MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective comparative study was conducted in the ophthalmology clinic of the Universiti Sains Malaysia Hospital, Kelantan, Malaysia. Overall, 139 patients with senile cataract were randomised into EM and RM groups. At three months post-operatively, patients were assessed for distance and near vision, as well as quality of life using a modified VF-14 questionnaire.
RESULTS: Thirty-six patients (64.3%) in the EM group and 30 patients (52.6%) in the RM group (p = 0.209) showed good distance vision (LogMAR 0.3 or better). Fifty patients (87.7%) in the RM group and 27 patients (48.2%) in the EM group gained significantly higher satisfactory near vision (p < 0.05). The quality of life in both groups was good, with a mean modified VF-14 score of 94.5 (SD 2.68) for the EM group and 95.1 (SD 3.19) for the RM group (p = 0.286). Female patients scored significantly higher than males for total activities (p = 0.010) and distance vision-related activities (p = 0.001). The RM group had significantly better patient satisfaction for near vision-related activities compared to the EM group (p = 0.001). In particular, the item 'reading small print' was significantly better in the RM group (p = 0.003).
CONCLUSION: Patients in the predicted RM group gained more satisfactory near vision than patients in the EM group, with significantly better quality of life for near vision activities.
METHODS: Polyvinylpyrrolidone-capped AgNPs were synthesized by ultrasound-assisted chemical reduction. Characterization of the AgNPs involved UV-visible spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Citrobacter sp. A1 and Enterococcus sp. C1 were exposed to varying concentrations of AgNPs, and cell viability was determined. Scanning electron microscopy was performed to evaluate the morphological alteration of both species upon exposure to AgNPs at 1000 mg/L.
RESULTS: The synthesized AgNPs were spherical in shape, with an average particle size of 15 nm. The AgNPs had different but prominent effects on either Citrobacter sp. A1 or Enterococcus sp. C1. At an AgNP concentration of 1000 mg/L, Citrobacter sp. A1 retained viability for 6 hours, while Enterococcus sp. C1 retained viability only for 3 hours. Citrobacter sp. A1 appeared to be more resistant to AgNPs than Enterococcus sp. C1. The cell wall of both strains was found to be morphologically altered at that concentration.
CONCLUSION: Minute and spherical AgNPs significantly affected the viability of the two bacterial strains selected from the environment. Enterococcus sp. C1 was more vulnerable to AgNPs, probably due to its cell wall architecture and the absence of silver resistance-related genes.