Synthesis and characterization of modified chitosan as a promising material for enterosorption of heavy metal ions.

Currently, an important ecological problem is environmental pollution and its negative impact on living organisms, the consequences of which are deterioration in general health and the manifestation of various diseases, poisoning, endo- and exotoxicosis. Enterosorption method was proposed as a promising method for removing toxic substances from the living organisms using enterosorbents which can absorb various toxic substances of endogenous and exogenous nature in the lumen of the gastrointestinal tract. It has been proposed to use polymer-containing enterosorbents for eliminating of heavy metals from the organism. The purpose of this research was to synthesize a quaternized derivative of chitosan, specifically N-(2-hydroxybenzyl)-N-ethyl-N-methyl chitosan chloride (Q-CHS). The synthesis of Q-CHS involved the formation of a Schiff base, followed by the quaternization of the amino group of chitosan (CHS). The structures of both pure CHS and quaternized CHS were studied using various physico-chemical methods, including FTIR, NMR, XRD, SEM, DSC and TGA analyses in order to determine the structure and confirm the formation of the final product.

Comparison of human papillomavirus testing and cervical cytology with colposcopic examination and biopsy in cervical cancer screening in a cohort of patients with Sjogren's syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate women with Sjögren Syndrome by using cervical cytology, colposcopic examination and HPV-DNA testing and to compare these findings with those obtained from the control group. METHOD: A total of 100 women, who were referred to Ege University, School of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology for cervical cytological screening between September 2004 and March 2005 and 33 of whom had Sjögren syndrome were included in this study. The patients were informed and subjected to cervical cytology, colposcopic examination and HPV-DNA testing. Colposcopic biopsy and endocervical canal curettage were carried out in cases of suspicious colposcopic examination and cytological findings. The findings obtained from 33 women with Sjögren syndrome and 67 subjects in the control group were compared. RESULTS: Normal cervical cytology was detected in five women (5.7%), while suspicious cervical cytology was reported in 62 women (92.5%) in the control group. The prevalence of normal cytology in patients with Sjögren syndrome was 93.9% (n = 31), where 6.1% (n = 2) of the women had suspicious cervical cytology findings. HPV-DNA findings were negative in 66 women (98.5%) in the control group, where the test result of one women (1.5%) was positive. HPV-DNA findings of patients with Sjögren syndrome were positive in one women (3%) and negative in 32 (97%). Colposcopic findings were normal in 63 women (94%) in the control group, where abnormal colposcopic findings were observed in four women (6%). Normal colposcopic findings were observed in 32 women (97%) with Sjögren syndrome, while pathological findings were recorded in one woman (3%). Suspicious cervical cytology, positive findings at colposcopic examination and biopsy and positive HPV-DNA tests were observed together in only one 40-year-old woman who was diagnosed with Sjögren syndrome for a period of four years. Prevalence of dyspareunia and vaginal dryness (atrophic vaginitis) symptoms were observed in Sjögren syndrome and control groups as 36.3% and 22.3%, respectively. CONCLUSION: No significant differences were observed between Sjögren syndrome and the control group who were evaluated by using cervical cytology, colposcopic examination and HPV-DNA tests. A higher prevalence of dyspareunia and vaginal dryness were observed in patients with Sjögren syndrome, yet this difference was not considered as significant with respect to either colposcopic or histopathological findings.