Microplastic ingestion by pelagic and demersal fish species from the Eastern Central Atlantic Ocean, off the Coast of Ghana

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Elsevier via the DOI in this recordWe present data on the occurrence of microplastics in fish from the Guinea current region off Ghana's Coast. Frequency of occurrence of microplastics in the fish species followed the order: Sardinella maderensis (41%) > Dentex angolensis > (33%) > Sardinella aurita (26%). Mean numbers of microplastics ingested were 40.0 ± 3.8, 32.0 ± 2.7 and 25.7 ± 1.6 for S. maderensis, D. angolensis and S. aurita respectively. Industrially produced pellets were the most dominant (31%) microplastic type followed by microbeads (29%), burnt film plastics (22%) and unidentified fragments (9%). Microfibers (2%), threads (2%) and foams (1 and below 1 for S. maderensis. The findings of the study show the common occurrence of microplastics in fish stocks and pave the way for future studies on microplastics in this Region.Academy of Medical Science

Scleral Buckling for Primary Retinal Detachment: Outcomes of Scleral Tunnels Versus Scleral Sutures

Purpose: There are primarily two techniques for affixing the scleral buckle (SB) to the sclera in the repair of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD): scleral tunnels or scleral sutures. Methods: This retrospective study examined all patients with primary RRD who were treated with primary SB or SB combined with vitrectomy from January 1, 2015 through December 31, 2015 across six sites. Two cohorts were examined: SB affixed using scleral sutures versus scleral tunnels. Pre- and postoperative variables were evaluated including visual acuity, anatomic success, and postoperative strabismus. Results: The mean preoperative logMAR VA for the belt loop cohort was 1.05 ± 1.06 (Snellen 20/224) and for the scleral suture cohort was 1.03 ± 1.04 (Snellen 20/214, p = 0.846). The respective mean postoperative logMAR VAs were 0.45 ± 0.55 (Snellen 20/56) and 0.46 ± 0.59 (Snellen 20/58, p = 0.574). The single surgery success rate for the tunnel cohort was 87.3% versus 88.6% for the suture cohort (p = 0.601). Three patients (1.0%) in the scleral tunnel cohort developed postoperative strabismus, but only one patient (0.1%) in the suture cohort (p = 0.04, multivariate p = 0.76). All cases of strabismus occurred in eyes that underwent SB combined with PPV (p = 0.02). There were no differences in vision, anatomic success, or strabismus between scleral tunnels versus scleral sutures in eyes that underwent primary SB. Conclusion: Scleral tunnels and scleral sutures had similar postoperative outcomes. Combined PPV/SB in eyes with scleral tunnels might be a risk for strabismus post retinal detachment surgery