Changes in visual function after intraocular pressure reduction using antiglaucoma medications

Purpose To evaluate the change in visual function after starting glaucoma treatment and correlate this to a decrease in intraocular pressure (IOP) in primary open-angle glaucoma patients.Methods A prospective, randomized clinical trial was carried out involving 54 glaucoma patients (54 eyes). After inclusion, patients randomly received timolol maleate 0.5%, brimonidine tartrate 0.2%, or travoprost 0.004% in one randomly selected eye. Patients underwent Goldmann applanation tonometry, visual acuity test, standard automated perimetry (SAP), visual quality perception test (visual analogue scale), and contrast sensitivity (CS) test, in a random order before and after the 4-week glaucoma treatment.Results There were statistically significant changes in IOP (mean change [standard deviation], 7.8 [3.6] mmHg, P 0.001), SAP mean deviation index (0.84 [2.45] dB, P = 0.02), visual quality perception (0.56 [1.93], P = 0.045), and CS at frequencies of 12 cycles/degree (0.10 [0.37], P = 0.03) and 18 cycles/degree (0.18 [0.42], P = 0.02) after the 4-week treatment when compared with baseline. No statistically significant differences were found between the treatment groups in visual function changes after treatment (P > 0.40). No significant correlations between IOP reduction and changes in visual function were found (P > 0.30).Conclusions Visual quality perception, visual field mean deviation index, and CS at higher frequencies improve after starting glaucoma therapy. However, no correlation was found between IOP reduction and changes in visual function, and no differences were found in visual function when the three medications studied were compared. Eye (2009) 23, 1081-1085; doi:10.1038/eye.2008.226; published online 1 August 2008Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Glaucoma Serv, Dept Ophthalmol, BR-01404001 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Glaucoma Serv, Dept Ophthalmol, BR-01404001 São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

A922 Sequential measurement of 1 hour creatinine clearance (1-CRCL) in critically ill patients at risk of acute kidney injury (AKI)

Meeting abstrac

PESQUISA DE SALMONELLA EM MUTUNS (Mitu mitu) MANTIDOS EM CATIVEIRO

We collected 50 samples of curasow feces from the Scientific and Cultural Breeding Center in the city of Poços de Caldas. The samples were enriched in broth medium Tetrationato and Cystine-selenite and plated on Salmonella Shigella (SS), Mac Conkey (MC), endo-C (EC), Brilliant Green (VB) and Eosyn Methilen Blue EMB, remaining at 37 °C for 24h. Colonies suspected of Salmonella were inoculated in tubes containing Agar Triple Sugar Iron (TSI) and again incubated at 37 ºC for 24h. Tubes with characteristic growth were submitted to slide agglutination test with polyvalent somatic and flagellar serum. The medium SS, MC and VB were the most efficient for growing, and 36% of samples were positive for Salmonella spp. As birds are important reservoirs of Salmonella spp and it may represent a high risk to human health, there is a need to implement a cleaning routine in enclosures avoiding contamination between the enclosures and the consequent entrainment of these micro-organisms, by the keepers until their homes or other venues. The presence of Salmonella in breeding centers may be responsible for lower hatchability of eggs, undermining the purpose of the entity, which is to study and maintain the various birds species.Foram colhidas 50 amostras de fezes de mutuns do Criadouro Científico e Cultural Poços de Caldas. A amostras foram enriquecidas em meio caldo Tetrationato e Selenito-Cistina e plaqueadas em Salmonella Shigella (SS), Mac Conkey (MC), Endo-C (EC), Verde Brilhante (VB) e Eosina Azul de Metileno (EMB), a 37º C por 24h. Colônias suspeitas de Salmonella spp foram inoculadas em tubos contendo Ágar Tríplice Açúcar Ferro (TSI) e incubadas a 37 ºC por 24 h. Os tubos com crescimento característico foram submetidas ao teste de aglutinação em lâmina com soros polivalentes somático e flagelar. Os meios SS, MC e VB foram os mais eficientes para o cultivo, sendo 6% das amostras, positivas para Salmonella spp. Sabendo-se que as aves são reservatórios importantes de spp e que esta pode representar um alto risco para a saúde humana, há a necessidade de implantação de uma rotina de limpeza dos recintos para evitar contaminação entre os recintos e o consequente carreamento destes micro-organismos, pelos tratadores, até suas residências ou outros recintos. A presença da Salmonella spp em criadouros pode ser responsável pela menor eclodibilidade dos ovos, prejudicando o objetivo da entidade, que visa o estudo e a manutenção das diferentes espécies de aves silvestres.Universidade de São Paulo, USP - Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootenia, Pirassununga, SP, BrasilZooparque, Itatiba, SP, BrasilPontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais (PUC Minas), Poços de Caldas, MG, BrasilUniversidade Estadual Paulista, UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil.Universidade Estadual Paulista, Jaboticabal, SP, Brasil

Fluoride content and recharge ability of five glassionomer dental materials

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The relationship between fluoride content and fluoride release for glass-ionomer cements is not well understood. The aim of this laboratory study was: to determine the fluoride concentrations at the surfaces of glass-ionomer materials with respect to different storage media and different pH environments; to examine the recharge ability of the materials after NaF immersion; and to assess the morphological changes at the material surfaces using scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive spectroscopic techniques (SEM/EDS).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Five glass-ionomer materials, Fuji Triage (FT), Fuji II LC (FII), Fuji VIII (FVIII), Fuji IX GP (FIX), and Ketac N100 (KN), were analyzed in this study. Resin-based fluoride releasing material Helioseal F (HSF) was used as a comparison material. The sample consisted of 120 cured cement disks (n = 20 disks of each tested material, 10 × 1.5 mm). Five disks of each material were stored in 4 different storage media (I- saline, II- acidic solution ph = 2.5, III- acid solution ph = 5.5, IV- NaF solution (c = 500/106). After 7 days, two disks of each material were transferred from media I, II and III to the NaF solution for 3 min. EDS analysis was conducted in 3 randomly selected spots of each experimental disk. SEM was used to determine morphological characteristics of the material surface. Differences between the experimental groups have been analyzed using Student's t-test with the level of significance set at p < 0.001.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>FT showed the highest fluoride content at the surface of the material. The lowest amounts of fluoride ions were detected at the surfaces of the FT disks stored at low pH environments, and this difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Glass-ionomers showed significantly higher fluoride concentrations when compared to the HSF (p < 0.001). After immersion in the NaF solution, fluoride concentrations at the surfaces of the disks increased when compared with previous storage media (FT>FVIII>KN>FII>FIX). SEM analysis of the surface morphology revealed numerous voids, cracks and microporosities in all experimental groups, except for KN and HSF. More homogenous material structure with more discrete cracks was observed in samples stored at neutral pH environment, compared to disks stored in acidic solutions.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The tested materials could be considered as promising dental materials with potential prophylactic characteristics due to their relatively high fluoride content, but also the ability to extensively reabsorb fluoride ions, especially in acidic environments.</p

Single nucleus genome sequencing reveals high similarity among nuclei of an endomycorrhizal fungus

Nuclei of arbuscular endomycorrhizal fungi have been described as highly diverse due to their asexual nature and absence of a single cell stage with only one nucleus. This has raised fundamental questions concerning speciation, selection and transmission of the genetic make-up to next generations. Although this concept has become textbook knowledge, it is only based on studying a few loci, including 45S rDNA. To provide a more comprehensive insight into the genetic makeup of arbuscular endomycorrhizal fungi, we applied de novo genome sequencing of individual nuclei of Rhizophagus irregularis. This revealed a surprisingly low level of polymorphism between nuclei. In contrast, within a nucleus, the 45S rDNA repeat unit turned out to be highly diverged. This finding demystifies a long-lasting hypothesis on the complex genetic makeup of arbuscular endomycorrhizal fungi. Subsequent genome assembly resulted in the first draft reference genome sequence of an arbuscular endomycorrhizal fungus. Its length is 141 Mbps, representing over 27,000 protein-coding gene models. We used the genomic sequence to reinvestigate the phylogenetic relationships of Rhizophagus irregularis with other fungal phyla. This unambiguously demonstrated that Glomeromycota are more closely related to Mucoromycotina than to its postulated sister Dikarya

CHEOPS in-flight performance: A comprehensive look at the first 3.5 years of operations

CHEOPS is a space telescope specifically designed to monitor transiting exoplanets orbiting bright stars. In September 2023, CHEOPS completed its nominal mission and remains in excellent operational conditions. The mission has been extended until the end of 2026. Scientific and instrumental data have been collected throughout in-orbit commissioning and nominal operations, enabling a comprehensive analysis of the mission's performance. In this article, we present the results of this analysis with a twofold goal. First, we aim to inform the scientific community about the present status of the mission and what can be expected as the instrument ages. Secondly, we intend for this publication to serve as a legacy document for future missions, providing insights and lessons learned from the successful operation of CHEOPS. To evaluate the instrument performance in flight, we developed a comprehensive monitoring and characterisation programme. It consists of dedicated observations that allow us to characterise the instrument's response. In addition to the standard collection of nominal science and housekeeping data, these observations provide input for detecting, modelling, and correcting instrument systematics, discovering and addressing anomalies, and comparing the instrument's actual performance with expectations. The precision of the CHEOPS measurements has enabled the mission objectives to be met and exceeded. Careful modelling of the instrumental systematics allows the data quality to be significantly improved during the light curve analysis phase, resulting in more precise scientific measurements. CHEOPS is compliant with the driving scientific requirements of the mission. Although visible, the ageing of the instrument has not affected the mission's performance.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysic