AIM: To study the sensitivity, specificity and cost effectiveness of barium meal follow through with pneumocolon (BMFTP) used as a screening modality for patients with chronic abdominal pain of luminal origin in de...AIM: To study the sensitivity, specificity and cost effectiveness of barium meal follow through with pneumocolon (BMFTP) used as a screening modality for patients with chronic abdominal pain of luminal origin in developing countries. METHODS: Fifty patients attending the Gastroenterology Unit, SMS Hospital, whose clinical evaluation revealed chronic abdominal pain of bowel origin were included in the study. After routine testing, BMFT, BMFTP, contrast enhanced computed tomography (CECT) of the abdomen, barium enema and colonoscopy were performed. The sensitivity, specificity and cost effectiveness of these imaging modalities in the detection of small and/or large bowel lesions were compared. RESULTS: Out of fifty patients, structural pathology was found in ten. Nine out of these ten patients had small bowel involvement while seven had colonic involvement alone or in combination with small bowel involvement. The sensitivity of BMFTP was 100% compared to 88.89% with BMFT when detecting small bowel involvement (BMFTP detected one additional patient with ileocecal involvement). The sensitivity and specificity of BMFTP for the detection of colonic pathology were 85.71% and 95.35% (41/43), respectively. Screening a patient with chronic abdominal pain (bowel origin) using a combination of BMFT and barium enema cost significantly more than BMFTP while their sensitivity was almost comparable. CONCLUSION: BMFTP should be included in the investigative workup of patients with chronic abdominal pain of luminal origin, where either multiple sites (small and large intestine) of involvement are suspected or the site is unclear on clinical grounds. BMFTP is an economical, quick and comfortable procedure which obviates the need for colonoscopy in the majority of patients.展开更多
X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis utilizes particle size which is resulted from milling of a material. The milling ensures uniform and fine grained powder. The finer and more uniform the particle size is, the better t...X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis utilizes particle size which is resulted from milling of a material. The milling ensures uniform and fine grained powder. The finer and more uniform the particle size is, the better the result and easier it is for material quality control. To ensure uniformity in particle size and finer powder, a comparative analysis was conducted with different grinding aids and pressed pellet method was used in obtaining analysis results. Pressed pellets of cement raw meal sample milled with different grinding aids (graphite, aspirin and lithium borate) were subjected to XRF. Graphite produced better particle size uniformity with a corresponding standard deviation that made quality control of raw meal easier and better than aspirin and lithium borate.展开更多
As one of the soil microorganisms, bacillus pasteurii exhibits good urease-produ-cing ability. A novel method is used to prepare BaCO3 crystals by the induction of bacillus pasteurii. The crystals have been characteri...As one of the soil microorganisms, bacillus pasteurii exhibits good urease-produ-cing ability. A novel method is used to prepare BaCO3 crystals by the induction of bacillus pasteurii. The crystals have been characterized by XRD, SEM and FT-IR. X-ray diffraction analysis quantified that the BaCO3 crystals obtained belong to the orthorhombic crystal system. Examination by scanning electron microscopy identified that the BaCO3 crystals have different morphologies under different preparation conditions. FT-IR indicated that surfactant EDTA had great effect on the morphology of BaCO3 crystals. Different morphology crystals had uniform distribution and integral shape. The forming mechanism and influence of EDTA on the morphology of BaCO3 crystals have been discussed.展开更多
The structure around Ti^(4+) in Bao-SiO_2 -B_2O_3-TiO_2 had been studied by X-ray fluorescence spectra. The results show that the Ti^(4+) mainly exists in the [TiO_4] and enters the network of [SiO_4]. [TiO_4] has the...The structure around Ti^(4+) in Bao-SiO_2 -B_2O_3-TiO_2 had been studied by X-ray fluorescence spectra. The results show that the Ti^(4+) mainly exists in the [TiO_4] and enters the network of [SiO_4]. [TiO_4] has the tendency to change to [TiO_6] with the increase of TiO_2 con-tent. When the TiO_2 content increases to about 20mol% the tendency reaches its maximum.展开更多
文摘AIM: To study the sensitivity, specificity and cost effectiveness of barium meal follow through with pneumocolon (BMFTP) used as a screening modality for patients with chronic abdominal pain of luminal origin in developing countries. METHODS: Fifty patients attending the Gastroenterology Unit, SMS Hospital, whose clinical evaluation revealed chronic abdominal pain of bowel origin were included in the study. After routine testing, BMFT, BMFTP, contrast enhanced computed tomography (CECT) of the abdomen, barium enema and colonoscopy were performed. The sensitivity, specificity and cost effectiveness of these imaging modalities in the detection of small and/or large bowel lesions were compared. RESULTS: Out of fifty patients, structural pathology was found in ten. Nine out of these ten patients had small bowel involvement while seven had colonic involvement alone or in combination with small bowel involvement. The sensitivity of BMFTP was 100% compared to 88.89% with BMFT when detecting small bowel involvement (BMFTP detected one additional patient with ileocecal involvement). The sensitivity and specificity of BMFTP for the detection of colonic pathology were 85.71% and 95.35% (41/43), respectively. Screening a patient with chronic abdominal pain (bowel origin) using a combination of BMFT and barium enema cost significantly more than BMFTP while their sensitivity was almost comparable. CONCLUSION: BMFTP should be included in the investigative workup of patients with chronic abdominal pain of luminal origin, where either multiple sites (small and large intestine) of involvement are suspected or the site is unclear on clinical grounds. BMFTP is an economical, quick and comfortable procedure which obviates the need for colonoscopy in the majority of patients.
文摘X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis utilizes particle size which is resulted from milling of a material. The milling ensures uniform and fine grained powder. The finer and more uniform the particle size is, the better the result and easier it is for material quality control. To ensure uniformity in particle size and finer powder, a comparative analysis was conducted with different grinding aids and pressed pellet method was used in obtaining analysis results. Pressed pellets of cement raw meal sample milled with different grinding aids (graphite, aspirin and lithium borate) were subjected to XRF. Graphite produced better particle size uniformity with a corresponding standard deviation that made quality control of raw meal easier and better than aspirin and lithium borate.
文摘As one of the soil microorganisms, bacillus pasteurii exhibits good urease-produ-cing ability. A novel method is used to prepare BaCO3 crystals by the induction of bacillus pasteurii. The crystals have been characterized by XRD, SEM and FT-IR. X-ray diffraction analysis quantified that the BaCO3 crystals obtained belong to the orthorhombic crystal system. Examination by scanning electron microscopy identified that the BaCO3 crystals have different morphologies under different preparation conditions. FT-IR indicated that surfactant EDTA had great effect on the morphology of BaCO3 crystals. Different morphology crystals had uniform distribution and integral shape. The forming mechanism and influence of EDTA on the morphology of BaCO3 crystals have been discussed.
文摘The structure around Ti^(4+) in Bao-SiO_2 -B_2O_3-TiO_2 had been studied by X-ray fluorescence spectra. The results show that the Ti^(4+) mainly exists in the [TiO_4] and enters the network of [SiO_4]. [TiO_4] has the tendency to change to [TiO_6] with the increase of TiO_2 con-tent. When the TiO_2 content increases to about 20mol% the tendency reaches its maximum.