Efficacy of Subtenon 20-mg Triamcinolone Injection Versus 0.1% Dexamethasone Eye Drops For Controlling Inflammation After Phacoemulsification: A Randomized Controlled Trial

A prospective randomized control trial of 140 eyes from 140 patients, who underwent phacoemulsification, was conducted to compare the efficacy of subtenon corticosteroids injection with corticosteroids eye drops for controlling postoperative intraocular inflammation. Seventy patients received subtenon 20-mg triamcinolone injection (TA group), whereas the other 70 patients received 0.1% dexamethasone eye drops (Dexa group) after the uneventful surgeries. We examined and measured anterior chamber inflammation (ACI) score, laser flare-cell metering, conjunctival redness, pain, discomfort, visual acuity, intraocular pressure, and central foveal thickness on 1, 7, 14, 28 and 90 days postoperatively. At one month after the surgery, full recovery (zero ACI score) was found in 43 patients (63.20%) in the Dexa group versus 47 patients (68.10%) in the TA group (p=0.55). There were no statistically differences in aqueous cells (p=0.37) and flare (p=0.86) between the two groups at one month. All participants experienced no serious adverse events. In conclusion, we found no statistically significant difference between subtenon 20-mg triamcinolone injection and 0.1% dexamethasone eye drop to control inflammation postoperatively. A single subtenon 20-mg triamcinolone injection could be an alternative anti-inflammatory treatment for an uneventful phacoemulsification.

1.8 V Aqueous Symmetric Carbon-Based Supercapacitors with Agarose-Bound Activated Carbons in an Acidic Electrolyte

The specific energy of an aqueous carbon supercapacitor is generally small, resulting mainly from a narrow potential window of aqueous electrolytes. Here, we introduced agarose, an ecologically compatible polymer, as a novel binder to fabricate an activated carbon supercapacitor, enabling a wider potential window attributed to a high overpotential of the hydrogen-evolution reaction (HER) of agarose-bound activated carbons in sulfuric acid. Assembled symmetric aqueous cells can be galvanostatically cycled up to 1.8 V, attaining an enhanced energy density of 13.5 W h/kg (9.5 µW h/cm2) at 450 W/kg (315 µW/cm2). Furthermore, a great cycling behavior was obtained, with a 94.2% retention of capacitance after 10,000 cycles at 2 A/g. This work might guide the design of an alternative material for high-energy aqueous supercapacitors.

Chromatography methods in investigation of lipophilicity of the biological active substances

This paper presents the review of the methods used in research of the biological active substances hydrophobicity, a very important property. The biological activity of some substances depends on their pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. These processes depend on the molecule's capability to interact with two different media: aqueous (cells interior) and non-aqueous (cells membrane), or on the molecule lipophilicity. Today, great attention is given to investigation and systematic determination of drugs lipophilicity. In these researches chromatography methods have an important role.