ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Infectious keratitis is a common ophthalmic condition in canine patients. Sequelae can include keratomalacia and corneal perforation, a vision threatening outcome. Photoactivated chromophore for keratitis - corneal cross-linking (PACK-CXL) is a non-surgical, adjunctive treatment method for infectious keratitis. The goal of this retrospective, multicenter study was to determine risk factors for treatment failure following PACK-CXL in canine patients suffering from suspected infectious keratitis. Medical records from four veterinary ophthalmology services were reviewed, and information related to patient demographics, ophthalmic findings, the PACK-CXL protocol used, and epithelialization time was collected and analyzed. Due to the potential for intervariable relationships, an additive Bayesian network (ABN) analysis was performed to evaluate these complex relationships. RESULTS: Records for 671 eyes (668 dogs) were included in the analysis. Based on the ABN, in the population included here, patients who underwent an accelerated PACK-CXL protocol were less likely to experience treatment failure versus patients treated with a slow protocol. Mutual dependencies between exposure variables were identified by ABN, which would have been overlooked using classical regression. Corneal re-epithelialization time was shortened following PACK-CXL combined with topical medical therapy compared to PACK-CXL alone. CONCLUSIONS: No risk factors associated with treatment failure were identified in the population included in the present study. Canine patients may benefit from the use of accelerated PACK-CXL protocols, especially when combined with topical antibiotics and anti-collagenolytic therapy. The reasons for this apparent positive impact on treatment outcome remain unclear.
Subject(s)
Dog Diseases , Eye Infections, Bacterial , Keratitis , Photochemotherapy , Animals , Dogs , Bayes Theorem , Corneal Cross-Linking/veterinary , Cross-Linking Reagents/therapeutic use , Dog Diseases/drug therapy , Eye Infections, Bacterial/drug therapy , Eye Infections, Bacterial/veterinary , Keratitis/drug therapy , Keratitis/veterinary , Photochemotherapy/veterinary , Photochemotherapy/methods , Photosensitizing Agents/therapeutic use , Retrospective Studies , Risk Factors , Treatment Failure , Ultraviolet RaysABSTRACT
Magnetic solids are widely used in detection and analytical systems because of the performance advantages they offer compared to similar solids that lack magnetic properties. These solids can be used to pre-concentrate analytes and for the magnetic separation and molecular identification of biomolecules, and organic and inorganic species. Magnetic solid separation techniques also offer benefits over centrifugation, filtration, and solid-phase extraction. In this review, we describe the synthesis, characterization and applications of a series of solids including silica supports, carbon nanotubes, alumina, organic polymers and other materials, mostly containing magnetite or paramagnetic metals. Also addressed are the future perspectives of magnetic solid applications.
ABSTRACT
A series of supports functionalized with different alkyl chains and covered with magnetite were synthesized, characterized and applied in the sample pre-concentration of four non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (acetaminophen, naproxen, diclofenac and ibuprofen) contained in wastewater samples. The general methodology involved magnetic solid phase dispersion followed by the analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. The magnetic supports were initially dispersed in the samples with the aid of Triton X-100, then supports were magnetically isolated and the analytes were eluted with methanol. Finally the extract was injected into the HPLC system. The highest recovery percentage (>90%) was obtained with the support containing octyl chains (C8) at pH 3. The lowest limits of detection achieved ranged within 1-2microgL(-1) with repeatability (expressed as RSD) below 5% in all cases. The method was applied in the analysis of wastewater samples.
Subject(s)
Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/analysis , Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/isolation & purification , Environmental Pollutants/analysis , Environmental Pollutants/isolation & purification , Magnetics , Water/chemistry , Adsorption , Analytic Sample Preparation Methods , Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal/chemistry , Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid , Environmental Pollutants/chemistry , Solid Phase Extraction , Ultraviolet Rays , Waste ManagementABSTRACT
The results presented in this work deal with the prime application of activated composite membranes (ACMs) for the transport of Hg(II) ions in a continuous extraction-re-extraction system using di-(2-ethylhexyl)dithiophosphoric acid (DTPA) as carrier. The effects of variables such as the pH, the nature of the acid and the concentration of the casting solutions on the transport of Hg(II) are also investigated. When the ACM was prepared with a 0.5 M DTPA solution and when the feed solution contained 2.5x10(-4) M Hg(II) in 0.1 M HCl, the amount of mercury extracted was greater than 76%. The re-extracted mercury was subsequently recovered by means of a stripping phase comprising 0.3 M thiourea solution in 2 M H2SO4, yielding 54% of the initial amount of mercury after transport had taken place for 180 min.
