Effect of Tropicamide on Laser Flare Meter Measurements in Patients with Pseudoexfoliation

ABSTRACT

Purpose

To investigate the effect of 1% tropicamide on anterior chamber aqueous flare (ACAF) measurements acquired with laser flare meter in patients with pseudoexfoliation.     

Features of home and neighbourhood and the liveability of older South Africans

While older people live in developing countries, little is known about the relative importance of features of their communities in influencing their liveability. We examine components of home and neighbourhood among older South Africans. Linear regression analyses revealed that features of home (basic amenities, household composition, financial status and safety) and neighbourhood (ability to shop for groceries, participate in organizations and feel safe from crime) are significantly associated with life satisfaction. Approaches to liveability that are person-centred and also set within contexts beyond home and neighbourhood are needed to address boundaries between home and neighbourhood; incorporate personal resources into liveability models and import broader environmental contexts such as health and social policy.     

Risikokommunikation politikberatender Wissenschaftsorganisationen: Ein Themenaufriss am Beispiel des Bundesinstituts für Risikobewertung

Bundesgesundheitsblatt - Gesundheitsforschung - Gesundheitsschutz - Regulierungswissenschaftliche Organisationen wie das Bundesinstitut für Risikobewertung (BfR) sehen sich in ihrer...     

Adjunctive Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy or Alone Antibiotherapy? Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Mediastinitis in a Rat Model

OBJECTIVE

In the post-sternotomy mediastinitis patients, Staphylococcus aureus is the pathogenic microorganism encountered most often. In our study, we aimed to determine the efficacy of antibiotic treatment with vancomycin and tigecycline, alone or in combination with hyperbaric oxygen treatment, on bacterial elimination in experimental S. aureus mediastinitis.

METHODS

Forty-nine adult female Wistar rats were used. They were randomly divided into seven groups, as follows: non-contaminated, contaminated control, vancomycin, tigecycline, hyperbaric oxygen, hyperbaric oxygen + vancomycin and hyperbaric oxygen + tigecycline. The vancomycin rat group received 10 mg/kg/day of vancomycin twice a day through intramuscular injection. The tigecycline group rats received 7 mg/kg/day of tigecycline twice a day through intraperitoneal injection. The hyperbaric oxygen group underwent 90 min sessions of 100% oxygen at 2.5 atm pressure. Treatment continued for 7 days. Twelve hours after the end of treatment, tissue samples were obtained from the upper part of the sternum for bacterial count assessment.

RESULTS

When the quantitative bacterial counts of the untreated contaminated group were compared with those of the treated groups, a significant decrease was observed. However, comparing the antibiotic groups with the same antibiotic combined with hyperbaric oxygen, there was a significant reduction in microorganisms identified (P<0.05). Comparing hyperbaric oxygen used alone with the vancomycin and tigecycline groups, it was seen that the effect was not significant (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

We believe that the combination of hyperbaric oxygen with antibiotics had a significant effect on mediastinitis resulting from methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus mediastinitis can be treated without requiring a multidrug combination, thereby reducing the medication dose and concomitantly decreasing the side effects.     

A new technique of impression making for an obturator in cleft lip and palate patient

Cleft lip and palate is a birth defect occurring in the orofacial region. One of the immediate problems to be addressed in a newborn with this defect would be to aid in suckling and swallowing. Here we present a case of a 5-day-old infant with unilateral cleft lip and palate for whom feeding obturator was made by using a simplified impression technique to facilitate feeding.     

Time-Dependent Production of Endothelium-Related Biomarkers is Affected Differently in Hemorrhagic and Septic Shocks

Shock is associated with inflammation-induced endothelial dysfunction. The aim of this study was to determine time-dependent alteration of blood biomarkers related to endothelial function in hemorrhagic and septic shocks. Hemorrhagic shock was induced by bleeding the animals. A cecal ligation and incision model was used to induce septicemia. Resuscitation was carried out by infusion of lactated Ringer’s solution. Resuscitation extended survival time in both shock groups. Blood pressure increased by resuscitation in the hemorrhagic shock but not in the septic shock. While hemorrhage caused a decrease in plasma levels of nitric oxide (NO) and hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) levels were increased. Only NO and TAC levels at the late phase were reversed by resuscitation. On the other hand, plasma levels of NO, ADMA, and TAC were increased by septicemia and resuscitation did not alter the septicemia-induced increase. These results indicate that blood biomarkers related to endothelial function were differentially affected by hemorrhage and septicemia. The time scale of biomarker production should be taken into consideration for the diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to these life-threatening diseases.