Ocular complications of Garcinia cambogia extract diet pills: Case report.

BACKGROUND: Garcinia cambogia contains hydroxycitric acid. Hydroxycitric acid is a potent competitive inhibitor of adenosine triphosphate citrate lyase which is a key enzyme in the synthesis of fatty acids. Hydroxycitric acid also regulates the level of serotonin. In these regards, hydroxycitric acid has been reported to exhibit weight loss activity. Adverse reactions of G. cambogia from numerous clinical studies demonstrated relatively mild reactions. However, there are some complications of G. cambogia reported in the past: acute liver injury, acute hepatitis, and hepatic failure. However, ocular complications of G. cambogia have not been reported yet. CASE PRESENTATION: A 35-year-old female visited our clinic with decreased vision in the left eye and ocular pain in both eyes for the last 6 days. She also complained of headache, dizziness, and nausea. She had taken G. cambogia extract more than the recommended dose. There was myopic shift with anterior chamber shallowing in both eyes, especially in the left eye. Moreover, swelling and retinal folds of peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer and macula were observed in both eyes. These ocular complications of G. cambogia extract resolved after discontinuation of the extract and topical and oral steroid treatment. Herein, we report the first case of ocular complications of G. cambogia extract diet pill assessed with optical coherence tomography of optic disk and macula along with dual Scheimpflug analyzer. CONCLUSION: It is necessary that physicians dealing with obesity advice patients about possible visual disturbance of this extract when taken in overdose so that they can see an ophthalmologist immediately.

Influence of Sodium Hyaluronate Concentration on Corneal Aberrations in Soft Contact Lens Wearers.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the influence of varying concentrations of sodium hyaluronate (SH) eye drops on corneal aberrations in normal individuals wearing silicone hydrogel contact lenses. METHODS: Normal individuals wearing silicone hydrogel contact lenses were enrolled in this study. Subjects were classified into two groups depending on the concentration of the preservative-free SH used (group 1, 0.1% SH; group 2, 0.3% SH). All subjects were asked to blink five times after instillation of the SH eye drop and before the Galilei measurements. Corneal aberrations were measured over the contact lenses before and after SH eye drop instillation. Visual acuity (VA) over the contact lenses was also measured both before instillation of the SH eye drop and after the subjects completed the five blinks. RESULTS: There was no change in VA after SH instillation in group 1; however, group 2's VA significantly deteriorated after SH instillation. Changes in VA after SH instillation compared to baseline were significantly higher in group 2 than in group 1. Similarly, the increase in corneal aberrations after SH instillation was significant in group 2 but not significant in group 1. Among the significantly increased corneal aberration parameters, defocus was the main type in group 2. Changes in corneal aberrations after SH instillation compared to baseline were significantly higher in group 2 than in group 1. CONCLUSIONS: A 0.3%-concentration of SH increases corneal aberration and decreases VA in soft contact lens wearers. Defocus is the main type of aberration that increased in the 0.3% SH instillation group.

Enzyme/whole-cell biotransformation of plant oils, yeast derived oils, and microalgae fatty acid methyl esters into n-nonanoic acid, 9-hydroxynonanoic acid, and 1,9-nonanedioic acid.

Oils and fatty acids are important renewable resources provided by nature. Therefore, biotransformation of renewable oils and fatty acids into industrially relevant C9 chemicals was investigated in this study. Olive oil, soybean oil, yeast derived oil, and microalgae fatty acid methyl esters were converted into n-nonanoic acid, 9-hydroxynonanoic acid, and 1,9-nonanedioic acid by a lipase and a recombinant Escherichia coli expressing oleate hydratase, long chain secondary alcohol dehydrogenase, Baeyer-Villiger monooxygenase, long chain primary alcohol dehydrogenase, and aldehyde dehydrogenase. It was found that n-nonanoic acid and azelaic acid could be produced to a concentration of 4.3 mM from 3 g/L olive oil with a specific product formation rate of 3.1 U/g dry cells. Biotransformation rates were influenced by compositions of fatty acids and purity of the starting material. This study may contribute to the production of industrially relevant C9 chemicals from renewable oils and fatty acids by simultaneous enzyme/whole-cell biotransformation.

Biodiesel production from Scenedesmus bijuga grown in anaerobically digested food wastewater effluent.

Microalgae, Scenedesmus bijuga, was cultivated in anaerobically digested food wastewater effluent (FWE) to treat the wastewater and produce biodiesel simultaneously. Three different mixing ratios with municipal wastewater were compared for finding out proper dilution ratio in biodiesel production. Of these, 1/20 diluted FWE showed the highest biomass production (1.49 g/L). Lipid content was highest in 1/10 diluted FWE (35.06%), and the lipid productivity showed maximum value in 1/20 diluted FWE (15.59 mg/L/d). Nutrient removal was also measured in the cultivation. FAME compositions were mainly composed of C16-C18 (Over 98.94%) in S. bijuga. In addition, quality of FAMEs was evaluated by Cetane Number (CN) and Bis-allylic Position Equivalent (BAPE).

Fine-scale population structure of Accumulibacter phosphatis in enhanced biological phosphorus removal sludge.

To investigate the diversities of Accumulibacter phosphatis and its polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) synthase gene (phaC) in enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) sludge, an acetate-fed sequencing batch reactor was operated. Analysis of microbial communities using fluorescence in situ hybridization and 16S rRNA gene clone libraries showed that the population of Accumulibacter phosphatis in the EBPR sludge comprised more than 50% of total bacteria, and was clearly divided into two subgroups with about 97.5% sequence identity of the 16S rRNA genes. PAO phaC primers targeting the phaC genes of Accumulibacter phosphatis were designed and applied to retrieve fragments of putative phaC homologs of Accumulibacter phosphatis from EBPR sludge. PAO phaC primers targeting G 1PAO, G 2PAO, and G 3PAO groups produced PCR amplicons successfully; the resulting sequences of the phaC gene homologs were diverse, and were distantly related to metagenomic phaC sequences of Accumulibacter phosphatis with 75-98% DNA sequence identities. Degenerate NPAO (non-PAO) phaC primers targeting phaC genes of non- Accumulibacter phosphatis bacteria were also designed and applied to the EBPR sludge. Twenty-four phaC homologs retrieved from NPAO phaC primers were different from the phaC gene homologs derived from Accumulibacter phosphatis, which suggests that the PAO phaC primers were specific for the amplification of phaC gene homologs of Accumulibacter phosphatis, and the putative phaC gene homologs by PAO phaC primers were derived from Accumulibacter phosphatis in the EBPR sludge. Among 24 phaC homologs, a phaC homolog (G1NPAO-2), which was dominant in the NPAO phaC clone library, showed the strongest signal in slot hybridization and shared approximately 60% nucleotide identity with the G4PAO group of Accumulibacter phosphatis, which suggests that G1NPAO-2 might be derived from Accumulibacter phosphatis. In conclusion, analyses of the 16S rRNA and phaC genes showed that Accumulibacter phosphatis might be phylogenetically and metabolically diverse.

Microbial communities in activated sludge performing enhanced biological phosphorus removal in a sequencing batch reactor.

Microbial communities of activated sludge in an anaerobic/aerobic sequencing batch reactor (SBR) supplied with acetate as sole carbon source were analyzed to identify the microorganisms responsible for enhanced biological phosphorus removal. Various analytical methods were used such as electron microscopy, quinone, slot hybridization, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing analyses. Electron photomicrographs showed that coccus-shaped microorganisms of about 1 microm diameter dominated the microbial communities of the activated sludge in the SBR, which had been operated for more than 18 months. These microorganisms contained polyphosphate granules and glycogen inclusions, which suggests that they are a type of phosphorus-accumulating organism. Quinones, slot hybridization, and 16S rRNA sequencing analyses showed that the members of the Proteobacteria beta subclass were the most abundant species and were affiliated with the Rhodocyclus-like group. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the two dominating clones of the beta subclass were closely related to the Rhodocyclus-like group. It was concluded that the coccus-shaped organisms related to the Rhodocyclus-like group within the Proteobacteria beta subclass were the most dominant species believed responsible for biological phosphorus removal in SBR operation with acetate.