Total Methane and CO2 Emissions from Liquefied Natural Gas Carrier Ships: The First Primary Measurements.

Mitigating methane emissions is vital in meeting global climate targets, but there is a lack of understanding of emissions and abatement opportunities to enable this. The natural gas supply chain is a key emission source, where methane emissions from liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipping have until now not been directly measured. This study provides the first measurement and modeling of total methane and CO2 emissions from an LNG carrier on a round trip voyage from the USA to Belgium and back, including loading, laden voyage, unloading, and ballast voyage, measuring emissions from exhaust stacks, vents, and fugitives. Venting and fugitive emissions were extremely low, contributing less than 0.1% of total greenhouse gas emissions. CO2 emissions from fuel usage were also lower than previous estimates due to improved efficiencies in modern engines and ship design. However, methane slip through the engines were higher than those in prior studies, averaging 3.8% across all engines: equating to 0.1% of delivered LNG. Generator engines are not typically included in emissions analyses but were the key cause of methane emissions. Engines exhibited higher methane slip rates at low loads, and optimized operation could reduce slip rates by half. More measurement studies are now needed to better understand fleet emissions and enable cost-effective mitigation strategies.

Where the Methane Is-Insights from Novel Airborne LiDAR Measurements Combined with Ground Survey Data.

Airborne LiDAR measurements, parallel controlled releases, and on-site optical gas imaging (OGI) survey and pneumatic device count data from 1 year prior, were combined to derive a new measurement-based methane inventory for oil and gas facilities in British Columbia, Canada. Results reveal a surprising distinction in the higher magnitudes, different types, and smaller number of sources seen by the plane versus OGI. Combined data suggest methane emissions are 1.6-2.2 times current federal inventory estimates. More importantly, analysis of high-resolution geo-located aerial imagery, facility schematics, and equipment counts allowed attribution to major source types revealing key drivers of this difference. More than half of emissions were attributed to three main sources: tanks (24%), reciprocating compressors (15%), and unlit flares (13%). These are the sources driving upstream oil and gas methane emissions, and specifically, where emerging regulations must focus to achieve meaningful reductions. Pneumatics accounted for 20%, but this contribution is lower than recent Canadian and U.S. inventory estimates, possibly reflecting a growing shift toward more low- and zero-emitting devices. The stark difference in the aerial and OGI results indicates key gaps in current inventories and suggests that policy and regulations relying on OGI surveys alone may risk missing a significant portion of emissions.

Factors affecting final functional outcomes in open-globe injuries and use of ocular trauma score as a predictive tool in Nepalese population.

BACKGROUND: Open globe injury (OGI) is one of the most devastating form of ocular trauma. The aim of the study is to identify the epidemiology and predict visual outcomes in traumatic open globe injuries using ocular trauma score (OTS) and correlate with final visual acuity (VA) at 3 months. METHODS: Patients older than 5 years, presenting to B.P. Koirala Lions Centre for Ophthalmic Studies (BPKLCOS) from March 2016- March 2017 with OGI that met inclusion criteria were evaluated. Patient profile, nature and cause of injury, and time to presentation were recorded. Patients were managed accordingly and followed up to 3 months. An OTS score for each patient was calculated and raw scores were categorized accordingly. The VA after 3 months were compared to the predicted OTS values. RESULTS: Seventy-three eyes of 72 patients were examined. 76 % were male, and the mean age was 26.17 years (median, 23.5 years). The mean time from injury to presentation was < 6 hours (30 patients, 41 %). Thirty-seven eyes (51 %) had zone I trauma, followed by twenty eyes (27 %) with zone II, and sixteen eyes (22 %) with zone III trauma. Sixty-five patients (90 %) were managed surgically, and fifty (68 %) received intravitreal antibiotics with steroid. When compared, the projected VA as per OTS were able to predict actual final visual outcomes in 60 % of the eyes with OGI of various zones. CONCLUSIONS: OTS can be an accurate predictive tool for final visual acuity even with a short follow up period of 3 months; with poor presenting visual acuity, delayed presentation, posterior zones of injury, need for intravitreal injections, endophthalmitis, and globe rupture associated with poorer prognosis.

Visual outcomes of the surgical rehabilitative process following open globe injury repair.

Background: The path of rehabilitation of an eye after open globe injury (OGI) may require multiple additional secondary surgeries after the initial repair. Although much has been studied regarding the outcomes of secondary surgeries after open globe repair, it can be challenging to understand the possible implications of the surgical rehabilitative process. This retrospective study considers the benefits of the required additional secondary surgeries for a consecutive series of OGI patients. Methods: OGI patients who had at least one additional surgery after the initial open globe repair (OGR) were studied retrospectively. Additional inclusion criteria included: follow up of at least 12 months since the initial injury and at least 3 months since their most recent surgery, and no additional planned interventions. Preoperative visual acuity was compared to final visual acuity. Additionally, the odds of achieving ambulatory vision (≥20/800) and reading vision (≥20/40) were calculated after each indicated consecutive surgery. Results: A cohort of 74 eyes from 73 patients met our inclusion criteria. These patients underwent a mean of two additional surgeries. The mean logMAR VA improved from 2.3 (HM) at presentation to 1.4 (20/150), or a 9-line Snellen equivalent improvement. Upon reaching their final visit status, 50% of patients had achieved ambulatory vision and 30% of patients had achieved reading vision. The odds of achieving ambulatory vision after completion of all the rehabilitative surgical process compared to the vision prior to the secondary rehabilitative surgery were higher (OR: 19.1, 95% CI: 7.9 - 30.4, p = 0.0008) as were the odds of achieving reading vision (OR: 4.6, 95% CI: 0.2 - 9.0, p = 0.04). With subsequent second, third, and fourth additional surgeries, the odds of achieving either ambulatory or reading vision at the final visit compared to their preoperative visual acuities were not significant (p > 0.05) but the visual acuity continued to trend toward visual improvement. Conclusion: Approximately 50% of individuals who required additional surgery at UMN achieved ambulatory vision and 30% achieved reading vision. The odds of visual improvement through the surgical rehabilitative process were very high, with the greatest gains generally achieved after the first surgery.

Influence of adding edible termite flour to Ogi powder: its chemical and phytochemical composition.

Ogi, a traditional staple food made from submerged fermented cereal grains, is high in carbohydrates and low in protein. It is essential to conduct this research because termite flour (TF) addition may affect other quality aspects in addition to increasing protein content. Using 100 g of Ogi powder as a control sample, the chemical and phytochemical content of Ogi developed from blends of Ogi powder (OP) (50-100 g) with termite flour (TF) (10-50 g) was assessed using standard methods. The average proximate composition of the supplemented Ogi powder was 9.89% moisture, 3.87% fat, 2.59% crude fiber, 2.42% ash, 15.82% protein, and 65.41% total carbohydrates. Zinc is 3.19 mg/100 g while iron is 2.03 mg/100 g on average. Phytate (0.12 mg/100 g), oxalate (0.06 mg/100 g), saponin (0.73 mg/100 g), and tannin (0.02 mg/100 g) are phytochemical constituents. Though, supplemented Ogi powder of higher protein, ash, and iron contents than those of the control sample could be achieved by blending 50.0 g of OP with 50.0 g TF, 75.0 g of OP with 58.3 g TF, and 39.6 g OP with 30 g TF. However, blending 52.31% Ogi powder and 43.58% termite flour could produce a supplemented Ogi powder with nutritional and phytochemical constituents than those of the control sample. While the product could help lower the rate of protein-energy malnutrition, the supplemented Ogi powder's amino acid, and carotenoid profiles need to be assessed.

The continuous treatment of anterior segment open globe injury: an eye injury vitrectomy study.

Background: The prognostic significance of debridement has long been demonstrated for trauma in tissues other than ocular. Unfortunately, the impact of wound healing in the anterior segment (AS) was not paid as much attention as in the posterior segment (PS). This study aims to evaluate whether a better prognosis can be obtained from continuous surgical treatment (CST) before fibrosis or scar formation in an open AS injury. Methods: In this prospective comparative cohort study, 19 eyes of 19 patients with an experience of AS open globe injury (OGI) were selected from the database of the eye injury vitrectomy study (EIVS) from January 1, 2020 to July 31, 2021. Of 19 patients, 9 who received CST were assigned to group 1, and 10 patients without CST after the initial wound repair were included in group 2. Comparison between the two groups was conducted in the final best corrected visual acuity (BCVA). Significant AS complications after injury were evaluated with χ2 test. The corneal leucoma area ratio, astigmatism, and the score of AS abnormalities were analyzed using the Student's t-test. Results: The differences of baseline clinical factors between the two groups were not statistically significant. The final BCVA was better in group 1 than in group 2 (P=0.011). The complications directly caused by AS injury, namely adhesive corneal leucoma, uneven anterior chamber, block of light passing through the pupil, and fibrosis or scarring, were more frequent in group 2 than in group 1 (P=0.011, 0.022, 0.037, and 0.040, respectively). Secondary glaucoma (3 cases) and severe AS structure destruction (2 cases) occurred only in group 2 (P=0.037 and 0.474, respectively). The area ratio of leucoma (0.79±0.44, 0.82±0.50, respectively) and corneal astigmatism (3.69±1.90, 4.50±4.80, respectively) revealed no statistical significance between the two groups. On the other hand, the score of AS abnormalities, mean values being 93.33±11.18 for group 1 and 67.00±29.46 for group 2, was statistically different (P=0.022). Conclusions: Initiating CST before fibrosis or scar formation might improve the prognosis of open AS injury, which was preferable to natural wound healing after wound repair.

Predictors of Long-term Ophthalmic Complications after Closed Globe Injuries Using the Intelligent Research in Sight (IRIS®) Registry.

Purpose: To identify clinical factors associated with the need for future surgical intervention following closed globe ocular trauma. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Subjects Participants and/or Controls: Patients in the American Academy of Ophthalmology Intelligent Research in Sight (IRIS®) Registry with a diagnosis of closed globe ocular trauma occurring between 2013 and 2019, identified using International Classification of Disease, 10th Revision and Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine codes. Methods: Diagnosis codes were used to identify multiple concomitant diagnoses present on the date of closed globe ocular trauma. Survival analyses were performed for each outcome of interest, and linear regression was used to identify clinical factors associated with the risk of surgical intervention. Main Outcome Measures: Outcomes included retinal break treatment, retinal detachment (RD) repair, retinal break treatment or RD repair, glaucoma surgery, and cataract surgery. Results: Of the 206 807 patients with closed globe ocular trauma, 9648 underwent surgical intervention during the follow-up period (mean, 444 days): 1697 (0.8%) had RD repair, 1658 (0.8%) had retinal break treatment, 600 (0.3%) had glaucoma surgery, and 5693 (2.8%) had cataract surgery. Traumatic cataract was the strongest risk factor for cataract surgery (hazard ratio, 13.0; 95% confidence interval, 10.8-15.6), traumatic hyphema showed highest risk for glaucoma surgery (7.24; 4.60-11.4), and vitreous hemorrhage was the strongest risk factor for retinal break treatment and detachment repair (11.01; 9.18-13.2 and 14.2; 11.5-17.6, respectively) during the first 60 days after trauma date. Vitreous hemorrhage was a risk factor for cataract surgery at > 60 days after trauma date only. Iris-angle injury was the strongest risk factor for glaucoma surgery > 60 days after trauma, while vitreous hemorrhage remained the strongest factor for retinal break treatment and detachment repair at > 60 days. Traumatic hyphema was a risk factor for all surgical outcomes during all follow-up intervals. Conclusions: Diagnosis of concomitant traumatic cataract, vitreous hemorrhage, traumatic hyphema, and other risk factors may increase the likelihood of requiring surgical intervention after closed globe ocular trauma.

Analysis of accidents caused by human factors in the oil and gas industry using the HFACS-OGI framework.

Objectives. Human factors have been identified as the most common causes of catastrophic accidents in the oil and gas industry. Therefore, this study aims to analyze human causal factors of accidents in the oil and gas industry using the human factors analysis and classification system for the oil and gas industry (HFACS-OGI) framework. Methods. This study involved quantitative data collection for 184 accident cases in the oil and gas industry that occurred from 2013 to 2017 from the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (IOGP) database. The causal factors of these accidents were coded using the HFACS-OGI framework. Accident data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the χ2 test. Results. Study findings reveal that 23% of all accidents were recorded in 2013. Thirty-two percent of accidents occurred in Asia, while 69% of accidents were recorded in onshore locations. Contractors were involved in 86% of accidents, while 28% of accidents occurred during drilling, workover and well services. The contractor's work environment was the main human factor in 90% of accident cases. Conclusion. The HFACS-OGI framework proves to be a vital tool for robust accident analysis of human factors in the oil and gas industry.

Open Globe Injury (OGI) with a Presence of an Intraocular Foreign Body (IOFB)-Epidemiology, Management, and Risk Factors in Long Term Follow-Up.

The purpose of the study was to evaluate visual outcomes and consider management strategies in the eyes with an intraocular foreign body (IOFB). In a single-center, retrospective case-control study, 36 eyes of 36 patients who suffered from open globe injury (OGI) with IOFB were admitted to the Department of Vitreoretinal Surgery of Medical University of Lublin, Poland from January 2015 to December 2020. Most frequent primary procedure was the pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with IOFB removal (n = 28). Retinal detachment (RD) developed in nine eyes soon after injury or as a further complication. Recurrent retinal detachment occurred in eight of these nine cases. Final VA 0.1 or better was observed in 21 eyes (58%). Fifteen patients had BCVA of less than 0.1. One eye was not included in the final VA assessment due to the short follow-up period. In 25 out of 28 patients who underwent any kind of pars plana vitrectomy (ppV) a BCVA of <0.4 was observed. The prognosis after an IOFB injury is uncertain due to multiple factors in a peri- and postoperative period. Factors predisposing to poor visual outcomes are: IOFB localization in the posterior segment, retinal detachment, vitreous hemorrhage and prolonged silicone oil tamponade.

Fermented maize slurry (Ogi) and its supernatant (Omidun) mitigate elevated intraocular pressure by modulating BDNF expression and glial plasticity in the retina-gut axis of glaucomatous rats.

OBJECTIVES: Growing interest has been reported on the health benefits of fermented foods, which includes cognition enhancement and inflammation attenuation. BDNF is a known protectant against retinal degeneration, however, therapies that target this neurotrophic factor has been limited. Therefore, we assessed the reaction of BDNF and glial cells in glaucomatous rats and their response to treatment with fermented maize products. METHODS: Thirty male adult rats were either injected via the episcleral vein with hypertonic saline to elevate intraocular pressure (IOP) or treated with fermented maize slurry (Ogi) or its supernatant (Omidun). Following sacrifice, the retina and duodenum were studied by immunohistochemical analysis using antibodies directed against GFAP, AIF-1 and BDNF. RESULTS: Hypertonic saline injection produced hypertrophy of the Müller cells and increased GFAP and AIF-1 expression in the retina and gut when compared to the control. Treatment with Ogi and Omidun produced varying degrees of reduction of gliosis, protection against hypertonic saline-induced retinal ganglion cell loss, and reduced intraocular pressure. BDNF expression was downregulated following the hypertonic saline assault, while Omidun and Ogi treatment abrogated its reduction following the hypertonic saline assault. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, our findings suggest that acute elevation of IOP alters crosstalk between gut and retina with consequent aberrant activation of glial cells; and that probiotic bacteria like the lactic acid bacteria rich in fermented foods including Ogi and Omidun may offer neuroprotection to the ganglionic cells by attenuating the retinal glial reaction and improving BDNF activity.

Case series: Two cases of severe retinal cicatricial contraction after vitrectomy for open-globe injury in patients with skin keloid.

PURPOSE: To report two cases of severe retinal cicatricial contraction after vitrectomy for open-globe injury in patients with skin keloid. OBSERVATIONS: One was a 33-year-old male patient who developed severe retinal cicatricial contraction 6.5 months post-operatively, and his skin wound was observed with keloid simultaneously. The second case was a 36-year-old male patient who developed recurrent retinal detachment 1 week after the two operations, and keloid was also found on his skin. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPORTANCE: Retinal detachment is a vision-threatening complication of open-globe injury. Besides most of the already known factors, skin keloid should be concerned.

Metataxonomic analysis of bacterial communities and mycotoxin reduction during processing of three millet varieties into ogi, a fermented cereal beverage.

Ogi is a fermented cereal beverage, made primarily from maize (Zea mays) and rarely from millets. Unlike maize-based ogi, little is known about the bacterial community and mycotoxin profile during the production of millet-based ogi. Therefore, the bacterial community dynamics and mycotoxin reduction during ogi processing from three millet varieties were investigated using next-generation sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, respectively. A total of 1163 amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) were obtained, with ASV diversity across time intervals influenced by processing stage and millet variety. ASV distribution among samples suggested that the souring stage was more influenced by millet variety than the steeping stage, and that souring may be crucial for the quality attributes of the ogi. Furthermore, bacterial community structure during steeping and souring was significantly differentiated (PERMANOVA, P < 0.05) between varieties, with close associations observed for closely-related millet varieties. Taxonomically, Firmicutes, followed by Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Cyanobacteria and Proteobacteria phyla were relatively abundant (>1%). Lactic acid bacteria, such as Burkholderia-Caballeronia-Paraburkholderia, Lactobacillus, Lactococcus and Pediococcus, dominated most fermentation stages, suggesting their roles as key fermentative and functional bacteria in relation to mycotoxin reduction. About 52-100%, 58-100% and 100% reductions in mycotoxin (aflatoxins, beauvericin, citrinin, moniliformin, sterigmatocystin and zearalenone) concentrations were recorded after processing of white fonio, brown fonio and finger millet, respectively, into ogi. This study provides new knowledge of the dominant bacterial genera vital for the improvement of millet-based ogi through starter culture development and as well, elucidates the role of processing in reducing mycotoxins in millet ogi.

Genomic, biochemical and microbial evaluation of probiotic potentials of bacterial isolates from fermented sorghum products.

Fermented products, including Ogi-baba and Pito, provide several health benefits, particularly when probiotics are used in the fermentation process. Probiotic microorganisms exert strain-specific health-promoting activities on humans and animals. The objective of this study was to investigate the probiotic potentials of Lactic-acid bacteria (LAB) isolates from indigenous fermented sorghum products (Ogi-baba and Pito). The LAB isolates were screened for potential probiotic properties by antagonistic activity against eight enteropathogenic clinical bacteria isolates (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella sp., Helicobacter pylori, Bacillus sp., Staphylococcus sp., Salmonella sp., Pseudomonas sp. and Listeria monocytogenes) as indicator organisms using the agar well diffusion technique. The organisms were also screened for acidity, bile tolerance, antibiotic susceptibility, production of lactic acid, diacetyl and hydrogen peroxide. ß-galactosidase assay was also done. Genomic DNA was extracted from the two selected LAB isolates; the 16S rRNA were amplified and sequenced. The sequence data were subjected to Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) and molecular phylogenetic analyses to identify the isolates. The isolates were identified as strains of Lactobacillus plantarum and Pediococcus pentosaceus. The sequence data for these two isolates were submitted to the Genbank with accession numbers KP883298 and KP883297 respectively. The P. pentosaceus strain (PB2) strain exhibited ß-galactosidase activity as well as L. plantrum strain (OB6). The study revealed exceptional probiotic potentials of two LAB namely Lactobacillus plantarum strain (OB6) and Pediococcus pentosaceus strain (PB2) isolated from fermented sorghum products, Ogi-baba and Pito respectively. Hence, the two LAB strains may be potentially used as probiotic to prevent some enteropathogen-induced gastrointestinal disorders; reduce the incidence of respiratory tract infections and for the management of lactose in intolerance.

Study of Sexual-Linked Genes (OGI and MeGI) on the Performance of Androecious Persimmons (Diospyros kaki Thunb.).

It is reported that the production of floral sexual phenotype in hexaploid monoecious persimmon (Diospyros kaki) is closely related to a pseudogene called OGI, and a short interspersed nuclear element (SINE)-like insertion (named Kali) in the OGI promoter leads to the gene silence. As a result, DNA methylation level of MeGI promoter determines the development of male or female flowers. However, the molecular mechanism in androecious D. kaki, which only bear male flowers, remains elusive. Here, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), molecular cloning, and bisulfite PCR sequencing technique were carried out using 87 materials, including 56 androecious resources, 15 monoecious, and 16 gynoecious cultivars, to investigate the performance of OGI and MeGI on the specific androecious type of D. kaki in China. In conclusion, the Kali insertion was exactly located in the OGI promoter region, and the OGI gene and the Kali sequence were existing and conserved in androecious D. kaki. Meanwhile, we also demonstrated that the MeGI gene was widespread in our investigated samples. Ultimately, our result convincingly provided evidence that the low expression of OGI is probably ascribed to the presence of Kali displaying strong methylation in the OGI promoter, and low expression of MeGI, as well as high DNA methylation level, in the promoter was closely connected with the production of male flowers; this result was consistent with the monoecious persimmon model. Our findings provide predominant genetic aspects for investigation into androecious D. kaki, and future perfecting the sex-determining mechanisms in persimmon.

Nutritional Properties of Ogi Powder and Sensory Perception of Ogi Porridge Made From Synthetic Provitamin: A Maize Genotype.

Provitamin-A maize (PVA) with increased carotenoid content obtained through conventional breeding techniques has been largely successful in sub-Saharan Africa. This resulted in a need to evaluate their susceptibility, retention, and nutritional content during processing into local foods. This study evaluated the chemical, carotenoid composition, and retention of PVA, the phytic acid content in ogi powder, and the sensory perception of ogi porridge produced traditionally from the three novel PVA maize genotypes (PVA SYN HGAC0 Maize 1; PVA SYN HGBC0 Maize 2; and PVA SYN HGBC1 Maize 3) and one yellow maize variety (control). Chemical composition analyses showed significant differences (p < 0.05) in all parameters. The PVA ranged from 5.96 to 8.43 µg/g in Maize 2 and 3 before processing while the true percentage retention after processing into ogi powder ranged from 20.25 to 37.54% in Maize 1 and 2, respectively. In addition, there was a reduction in the phytate content of ogi powder, and Maize 2 contained the lowest (2.78 mg/g from 4.09 mg/g). Maize 2 genotype had the highest vitamin A contribution; it can meet 18.3% of the vitamin A requirements in children while in adult males and females (>19 years), 6.2 and 7.7%, respectively. Sensory evaluation showed that the ogi 3 porridge (Maize 3) was the most acceptable, followed by Maize 2. In conclusion, Maize 2 had the highest PVA, true retention of carotenoid, vitamin A contributions, and the second most acceptable ogi porridge with the lowest phytate content.

Pediatric open globe injury in left-behind children treated by pars plana vitrectomy in China.

BACKGROUND: To analyze the clinical features of pediatric open globe injury (OGI) in left-behind children (LBC) and in non-left-behind children (non-LBC) prospectively. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with OGI were included and divided into 2 groups: LBC and non-LBC. A complete ophthalmological examination was performed. Primary wound repair was completed within 8 hours from initial administration. Pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) was subsequently performed for retained intraocular foreign body (IOFB), endophthalmitis, retinal detachment, or non-clearing vitreous hemorrhage. RESULTS: A total of 96 patients (4 to 15 years old) were recruited, including 54 LBC and 42 non-LBC. Rupture of the eyeball (P<0.001), endophthalmitis (P<0.001), primary hospitalization time (PHT) over 24 hours (PHT >24 h) (P=0.016), traumatic cataract (P=0.013), vitreous hemorrhage (P=0.040), numbers of surgeries (P<0.001), and lower OTS scores and grades (P<0.001) predisposed patients to poorer final visual acuity (VA). Compared with non-LBC, LBC were significantly younger (P<0.001), had lower OTS scores (P=0.020), had longer PHT (P<0.001), and worse baseline (P=0.011) and final VA (P<0.001). The 3 most common injury sources were pencils (20 cases, 20.8%), knives (11 cases, 11.5%), and iron wire (7 cases, 7.3%). Pencils were the major injury source for IOFB (14 cases, 53.8%). LBC were significantly more likely to be injured by instruments which should be routinely kept away from children (P=0.009). CONCLUSIONS: The prognosis of pediatric OGI was worse in LBC than in non-LBC. It is necessary to improve the guardianship of LBC. Many tragedies may be avoided if adult instruments are properly stored and if children are educated to properly use writing devices.

Relationship of Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte and Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio With Visual Acuity After Surgical Repair of Open Globe Injury.

Purpose: To assess the relationship and prognostic value of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) with poor final best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) after surgical repair of open globe injuries (OGI) in adults. Design: Retrospective analysis of data from an ongoing prospective cohort of consecutive patients. Methods: In a tertiary university hospital, 197 eyes of 197 patients were included between 2013 and 2017. NLR and PLR were obtained from pre-operative blood tests to analyze its relationship with poor final BCVA. Results: Severe visual impairment (SVI) was defined as ≤20/200, and was observed in 96 (48.7%) patients after surgical repair of OGI. SVI patients had higher NLR (7.4 ± 6.6 vs. 4.0 ± 3.2, p < 0.001), and PLR (167 ± 92 vs. 139 ± 64; p = 0.021) than non-SVI. NLR ≥ 3.47 and PLR ≥ 112.2 were the best cut-off values for SVI, were univariate risk factors for SVI, and had sensitivity: 69.0, 71.4, and specificity: 63.6, 44.8, respectively. In multivariate analysis, only OTS, athalamia, and hyphema remained as risk factors. NLR had significant correlation with ocular trauma score (OTS) (r = -0.389, p < 0.001) and final BCVA (r = 0.345, p < 0.001). Limitations: Simultaneous trauma in other parts of the body that could influence the laboratory findings. Conclusion: Patients with SVI after a repaired OGI had increased pre-operative NLR and PLR levels. High NLR and PLR are risk factors for SVI in univariate analysis. It is confirmed that low OTS is a risk factor for SVI. High NLR and PLR could be used as a prognostic tool to identify patients at higher risk for SVI after repair of OGI.

A non-interventional observational study to identify and validate clinical outcome assessments for adults with phenylketonuria for use in clinical trials.

INTRODUCTION: Current clinical outcome assessments (COAs) are not effectively capturing the complex array of symptoms of adults with phenylketonuria (PKU). This study aimed to identify concepts of interest relevant to adults with PKU. Based on these concepts, COAs for patient-reported outcomes (PROs), observer-reported outcomes (ObsROs), and clinician-reported outcomes (ClinROs) were selected or developed and content validity was assessed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Concept-elicitation interviews were conducted with an international cohort of adults with PKU (n = 30), family member observers (n = 14), and clinical experts (n = 8). Observers and clinical experts were included to overcome the risk of lack of self-awareness among adults with PKU. The concepts of interests endorsed by ≥30% of patients, observers, and/or clinical experts were selected, mapped to items in existing COAs, and used to develop global impression items for patients, observers, and clinicians. Next, the content validity of the COAs and global impression items was evaluated by cognitive interviews with patients (n = 22), observers (n = 11), and clinical experts (n = 8). All patients were categorized according to blood phenylalanine (Phe) levels (i.e., <600 µmol/L, 600-1200 µmol/L, and >1200 µmol/L). RESULTS: Concepts of interests were identified across four domains: emotional, cognitive, physical, and behavioral. After mapping, eight existing COAs were selected based on the concept coverage (six PROs, one ObsRO, and one ClinRO). The six PRO measures were considered as potentially fit-for-purpose. The ObsRO measure was not deemed relevant for use in observers of adults with PKU and only a subscale of the ClinRO measure was considered valid for assessing adults with PKU by clinicians. Due to the lack of existing COAs covering all concepts of interests, global impression items for symptom severity and change in symptoms were developed, which were limited to one question covering in total 14 concepts. Upon validation, some of the patient and observer global impression items were excluded as they were subject to lack of insight or could not be reported by observers. Due to the limited interaction time between clinician and patient, use of the clinician global impression items was not supported. CONCLUSION: Existing COAs relevant to adults with PKU were selected and PKU-specific global impression items were developed by mapping the most frequently identified concepts of interests from internationally-conducted in-depth interviews. Future studies should address the appropriateness of the selected COAs and global impression items to assess if these can be used as efficacy endpoints in PKU clinical trials.

A Kampo Medicine, Boi-ogi-to, Inhibits Obesity in Ovariectomized Rats.

In women facing menopause, end of menstrual activity is accompanied by lower levels of estrogen and gradual weight gain. Postmenopausal weight gain sounds an alarm for women's health and may lead to hyperlipidemia, a lipid increase and glucose intolerance. These phenomena are connected to lifestyle-related diseases such as hypertension, type II diabetes mellitus, arteriosclerosis and metabolic syndrome, making it essential to prevent weight gain in women. A Kampo medicine, Boi-ogi-to, is traditionally used to treat obese conditions, but the mechanism has not yet been investigated. In this experiment, we tested the antiobesity properties of Boi-ogi-to in ovariectomized rats by measuring changes of serum cytokine levels and adipocytokines in fat cells. After treatment with this extract for 6 weeks (20-week-old rats), we found that there was a significant weight decrease in rats treated with Boi-ogi-to as compared with that in the control group. Serum tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α levels increased significantly in a dose-dependent manner. Gene expression of adipose tissue in uterus also dose dependently showed a significant increase of TNF-α levels, suggesting that secretion of TNF-α by fat cells might play a role in the ability of Boi-ogi-to to inhibit weight gain. While peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor-γ and adiponectin levels did not show a significant difference as compared with those in the control, levels of mRNA expression showed a tendency to increase dose dependently. Resistin did not show any significant change. These results suggest that Boi-ogi-to might be useful for the prevention of obesity that occurs in women with reduction of estrogen.

Potentials of rice as a suitable alternative for the production of ogi (a cereal-based starchy fermented gruel).

In the present study, the physicochemical and sensory properties of ogi (a cereal-based starchy fermented gruel) produced from two local rice varieties, Abakaliki and Tapa, were determined. Ogi from white maize served as the control. There was a gradual increase in temperature from approximately 28 to 30 °C during fermentation. White maize exhibited the highest acidity level throughout the fermentation period. Tapa and Abakaliki rice ogi samples (i.e., TRO and ARO, respectively) were higher in yields and amylose contents than white maize ogi (WMO). WMO had significantly (P < 0.05) lower moisture content (54.14%) than ARO (62.18%) and TRO (68.02%). The highest and lowest sedimentation rates recorded for WMO and TRO, respectively, were attributed to difference in moisture contents and granule bulk densities. WMO showed higher solubility indices (3.54 to 4.66%) at all the temperatures (60 to 100 °C) tested. TRO and ARO had higher final and setback viscosities, as well as pasting temperatures than WMO, but were lower in breakdown viscosity. Ogi samples from rice recorded significantly (P < 0.05) higher L* values and distinct color characteristics with reference to a sample from maize, and this was suspected to have partially influenced their higher preference by the panelists during sensory evaluation. Rice is not just suitable for ogi production but looks promising to enjoy even more consumer acceptability than maize in this respect. However, there are notable peculiarities, such as major roles attributable to amylose contents. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The study confirms the potential of rice as a promising alternative to white maize in the production of ogi while comparing the quality attributes of products from the two cereal types. Results from the study represent useful scientific insights into the distinct variations in some properties of rice and maize during fermentation. Production of ogi from rice, such as Abakaliki and Tapa varieties, may present an effective strategy to support government's political will aimed at promoting local rice in Nigeria and in Africa at large.