Atmospheric Processing of Iron-Bearing Mineral Dust Aerosol and Its Effect on Growth of a Marine Diatom, Cyclotella meneghiniana.

Iron (Fe) is a growth-limiting micronutrient for phytoplankton in major areas of oceans and deposited wind-blown desert dust is a primary Fe source to these regions. Simulated atmospheric processing of four mineral dust proxies and two natural dust samples followed by subsequent growth studies of the marine planktic diatom Cyclotella meneghiniana in artificial sea-water (ASW) demonstrated higher growth response to ilmenite (FeTiO3) and hematite (α-Fe2O3) mixed with TiO2 than hematite alone. The processed dust treatment enhanced diatom growth owing to dissolved Fe (DFe) content. The fresh dust-treated cultures demonstrated growth enhancements without adding such dissolved Fe. These significant growth enhancements and dissolved Fe measurements indicated that diatoms acquire Fe from solid particles. When diatoms were physically separated from mineral dust particles, the growth responses become smaller. The post-mineralogy analysis of mineral dust proxies added to ASW showed a diatom-induced increased formation of goethite, where the amount of goethite formed correlated with observed enhanced growth. The current work suggests that ocean primary productivity may not only depend on dissolved Fe but also on suspended solid Fe particles and their mineralogy. Further, the diatom C. meneghiniana benefits more from mineral dust particles in direct contact with cells than from physically impeded particles, suggesting the possibility for alternate Fe-acquisition mechanism/s.

Residual Epiphora After Successful Periocular Surgery for Facial Paralysis: Pathophysiology and Management.

The prevalence of residual epiphora following successful periocular surgery for facial nerve paralysis can be as high as 30% or more. The pathophysiology of residual epiphora is complex, but identification of the etiology is paramount because the therapeutic approach varies accordingly. Treatments range from medical management of systemic disease to botulinum toxin injections for conditions that arise from aberrant reinnervation to surgical procedures that bypass the lacrimal drainage system completely. We describe a case report and review the pathophysiology and management of residual epiphora to provide a treatment algorithm for clinical use by facial plastic and oculoplastic surgeons. Laryngoscope, 131:E420-E422, 2021.

The effect of pH on rates of reaction and hydrogen generation during serpentinization.

A series of three laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate how pH affects reaction pathways and rates during serpentinization. Two experiments were conducted under strongly alkaline conditions using olivine as reactant at 200 and 230°C, and the results were compared with previous studies performed using the same reactants and methods at more neutral pH. For both experiments, higher pH resulted in more rapid serpentinization of the olivine and generation of larger amounts of H2 for comparable reaction times. Proportionally greater amounts of Fe were partitioned into brucite and chrysotile and less into magnetite in the experiments conducted at higher pH. In a third experiment, alkaline fluids were injected into an ongoing experiment containing olivine and orthopyroxene to raise the pH from circumneutral to strongly alkaline conditions. Increasing the pH of the olivine-orthopyroxene experiment resulted in an immediate and steep increase in H2 production, and led to far more extensive reaction of the primary minerals compared to a similar experiment conducted under more neutral conditions. The results suggest that the development of strongly alkaline conditions in actively serpentinizing systems promotes increased rates of reaction and H2 production, enhancing the flux of H2 available to support biological activity in these environments. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Serpentinite in the Earth System'.

The impact of cancer treatment on the diets and food preferences of patients receiving outpatient treatment.

Patients undergoing cancer treatment experience a multitude of symptoms that can influence their ability to complete treatment as well as their quality of life during and after treatment. This cross-sectional study sought to describe the dietary changes experienced by cancer patients and to identify associations between these changes and common treatment symptoms. A convenience sample of 1199 cancer patients aged 18 yr and older undergoing active treatment were recruited from 7 cancer centers to complete a self-administered paper-and-pencil survey. Descriptive analyses were conducted to estimate prevalence of dietary changes and chi-squared tests were used to examine associations between dietary changes and health outcomes. Approximately 40% of patients reported a decreased appetite since beginning treatment, and 67.2% of patients reported at least 1 chemosensory alteration. Increased taste sensitivities were more common than decreased taste sensitivities, with increased sensitivity to metallic being the most common taste sensitivity (18.6%). Patients also had increased sensitivities to certain smells including cleaning solutions (23.4%), perfume (22.4%), and food cooking (11.4%). Patients reported a wide range of food preferences and aversions. Patients who had less energy or lost weight since beginning treatment were more likely than others to report treatment-related dietary changes.

Long-term outcomes and patterns of failure in orbital lymphoma treated with primary radiotherapy.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term outcome and patterns of failure in patients treated with primary radiotherapy (RT) for orbital lymphoma (OL). Seventy-nine patients diagnosed with stage IE OL between 1995 and 2012 were included. Fifty-nine patients (75%) had mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma and 20 patients (25%) had follicular lymphoma subtype. The median follow-up was 49.7 months. Major tumor sites were conjunctiva (29%), orbit (47%) and lacrimal gland (24%). After treatment to a median dose of 30.6 Gy, there were a total of no local, one contralateral orbital, two regional and two distant recurrences, all outside of the treatment fields. The 10-year local relapse-free, distant metastasis-free and overall survival rates were 100%, 94.2% and 98.2%, respectively. Definitive RT to 30 Gy was shown to be highly effective for indolent OL, and this study represents one of the largest single-institution studies using primary RT for stage IE OL.

Reported side effects, bother, satisfaction, and adherence in patients taking hydrocodone for non-cancer pain.

OBJECTIVE: Pain is a prevalent condition that often involves a neuropathic component. Hydrocodone is one of the most widely used opioids for pain but is often associated with side effects (SEs). This study sought to characterize the experience of patients taking hydrocodone for non-cancer pain. METHODS: A nationwide survey of adults in the United States taking hydrocodone for non-cancer pain was conducted. The survey included questions to characterize these patients and their experience with hydrocodone-related SEs. A neuropathic pain subgroup also was examined. RESULTS: Among 630 respondents, the average age was 50.1 years (14.25). Most (90.6 percent) were Caucasian and 72.5 percent were female. Back pain or low back pain was the most common (42.1 percent) type of pain. Almost three-fourths (73.3 percent) experienced at least one SE, and 67.3 percent reported being bothered. More than three-fourths (78.3 percent) reported being satisfied with hydrocodone relieving pain; however, less (74.8 percent) reported being satisfied with it overall. More than one-fourth (27.6 percent) reported taking hydrocodone less than instructed with 41.4 percent of them reporting that SEs were bothersome as a reason. A greater percent of the neuropathic pain subgroup (266 respondents) experienced at least one SE (80.8 percent) and were bothered by them (75.6 percent). Overall satisfaction was slightly lower (71.1 percent) among these respondents, and among the 24.8 percent taking less than instructed, more than half (54.5 percent) reported that SEs were bothersome as a reason. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates an unmet need for better therapeutic options to manage pain, including neuropathic pain. Therapies that offer improved tolerability also may increase adherence, which could affect overall satisfaction and response to pain management.

Magnetovibrio blakemorei gen. nov., sp. nov., a magnetotactic bacterium (Alphaproteobacteria: Rhodospirillaceae) isolated from a salt marsh.

A magnetotactic bacterium, designated strain MV-1(T), was isolated from sulfide-rich sediments in a salt marsh near Boston, MA, USA. Cells of strain MV-1(T) were Gram-negative, and vibrioid to helicoid in morphology. Cells were motile by means of a single polar flagellum. The cells appeared to display a transitional state between axial and polar magnetotaxis: cells swam in both directions, but generally had longer excursions in one direction than the other. Cells possessed a single chain of magnetosomes containing truncated hexaoctahedral crystals of magnetite, positioned along the long axis of the cell. Strain MV-1(T) was a microaerophile that was also capable of anaerobic growth on some nitrogen oxides. Salinities greater than 10 % seawater were required for growth. Strain MV-1(T) exhibited chemolithoautotrophic growth on thiosulfate and sulfide with oxygen as the terminal electron acceptor (microaerobic growth) and on thiosulfate using nitrous oxide (N2O) as the terminal electron acceptor (anaerobic growth). Chemo-organoautotrophic and methylotrophic growth was supported by formate under microaerobic conditions. Autotrophic growth occurred via the Calvin-Benson-Bassham cycle. Chemo-organoheterotrophic growth was supported by various organic acids and amino acids, under microaerobic and anaerobic conditions. Optimal growth occurred at pH 7.0 and 26-28 °C. The genome of strain MV-1(T) consisted of a single, circular chromosome, about 3.7 Mb in size, with a G+C content of 52.9-53.5 mol%.Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain MV-1(T) belongs to the family Rhodospirillaceae within the Alphaproteobacteria, but is not closely related to the genus Magnetospirillum. The name Magnetovibrio blakemorei gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed for strain MV-1(T). The type strain of Magnetovibrio blakemorei is MV-1(T) ( = ATCC BAA-1436(T)  = DSM 18854(T)).

Melanocytic nevi of the tarsal conjunctiva: clinicopathologic case series with review of literature.

PURPOSE: To describe 4 patients with histopathologically confirmed tarsal conjunctival nevi and to review the literature regarding nevi in this location. METHODS: Clinicopathologic series of 4 cases diagnosed at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary between January 1990 and April 2009. PubMed was searched for reported cases of tarsal conjunctival nevi. RESULTS: Four patients (mean age 44 years, median 50 years, range 5-70 years) with tarsal conjunctival nevi were identified (3.4% of all histopathologically diagnosed conjunctival nevi). These lesions presented in adulthood (3 cases) and were associated with elevation/nodularity (3 cases), gray-brown coloration (3 cases), physician-documented growth (1 case), madarosis (1 case), and intrinsic vessels (1 case). Histopathology revealed combined nevi centered in the posterior lamella of the eyelid, predominantly in peri-Meibomian gland distribution. Review of the literature identified 10 previously reported cases of tarsal nevi with detailed clinicopathologic correlation in 3 of these patients. CONCLUSIONS: Tarsal conjunctival nevi are rare. Adult presentation; subjective and objective evidence of growth; and associated inflammation, vascularity, and eyelid margin changes may make clinical distinction of tarsal nevi from melanoma challenging. Biopsy, therefore, is prudent as histopathology alone allows documentation of the benign nature of these lesions.

Subepidermal calcified nodules of the eyelid.

Subepidermal calcified nodule uncommonly involves the eyelid, and the authors report their experience with 9 cases of this entity. Most lesions appeared as solitary, raised, tan, or white nodules on the upper eyelid or medial canthal skin of healthy, young patients. The diagnosis was not suspected in any of the patients. The most common preoperative diagnosis was a "cyst." Excisional biopsy was performed in all cases and was curative with the exception of one recurrence. Histopathologic evaluation showed basophilic deposits beneath acanthotic and papillomatous epidermis on hematoxylin and eosin-stained preparations. The deposits stained with von Kossa's stain for calcium and were surrounded by foreign body reaction. Ophthalmologists should be aware that subepidermal calcified nodule is a benign lesion that can occur in the eyelid skin.

Aesthetic and functional management of eyelid and orbital reconstruction.

Major head and neck resections may result in ocular defects that are functionally and/or aesthetically incapacitating. Restoration of the eyelid and orbit must address lateral canthal laxity, midface ptosis, eyelid retraction and ptosis, globe malposition, and dysfunctional lacrimal drainage. Here we discuss lateral canthal reconstruction, midface-lifting, eyelid spacer grafts, gold weight placement, surgical approaches to the orbit, free flap options for orbital reconstruction, and endoscopic lacrimal surgery. Successful outcomes in eyelid and orbital reconstruction depend upon proper knowledge, planning, and multidisciplinary management.