Axial length,vitreoretinal pathology,and anterior chamber depth can predict postoperative refractive outcomes in phacovitrectomy/silicone oil removal

AIM:To evaluate the postoperative refractive prediction error(PE)and determine the factors that af fect the refractive outcomes of combined pars plana vitrectomy(PPV)or silicone oil removal(SOR)with cataract surgery.METHODS:The study is a retrospective,case-series study.Totally 301 eyes of 301 patients undergoing combined PPV/SOR with cataract surgery were enrolled.Eligible individuals were separated into four groups according to their preoperative diagnoses:silicone oil-filled eyes after PPV(group 1),epiretinal membrane(group 2),macular hole(group 3),and primary retinal detachment(RD;group 4).The variables af fecting postoperative refractive outcomes were analyzed,including age,gender,preoperative best-corrected visual acuity(BCVA),axial length(AL),keratometry average,anterior chamber depth(ACD),intraocular tamponade,and vitreoretinal pathology.The outcome measurements include the mean refractive PE and the proportions of eyes with a PE within±0.50 diopter(D)and±1.00 D.RESULTS:For all patients,the mean PE was-0.04±1.17 D,and 50.17%of patients(eyes)had a PE within±0.50 D.There was a significant difference in refractive outcomes among the four groups(P=0.028),with RD(group 4)showing the least favorable refractive outcome.In multivariate regression analysis,only AL,vitreoretinal pathology,and ACD were strongly associated with PE(all P<0.01).Univariate analysis revealed that longer eyes(AL>26 mm)and a deeper ACD were correlated with hyperopic PE,and shorter eyes(AL<26 mm)and a shallower ACD were correlated with myopic PE.CONCLUSION:RD patients have the least favorable refractive outcome.AL,vitreoretinal pathology,and ACD are strongly associated with PE in the combined surgery.These three factors affect refractive outcomes and thus can be used to predict a better postoperative refractive outcome in clinical practice.

Clinical presentation of a mixed 23-gauge infusion and 20-gauge pars plana technique for active silicone oil removal

AIM: To present with a clinical case series of a mixed 23-gauge infusion and 20-gauge pars plena technique for 5,700-centipoise silicone oil removal (SOR), and to discuss its efficacy and safety. METHODS: This is a retrospective, non-randomized controlled study. We performed SOR with 23-gauge infusion and 20-gauge active suction technique on 29 patients 29 eyes from April to October, 2011 (mixed group). During the surgeries, a 23-gauge sclerotomy was made for infusion and a 20-gauge sclerotomy was used for active silicone oil suction. Anterior segment optical coherence tomography (OCT) was applied for 23-gauge sclerotomy analysis 1 day post-operation. Traditional 20-gauge SOR was performed on another consecutive 29 patients 29 eyes, the control group (20G group). RESULTS: There were 2 eyes (6.9%) in mixed group and 5 eyes (17.2%) in 20G group which had recurrent retinal detachment after surgery. Hopytony (IOP <= 6mmHg) occurred in 8 eyes (27.6%) of mixed group and in 10 eyes (34.5%) of 20G group post-operation, but all of them recovered to the normal level finally. There were no statistical significant differences. Final visual acuity was significantly increased after surgery in both groups. Anterior segment OCT images were acquired from 13 eyes of mixed group, and all of them had a proper wound apposition. But local ciliary detachment was found in 9 eyes (69%). It was hard to define the OCT image of the sclerotomies and ciliary body because of the serious conjunctival hemorrhages and chemosis in 20G group. CONCLUSION: This mixed technique is a convenient and effective way to remove high viscosity silicone oil. Compared with traditional 20-gauge SOR, it does not increase the risk of post-operative complications and has less conjunctival reactions.. Transient postoperative hypotony is common for this procedure and subclinical ciliochoroidal detachment is a probable cause.

Visual outcome after removal of silicone oil in patients undergoing retinectomy for complex retinal detachment

AIM：To evaluate the functional outcome after removal of silicone oil（ROSO）in patients undergoing retinectomy for complex retinal detachment.·M ETHODS：We performed a retrospective case note review of patients who underwent ROSO after retinectomy for complex retinal detachment.Patients with less than 6mo follow up and recurrent retinal detachment following ROSO were excluded.·RESULTS：Thirty-six patients were included.The mean best corrected visual acuity（BCVA）pre-ROSO was1.13 log MAR（SD 0.5）.The mean BCVA 3mo following ROSO was 1.16 log MAR（SD 0.53）,6mo following ROSO1.13（SD 0.63）,and 12mo following ROSO 1.18（SD 0.69）.At 12mo after ROSO,the BCVA improved in 38.9%of patients,remained unchanged in 25%,and deteriorated in 36.1%,although there was no statistical significant difference in BCVA after ROSO at 3,6 and 12mo（=0.93）.The size of retinectomy ranged from 15°to 270°（SD 53）and did not influence the visual outcome（=0.11）.·C ONCLUSION：There was no statistically significant difference in BCVA between pre-and post-ROSO following retinectomy for complex retinal detachment.There was no statistical difference in visual outcome related to the size of the retinectomy.

Phacoemulsification combined with transpupillary removal of silicone oil and intracapsular intraocular lens implantation

AIM： To estimate the effectiveness of phacoemulsification and foldable intraocular lens（IOL） implantation combined with transpupillary silicone oil removal.METHODS： There were 168 eyes of 168 candidate patients with cataract and silicone oil-filled eyes recruited in our study. All of the patients received the intraocular silicone oil removal surgery by transpupillary drainage and cataract extraction by phacoemulsification. Then the IOL implantation were also performed through corneal incision. RESULTS： The surgery was successfully completed in all eyes. Best corrected visual acuity（BCVA） and postoperative complications were recorded in three months after surgery. There were 143 eyes with BCVA improved, otherwise 25 eyes remained stable at the last follow-up visit. The mean BCVA statistically improved from 20/400±0.02 to 20/100±0.15（P〈0.001） and mean postoperative IOP was 13.85±2.18 mm Hg（P=0.415）. No intra-operative complications were reported.CONCLUSION： Phacoemulsification combined with transpupillary removal of silicone oil is a safe and simple effective method. In general, it enables quick recovery of visual acuity with less complication rate.

Urethane Modified Hydrophobic Compact Wood Pulp Paper for Oil Spill Cleanup: A Preliminary Study

Oil spills and oil/water wastewater are among the great concerns regarding oil pollution.Existing technologies face many limitations and in some cases are responsible for causing secondary pollution,therefore there is as seek for environmental friendly solutions.Biomass,from which celluloses are highlighted,are being employed for oil/water separation or oil absorbents membranes.Usually,these membranes are obtained by freeze drying of CNF(cellulose nano-fibrils)suspensions followed by chemical modification for hydrophobization,which involves expensive process as chemical vapor deposition and expensive reactants as sylanes,turning these processes hardly scalable.Here,we produced a natural porous structure paper from eucalyptus pulp fibers modified by a dipping and heating process in a blocked diisocyanate solution.After the surface treatment,contact angle with water reached 144°and water absorption reduced seven times,keeping the good oil absorbance.The chemical modification process is simple to be performed and use a very low quantity of reactant estimated to be less than 0.1 wt%based on cellulose.The good mechanical properties of the material allows its use in non usual conditions which can be of great importance depending on the environmental conditions.

New technique for removal of perfluorocarbon liquid related sticky silicone oil and literature review

AIM:To investigate the safety and efficacy of sticky silicone oil(SSO)removal using a 22-gauge vein detained needle and inner limiting membrane(ILM)wrap-and-peel technique.METHODS:This retrospective consecutive case series reviewed the records of patients with a history of retinal detachment who had received silicone oil and perfluorocarbon liquid(PFCL)as intraocular tamponades.Patients were included in the analysis if they exhibited SSO remnants during silicone oil removal.The aspiration of most of the SSO remnants was performed by a 22-gauge vein detained needle.The small amounts of droplets adhered to the macula and epi-macular membrane were subsequently removed by the ILM warp-and-peel technique.The anatomical and functional outcomes,and postoperative complications were recorded.In vitro experiments were performed to simulate the formation of SSO remnants in four groups.RESULTS:Of 711 patients who underwent silicone oil removal during the study period,9 patients exhibited SSO remnants and underwent follow-up for at least 3mo.Seven eyes(78%)underwent the ILM wrap-and-peel technique to completely remove small droplets of SSO that were glued to the macula and epi-macular membrane.No obvious complications occurred.Postoperative optical coherence tomography revealed normal retinal structure in all patients.In vitro analyses showed that balanced salt solution and prolonged vibration(for 1wk)had the strongest effects on silicone oil and PFCL compound opacities.CONCLUSION:SSO remnants could be removed in an intact manner and without complications,using a vein detained needle-assisted and ILM wrap-and-peel technique.The findings suggest that PFCL and infusion fluid should be completely removed before silicone oil injection to prevent SSO formation.

The effects of electrical heating and additives on the microbial remediation of petroleum-contaminated soils

Although petroleum is an important source of energy and an economic driver of growth,it is also a major soil pollutant that has destroyed large swathes of vegetation and forest cover.Therefore,it is vital to develop affordable and efficient methods for the bioremediation of petroleum-contaminated forest soils to restore vegetation and improve tree survival rates.In this study,bioremediation experiments were performed in an electrically heated thermostatic reactor to test the effects of organic matter additives,surfactants,and oxygen providers of nine hydrocarbon-degrading fungal strains on crude oil removal rates.In the three soil temperatures tested(20℃,25℃,and 30℃),the highest average crude oil removal rate was at 25℃(74.8%)and the lowest at 30℃(49.4%).At each temperature,variations in the addition of organic matter and oxygen providers had significant effects on crude oil removal rate.Variations in surfactant addition was significant at 20℃ and 25℃ but insignificant at 30℃.Given the same surfactant treatment,variations in temperature,organic additives,and oxygen providers was significant for crude oil removal rate.Treatments without surfactants and treatments with Tween80 exhibited their highest crude oil removal rates at 25℃.However,treatments that included the SDS surfactant exhibited their highest crude oil removal rates at 30℃.Amongst the treatments without surfactants,treatments with corn cob addition had the highest crude oil removal rates,and with surfactants,treatments that included the organic fertilizer exhibited the highest crude oil removal rates.Given the same organic fertilizer treatment,the highest crude oil removal rate was at 25℃.At each level of oxygen availability,the maximum crude oil removal rate always occurred at 25℃,and the treatments that included organic fertilizer exhibited the highest crude oil removal rates.Amongst the treatments without oxygen providers,treatments without surfactants had the highest crude oil removal rates,and with an oxygen provider,treatments with SDS addition exhibited the highest crude oil removal rates.Based on the crude oil removal rates of the treatments,we determined that S_(1)W_(1)O_(1)(addition of Tween80,organic fertilizers,and H_(2)O_(2))was optimum for remediating petroleum-contaminated forest soils in cold,high-altitude regions.This study is helpful to vegetation restoration and reforestation on petroleum contaminated forestlands.

Treating oil wastewater with pulse electro-coagulation flotation technology

Pulse electro-coagulation flotation was used to treat oil wastewater of high oil content.Different operational conditions were examined,including current density,reactive time,electrode distance,pH and pole switching time.Orthogonal tests were carried out to identify the optimal operational conditions for this technique.Considering the treatment cost and efficiency together,the optimal operational conditions were an electrode distance of 3.3 cm,pH of 4,current density of 49.38 mA/cm2,reaction time of 15 min and pole switching time of 10 s.The removal efficiency of oil wastewater under normal conditions reached up to 96.21%.The influences of different factors on removal efficiency were in the following decreasing sequence:pH> current density > pole switching time > reactive time > board distance.

Recent studies of Pickering emulsion system in petroleum treatment:The role of particles

Pickering emulsions stabilized by solid particles have gained much attention,which afford high stability,low toxicity,controllable rheological properties and stimuli-responsive behavior compared to the traditional emulsions emulsified by surfactants.Those particles,as the core parts of the emulsion systems,play an important role in the fabrication and application of Pickering emulsion systems,making them attractive in petroleum fields.In this review,the influence of various particles on the stability and properties of Pickering emulsion systems as well as recent researches associated with the stimuliresponsibility of Pickering emulsion systems are introduced.Specifically,the design of functional particles and Pickering emulsion systems with super stabilities and controllable rheological properties are listed.Furthermore,some petroleum application of Pickering emulsion systems for enhanced oil recovery and spilled oil collection as well as the application as soft templates to fabricate oil-absorbing material and as three-phase microreactors that most likely for petroleum application are discussed,and the issues hindering the actual application of Pickering emulsion systems are also evaluated.This review charts a way for Pickering emulsion studies that could lead to a valid petroleum application through design of the particles served as the enhancers of Pickering emulsion stability for purpose of tailoring chemical flooding.

Treating oily solids using a CO_(2)-responsive surfactant-free microemulsion:An enhanced approach for oil removal from solid surfaces

Because switchable water is difficult to apply directly for oil removal,an enhanced approach to improve oil removal is proposed using a surfactant-free microemulsion(SFME)containing switchable water.The SFME is formed using switchable water(aqueous N,N-dimethylethanolamine(DMEA)or N,N-dimethylbutylamine(BDEA))and a hydrophobic amine(N-butyldiethanolamine(DMBA)).The single-phase region for preparing the SFME is determined using a ternary phase diagram,and the microstructure types are distinguished using the con-ductivity method.The pH changes and dynamic laser scattering test results demonstrate that the SFME exhibits irreversible transformation behavior regulated by CO_(2).Moreover,the recovered SFME containing BDEA has a microstructure with a smaller particle size after removing the CO_(2) by bubbling N 2 at 65°C,which is attributed to the higher proportion of DMEA than that of BDEA.In addition,dodecane and diesel oil are shown to dissolve in the SFME,and the oil solubility of the SFME increases with increasing oil phase(DMBA)content.The interface free energy theory reveals that the oil is more easily detached with the addition of SFME than with switchable water only owing to the reduced interface free energy of oil on the solid surface.Thus,an enhanced approach for removing oil is proposed to wash oil sands,where the oil removal efficiency of switchable water can be improved by using SFMEs containing switchable water.

A sponge-based iron-tannic-acid hydrogel interface evaporator designed for clean water production

Due to the rapid advancement of technologies,there has been a significant increase in the discharge of industrial wastewater,and freshwater is becoming a scarce resource.Currently,research on solar evaporators is mainly focused on the efficient production of clean water,with less emphasis on the removal of residual pollutants remaining in the original solutions.Through this study,problems,including the difficult recovery of catalyst powder and the difficult removal of floating organic matter are solved by co-depositing low-surface-tension zirconia particles and bismuth tungstate onto the floating layer.Hydrogels and melamine sponges were combined to solve the problem that traditional hydrogels lack mechanical strength.An excellent water-repellent effect can be seen from the contact angle between the liquid globule and canvas/felt,which is greater than 155°.The steam generation rate of the assembled evaporation system is 1.78 kg m^(-2)h^(-1),and its purification efficiency for methyl orange and rhodamine B exceeds 99%.This study presents a novel strategy for treating wastewater contaminated with organic dyes,aiming to solve problems including environmental damage,water pollution,and water scarcity.

Hydrothermal reduction of graphene oxide by glucose for the preparation of graphene/polyester staple sponge and its applications in oil spill cleanup

Graphene/polyester staple sponge(GPSS)is a high-performance adsorbent for the cleanup of crude oil spill,but the use of hydrazine hydrate as the reducing agent for the preparation of GPSS is not friendly to the environment.Herein,we reported that graphene oxide/polyester staple composite could be hydrothermally reduced by bioresource glucose to prepare GPSS of similar performance.GPSS could be applied in the absorption of oils and organic solvents thanks to its large pore volume and hydrophobicity.The absorption capacity of the novel glucose-reduced GPSS was competitive to those of the most effective absorbents for oil spill cleanup.The used GPSS could be easily regenerated by soaking in ethanol to remove the absorbed oil.The green synthesis,high oil absorption performance and easy recycling of the glucose-reduced GPSS make it a good candidate for cleaning oil spills.

Performance of dithiocarbamate-type flocculant in treating simulated polymer flooding produced water

Produced water from polymer flooding is difficult to treat due to its high polymer concentration, high viscosity, and emulsified characteristics. The dithiocarbamate flocculant, DTC （T403）, was prepared by the amine-terminated polyoxypropane-effier compound known as Jeffamine-T403. The product was characterized by IR spectra and elemental analysis. The DTC agent chelating with Fe2＋ produced a network polymer matrix, which captured and removed oil droplets efficiently. Oil removal by the flocculent on simulated produced water with 0, 200, 500, 900 mg/L of partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide （HPAM） was investigated for aspects of effectiveness of DTC （T403） dosage and concentrations of HPAM and Fe2＋ ions in the wastewater. Results showed that HPAM had a negative influence on oil removal efficiency when DTC （T403） dosage was lower than 20 mg/L. However, residual oil concentrations in tested samples with different concentrations of HPAM all decreased below 10 mg/L when DTC （T403） dosage reached 30 mg/L. The concentration of Fe2＋ in the initial wastewater had a slight effect on oil removal at the range of 2-12 mg/L. Results showed that Fe3＋ could not be used in place of Fe2＋ as Fe3＋ could not react with DTC under flocculated conditions. The effects of mineral salts ions were also investigated.