Ragi Traditional But Nutritional Especially in the Era of COVID-19

Finger millet is the name commonly used to denote the crop Eleusine coracana. It is known as Ragi in many parts of India, which is an important member of the family of cereals. In fact, it is superior to many cereals like wheat and rice in terms of its micronutrient content and bioavailability. Several indigenous processing techniques may be applied to finger millets allowing it to be processed into various value-added products, which may be better in appearance, taste, flavor and acceptability. Development of value-added products that contain Ragi as one of their major components can be beneficial for food and nutrition security of Indians. Ragi may contribute to solving the issue of micronutrient deficiency and nutrition security as it is an important source of micronutrients and can be easily incorporated in various recipes and value-added products. It can therefore be a part of various nutritional programs to enhance the nutritional density of foods.

Perioperative glycaemic control in diabetic patients undergoing cataract surgery under local anaesthesia: a survey of practices of Singapore ophthalmologists and anaesthesiologists

<p><b>INTRODUCTION</b>Perioperative glycaemic control is an important aspect of clinical management in diabetic patients undergoing cataract surgery under local anaesthesia. While poor long-term glycaemic control has significant implications for surgery, perioperative hypoglycaemia or hyperglycaemia may also compromise patient safety and surgical outcomes. We aimed to survey ophthalmologists and anaesthesiologists on their approach and to identify the prevalent practice patterns in Singapore.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>This was a cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey conducted in four public hospitals in Singapore with established ophthalmology and anaesthesia units. Respondents were approached individually, and the self-administered questionnaires comprised questions related to practice patterns, clinical scenarios and awareness of pre-existing guidelines.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A total of 129 doctors responded to the questionnaire survey. 76 (58.9%) were from ophthalmology departments and 53 (41.1%) were from anaesthesia departments. The majority chose to withhold oral hypoglycaemic agents (82.9%) and/or insulin (69.8%), and keep the patient fasted preoperatively. A blood glucose level ≥ 17 mmol/L prompted 86.0%-93.8% of respondents to adopt a treat-and-defer strategy, while a level ≥ 23 mmol/L prompted 86.0%-96.9% of respondents to cancel the cataract surgery. The respondents were consistently more concerned about perioperative hyperglycaemia (n = 99, 76.7%) than intraoperative hypoglycaemia (n = 83, 64.3%).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The current study presented the prevalent practice patterns of ophthalmologists and anaesthesiologists in the perioperative management of diabetic patients undergoing cataract surgery in four public hospitals in Singapore. Further research in this field is required, and may be useful for the future formulation of formal guidelines and protocols.</p>

Macular carotenoids and age-related maculopathy

Lutein (L) and zeaxanthin (Z) are concentrated at the macula, where they are collectively known as macular pigment (MP), and where they are believed to play a major role in protecting retinal tissues against oxidative stress. Whilst the exact pathogenesis of age-related maculopathy (ARM) remains unknown, the disruption of cellular processes by oxidative stress may play an important role. Manipulation of dietary intake of L and Z has been shown to augment MP, thereby raising hopes that dietary supplementation with these carotenoids might prevent, delay, or modify the course of ARM. This article discusses the scientific rationale supporting the hypothesis that L and Z are protective against ARM, and presents the recent evidence germane to this theory.