AIM: To describe the clinical characteristics and treatments associated with antibody positive optic neuropathies including anti-myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein(MOG) and anti-aquaporin 4(AQP4), alongside diagnosti...AIM: To describe the clinical characteristics and treatments associated with antibody positive optic neuropathies including anti-myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein(MOG) and anti-aquaporin 4(AQP4), alongside diagnostic modalities, investigations, and outcomes. METHODS: A cross-sectional single-centre retrospective case series consisting of 16 patients including 12 antiMOG positive patients and 4 anti-AQP4 positive patients. Each of these patients had clinical signs and symptoms of optic neuritis and consisted of all patients who had a positive blood antibody result in our centre. Clinical findings including presence of a relative afferent pupillary defect, colour vision and disc assessment were recorded. Structured clinical exam and multimodal imaging was undertaken sequentially on each. Optical coherence tomography(OCT) scanning was preformed to examine the correlation between ganglion cell layer(GCL) thickness and visual acuity(VA) at presentation and as a determinant of final visual outcome in both groups. Initial and long-term treatment is also summarised. RESULTS: A total of 16 patients were included in the study consisting of 12 anti-MOG and 4 anti-AQP4 positive patients. Nine of the 16 patients were female and the average age of onset was 29.2 y in the MOG group and 42 y in the AQP4 group. There was no statistically significant correlation(Pearson correlation) between GCL thickness and presenting and final VA [r(10)=0.081, P=0.08 and r(10)=0.089, P=0.34 respectively]. The same statistical analysis was performed for the correlation between retinal nerve fibre layer(RNFL) and VA and similar outcomes wereobserved [r(10)=0.04, P=0.22 and r(10)=0.09, P=0.04]. No correlation was seen for initial RNFL thickness and final visual outcome in this group either [r(2)=0.19, P=0.38]. Visual field testing and radiological findings for each group are described. CONCLUSION: No correlation between initial VA or RNFL and final visual outcome is identified. A broad range of visual field and radiographic findings are identified, a consensus on treatment of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders and anti-MOG positive optic neuropathies has yet to be accepted but initial high dose immunosuppression followed by low dose maintenance therapy is favoured.展开更多
To contribute to the reduction of methane emissions,using low-cost biochar as adsorbents for capturing and storing methane in oil and gas fields is investigated.This work presents results of methane adsorption on four...To contribute to the reduction of methane emissions,using low-cost biochar as adsorbents for capturing and storing methane in oil and gas fields is investigated.This work presents results of methane adsorption on four biochars made from forestry wastes in comparison with the results of three commercial activated carbons.Although the adsorption capacity of the biochars is lower by over 50%than that of the activated carbons,thelow-cost and potential environmental benefits provide the incentive to the investigation.Moreover,it is shown that biochar can store more methane than vessels of compressed gas up to the pressure of 75 bar,suggesting the possibility of avoiding high-pressure gas compression and heavy vessels for cost savings in oil and gas fields.The thermodynamic and kinetic behaviors of the adsorption are studied and implications for the targeted application are discussed.展开更多
文摘AIM: To describe the clinical characteristics and treatments associated with antibody positive optic neuropathies including anti-myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein(MOG) and anti-aquaporin 4(AQP4), alongside diagnostic modalities, investigations, and outcomes. METHODS: A cross-sectional single-centre retrospective case series consisting of 16 patients including 12 antiMOG positive patients and 4 anti-AQP4 positive patients. Each of these patients had clinical signs and symptoms of optic neuritis and consisted of all patients who had a positive blood antibody result in our centre. Clinical findings including presence of a relative afferent pupillary defect, colour vision and disc assessment were recorded. Structured clinical exam and multimodal imaging was undertaken sequentially on each. Optical coherence tomography(OCT) scanning was preformed to examine the correlation between ganglion cell layer(GCL) thickness and visual acuity(VA) at presentation and as a determinant of final visual outcome in both groups. Initial and long-term treatment is also summarised. RESULTS: A total of 16 patients were included in the study consisting of 12 anti-MOG and 4 anti-AQP4 positive patients. Nine of the 16 patients were female and the average age of onset was 29.2 y in the MOG group and 42 y in the AQP4 group. There was no statistically significant correlation(Pearson correlation) between GCL thickness and presenting and final VA [r(10)=0.081, P=0.08 and r(10)=0.089, P=0.34 respectively]. The same statistical analysis was performed for the correlation between retinal nerve fibre layer(RNFL) and VA and similar outcomes wereobserved [r(10)=0.04, P=0.22 and r(10)=0.09, P=0.04]. No correlation was seen for initial RNFL thickness and final visual outcome in this group either [r(2)=0.19, P=0.38]. Visual field testing and radiological findings for each group are described. CONCLUSION: No correlation between initial VA or RNFL and final visual outcome is identified. A broad range of visual field and radiographic findings are identified, a consensus on treatment of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders and anti-MOG positive optic neuropathies has yet to be accepted but initial high dose immunosuppression followed by low dose maintenance therapy is favoured.
基金Program of Energy Research Development of Canada.
文摘To contribute to the reduction of methane emissions,using low-cost biochar as adsorbents for capturing and storing methane in oil and gas fields is investigated.This work presents results of methane adsorption on four biochars made from forestry wastes in comparison with the results of three commercial activated carbons.Although the adsorption capacity of the biochars is lower by over 50%than that of the activated carbons,thelow-cost and potential environmental benefits provide the incentive to the investigation.Moreover,it is shown that biochar can store more methane than vessels of compressed gas up to the pressure of 75 bar,suggesting the possibility of avoiding high-pressure gas compression and heavy vessels for cost savings in oil and gas fields.The thermodynamic and kinetic behaviors of the adsorption are studied and implications for the targeted application are discussed.
