Multicolor imaging in central serous chorioretinopathy - a quantitative and qualitative comparison with fundus autofluorescence.

Central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) is characterised by choroidal hyperpermeability which results in neurosensory detachments (NSD) along with numerous retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) alterations such as RPE atrophy. Fundus autofluorescence (FAF) demonstrates the functionality of the RPE while multicolor imaging(MCI), by means of its three incident wavelengths, provides insight into clinical changes at various levels of the retina and choroid in CSCR. This study compares various clinical findings in CSCR (NSD, subretinal deposits, RPE atrophy, pigment epithelial detachments (PED) and pachyvessels) on the above mentioned imaging modalities both qualitatively and quantitatively. MCI showed higher mean cumulative area of RPE atrophic patches (6.3 ± 6.02 vs 5.7 ± 5.7 mm2, p = 0.046), PED (1.3 ± 1.4 vs 1.1 ± 1.2 mm2, p = 0.068) and NSD (17.2 ± 11.4 vs 15.7 ± 10.7 mm2, p = 0.033). MCI demonstrated better defined lesions (NSD, PED, RPE atrophy) and more number of eyes with PED and pachyvessels in comparison to FAF.Both investigations had a 100% sensitivity in detecting NSD and 100% specificity for sub retinal deposits. This study demonstrates the ability of MCI to quantitatively and qualitatively define various clinical features in CSCR and the advantages it holds over FAF. MCI can hence be considered as a useful imaging modality in documenting and monitoring various structural changes in eyes with CSCR.

Optimization of parameters for the production of biodiesel from rubber seed oil using onsite lipase by response surface methodology.

In the present study, we demonstrate the properties of rubber seed oil (RSO) and its potential application for producing biodiesel by lipase-catalyzed transesterification. Rubber seed contains 39.45% of oil on a dry weight basis. Lipase was secreted from novel bacterial isolate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain BUP2. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) cum Box-Behnken Design (BBD) was employed to optimize the combined effect of different independent parameters namely oil-methanol ratio, enzyme unit, reaction temperature and reaction time. Biodiesel yield of 99.52% was obtained in the validation experiments at the optimal level of lipase (750 U), methanol ratio (1:10), temperature (45 °C) and time (4 h). The fuel properties of biodiesel obtained under the validation condition met the specifications as mentioned in ASTM D6751 and EN 14214 standards. Biodiesel aliquots were characterized using thin-layer chromatography (TLC), gas chromatography (GC), fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR) and elemental analysis. The present study demonstrates an important application of a potential substitute for fossil fuel from raw feedstocks with high economic value.

Random word recognition chart helps scotoma assessment in low vision.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the use of SKread, a vision test based on random word sequences that prevents the prediction of upcoming words by linguistic criteria and is simple to score in a clinical setting. METHODS: SKread combines the standardized format of the MNread test with sequences of random words and letters like the Pepper Visual Skills for Reading test. A total of 231 subjects (aged 16 to 97 years) participated. We report data from 136 eyes of subjects with a maculopathy and 65 with normal or near-normal vision. Test reliability was investigated on an additional 30 eye-healthy subjects. We tested visual acuity and reading performance for continuous text and random words monocularly. Reading speed and all errors made are reported. RESULTS: Reading speed was always higher for continuous text than for random word sequences, even in normally sighted subjects for whom the median reading times per paragraph were 2.4 s (MNread) vs. 6.8 s (SKread). In patients with maculopathies, the medians were 4.2 s vs. 12.25 s. These differences were statistically significant. Number and type of errors made depended only negligibly on age and visual acuity. Patients with a dense scotoma right of fixation made more "right errors" by missing letters at the end of words, whereas those with a scotoma left of fixation made more "left errors" by missing letters at the beginning of words. The SKread test showed good test-retest repeatability. CONCLUSIONS: The unpredictability of random word and letter sequences renders reading performance highly dependent on eyesight and less dependent on reading skill and educational level. Recurrent right or left errors can indicate the presence and location of a scotoma without expensive equipment. This knowledge can be used to teach patients about how the scotoma can interfere with their vision.

Acute corneal edema with subsequent thinning and hyperopic shift following selective laser trabeculoplasty.

UNLABELLED: We report 4 cases of acute corneal edema with subsequent thinning and hyperopic shift following routine selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) for the treatment of primary open-angle glaucoma. Four women from 3 clinical sites developed acute corneal edema and haze within 2 days of uneventful SLT. In the following weeks to months, all treated corneas thinned to below pre-procedure thicknesses with resultant hyperopic shifts of nearly 2.0 diopters (D) to greater than 6.0 D. All eyes were moderately to highly myopic prior to SLT (spherical equivalent from -5.00 to -12.5 D). The corrected distance visual acuity 6 to 11 months after SLT was within 2 Snellen lines of the pre-procedure acuity in all patients; 2 patients required contact lenses. Corneal edema with subsequent corneal thinning and resultant hyperopic shift is an uncommon but possibly underrecognized complication of SLT, the etiology of which remains unknown but may be associated with moderate to high myopia. FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE: No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.