Visual outcomes and astigmatism after sutureless, manual cataract extraction in rural China: study of cataract outcomes and up-take of services (SCOUTS) in the caring is hip project, report 1.

OBJECTIVE: To study the visual acuity and astigmatism of persons undergoing cataract extraction by local surgeons in rural China. METHODS: Visual acuity, keratometry, and refraction were measured 10 to 14 months postoperatively for all cataract cases during 4 months in Sanrao, China. RESULTS: Among 313 eligible subjects, 242 (77%) could be contacted, of whom 176 (73%) were examined. Of those who were examined, mean +/- SD age was 69.3 +/- 10.5 years, 66.5% were female, 35 had been operated on bilaterally at Sanrao, and 85.2% had a preoperative presenting visual acuity of 6/60 or worse. Presenting and best-corrected postoperative acuity in the eye that was operated on were 6/18 or better in 83.4% and 95.7%, respectively. Among 27 fellow eyes operated on elsewhere, 40.7% had a presenting acuity of 6/18 or better and 40.7% were blind (P < .001). Mean +/- SD postoperative astigmatism did not differ between 211 eyes that were operated on (-1.13 +/- 0.84 diopters) and 109 eyes that were not (-1.13 +/- 1.17 diopters; P = .27). Presence of operative complications (8.5%) and older age were associated with worse vision; bilateral surgery was associated with better vision. CONCLUSIONS: These results confirm the effectiveness of skill transfer in this setting, with superior outcomes to most studies in rural Asia and to eyes in this cohort operated on at other facilities.

Endothelial cell loss and surgically induced astigmatism after sutureless large-incision manual cataract extraction (SLIMCE).

OBJECTIVES:

To describe a modified manual cataract extraction technique, sutureless large-incision manual cataract extraction (SLIMCE), and to report its clinical outcomes.

METHODS:

Case notes of 50 consecutive patients with cataract surgery performed using the SLIMCE technique were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical outcomes 3 months after surgery were analyzed, including postoperative uncorrected visual acuity, best-corrected visual acuity, intraoperative and postoperative complications, endothelial cell loss, and surgically induced astigmatism using the vector analysis method.

RESULTS:

At the 3-month follow-up, all 50 patients had postoperative best-corrected visual acuity of at least 20/60, and 37 patients (74%) had visual acuity of at least 20/30. Uncorrected visual acuity was at least 20/68 in 28 patients (56%) and was between 20/80 and 20/200 in 22 patients (44%). No significant intraoperative complications were encountered, and sutureless wounds were achieved in all but 2 patients. At the 3-month follow-up, endothelial cell loss was 3.9%, and the mean surgically induced astigmatism was 0.69 diopter.

CONCLUSIONS:

SLIMCE is a safe and effective manual cataract extraction technique with low rates of surgically induced astigmatism and endothelial cell loss. In view of its low cost, SLIMCE may have a potential role in reducing cataract blindness in developing countries.

Magnitude differences in bioactive compounds, chemical functional groups, fatty acid profiles, nutrient degradation and digestion, molecular structure and metabolic characteristics of protein in newly developed yellow-seeded and black-seeded canola lines.

Recently, new lines of yellow-seeded (CS-Y) and black-seeded canola (CS-B) have been developed with chemical and structural alteration through modern breeding technology. However, no systematic study was found on the bioactive compounds, chemical functional groups, fatty acid profiles, inherent structure, nutrient degradation and absorption, or metabolic characteristics between the newly developed yellow- and black-seeded canola lines. This study aimed to systematically characterize chemical, structural, and nutritional features in these canola lines. The parameters accessed include bioactive compounds and antinutrition factors, chemical functional groups, detailed chemical and nutrient profiles, energy value, nutrient fractions, protein structure, degradation kinetics, intestinal digestion, true intestinal protein supply, and feed milk value. The results showed that the CS-Y line was lower (P ≤ 0.05) in neutral detergent fiber (122 vs 154 g/kg DM), acid detergent fiber (61 vs 99 g/kg DM), lignin (58 vs 77 g/kg DM), nonprotein nitrogen (56 vs 68 g/kg DM), and acid detergent insoluble protein (11 vs 35 g/kg DM) than the CS-B line. There was no difference in fatty acid profiles except C20:1 eicosenoic acid content (omega-9) which was in lower in the CS-Y line (P < 0.05) compared to the CS-B line. The glucosinolate compounds differed (P < 0.05) in terms of 4-pentenyl, phenylethyl, 3-CH3-indolyl, and 3-butenyl glucosinolates (2.9 vs 1.0 μmol/g) between the CS-Y and CS-B lines. For bioactive compounds, total polyphenols tended to be different (6.3 vs 7.2 g/kg DM), but there were no differences in erucic acid and condensed tannins with averages of 0.3 and 3.1 g/kg DM, respectively. When protein was portioned into five subfractions, significant differences were found in PA, PB1 (65 vs 79 g/kg CP), PB2, and PC fractions (10 vs 33 g/kg CP), indicating protein degradation and supply to small intestine differed between two new lines. In terms of protein structure spectral profile, there were no significant differences in functional groups of amides I and II, α helix, and β-sheet structure as well as their ratio between the two new lines, indicating no difference in protein structure makeup and conformation between the two lines. In terms of energy values, there were significant differences in total digestible nutrient (TDN; 149 vs 133 g/kg DM), metabolizable energy (ME; 58 vs 52 MJ/kg DM), and net energy for lactation (NEL; 42 vs 37 MJ/kg DM) between CS-Y and CS-B lines. For in situ rumen degradation kinetics, the two lines differed in soluble fraction (S; 284 vs 341 g/kg CP), potential degradation fraction (D; 672 vs 590 g/kg CP), and effective degraded organic matter (EDOM; 710 vs 684 g/kg OM), but no difference in degradation rate. CS-Y had higher digestibility of rumen bypass protein in the intestine than CS-B (566 vs 446 g/kg of RUP, P < 0.05). Modeling nutrient supply results showed that microbial protein synthesis (MCP; 148 vs 171 g/kg DM) and rumen protein degraded balance (DPB; 108 vs 127 g/kg DM) were lower in the CS-Y line, but there were no differences in total truly digested protein in small intestine (DVE) and feed milk value (FMV) between the two lines. In conclusion, the new yellow line had different nutritional, chemical, and structural features compared to the black line. CS-Y provided better nutrient utilization and availability.

Microbial transformations in phosphonate biosynthesis and catabolism, and their importance in nutrient cycling

Phosphorus cycling in the biosphere has traditionally been thought to involve almost exclusively transformations of the element in its pentavalent oxidation state. Recent evidence, however, suggests that a significant fraction of environmental phosphorus may exist in a more reduced form. Most abundant of these reduced phosphorus compounds are the phosphonates, with their direct carbon–phosphorus bonds, and striking progress has recently been made in elucidating the biochemistry of microbial phosphonate transformations. These advances are now presented in the context of their contribution to our understanding of phosphorus biogeochemistry and of such diverse fields as the productivity of the oceans, marine methanogenesis and the discovery of novel microbial antimetabolites.

The challenge of MNCs and development: oil extraction, CSR, Nigeria and corruption

Globalisation has led to a shift in world order with the rise of the corporate non-state actor. This rise has led to an assumption that Multi-National Corporations (MNCs) must assume responsibilities beyond profit maximisation for shareholders. With the rise of the MNC as a corporate non-state actor there have been discussions around the role of business with regard to human rights.

This article looks at the case of oil extraction in Nigeria. Focussing on the historical dependency of Nigeria and the evolution of the state into a resource-dependent country, it looks at the limitations of existing human rights obligations as they relate to business. This article proposes that corporate social responsibility (CSR) policies of MNCs can act as a preliminary stage in the quest for wider human rights protections. It is in motivating MNCs to design and implement effective CSR policies in dependent states like Nigeria, that the challenge lies.

Sediment metal bioavailability in Lake Taihu, China: evaluation of sequential extraction, DGT, and PBET techniques

The European “Community Bureau of Reference” (BCR) sequential extraction procedure, diffusive gradient in thin-films technique (DGT), and physiologically based extraction test were applied to assess metal bioavailability in sediments of Lake Taihu (n = 13). Findings from the three methods showed that Cd was a significant problem in the western lake whereas Cu, Zn, and Ni pollution was most severe in the northern lake. Results from the sequential extraction revealed that more than 50 % of the Cu and Zn were highly mobile and defined within the extractable fraction (AS1 + FM2 + OS3) in the majority of the sediments, in contrast extractable fractions of Ni and Cd were lower than 50 % in most of the sampling sites. Average Cu, Zn, Ni, and Cd bioaccessibilities were <50 % in the gastric phase. Zn and Cd bioaccessibility in the intestinal phase was ∼50 % lower than the gastric phase while bioaccessibilities of Cu and Ni were 47–57 % greater than the gastric phase. Linear regression analysis between DGT and BCR measurements indicated that the extractable fractions (AS1 + FM2 + OS3) in the reducing environment were the main source of DGT uptake, suggesting that DGT is a good in situ evaluation tool for metal bioavailability in sediments.