Colonoscopy and flexible sigmoidoscopy for follow-up of patients with left-sided diverticulitis.

Introduction: The prevalence of diverticular disease has been increasing in the western world over the last few decades, causing a growing burden on health care systems. This study compared the uses of flexible sigmoidoscopy with colonoscopy as a follow-up investigation for patients diagnosed with acute left-sided diverticulitis and to evaluate the need for using either procedure.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective study of 327 patients diagnosed with acute diverticulitis was carried out.

A Physicochemical Study of Polypyrrole-Silica Nanocomposites by Inverse Gas Chromatography.

Three polypyrrole-silica nanocomposites were characterized by inverse gas chromatography (IGC) at 60 and 80degreesC using both linear and branched alkane probes. The IGC data for these materials were compared with those obtained for the ultrafine silica sol and polypyrrole (PPy) bulk powder reference materials. The London components of the surface energies (gammasd) of the nanocomposites were in the range 115-225 mJ m-2 at 60degreesC.