Primary slow-coagulation transscleral cyclophotocoagulation laser treatment for medically recalcitrant neovascular glaucoma

AimsTo report treatment outcomes of slow-coagulation continuous-wave transscleral cyclophotocoagulation (TSCPC) as an initial surgical intervention in patients with neovascular glaucoma (NVG).MethodsA retrospective study including 53 patients (mean age of 69.6±16.6 years and mean follow-up of 12.7±8.9 months) with a diagnosis of NVG and no previous incisional glaucoma or cyclophotocoagulation surgeries. All patients underwent slow-coagulation continuous-wave TSCPC (1250-milliwatt power and 4-second duration).Primary outcome measure was surgical success defined as an intraocular pressure (IOP) from 6 to 21 mm Hg with a reduction ≥20% from baseline, no reoperation for glaucoma and no loss of light perception vision. Secondary outcome measures include IOP, glaucoma medications, visual acuity (VA) and complications.ResultsIOP decreased from 40.7±8.6 mm Hg preoperatively to 18.4±12.2 mm Hg postoperatively (p<0.001). The preoperative number of glaucoma medications dropped from 3.3±1.1 at baseline to 2.0±1.5 at the last postoperative visit (p<0.001). The cumulative probabilities of success at 12 and 24 months were 71.7% and 64.2 %, respectively. Mean logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution VA was relatively unchanged from 2.27±0.63 to 2.25±0.66 at the last follow-up visit (p=0.618). The most common observed complications were decrease in baseline VA (13.2%) and anterior chamber inflammation (9.4%).ConclusionsSlow-coagulation TSCPC is an effective and relatively safe initial surgical intervention in medically uncontrolled NVG.

Regeneration of paint sludge and reuse in cement concrete

Paint Sludge (PS) is a hazardous waste. Inappropriate disposal of PS might be harmful to public health and the environment. Various size of Paint Sludge Solid Powder (PSSP) particles have been produced by automatic processing equipment via dewatering, crushing, screening removing Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), and etc. Meanwhile, the test results show that PSSP is not a hazardous waste. Both flexural and compressive strength are increased by adding PSSP of polyurethane to cement concrete at a level of below 10% of cement weight. However, the strength has a significant reduction at a level of above 15% of cement weight. The reason for the increase of strength is probably due to a slow coagulation and copolymerization of PSSP and cement. The reduction is likely due to the self-reunion of PSSP.

Exploration of the mechanism of heavy coagulum formation in lactic casein manufacture: role of starter and an unidentified co-factor

Heavy coagulum formation in lactic casein manufacture results in high casein concentration, high starter bacteria concentration and low pH on the base of the coagulation vessel. No heavy coagulum was formed during slow coagulation of skim milk with glucono-δ-lactone, indicating that starter bacteria were necessary. Skim milk preheat treatments severe enough to cause denaturation of the more heat- stable whey proteins, α-lactalbumin and β-lactoglobulin, also caused a reduction in heavy coagulum formation, suggesting the heat inactivation of a co-factor involved in the process. These results suggest a mechanism for heavy coagulum formation similar to that for minor sludge formation in cottage cheese manufacture. Starter bacteria would clump together, probably assisted by a co-factor. These starter clumps would generate a region of low pH causing isoelectric precipitation of casein in and around the clumps. The clumps would then settle forming a layer on the base of the coagulation vessel which might become further compressed by gravity.