Sonochemical approach for synthesis of zinc oxide-poly methyl methacrylate hybrid nanoparticles and its application in corrosion inhibition.

Hybrid nanoparticles (HNPs) with zinc oxide and polymethyl metha acrylate (inorganic/ polymer) were synthesized through the exploitation of ultrasound approach. The synthesized HNPs were further characterized employing transmission electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction. ZnO-PMMA based HNPs exhibit excellent protection properties to mild steel from corrosion when gets exposed to acidic condition. Electrochemical impendence spectroscopy (EIS) analysis was accomplished to evaluate the corrosion inhibition performance of MS panel coated with 2 wt% or 4 wt% of HNPs and its comparison with bare panel and that of loaded with only standard epoxy coating., Tafel plot and Nyquist plot analysis depicted that the corrosion current density (Icorr) decreases from 16.7 A/m2 for bare material to 0.103 A/m2 for 4% coating of HNPs. Applied potential (Ecorr) values shifted from negative to positive side. These results were further supported by qualitative analysis. The images taken over a period of time indicated the increase in lifetime of MS panel from 2 to 3 days for bare panel to 10 days for HNPs coated panel, showing that ZnO-PMMA HNPs have potential application in metal protection from corrosion by forming a passive layer.

An 81 Year Old with Back Pain.

You see an 81-year-old man in the emergency department. He has been troubled by abdominal and back pain that has been worsening over the last two days. He has smoked 20 cigarettes a day for the last 60 years. On examination his heart rate is 110 beats per minute and his blood pressure is 130/80 mmhg. He is tender over the central abdomen and you feel a pulsatile mass above the umbilicus. You request a CT scan of the abdomen.

68-Year-Old Man with PR Bleed.

A 68-year-old man is referred to the colorectal clinic by his GP. He has lost 10 kg in weight over the last two months. He also noticed that his bowel motions have been loose and sometimes contain blood. You review the full blood count and faecal occult blood test the GP requested. What should you do next?

Giant colonic diverticulum: an unusual abdominal lump.

Giant colonic diverticulum is a rare complication of diverticular disease of the colon and is thought to result, in most cases, from a "ball-valve" effect. The presentation and clinical course can be variable and confusing. The most common symptoms are abdominal pain and a palpable abdominal lump, with many patients presenting acutely with complications such as perforation and peritonitis. Preoperative diagnosis requires a high degree of suspicion and needs to be differentiated from sigmoid volvulus, caecal volvulus, intestinal duplication cyst, pneumatosis cystoidis intestinalis, and similar conditions. A plain x-ray and computed tomography (CT) scan of the abdomen shows a huge air-filled cyst termed "balloon sign" and confirms the diagnosis. The barium enema shows a communication with the bowel in most cases. In view of the high incidence of complications, treatment is advised even in asymptomatic cases and consists of excision of the cyst with resection of the adjacent colon with primary anastomosis. This treatment would, in most cases, be a sigmoid colectomy. Percutaneous drainage and Hartmann's procedure may be appropriate in some cases who present with a well-formed abscess or gross fecal peritonitis, respectively. A case is described, and the literature is reviewed.

Expectant management of haemoperitoneum.

Nonoperative management was successful in 81 of the 90 patients including two patients with penetrating injury. Nine patients were operated on after an initial period of observation, eight because of continued bleeding and one because of features of peritonitis. There were four deaths. These were due to multisystem injuries and not directly related to haemoperitoneum alone. Nonoperative management is a relatively safe and effective method in management of selected cases of haemoperitoneum.

A comparative study of intravesical instillation of 15(s) 15 Me alpha and alum in the management of persistent hematuria of vesical origin.

A prospective randomized, controlled study was done to compare the efficacy and safety of 15(s) 15 Me PGF2 alpha intravesical instillation and 1% alum vesical irrigation in the control of vesical hematuria which persisted even after continuous bladder irrigation with normal saline for 24 hours. Ten patients were treated with 15(s) 15 Me PGF2 alpha intravesical instillation in a dose of 1 mg daily for a maximum of 5 days. Six patients had complete cessation of macroscopic hematuria and partial control was seen in another 2 patients. Failure of control was seen in 2 patients. Nine patients were treated with 1% alum irrigation of bladder at a rate of 5 ml/min for a maximum period of 72 hours. Complete cessation of hematuria occurred in 6 patients and partial control in the other 3 patients. Bladder spasms was a common side effect of both drugs (19/19). Frequent catheter blockade (7/9) and recurrence of bleeding (3/9) were also seen with alum therapy. No systemic side effects occurred during therapy with both drugs. Alum, due to its safety and efficacy remains the drug of first choice for persistent vesical hematuria. High cost, low availability and stringent storage conditions are drawbacks for routine use of 15(s) 15 Me PGF2 alpha, however, PGF2 alpha promises to be a safe and effective alternative method and might be of great value in cases of alum failure as observed in two of our cases (9 and 10).

Control of persistent vesical bleeding due to radiation cystitis by intravesical application of 15 (S) 15-methyl prostaglandin F2-alpha.

A 45 year old female who received radiotherapy for stage II-B uterine cervical cancer four and half years ago, presented with persistent hematuria due to radiation cystitis. 15 (S)-15-methyl prostaglandin F2-alpha (1 mg in 100 ml of normal saline) was instilled into the bladder daily for two days. The severity of bleeding decreased considerably. However, significant hematuria recurred 19 days later which continued despite bladder irrigation with normal saline. 1 mg of 15 (S) 15-Me PGF2 alpha mixed with hydroxyethyl cellulose gel to a volume of 10 ml was then instilled into the urinary bladder daily for three days and macroscopic hematuria ceased. Urinary frequency and urgency were the side effects which lasted for ten days. There has been no recurrence of macroscopic hematuria during the five months follow-up. In conclusion, 15 (S) 15-Me PGF2-alpha may be administered intravesically to control moderate hematuria due to radiation cystitis.