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Magnetised zeolite A, zeolite X and Na,K-CHA composites with superparamagnetic nanoparticles of SiO2-coated Fe3O4 or CoFe2O4 ferrite spinels were prepared, characterised and tested for ion exchange efficacy. They were synthesised by following three steps, synthesising Fe3O4 and CoFe2O4 nanoparticles by a solvothermal method, coating the metal oxide particles with SiO2 by a sol-gel process, and attaching the MxOy/SiO2 onto the zeolites during synthesis. The magnetic zeolites were characterised by X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry and both scanning and transmission electron microscopy. It was confirmed they had superparamagnetic properties due to successful attachment of the MxOy/SiO2 particles onto the zeolites. Adsorption capacities of Sr2+ onto the magnetic zeolite A and zeolite X and Cs+ onto the magnetic Na,K-CHA were also evaluated. The results show the MxOy/SiO2 did not block the adsorption sites of the zeolites and the MxOy/SiO2 particles were not detached from the zeolites during the adsorption experiments.

Composites of sodium-exchanged zeolite chabazite particles with attached superparamagnetic nanoparticles of Fe3O4 and CoFe2O4 ferrite spinels have been produced using a novel solvothermal route. These have been characterized by a combination of techniques, including powder x-ray diffraction, x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry, and both scanning and transmission electron microscopy. These confirm the nature of the attached nanoparticles, and the microscope images show a good dispersion of nanoparticles with a narrow size range deposited uniformly on the surface of the zeolite particles. The magnetization is of sufficient strength to allow magnetic separation from a solution. Both time and pH dependent Cs uptake experiments show that the magnetized systems are still excellent for the rapid uptake of Cs via an ion exchange process with no reduction in property due to the attached nanoparticles.

PurposeTo investigate the clinical significance of color visual acuity (CVA) in preperimetric glaucoma (PPG) and open-angle glaucoma (OAG).MethodsA total of 123 eyes of 73 subjects (22 normal eyes, 14 PPG eyes, and 87 OAG eyes; mean age: 44.9 ± 10.1 years, age range: 21-64 years) were enrolled. CVA was tested for red, green-yellow, blue-green and blue-purple with a newly developed test.ResultsThere was no statistical difference in clinical background factors, including age, sex, intraocular pressure, or spherical equivalent between the three groups. Red VA and blue-green VA were significantly worse in the OAG eyes than in the normal eyes (P = 0.008 and P = 0.015, respectively), although green-yellow VA and blue-purple VA were not significantly worse. Furthermore, red VA and blue-green VA were significantly correlated with MD in a group of eyes with either PPG or OAG (r = -0.23, P = 0.023; r = -0.25, P = 0.012, respectively), but green-yellow VA and blue-purple VA were not.ConclusionRed VA and blue-green VA were detectably worse in eyes with OAG, in close association with the degree of functional loss. This suggests that measuring CVA with the new color test described here may be a promising supplement to existing methods of detecting glaucoma and evaluating its severity.

Purpose. To compare clinical findings, including ocular blood flow and intima-media thickness (IMT) of the carotid artery, in mild nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) and no diabetic retinopathy (NDR) patients, and to determine risk factors contributing to mild NPDR. Methods. In 129 subjects (129 eyes) with type-2 diabetes patients and mild NPDR or NDR, standard statistical techniques were used to determine associations between clinical findings, including diabetes duration, blood levels of creatinine and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), central macular thickness (CMT; measured with optical coherence tomography), mean blur rate (MBR; measured with laser speckle flowgraphy), and ultrasound-measured carotid IMT. Results. Diabetes duration, IMT, and CMT were significantly higher in the mild NPDR patients than the NDR patients (P=0.004, P=0.004, and P=0.003, respectively), while conversely, MBR in the overall optic nerve head (MBR-A) was lower in the mild NPDR patients. Furthermore, a logistic regression analysis showed that diabetes duration (OR, 1.11; P=0.006), diastolic blood pressure (OR, 0.93; P=0.025), heart rate (OR, 1.07; P=0.004), IMT (OR, 8.65; P=0.005), and CMT (OR, 1.03; P=0.007) were independent contributing factors to mild NPDR. Spearman’s rank correlation test also showed that IMT was negatively correlated with MBR-A (P=0.011). Conclusions. Increased IMT showed a close association with ocular ischemia in patients with type-2 diabetes and contributed to the presence of mild NPDR. These findings suggest that IMT may be an early biomarker of mild NPDR.

Purpose. Nerve conduction velocity (NCV) is an indicator of neuronal damage in the distal segment of the peripheral nerves. Here, we determined the association between NCV and other systemic and ocular clinical findings, in type 2 diabetes patients with early diabetic retinopathy (DR). Methods. This study included 42 eyes of 42 type 2 diabetes patients (median age: 54 years) with no DR or with mild nonproliferative DR. Standard statistical techniques were used to determine associations between clinical findings. Results. Sural sensory conduction velocity (SCV) and tibial motor conduction velocity (MCV) were significantly lower in mild nonproliferative DR patients than patients with no DR (P=0.008 and P=0.01, resp.). Furthermore, logistic regression analyses revealed that sural SCV and tibial MCV were independent factors contributing to the presence of mild nonproliferative DR (OR 0.83, P=0.012 and OR 0.69 P=0.02, resp.). Tibial MCV was correlated with choroidal thickness (CT) (P=0.01), and a multiple regression analysis revealed that age, tibial MCV, and carotid intima-media thickness were independent associating factors with CT (P=0.035, P=0.015, and P=0.008, resp.). Conclusions. Our findings suggest that reduced NCV may be closely associated with early DR in type 2 diabetes patients. Thus, reduced nerve conduction is a potential early biomarker of DR.

Magnetised zeolite A, zeolite X and Na, K-CHA composites with superparamagnetic nanoparticles of SiO2-coated Fe3O4 or CoFe2O4 ferrite spinels were prepared, characterised and tested for ion exchange efficacy. They were synthesised by following three steps, synthesising Fe3O4 and CoFe2O4 nanoparticles by a solvothermal method, coating the metal oxide particles with SiO2 by a sol-gel process, and attaching the MxOy/SiO2 onto the zeolites during synthesis. The magnetic zeolites were characterised by X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry and both scanning and transmission electron microscopy. It was confirmed they had superparamagnetic properties due to successful attachment of the MxOy/SiO2 particles onto the zeolites. Adsorption capacities of Sr2+ onto the magnetic zeolite A and zeolite X and Cs+ onto the magnetic Na,K-CHA were also evaluated. The results show theMxOy/SiO2 did not block the adsorption sites of the zeolites and the MxOy/SiO2 particles were not detached from the zeolites during the adsorption experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microsatellite markers were developed for the endangered orchid Calanthe izu-insularis (Orchidaceae). This species is unique to the Izu Islands in Japan. Unfortunately, its population size has decreased because of excessive collection for horticultural purposes. In addition, although natural hybridization between C. izu-insularis and C. discolor var. discolor has been reported, morphological differences between C. izu-insularis and the hybridized individuals remain unclear. Using next-generation sequencing, 11 polymorphic microsatellite markers were developed. All developed markers could amplify C. aristulifera and nine markers could amplify C. d. var. discolor, two other orchid species that are also endangered in Japan. The number of alleles and expected heterozygosity at each locus were 1-6 (mean, 2.35) and 0.00-0.79 (mean, 0.30), respectively. These microsatellite markers will help conservation geneticists in their investigation of the proportion of pure C. izu-insularis individuals in the Izu Islands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]