RESULTS: A significant difference was detected between groups in terms of their hydroxyproline levels (p<0.05); the hydroxyproline level of Group I was significantly lower than that of the other groups while no significant difference was noted between Groups II and III. CONCLUSION: The administration of diosmine-hesperidine increased the amount of collagen and bursting pressures at the anastomotic site and thus had favorable influences on the healing of colonic anastomosis (Tab. 1, Fig. 3, Ref. 33).

Modified barley straw as a potential biosorbent for removal of copper ions from aqueous solution.

Barley straw (BS), a very low-cost material, has been utilized as a biosorbent material for the removal of copper (Cu(2+)) ions from aqueous solutions after treatment with citric acid. Barley straw was thermochemically modified with citric acid (CA-BS) for the purpose of improving the Cu(2+) ion sorption capacity of the straw. Biosorption studies have been carried out to determine the effect of pH, adsorbent concentration, contact time, extent of modification, and adsorbate concentration on the biosorption capacity of Cu(2+) ions by the esterified straw. The equilibrium sorption capacities of Cu(2+) were 4.64 mg/g and 31.71 mg/g for BS and CA-BS, respectively. The optimum pH for the removal of Cu(2+) ions by CA-BS was around pH 7.0 and the removal of Cu(2+) ions was 88.1%. Langmuir, Freundlich, Scatchard and D-R (Dubinin-Radushkevich) isotherms have been used to characterize the observed biosorption phenomena of Cu(2+) ions on CA-BS. The carboxyl groups on the surface of the modified barley straw were primarily responsible for the sorption of Cu(2+) ions.

Assessment of minimal mitral regurgitation: comparative study with Doppler echocardiography and ventriculography.

This study was designed to assess color Doppler echocardiographic parameters in subjects with minimal mitral regurgitation (MR) in an otherwise normal heart. Study cases were selected during a five month period from 2500 young males with an echocardiographic indication on the basis of subjects' complaints and physical examination. Left ventriculography was performed and subjects were dichotomized into group-1 (n = 30) if there was angiographically MR and into group-2 (n = 30) if they were intact. Patients in group-1 were described as to have 'true MR' and MR flow in group-2 was named 'physiological'. Doppler echocardiographic variables of true and physiological MR are compared to each other. The following echocardiographic variables were significantly different between group-1 and group-2: 1) the ratio of the max. duration of MR/mean systolic interval in parasternal long axis (0.710 +/- 0.244 vs 0.430 +/- 0.268, respectively, p < 0.001), 2) the ratio of the maximum duration of MR/mean systolic interval in apical four chamber view (0.550 +/- 0.361 vs 0.317 +/- 0.272 respectively, p = 0.007), 3) the peak velocity of the regurgitant flow in parasternal log axis (180 +/- 77 vs 120 +/- 69, respectively, p = 0.003), 4) the regurgitant jet area in parasternal long axis (0.813 +/- 0.651 vs 0.411 +/- 0.431, respectively, p = 0.007). The maximal duration of MR/mean systolic time interval > or = 0.6, regurgitant jet area > or = 0.4 cm2, and regurgitant peak velocity > or = 130 cm/sec. in parasternal long axis dichotomize the cases into true with a predictive value of 76%, 67% and 63%, respectively.