Clozapine-Induced Refractory Colonic Pseudo-Obstruction.

The management of treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS) is challenging as the medications involved, often atypical antipsychotics, have a host of associated adverse effects. While complications such as agranulocytosis are well established and necessitate close hematological monitoring, the gastrointestinal effects of particular atypical antipsychotics, such as clozapine, are recognized to a lesser extent. The following case of TRS leading to chronic treatment-resistant pseudo-obstruction, eventually requiring total colectomy, highlights the considerable sequelae of clozapine on the gastrointestinal tract.

Operando Investigation of Silicon Anodes During Electrochemical Cycling in Li-ion Batteries.

Silicon (Si) is recognized as a promising anode material for next-generation anodes due to its high capacity. However, large volume expansion and active particle pulverization during cycling rapidly deteriorate the battery performance. The relationship between Si anode particle size and particle pulverization, and the structure evolution of Si particles during cycling is not well understood.

An evaluation of optometric advanced skills within a UK tertiary based setting.

Introduction: Hospital-based optometrists are undertaking extended roles across ophthalmology that may require them to perform advanced skills (AS). Moorfields Eye Hospital (MEH) is the largest UK employer of hospital-based optometrists, it was sought to investigate which AS are being performed at this centre and how they align to the four pillars of advanced clinical practice (ACP).

Methods: An online survey was sent to MEH optometrists in May 2022 that asked about professional status, sub-specialties worked, qualifications, acquisition and validation of AS, research and leadership.

Evolutionary divergence of embryo implantation in primates.

Implantation of the conceptus into the uterus is absolutely essential for successful embryo development. In humans, our understanding of this process has remained rudimentary owing to the inaccessibility of early implantation stages. Non-human primates recapitulate many aspects of human embryo development and provide crucial insights into trophoblast development, uterine receptivity and embryo invasion.

An integrated atlas of human placental development delineates essential regulators of trophoblast stem cells.

The trophoblast lineage safeguards fetal development by mediating embryo implantation, immune tolerance, nutritional supply and gas exchange. Human trophoblast stem cells (hTSCs) provide a platform to study lineage specification of placental tissues; however, the regulatory network controlling self-renewal remains elusive. Here, we present a single-cell atlas of human trophoblast development from zygote to mid-gestation together with single-cell profiling of hTSCs.

Patterns of attendances to the hospital emergency eye care service: a multicentre study in England.

Background/objectives: To characterise the patterns of presentation and diagnostic frequencies in Hospital Emergency Eye Care Services (HEECS) across 13 hospitals in England.

Methods: Retrospective, cross-sectional, observational multi-centre (n = 13) study to assess HEECS attendances over a 28-day study period. Data derived included: number of consecutive attendances, patient demographics and diagnoses.

Concentration profiles of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in major sources to the environment.

A review of published literature was conducted to present the concentrations and composition profiles of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from significant sources to the environment. The major sources of PFAS to the environment are categorized under direct and indirect sources. The characteristic compounds and concentrations are summarized as found from direct sources such as manufacturing facilities, aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) applications, metal coating operations, and textile and paper coating operations; and from indirect sources such as landfills and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs).

Foveal structure and visual function in nanophthalmos and posterior microphthalmos.

Background/aims: The reason for visual impairment in patients with nanophthalmos and posterior microphthalmos is not completely understood. Therefore, this study aims to investigate foveal structure, and the impact of demographic, clinical and imaging parameters on best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in these conditions.

Methods: Sixty-two eyes of 33 patients with nanophthalmos (n=40) or posterior microphthalmos (n=22), and 114 eyes of healthy controls with high-resolution retinal imaging including spectral-domain or swept-source optical coherence tomography images were included in this cross-sectional case-control study.

Regeneration of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance-laden granular activated carbon using a solvent based technology.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large class of chemicals widely used for many commercial and industrial applications and have resulted in contamination at sites across globally. Pump-and-treat systems, groundwater extraction, and ex situ treatment using granular activated carbon (GAC) are being implemented, either in full or pilot scale, to treat PFAS-impacted groundwater and drinking water. The only current method of regenerating spent GAC is to reactivate it at temperatures greater than 1000 °C, which requires large amounts of energy and is quite expensive.

Young's Modulus and Tensile Strength of TiC MXene Nanosheets As Revealed by TEM Probing, AFM Nanomechanical Mapping, and Theoretical Calculations.

Two-dimensional transition metal carbides, that is, MXenes and especially TiC, attract attention due to their excellent combination of properties. TiC nanosheets could be the material of choice for future flexible electronics, energy storage, and electromechanical nanodevices. There has been limited information available on the mechanical properties of TiC, which is essential for their utilization.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) use among emergency eye care professionals in the UK during the COVID19 pandemic.

EEC staff were provided with rapidly changing personal PPE guidance by Public Health England (PHE) with specific subspecialty advice from the British Emergency Eye Care Society (BEECS) and the Royal College of Ophthalmologists (RCOphth) UK during the COVID19 pandemic. BEECS undertook a baseline survey of its members after the initial response from the RCOphth 16/3/20 mirroring Public Health England (PHE) advice and a follow- up survey after the guidance was updated on 9/4/20. A combined total of 84 responses were received.

Recent Progress of In Situ Transmission Electron Microscopy for Energy Materials.

In situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is one of the most powerful approaches for revealing physical and chemical process dynamics at atomic resolutions. The most recent developments for in situ TEM techniques are summarized; in particular, how they enable visualization of various events, measure properties, and solve problems in the field of energy by revealing detailed mechanisms at the nanoscale. Related applications include rechargeable batteries such as Li-ion, Na-ion, Li-O , Na-O , Li-S, etc.

Crystallography-Derived Young's Modulus and Tensile Strength of AlN Nanowires as Revealed by in Situ Transmission Electron Microscopy.

Aluminum nitride (AlN) has a unique combination of properties, such as high chemical and thermal stability, nontoxicity, high melting point, large energy band gap, high thermal conductivity, and intensive light emission. This combination makes AlN nanowires (NWs) a prospective material for optoelectronic and field-emission nanodevices. However, there has been very limited information on mechanical properties of AlN NWs that is essential for their reliable utilization in modern technologies.

A survey of ocular sports trauma and the role of eye protection.

Purpose: The incidence of sports associated ocular injuries presenting to emergency departments is rising. Despite this, eye protection is not widely used in the general population. This survey was conducted to determine the spectrum of ocular sports injuries that presented to the emergency department of an ophthalmic hospital, which serves a large sector of inner city London.

Review of metastasizing (malignant) ameloblastoma (METAM): pattern of metastasis and treatment.

Objectives: The rare malignant odontogenic tumor, metastasizing (malignant) ameloblastoma (METAM) is reviewed with the aim of analyzing the pattern of disease and treatment of cervical metastasis based, on 2005 World Health Organization classification.

Study Design: A total of 65 cases, including reported cases from 1923 to 2009 compatible with the current classification and a new case are reviewed.

Results: METAM occurred mostly in lungs (71%), followed by cervical lymph nodes (28%).

A randomised placebo-controlled trial of topical steroid in presumed viral conjunctivitis.

Aims: To assess whether topical steroids improve patient comfort compared with hypromellose in acute presumed viral conjunctivitis.

Methods: Patients presenting with acute follicular conjunctivitis, presumed viral in origin, were randomised to receive either dexamethasone 0.1% or hypromellose 0.

Glaucoma expert patient programme and ocular hypotensive treatment.

Expert patient programmes (EPPs) are becoming an increasingly important aspect of chronic disease management, resulting in improved health outcomes for patients. Patients with chronic open angle glaucoma (COAG) require lifelong therapy. However, to date, no EPPs have been designed specifically for patients with chronic eye conditions like COAG.

Cystoid macular edema and visual loss as sequelae to interferon alpha treatment of systemic hepatitis C.

Hepatitis C virus infection and interferon treatment may be associated with retinopathy but visual function is generally unaffected. This paper reports the rare occurrence of unilateral macular edema with visual loss. We present an interventional case report with fundus photograph and optical coherence tomography (OCT).

Iris vascular tuft causing recurrent hyphema and raised IOP: a new indication for laser photocoagulation, angiographic follow-up, and review of laser outcomes.

We report the first case of iris vascular tuft (Cobb's tuft) causing recurrent spontaneous hyphema and raised intraocular pressure that underwent laser photocoagulation (LaP). For the first time, we report fluorescein angiogram guided LaP of the lesion and feeder vessels and 1 year angiographic follow up. We also review indications and outcomes of LaP of iris vascular tufts in the literature.