Emission of highly excited electronic states of potassium from cryptomelane nanorods.

Cryptomelane (KMn8O16) nanorods were synthesized, characterized (XRD, Raman spectroscopy, TEM/SAED) and investigated by species resolved thermal desorption of potassium from the material in the range of 20-620 °C. The desorbing fluxes of ions, atoms and highly excited electronic states (field ionizable Rydberg states) were measured using an ion collector, surface ionization and field ionization detectors, respectively, in a vacuum apparatus. The non-equilibrium emission of potassium Rydberg species (principal quantum number > 30) strongly depends on the surface positive voltage bias with a broad maximum at 1-8 V.

Efficacy of surgical simulator training versus traditional wet-lab training on operating room performance of ophthalmology residents during the capsulorhexis in cataract surgery.

Purpose: To compare the operating room performance of ophthalmology residents trained by traditional wet-lab versus surgical simulation on the continuous curvilinear capsulorhexis (CCC) portion of cataract surgery.

Setting: Academic tertiary referral center.

Design: Prospective randomized study.

Informed consent for cataract surgery: patient understanding of verbal, written, and videotaped information.

Purpose: To determine the effectiveness of verbal, written, and videotaped descriptions of cataract surgery on patients' understanding of the risks, benefits, and treatment alternatives.

Setting: Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.

Design: Randomized prospective study.

Effect of trypan blue staining on the elastic modulus of anterior lens capsules of diabetic and nondiabetic patients.

Purpose: To determine whether trypan blue causes a significant difference in the biomechanical properties (stiffness) of diabetic and nondiabetic anterior lens capsules and to determine whether diabetes significantly alters the stiffness of anterior lens capsules.

Setting: Veterans Administration Boston Healthcare Center System, Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, USA.

Methods: In this unmasked prospective randomized controlled experimental study, anterior lens capsules were obtained from diabetic and nondiabetic patients approved for cataract surgery.

Efficacy of portable X-ray in identifying retained suture needles in ophthalmologic cases.

Aims: To evaluate the role and efficacy of portable X-ray in reliably identifying retained suture needles in ophthalmologic surgical cases.

Methods: Ophthalmologic 10-0 nylon suture needles were placed into 10 of 20 porcine eyes positioned within the orbit of a human skull. Portable, plain film radiographs were taken of all eyes with a C-arm fluoroscopy machine.