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Cindy Ung, Inês Laíns, Thanos D Papakostas, Safa Rahmani, John B Miller Retina Service, Massachusetts Eye and Ear, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA Abstract: We describe the benefits of perfluoro-N-octane (PFO), a perfluorocarbon liquid, in the removal of nonmagnetic intraocular foreign bodies (IOFBs) from the macula and posterior segment. Two consecutive cases of posterior segment IOFB were reviewed. An 18-year-old male presented to the emergency room after a motor vehicle accident with a zone 1 open globe injury and large glass IOFB in the left eye. A 53-year-old male presented to the emergency room with a history of a 3-week delayed presentation of a zone 1 open globe injury from a nail to the right eye. He was found to have a metallic IOFB. In both cases, PFO was used to slide the nonmagnetic IOFBs outside of the macula for safer retrieval. PFO was also able to protect the posterior pole from IOFB drops during early attempts at removal. PFO can be a useful surgical adjunct to pars plana vitrectomy in the removal of certain nonmagnetic IOFBs. Keywords: intraocular foreign body, trauma, open globe, perfluorocarbon liquid

Existing models for describing knot morphology are typically based on polynomial functions with parameters that are often not biologically interpretable. Hence, they are difficult to integrate into tree growth simulators due to the limited possibilities for linking knot shape to external branch and tree characteristics. X-ray computed tomography (CT) images taken along the stems of 16 jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) trees and 32 black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P.) trees were used to extract the three-dimensional shape of 3450 and 11 276 knots from each species, respectively. Using a nonlinear approach, we firstly fitted a model of knot geometry adapted from a Weibull function. Separate equations were used to describe both the curvature and the diameter of the knot along its pith. Combining these two equations gave an accurate representation of knot shape using only five parameters. Secondly, to facilitate the integration of the resulting model into a tree growth simulator, we extracted the parameters obtained for each knot and modelled them as functions of external branch and tree characteristics (e.g., branch diameter, insertion angle, position in the stem, tree height, and stem diameter). When fitted to a separate data set, the model residuals of the black spruce knot curvature equation were less than 2.9 mm in any part of the knot profile for 75% of the observations. The corresponding value from the diameter equation was 2.8 mm. In jack pine, these statistics increased to 5.4 mm and 3.2 mm, respectively. Overall, the ability to predict knot attributes from external tree- and branch-level variables has the potential to improve the simulation of internal stem properties. Resume: Les modeles utilises actuellement pour decrire la morphologie des naeuds sont generalement bases sur des fonctions polynomiales dont les parametres sont difficilement interpretables. Ainsi, ils sont difficiles a integrer dans les simulateurs de croissance en raison de la difficulte a relier la forme des naeuds et les caracteristiques externes des branches et des arbres. Des images de tomographie a rayons-X le long des tiges de 16 pins gris (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) et de 32 epinettes noires (Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP) ont ete utilisees pour extraire, respectivement pour chaque espece, la forme tridimensionnelle de 3450 et 11 276 naeuds. Dans un premier temps, nous avons utilise une approche de modelisation non lineaire basee sur une fonction de Weibull afin de decrire la geometrie de chaque naeud. Des equations distinctes ont ete utilisees afin de decrire a la fois l'evolution de la courbure et du diametre du naeud de la moelle a l'ecorce. Cette combinaison de deux equations a permis une representation exacte de la forme naeud en utilisant seulement cinq parametres. Dans un second temps, les parametres obtenus pour chacun des naeuds ont ete extraits et modelises en fonction des caracteristiques externes de la branche et de l'arbre (p. ex. le diametre de la branche, l'angle d'inclinaison, la position dans la tige, la hauteur et le diametre de la tige). Lors de l'ajustement du modele a un jeu de donnees separe, les residus de l'equation de courbure de l'epinette noire etaient inferieurs a 2,9 mm le long du profil de naeud dans 75 % des cas. Cette valeur etait de 2,8 mm pour les residus de l'equation du diametre. Chez le pin gris, ces valeurs etaient respectivement de 5,4 mm et 3,2 mm. Globalement, l'aptitude a predire les attributs des naeuds a partir des donnees externes de branches et d'arbre offrent le potentiel d'ameliorer la simulation des proprietes internes du bois., Introduction The size and distribution of knots within trees are among the most important factors affecting the quality of end-use products (Zink-Sharp2003; Buksnowitz et al. 2010). Mechanistically, they cause discontinuities [...]

Summary: Background: Fragrance contact allergy is common and is currently screened for using the following European baseline series fragrance markers: fragrance mix (FM)I, FMII, Myroxylon pereirae and hydroxyisohexyl 3‐cyclohexene carboxaldehyde. Objectives: To investigate the validity of patch testing using these fragrance markers in detecting fragrance allergy to 26 individual fragrance substances for which cosmetic ingredient labelling is mandatory within the European Union. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of the patch test records of all patients with eczema who underwent testing using the European baseline series, extended with the individual fragrance substances during the period from 2015 to 2016. Results: Overall, 359 patients (17·2%) reacted to one or more allergens from the labelled fragrance substance series and/or a fragrance marker from the European baseline series. The allergens that were positive with the greatest frequencies were oxidized linalool [n = 154; 7·4%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 6·3–8·6], oxidized limonene (n = 89; 4·3%, 95% CI 3·4–5·2) and Evernia furfuracea (n = 44; 2·1%, 95% CI 1·5–2·8). Of the 319 patients who reacted to any of the labelled fragrance substances, only 130 (40·8%) also reacted to a baseline series fragrance marker. The sensitivity of our history‐taking for detecting fragrance allergy was 25·7%. Conclusions: Given the evolving trends in fragrance allergy, patch testing with FMI, FMII, M. pereirae and hydroxyisohexyl 3‐cyclohexene carboxaldehyde is no longer sufficient for screening for fragrance allergy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Severity prediction is difficult early in the course of acute pancreatitis. Markers of pancreatic injury, or inflammatory activation are candidate markers of severity. The aim of the present study was to assess predictive abilities of carboxypeptidase-B activation peptide (CAPAP-B) and solublel-selectin (sL-selectin) using samples collected on admission to hospital. Methods: Patients with acute pancreatitis and disease (acute abdomen) and normal controls were studied. Samples were collected at admission and daily for 5 days. There were significant differences between mild and severe pancreatitis in urinary and plasma CAPAP-B on admission, C-reactive protein on day 3 and acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE)-II scores. Prediction of severity with CAPAP-B on admission was as good as with APACHE-II score after 48 h. Carboxypeptidase-B activation peptide was not raised in disease controls. By contrast, sL-selectin was lowered in all cases of acute pancreatitis, and in disease controls. There was no difference between mild and severe pancreatitis. Conclusion: Urinary CAPAP-B, a marker of acinar injury, can be used to predict severity of acute pancreatitis at the time of admission to hospital, but sL-selectin has no value in this regard. The extent of acinar injury may be a more important early marker of severity than markers of inflammatory activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]