Oman Eye Study 2005: prevalence and determinants of glaucoma.

This community-based study was carried out to estimate the prevalence and identify the determinants of glaucoma in the Omani population in 2005-06. Residents of 75 randomly selected houses in 25 clusters participated in the survey. We interviewed and examined 3324 individuals aged > or = 30 years in their homes and in eye clinics to note personal details, glaucoma status and presence of selected risk factors: 180 were diagnosed as having glaucoma. Projected prevalence of glaucoma among the Omani population > or = 30 years was 4.75%. Open angle and angle closure types of glaucoma contributed 40.6% and 37.8% respectively. History of hypertension was negatively, and older age and family history of glaucoma were positively, associated with glaucoma.

Oman Eye Study 2005: prevalence and determinants of glaucoma

This community-based study was carried out to estimate the prevalence and identify the determinants of glaucoma in the Omani population in 2005-06. Residents of 75 randomly selected houses in 25 clusters participated in the survey. We interviewed and examined 3324 individuals aged >/= 30 years in their homes and in eye clinics to note personal details, glaucoma status and presence of selected risk factors: 180 were diagnosed as having glaucoma. Projected prevalence of glaucoma among the Omani population >/= 30 years was 4.75%. Open angle and angle closure types of glaucoma contributed 40.6% and 37.8% respectively. History of hypertension was negatively, and older age and family history of glaucoma were positively, associated with glaucoma

Subcellular organization of N2-fixing nodules of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) supplied with silicon.

Provision of silicon (0, 0.048, 0.096, 0.24, 0.48, and 0.96 g/l) in the form of silicic acid (H4SiO4) to nodulated cowpea plants (Vignia unguiculata [L.] Walp.) grown in liquid culture resulted in considerable changes in the internal organization of nodule structure. Compared to the control plants which received no added silicate, bacteroid numbers increased significantly (P < or = 0.05) at silicate concentrations of both 0.096 and 0.48 g/l. The number of symbiosomes also increased by 3.2-fold at the silicate concentration of 0.96 g/l compared to the control. In contrast, the size of bacteroids and symbiosomes decreased significantly (P < 0.05) inside nodules of silicate-treated plants. The peribacteroid space was also decreased considerably (P < 0.05) with the application of 0.096 and 0.96 g of silicate per liter to plants. However, the size of intercellular spaces adjacent to infected and uninfected interstitial cells within the nodule medulla increased significantly (P < or = 0.05) at 0.096 g of silicate per liter followed by a sharply marked (P < or = 0.05) decrease with each subsequent increase in silicate application. The result was a large decrease (P < 0.05) in the area of bacteria-infected tissue occupied by intercellular space at the highest silicate concentration, which was caused by a significant (P < or = 0.05) increase in cell wall thickness. Our findings show that the positive effects of silicon on N2 fixation might actually be due to an increased number of bacteroids and symbiosomes.

Subjective effects of double gloves on surgical performance.

This randomised trial compared single gloves with combinations of double gloves to determine the subjective effects on comfort, sensitivity and dexterity in 32 surgeons. Glove perforation rates were also compared. Single gloves of the surgeon's normal size (method A) were used as control. Double gloves were worn in three different ways, selected randomly: normal gloves inside and gloves one-half size larger outside (method B); the larger gloves inside and the normal gloves outside (method C); and lastly, two pairs of gloves of normal size (method D). Double gloves by all three methods significantly protected against needle perforation of the inner gloves when compared with single gloves, but also significantly impaired comfort, sensitivity and dexterity. When the three types of double gloving were compared, there appeared to be advantages for method C for all modalities, but the differences did not reach statistical significance; also, more surgeons expressed a preference for method C. Perforation of the inner gloves was significantly less for double gloves than for single gloves. We conclude that double gloves often protect the surgeon against needle perforations, but are felt to impair comfort, sensitivity and dexterity.

Meckel's diverticulitis caused by roundworm incarceration.

Meckel's diverticulitis (MD) may occur de novo or may result from a foreign body in the diverticulum. A case is reported where MD was caused by incarceration of a roundworm. There do not appear to be previous documented reports of this condition.

The application of the maximum entropy method to electron microscopic tomography.

The maximum entropy method has been applied to single axis tilt electron microscopic tomography. Its application requires that the problem be correctly formulated and that the model for the noise in electron micrographs be developed. A suitable noise model was determined empirically. The maximum entropy method was applied to a reconstruction of a test object from projections to which noise had been added. These reconstructions were superior to those obtained by reciprocal space weighted back protection. The method was also robust towards the incorrect specification of the noise, the penalty being an increase in the time required for convergence rather than degradation of the quality of the reconstructed image. In the reconstruction of negatively stained chromatin fibres it was possible to obtain satisfactory images utilizing all the information in the projections, in contrast to conventional methods in which high resolution data are removed by the application of Fourier space filters.