The 2018 rift eruption and summit collapse of Kilauea Volcano.

In 2018, Kilauea Volcano experienced its largest lower East Rift Zone (LERZ) eruption and caldera collapse in at least 200 years. After collapse of the Pu'u 'O'o vent on 30 April, magma propagated downrift. Eruptive fissures opened in the LERZ on 3 May, eventually extending ~6.8 kilometers. A 4 May earthquake [moment magnitude (M w) 6.9] produced ~5 meters of fault slip. Lava erupted at rates exceeding 100 cubic meters per second, eventually covering 35.5 square kilometers. The summit magma system partially drained, producing minor explosions and near-daily collapses releasing energy equivalent to M w 4.7 to 5.4 earthquakes. Activity declined rapidly on 4 August. Summit collapse and lava flow volume estimates are roughly equivalent-about 0.8 cubic kilometers. Careful historical observation and monitoring of Kilauea enabled successful forecasting of hazardous events.

Keraring implantation using the Zeiss Visumax femtosecond laser in the management of patients with keratoconus.

PurposeTo evaluate the safety and efficacy of implanted Kerarings in patients with mild, moderate, and severe keratoconus.Patients and methodsA 12-month retrospective case series of 70 eyes of 70 patients who underwent Keraring implantation with the Zeiss Visumax femtosecond laser. Patients were stratified into three groups according to their topography as mild (mean K <48 D) moderate (48-55 D) or severe (>55 D). Main outcome measures were visual acuity, manifest refraction, and corneal topography. Complications were recorded.ResultsA total of 66 patients completed the 12-month follow-up. In all, 4 rings were explanted, 3 due to no improvement in visual function and 1 due to corneal neovascularization. Also, 4 rings were repositioned. In mild disease (n=28), BCVA increased to 0.10 logMAR, sphere decreased to -1.54 D, cylinder decreased to 2.54 D, Kmax decreased to 46.25 D, and keratometric astigmatism to 3.88 D (P<0.01 for each compared with preoperative values). No patients lost vision. In moderate disease (n=27), sphere decreased to -4.06 D, cylinder decreased to 3.47 D, Kmax decreased to 51.69 D, and keratometric astigmatism to 4.56 D (P<0.05 for each compared with preoperative values). In severe disease (n=11), BCVA increased to 0.34 logMAR, Kmax decreased to 57.65 D, and keratometric astigmatism to 5.07 D (P<0.05 for each compared with preoperative values).ConclusionFemtosecond laser-assisted Keraring implantation is a safe and minimally invasive treatment option to improve the refraction and visual function in patients with keratoconus. Patients with mild keratoconus are more likely to have a favourable outcome following Keraring implantation.

Traumatic wound dehiscence following cataract surgery: a thing of the past?

PURPOSE: This study compares the frequencies of traumatic wound dehiscence following extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE) and following phacoemulsification through a self-sealing corneoscleral tunnel. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed of the surgical record at a British eye hospital from September 1986 to August 1993 and January 1996 to December 1998. Cases requiring surgical repair of wound dehiscence following cataract extraction were identified. The frequencies of traumatic wound dehiscence following ECCE and phacoemulsification were compared using a two by two contingency table (chi-square test). RESULTS: Twenty-one cases of traumatic wound dehiscence were identified following 5,600 ECCEs (0.4%). In 4,200 phacoemulsification procedures only one case of traumatic wound dehiscence was identified (0.02%) (p = 0.0006, OR 15.8, chi2 = 11.69). CONCLUSION: Phacoemulsification through a self-sealing corneoscleral tunnel is associated with significantly less risk of traumatic wound dehiscence than is extracapsular cataract extraction. The case of wound rupture following phacoemulsification is discussed with reference to a mechanism for the injury.

Effect of prepartum bovine somatotropin in primigravid ewes on mammogenesis, milk production, and hormone concentrations.

Twenty-five primigravid ewes were used to investigate the effect of bST, between 97 and 124 d of gestation, on mammogenesis and subsequent milk production. Five ewes (reference group) were slaughtered at 96 d of gestation, and the remaining ewes were injected daily with saline (control group: n = 10) or .1 mg/kg of BW of bST (bST group: n = 10). Following bST treatment, 5 control and 5 bST group ewes were slaughtered (slaughter group). The remaining ewes were slaughtered after lambing and being milked for 8 wk (production group). Weekly blood samples were obtained from both slaughter and production group ewes. Slaughter group ewes were also subjected to 8-h serial blood sampling at 98 d (period 1) and 123 d (period 2) of gestation. Milk production was 42% higher in ewes treated prepartum with bST than in those treated with saline. Results suggest that the increase in milk was due to an increase in mammary parenchymal cell number rather than to an increase in cellular activity. The high rate of [3H]thymidine incorporation into parenchymal tissue in reference group ewes suggests that the increase in parenchyma during the second trimester of gestation is due to cellular hyperplasia but that cellular hypertrophy may be more important during the last trimester. Plasma IGF-I concentrations were significantly higher during bST treatment and remained elevated between daily injections; the increase was greatest in period 2.