Peptic ulcer characteristics in oral opium and non-opium user patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) is a frequent medical issue. The primary risk factors for bleeding peptic ulcers are Helicobacter pylori infection and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The association between acute gastric/duodenal ulcer and opium use has been previously proposed; however, there is no available data on endoscopic findings of patients with acute UGIB who use opium. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the present descriptive cross-sectional study, endoscopic data of 50 consecutive patients with oral opium use and 50 consecutive patients without any opium use who were admitted for UGIB were recorded. The size (5-10 mm, 11-20 mm, or more than 20 mm), number (single, double, or multiple), and location of the ulcers (esophagus, gastric corpus including the fundus and body, antrum, angulus, or duodenum) were examined by endoscopy in both groups. RESULTS: Three or more ulcers were observed in 46% and 16% of patients with oral opium use and without opium use, respectively (P-value = 0.001). The rate of giant ulcers (> 20 mm) was significantly higher in patients who used oral opium (40% vs. 12%; P-value = 0.007). Esophageal ulcers were also more common in oral opium users (30%) than non-users (8%) with UGIB (P-value = 0.01). Nevertheless, the location of the ulcers between the two groups generally was not statistically different. CONCLUSIONS: This study has demonstrated that multiple, large peptic ulcers in GIB are potential complications of oral opium use. This could aid the needed modifications in the treatment protocol for these patients.

Green synthesis of Ag-ZnO nanocomposites using Trigonella foenum-graecum leaf extract and their antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant and photocatalytic properties.

In the present study, biological synthesis of Ag-ZnO nanocomposites was performed using hydroalcoholic extract of fenugreek leaves. Metal/semiconductor oxide nanocomposites are excellent owing to their optical, electrical, magnetic, and chemical properties that are not detected in single individual constituents. The synthesized Ag-ZnO nanocomposites were investigated through the use of methods such as FTIR, UV vis DRS, SEM-EDX, TEM, XRD, zeta potential analysis, and DLS. The synthesized Ag-ZnO nanocomposites had an average particle size of about 75 nm and a zeta potential of -37.5 mV. The XRD results confirmed that Ag was successfully introduced into the Ag-ZnO nanocomposites via a hydrothermal method. The antimicrobial and antifungal activities of Ag-ZnO nanocomposites were evaluated by agar well diffusion method against three microbial and fungal strains; it was found that the Ag-ZnO nanocomposites were toxic against all the tested microbial and fungal strains. Ag-ZnO nanocomposites was observed to have significant antioxidant activity against DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) free radicals. The Ag-ZnO nanocomposites exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity and stability against the degradation of malachite green under visible light irradiation. The study successfully applied a simple and eco-friendly method for synthesizing efficient multifunctional Ag-ZnO nanocomposites using green synthetic approach.

Green Biosynthesis of Spherical Silver Nanoparticles by Using Date Palm (Phoenix Dactylifera) Fruit Extract and Study of Their Antibacterial and Catalytic Activities.

In this work, we have synthesized spherical silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) by a low-cost, rapid, simple and ecofriendly approach using Date palm fruit extract as a novel natural reducing and stabilizing agent. The product was characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy and Zeta potential measurements. The reaction conditions including time, content of reducing agent and silver nitrate, temperature and pH were investigated. The optimum yield of Ag NPs was obtained when 10 mM of silver nitrate was reacted with Date fruit extract at pH 11 and heated it to 55 °C within 10 minutes. The elemental and crystalline nature of Ag NPs were confirmed from EDX and XRD analysis. SEM and TEM images showed that the Ag NPs were spherical and with sizes in the range of 25-60 nm. On the base of FT-IR analysis, it can be stated that the functional groups present in bio-molecules of Date fruits are responsible for the reduction and stabilization of Ag NPs, respectively. The Ag NPs showed good antibacterial activity against a few human pathogenic bacteria. The catalytic activity of the Ag NPs for rapid and efficient reduction of toxic nitro compounds into less toxic corresponding amines by using NaBH4 was also investigated.