Axial length growth difference between eyes after monocular laser refractive surgery: eight patients who underwent myopic laser ablation for both eyes at intervals of several years

Background Myopia is a global public health issue. Controlling myopia progression is a primary focus of myopia studies today. Peripheral retinal myopic defocus is considered the mechanism for reduced myopia progression in orthokeratology studies. The topographic change in the front corneal surface after laser refractive surgery and orthokeratology procedures may appear similar. The purpose of this study was to explore the role of myopic laser ablation on axial length (AL) growth. Methods Myopic patients who underwent monocular excimer laser refractive surgery first in one eye and then in another eye several years later because of myopia occurrence or myopia progression were recruited. The axial length elongation and refraction (spherical equivalent) between the two eyes were observed and compared. Results A total of 8 myopic patients were enrolled in the study. The AL increased from 24.52 ± 0.96 mm to 24.68 ± 1.03 mm but without significance (T = 1.49, P > 0.05) in the ablated eyes. The AL increased significantly from 23.73 ± 0.91 mm to 24.26 ± 0.95 mm in the nonablated eyes (T = 6.76, P < 0.001). The AL elongation of the ablated eyes with 0.16 ± 0.30 mm growth was significantly lower than that of the nonablated eyes with 0.53 ± 0.32 mm growth (T = 8.98, P < 0.001). The spherical equivalent (SE) increased significantly in the ablated eyes (− 0.59 ± 0.21 (D), T = 6.36, P < 0.001) and in the nonablated eyes (− 0.97 ± 0.55 (D), T = 4.91, P < 0.01), and the difference between the two eyes was significant (T = 3.05, P < 0.05). Conclusions The inhibitory effect of myopic laser ablation on AL elongation reported in the limited case studies argues for animal research on its efficacy as a new intervention for myopia progression.

Understanding urban inequalities in children’s linear growth outcomes: a trend and decomposition analysis of 39,049 children in Bangladesh (2000-2018)

Background Despite significant progress in reducing child undernutrition, Bangladesh remains among the top six countries globally with the largest burden of child stunting and has disproportionately high stunting prevalence among the urban poor. We use population representative data to identify key predictors of child stunting in Bangladesh and assess their contributions to linear growth differences observed between urban poor and non-poor children. Methods We combined six rounds of Demographic and Health Survey data spanning 2000-2018 and used official poverty rates to classify the urban population into poor and non-poor households. We identified key stunting determinants using stepwise selection method. Regression-decomposition was used to quantify contributions of these key determinants to poverty-based intra-urban differences in child linear growth status. Results Key stunting determinants identified in our study predicted 84% of the linear growth difference between urban poor and non-poor children. Child’s place of birth (27%), household wealth (22%), maternal education (18%), and maternal body mass index (11%) were the largest contributors to the intra-urban child linear growth gap. Difference in average height-for-age z score between urban poor and non-poor children declined by 0.31 standard deviations between 2000 and 2018. About one quarter of this observed decrease was explained by reduced differentials between urban poor and non-poor in levels of maternal education and maternal underweight status. Conclusions Although the intra-urban disparity in child linear growth status declined over the 2000-2018 period, socioeconomic gaps remain significant. Increased nutrition-sensitive programs and investments targeting the urban poor to improve girls’ education, household food security, and maternal and child health services could aid in further narrowing the remaining linear growth gap.

Potential of Bacterial Strains Isolated from Coastal Water for Wastewater Treatment and as Aqua-Feed Additives

Bacteria have various and sustained effects on humans in various fields: molecular biology, biomedical science, environmental/food industry, etc. This study was conducted to evaluate the wastewater treatment capacity and feed-additive fish-growth effect of four strains of bacteria: Pseudoalteromonas mariniglutinosa, Psychrobacter celer, Bacillus albus, and Bacillus safensis. In a wastewater degradation experiment, (i) nitrate-N and nitrite-N were removed within 1 h in all of the 4 bacterial strains; (ii) the removal rates of TAN and TN were higher in all of the strains relative to the B. subtilis. In a feed-additive experiment (5% Kg−1), (i) the growth of fish was higher in all of the 4 bacterial strains with the B. subtilis relative to the commercial feed; (ii) there was no significant growth difference for B. albus and B. safensis relative to the B. subtilis, but growth was higher in P. mariniglutinosa and P. celer. The results indicated that the 4 bacterial strains can be effectively utilized for biological wastewater treatment processes and as aqua-feed.

Determination of Polyphenol Content in Sawo Fruit (Manilkara zapota) Based on Geographical Location

Background: Sawo fruit (Manilkara zapota (L.) P.Royen) is rich in antioxidant compounds like polyphenols, and has long been used to treat diarrhea and thypoid by natives of Toari and Langori villages of Kolaka district of Southeast Sulawesi Province. Both villages located at different geographical location according to their altitudes from the sea level. The polyphenols content of sawo fruit from these villages that has a correlation with its antioxidant activity has yet investigated and thus need more research. Objective: This study was aimed to determine the content of polyphenols in sawo fruit based on geographical growth difference, that are Toari and Langori villages. Material and Methods: The fruits were collected from two locations of the Kolaka district that are Langori and Toari villages. The polyphenols content in the methanol extract of Sawo fruit was determined qualitatively using FeCl3 and quantitatively using the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent measured by UV-Visible spectrophotometry. Gallic acid was used as the standard polyphenol of the assay. Results: The polyphenols content of sawo fruit from Langori found to be 1.48113 mg/g, while fruits from Toari contained 1.55747 mg/g of polyphenolics. Conclusion: The study showed that there was an influence of the geographical growth on the content of polyphenolics of sawo fruits.

PLS REGRESSION TO COMPARE THE RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF WATER QUALITY VARIABLES IN FISH GROWTH

Partial least squares (PLS) is a multivariate dimension reduction technique which is not based on ordinary regression assumptions. The use of PLS regression in life sciences is still a novel concept despite many scientific applications. This paper analyses the influence of physicochemical in the two fish species, Oreochromis jipe and Oreochromis niloticus to determine the cause for their growth difference in the same culture environment. The graphical display of the multi-parameter analysis was performed using a suite of open access R-software packages. The modeling hypothesis was assessed using experimental data collected for the period of 84 days. The findings revealed that significant linear relationship exists between water quality and mean weight of both O. jipe and O.niloticus fish species. Being a crucial study meant to provide baseline information to asses the aquaculture potential O. jipe, we recommend a further study to be conducted on several other predictor variables that can be measured under controlled aquaculture conditions.

Early-Stage Phenotyping of Root Traits Provides Insights into the Drought Tolerance Level of Soybean Cultivars

Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) may contribute to the agro-ecological transition of cropping systems in Europe, but its productivity is severely affected by summer drought. New drought-avoidance cropping strategies, such as early sowing, require cultivars with high early plant growth under suboptimal conditions. This study aims at phenotyping early-stage root and shoot traits of 10 cultivars commonly grown in Europe. Cultivars were grown in minirhizotrons under two soil moisture status in controlled conditions. Root and shoot traits were evaluated at 10 days after sowing. Field early growth of two cultivars was also analyzed under early and conventional sowing dates. A significant intraspecific variability (p < 0.05) was found for most investigated shoot and root morpho-physiological traits regardless of the soil moisture status under controlled conditions. However, no significant difference among cultivars (p > 0.05) was found in terms of root architectural traits that were mainly affected by water stress. Total root length was positively correlated with shoot length and shoot dry matter (p < 0.05). Under field conditions, the differences between cultivars were expressed by the canopy cover at emergence, which determines the subsequent canopy cover dynamics. The significant early growth difference among cultivars was not related to the maturity group. Cultivars characterized by high root depth and length, high root density and narrow root angle could be considered as good candidates to cope with water stress via better soil exploration. New agronomic strategies mobilizing the diversity of cultivars could thus be tested to improve soybean water use efficiency in response to climate change.

Comparative developmental trajectory of four strains of chicken embryo during incubation and their post-hatch growth

This study evaluated egg traits, embryonic growth, and early growth rate in four strains of chicken. A total of 1200 hatching eggs, 300 each from four strains of chicken were used for this study. The strains included Nigerian indigenous chicken (NIC), Arbor acre, Hubbard, and Marshall broiler strains. Embryonic weights, yolk and albumen utilization were monitored throughout the incubation period. The chicks were randomly distributed into four rearing pens for a 28-day assessment of growth rate. Blood samples were collected at hatch (day-old), week 1, 2, 3 and 4 posthatch for thyroxine (T ) level determination. This study showed that the embryos 4 percentage weight gains were similar in the NIC and the broiler strains at embryonic (ED) 18. There was no difference (P>0.05) in the rate of albumen utilization among the strains. At hatching, there was no difference ((P>0.05) in the metabolic rate among the strains of chicken as shown by the levels of plasma T until later in the 4 growth phase. The day-old chick weight and the weights in subsequent weeks posthatch were smaller in the NIC than the broiler strains possibly as a result of low hatching weight and growth rate of the NIC in the first two weeks post-hatch. The early growth difference could not be explained by physiological parameters such as T . However, the differences in post-hatch physiological and metabolic parameters 4 may be due partly to genetic differences. It was concluded that embryonic development in the broiler strain was not superior to that of the NIC.