Food security and the protection of the environment are urgent issues for global society, particularly with the uncertainties of climate change. Changing climate is predicted to have a wide range of ...negative impacts on plant physiology metabolism, soil fertility and carbon sequestration, microbial activity and diversity that will limit plant growth and productivity, and ultimately food production. Ensuring global food security and food safety will require an intensive research effort across the food chain, starting with crop production and the nutritional quality of the food products. Much uncertainty remains concerning the resilience of plants, soils, and associated microbes to climate change. Intensive efforts are currently underway to improve crop yields with lower input requirements and enhance the sustainability of yield through improved biotic and abiotic stress tolerance traits. In addition, significant efforts are focused on gaining a better understanding of the root/soil interface and associated microbiomes, as well as enhancing soil properties.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
To describe a new, en masse, stepwise technique for purely soft cataracts.
RAPID, a soft cataract phacoemulsification technique, is an acronym-based procedure where R is rotation of nucleus, A is ...alignment of phacoemulsification tip sideways, P is placement of tip adjacent to the nuclear rim, I is impaling of tip into nuclear rim and D is devouring wherein nucleus is aspirated/emulsified. RAPID technique was performed in 54 eyes of 54 patients (31 males and 23 females; mean age 46.35±3.95 years). The soft nucleus was emulsified, after performing hydrodissection, in a stepwise manner in the safe zone away from posterior capsule and corneal endothelium. Centurion/Infiniti Phacoemulsification system (Alcon Laboratories, Inc.) was used with vacuum parameters at 475 mm Hg and an aspiration flow rate of 0-45 mL/min in linear mode. The primary outcome measures were cumulative dissipated energy (CDE), ultrasound time (UST), amount of fluid used, surgical complications and mean endothelial cell loss.
Phacoemulsification with IOL implantation was performed successfully in all patients without any intraoperative complications. CDE was 1.03±0.61. Total UST for nuclear emulsification was 3.84±3.27 seconds and fluid used was 10±2.35 milliliters. Postoperative follow-up examinations were done on 1, 4, 14, 30 and 90 days. Mean percentage of endothelial cell loss was 7.05±2.65% (mean endothelial cell counts were 2383.75±105.21 cells/mm
preoperatively and 2215.78±114.9 cells/mm
3 months postoperatively).
RAPID is an en masse non-fragmentation technique for purely soft cataracts. This technique requires neither any specialized instrumentations nor the use of high vacuum with complimenting surge preventing software. Simple stepwise multi-planer approach of RAPID technique allows easy and fast emulsification of soft cataracts with simultaneous safeguarding of posterior capsule and corneal endothelium.
We describe a technique for performing phacoemulsification in eyes with zonular fiber dehiscence of less than 90 degrees using hard nuclear fragments as a scaffold. In conjunction with a capsular ...tension ring (CTR), hard nuclear fragments and the intraocular lens (IOL) are used as scaffolds during different steps of nuclear emulsification to prevent posterior capsule rupture and aggravation of zonulopathy. Devices such as capsular hooks, CTRs, and IOLs are used to support the capsular bag associated with zonulopathy. The mass of hard nuclear fragments provides support toward the anteroposterior and the horizontal planes, thereby providing 3-dimensional capsular bag support.
Global mechanization, urbanization, and various natural processes have led to the increased release of toxic compounds into the biosphere. These hazardous toxic pollutants include a variety of ...organic and inorganic compounds, which pose a serious threat to the ecosystem. The contamination of soil and water are the major environmental concerns in the present scenario. This leads to a greater need for remediation of contaminated soils and water with suitable approaches and mechanisms. The conventional remediation of contaminated sites commonly involves the physical removal of contaminants, and their disposition. Physical remediation strategies are expensive, non-specific and often make the soil unsuitable for agriculture and other uses by disturbing the microenvironment. Owing to these concerns, there has been increased interest in eco-friendly and sustainable approaches such as bioremediation, phytoremediation and rhizoremediation for the cleanup of contaminated sites. This review lays particular emphasis on biotechnological approaches and strategies for heavy metal and metalloid containment removal from the environment, highlighting the advances and implications of bioremediation and phytoremediation as well as their utilization in cleaning-up toxic pollutants from contaminated environments.
To describe an innovative technique of using a chopper as a shield for preventing mechanical corneal endothelial trauma that can occur during the phacoemulsification of brunescent cataracts.
This ...prospective study included patients with hard cataracts (grade nuclear opalescence 4 and above on LOCS III) who underwent phacoemulsification surgery. The chopper shield technique was performed in 48 eyes of 44 patients. The technique entailed placing the chopper horizontally as a shield anterior to the emulsifying nuclear fragment between the phaco tip and corneal endothelium to prevent nucleus fragments from coming into contact with the corneal endothelium. Outcome measures included cumulative dissipated energy (CDE), corneal edema (day one), CCT (assessed at one day, one week, and one month), and endothelial cell density assessed at three months.
Of the 48 eyes included in the study, 23 were males and 25 were females (mean age: 70.02±5.98years). Preoperatively, mean central corneal thickness (CCT) was 529.62±21.70 microns, and endothelial cell counts were 2258.76±182.22 cells per mm
. Postoperatively on day one, CCT increased to 563.93±24.53 microns, a 6.47% increase from preoperative central corneal thickness. CCT became 534.83±22.64 microns on postoperative day seven, a 0.98% increase from preoperative CCT. Endothelial cell loss was 6.77% at three months from the day of surgery.
The chopper shield technique offers continuous protection to the corneal endothelium by minimizing endothelial cell loss during phacoemulsification of dense nuclear cataracts.
The potential risks from metal-based nanoparticles (NPs) in the environment have increased with the rapidly rising demand for and use of nanoenabled consumer products. Plant’s central roles in ...ecosystem function and food chain integrity ensure intimate contact with water and soil systems, both of which are considered sinks for NPs accumulation. In this review, we document phytotoxicity caused by metal-based NPs exposure at physiological, biochemical, and molecular levels. Although the exact mechanisms of plant defense against nanotoxicity are unclear, several relevant studies have been recently published. Possible detoxification pathways that might enable plant resistance to oxidative stress and facilitate NPs detoxification are reviewed herein. Given the importance of understanding the effects and implications of metal-based NPs on plants, future research should focus on the following: (1) addressing key knowledge gaps in understanding molecular and biochemical responses of plants to NPs stress through global transcriptome, proteome, and metablome assays; (2) designing long-term experiments under field conditions at realistic exposure concentrations to investigate the impact of metal-based NPs on edible crops and the resulting implications to the food chain and to human health; and (3) establishing an impact assessment to evaluate the effects of metal-based NPs on plants with regard to ecosystem structure and function.
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IJS, KILJ, NUK, PNG, UL, UM
An adaptive third-zone distance protection scheme is necessary to distinguish between faults and system stressed conditions such as power swing, voltage instability, and load encroachment. Fast and ...reliable detection of third-zone three-phase fault during these conditions is still a challenging issue. To address this issue and to restrict the cascaded outages, a matrix pencil method (MPM) based supervised detection index (SDI) is developed by utilizing instantaneous current. Using MPM technique the signal is reconstructed. Next, the error between the reconstructed and the original signal is estimated and the mean of the estimated error is then calculated. The absolute maximum value of mean is considered as a detection index in the proposed work. The main objective of the proposed algorithm is to provide precise detection and discrimination of third-zone three-phase fault from stressed operating conditions through an adaptive threshold. Effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is illustrated by simulation studies carried out on the IEEE 39-bus test system and 400 kV Indian Eastern Regional Grid (IERG) using PSCAD/EMTDC software. The results demonstrate that the supervised algorithm can improve power system security during critical operating conditions.
Capsulorhexis is an integral step of cataract surgery, and continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis is crucial during phacoemulsification to prevent intraoperative complications. However, sometimes ...during phacoemulsification in complicated and hard cataract cases, rhexis extension may occur, resulting in posterior capsular rent, nucleus drop, cortex drop, and aphakia. It may not always be possible to continue with phacoemulsification in all cases. In this perspective, the authors describe a novel flap motility sign (FMS) to predict the extent of anterior capsular tear during phacoemulsification. A total of 21,678 patients underwent phacoemulsification for three years, from July 2016 to June 2019. One hundred and twenty-one patients had an anterior capsular tear. There were 102 cases (84.3%) with pre-equatorial tears and 19 cases (15.70%) with postequatorial tears. All pre-equatorial flaps were everted and fluttering, and all postequatorial flaps were inverted and nonfluttering. Posterior capsule rupture (PCR) was observed in all 19 cases of postequatorial flaps (100%). No PCR was observed in patients with fluttering and everted flaps (0%). In-the-bag and scleral-fixated intraocular lens implantations succeeded in pre-equatorial and postequatorial tears, respectively. There was no case of a nucleus drop. This study validates FMS as a predictor for identifying the extent of anterior capsular tears, thereby determining the endpoint of safe phacoemulsification and the site for intraocular lens implantation. Pre-equatorial tears allow for the continuation of safe phacoemulsification and in-the-bag intraocular implantation. Postequatorial tears necessitate timely conversion to small-incision cataract surgery or extracapsular cataract extraction.
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DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
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