Prevalence and Associations of Asteroid Hyalosis: The Beijing Eye Study

Background: To determine the prevalence and associations of asteroid hyalosis (AH) in a Chinese population-based cohort.Methods: The population-based Beijing Eye Study 2011 included 3468 individuals with a mean age of 64.6 ± 9.8 years (range: 50-93 years). AH is a condition in which small yellow-white, spherical particles known as asteroid bodies (ABs) are present within the vitreous body.Results: Fundus photographs were gradable in 3419 subjects. AH was detected in 65 (0.9%, 95% CI: 0.7%, 1.2%) eyes of 53 (1.5%, 95% CI: 1.1%, 1.9%) subjects. AH was bilateral in 18.9%. Mean age of all subjects with AH was 69.2± 9.5 years (median, 71.0 years; range, 51–91 years), mean refractive error was 0.63±1.53D (median, 0.75 D; range, -4.12 to 4.00D). In multivariate analysis, prevalence of AH was associated with elder age (P=0.014, OR 1.057), thicker lens (P=0.034, OR 3.843), higher refractive error (P=0.016, OR 1.401).Conclusions: In adult Chinese in Beijing, the prevalence of AH was 0.9% for eyes or 1.5% for subjects. AH was associated with elder age, thicker lens and higher refractive error. It does not support previous observations of an association of AH with diabetes or other systemic indicators.

Energy Diagnosis of University Buildings: Renewable Energy Institute from UNAM

The purpose of this study has been to conduct an energy diagnosis research of the third level. An energy diagnosis is a tool aimed to seek improvements related to measures of energy efficiency and saving, and environmental conservation as well. These improvements would prove to be relevant for any kind of building. The diagnosis was carried out in 36 university buildings (Renewable Energy Institute—REI) through survey and census; that in order (to identify and) to characterize current patterns of energy consumption and demand, as well as for generating specific strategies towards energy efficiency and saving, for instance the identification of systemic indicators and corrective proposals, and non-financial investment. The results promote the achievement of grand energy efficiency. The task on energy conservation entails the supporting participation of each person who either studies or works in the entity, whereas some other activities require economic stimulus for being implemented. Annual per capita energy consumption in the REI is 40 kWh/person: that is greater than the country’s average consumption rate. The main energy consumption corresponds to Building 3.1 (49% of total energy consumption). This is due to its large concentration of laboratories specialized in renewable energy research and innovation.