Trabeculectomy with ologen in secondary glaucomas following failed trabeculectomy with MMC: comparative study.

PurposeWe aimed to assess the IOP-lowering effect of trabeculectomy with ologen in refractory secondary glaucoma following failed trabeculectomy with mitomycin C (MMC), and to compare its surgical outcome between open angle (SOAG) and angle closure (SACG) cases.MethodsThis is a prospective interventional comparative study conducted on 40 eyes (40 patients) with medically uncontrolled secondary glaucoma. Patients were divided into group A: 18 eyes (18 patients) with SOAG, and group B: 22 eyes (22 patients) with SACG. All patients underwent trabeculectomy with insertion of ologen implant. Intraocular pressure (IOP) measurement, SITA standard perimetry (Central 24-2), spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) for retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness, and anterior segment OCT for bleb morphology, were all done pre- and postoperatively. Primary outcome measures were comparing preoperative to postoperative measurements and also comparing these measurements between SOAG and SACG. All patients were examined up to 1 year.ResultsWhen preoperative IOP was compared with postoperative IOP, in each group, there was a statistically significant difference (P<0.001). IOP percentage difference was statistically insignificantly different between both groups except at 1 month. According to Moorfields bleb grading system; postoperative bleb was better than the bleb of the previously failed trabeculectomy (P<0.001), and there was a significant difference between group A and B regarding bleb area. Total success rate was 100%; in group A, complete success was 100%, while in group B it was 72.7% (P=0.016).ConclusionOur results suggest that Ologen may be a useful alternative to MMC in repeat trabeculectomy.

Physicochemical characteristics of lentil varieties as related to their cookability.

Some physical and chemical characteristics of three varieties of lentil were studied along with their cookability. Gelatinization temperature and peak viscosity were found to be independent of amylose content as well as protein and amino acid contents. The maximum volume-expansion ratio was positively correlated with amylose content and independent of protein and amino acid contents. Seed coats of the tested varieties were very fine and seemed to be an unimportant factor for their cookability. No correlation was found between phytic acid phosphorus content and cookability of the tested varieties. The amino acids were determined quantitatively by the amino acid analyser. Glutamic acid was found in higher level, whereas the other amino acids were found in variable amounts.

Cooking-quality of broad-bean varieties as influenced by some physicochemical measurements.

Cooking and processing-characteristics of eight Egyptian dry broad-bean varieties were studied along with some of their chemical and physical tests. Good correlation was found between their cooking-quality and their contents of seed coat and phytic acid as well as their amylograms. Seeds of Giza 2 variety contained the lowest contents of seed coat and phytic acid phosphorus and showed the lowest peak viscosity, which were associated with excellent cooking and processing-characteristics. The cooked seeds of this variety were soft and absorbed more water as well as the liquid after cooking contained more color intensity. Other tested varieties contained more of these chemical and physical tests, which were associated with variable cooking and processing-characteristics. Conversely, Rebaya 40 variety contained the highest contents of these chemical and physical tests, which were associated with less cooking and processing-characteristics. Moreover, the water absorption of the raw seeds was correlated to the water absorption of cooked seeds as well as their cookability in the tested varieties. The cooking-quality was not significantly correlated with gelatinization temperatures, protein content and amino acid composition. The amino acids were determined quantitatively by the amino acid analyser, and the predominant amino acids were found to be aspartic acid and glutamic acid, whereas the other acids were found in variable amounts. The nutritional value of broad-bean protein, generally, showed that they are deficient in methionine and isoleucine, compared with the provisional reference of amino acid pattern of the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations.

Unsaponifiable matter and fatty acid composition of pea oil.

14 compounds were detected in the unsaponifiable matter of pea oil by gas liquid chromatography (GLC) and 8 of them were identified as hydrocarbons C30, C32, squalene, alpha-tocopherol, cholesterol, campesterol, stigmasterol and beta-sitosterol. The predominant unsaponifiable fraction was beta-sitosterol whereas the others were found in variable amounts. Two sterols were isolated by column chromatography. One of them was characterised as beta-sitosterol by measuring the melting point, [a]D, and infrared spectra and those of its acetate. However, the other sterol was unidentified. The fatty acid contents in pea oil were determined quantitatively by GLC. They were present in variable amounts, whereas linoleic acid was the major one.

Composition of cocoa shell fat as related to cocoa butter.

The physical and chemical constants of cocoa shell fat (a by-product resulted during the production of cocoa butter at chocolate factories) were almost identical with those of cocoa butter obtained from the same cocoa beans except for their high acid value. Shell fat contained more amount of phospholipid content (as cephalin) than cocoa butter. The lipid classes were almost the same in cocoa butter and shell fat, however, the latter contained an unidentified constituent which was not found in cocoa butter. The fatty acids were determined quantitatively by GLC, and the results showed that the predominant acids in cocoa butter were palmitic, and oleic. Less amounts of capric, myristic, palmitoleic and linoleic were found in cocoa butter, whereas more amounts of these acids were found in shell fat. Cocoa butter gave higher values of stearic and myristic acids than those of shell fat. Seventeen compounds were detected by GLC in the unsaponifiable matter of both cocoa butter and shell fat from which eight were identified as C30 hydrocarbon, C32 hydrocarbon, squalene, alpha-tocopherol, cholesterol, campsterol, stigmasterol and beta-sitosterol in the two samples. The sterols were determined quantitatively, and it was found that the predominant sterol in cocoa butter and shell fat was B-sitosterol. Cocoa butter contained higher values of stigmasterol than that of shell fat, which contained increasing values of campsterol, low values of cholesterol were found in both samples. Stability of cocoa butter and shell fat towards oxidative rancidity at 100 degrees C was the same (10.5 hrs).

Amino acid distribution of cereals in commercial mill products.

The amino acid contents of wheat and rice as well as their final products produced by commercial milling were determined quantitatively by the amino acid analyzer. Less quantities of lysine, glycine, arginine, alanine, and aspartic acid were found in the flour, whereas more levels of these amino acids were found in the wheat grain. Conversely, more proline, phenylalanine and glutamic acid were found in the flour, and less amounts of these amino acids were found in the wheat grain. The proportion of the other amino acids were slightly affected by milling. On the other hand, less amounts of aspartic acid, serine, glutamic acid, and proline were found in rice bran and germ, whereas more levels of these amino acids were found in brown and milled rice. Conversely, rice bran and germ contained more threonine and cystine than brown and milled rice. The proportions of the other amino acids were slightly affected by milling, however, high content of lysine in germ was notable.

Some factors affecting the haemagglutinin of soybean.

The water extract of unheated defatted ground soybean (soybean meal) contained haemagglutinin activity 7137 units per g soybean meal and carbohydrate content 6.34 g per 100 g soybean meal. After adjusting the pH-value of the water extract to pH 4.4, and centrifuging it, the supernatant contained most of the carbohydrate content of (6.27 g per 100 g soybean meal), while noticeable decrease in the haemagglutinin was found. The DEAE-cellulose chromatography of the acetone precipitate from the water extract of soybean meal gave five protein peaks. The first four peaks showed the presence of haemagglutinin and about 40% of the total haemagglutinin were present in the first peak. The haemagglutinin activity of the water extract of soybean meal was measured at different temperatures for different intervals. The activity was easily affected by the heat treatment and it was destroyed completely after five minutes by heating at 100 degrees C and the activation energy was 9.45-10.26 kcal/mole.

The use of a digital oscillator densimeter for the determination of reaction rates of bacterial proteases.

A digital oscillator densimeter technique for measuring the density of casein solutions at different concentrations, temperatures and pH values was used. The technique was also used to compare the rates of protease-catalysed reactions of two bacterial proteases using casein as a substrate. Enzyme activities using reaction rates of proteases determined by this method were compared with a standard method for protease activity.

The protein nutritive value of proteolan, a by-product of starch industry.

The nutrient contents as well as the amino-acid pattern of the proteolan by-product were determined. The results showed the presence of 18 amino acids. Most of the essential amino acids are existing in optimal concentration with exception of the sulfur-containing amino acids which showed deficiencies. The animal experiments indicated high figures for the digestibility coefficient and low figures for both the biological and net protein-utilization values. Mixing the proteolan in equal proportion with barley rootlets, a by-product of malting, leads to a noticeable increase in the biological value.