Clinically indicated replacement versus routine replacement of peripheral venous catheters (Review)

Background Centers for Disease Control Guidelines recommend replacement of peripheral intravenous (IV) catheters every 72 to 96 hours. Routine replacement is thought to reduce the risk of phlebitis and bacteraemia. Catheter insertion is an unpleasant experience for patients and replacement may be unnecessary if the catheter remains functional and there are no signs of inflammation. Costs associated with routine replacement may be considerable. Objectives To assess the effects of removing peripheral IV catheters when clinically indicated compared with removing and re-siting the catheter routinely.

The interaction order of Second Life : how micro sociology can contribute to online games innovation

This paper uses the virtual world Second Life (as Web 2.0 environment) to discuss how sociological theory is a relevant tool for innovation in the area of games design as a methodological strategy. Via the theories of Erving Goffman’s interaction order the paper illustrates how micro studies of online interaction demonstrate active accounts of membership and complex interactivity. In order to achieve this, the paper outlines a methodological tool to assist in the application of micro sociology to Web 2.0 environments that accounts for the multiple dimensions of participation within the digital field.

Who is publishing in the Journal of Sociology? an analysis of author trends 1965–2008

This paper presents the author characteristics of papers published in The Australian Sociological Association (TASA) journal, the Journal of Sociology (formerly the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Sociology) between 1965 and 2008. The aim of the paper is empirically to identify trends in authorship. The review examines all articles published in the period (excluding book reviews). The rationale of the study is to reveal trends in who publishes in the journal in terms of authors’ academic rank, gender, institution, and country. A table of those who have published the greatest number of papers is also presented. Findings show that over time the gap between the proportion of males and females publishing has closed; more PhD students and research fellows are publishing in the journal in recent decades; the highest proportion of authors consistently come from the Australian National University and The University of Queensland; and most authors are located in Australia. Information such as this can inform editorial practices and serve to inform the membership and readership on the nature of the journal.

Corneal sensitivity and slit scanning in vivo confocal microscopy of the subbasal nerve plexus of the normal central and peripheral human cornea

Purpose: To determine the subbasal nerve density and tortuosity at 5 corneal locations and to investigate whether these microstructural observations correlate with corneal sensitivity. Method: Sixty eyes of 60 normal human subjects were recruited into 1 of 3 age groups, group 1: aged ,35 years, group 2: aged 35–50 years, and group 3: aged .50 years. All eyes were examined using slit-lamp biomicroscopy, noncontact corneal esthesiometry, and slit scanning in vivo confocal microscopy. Results: The mean subbasal nerve density and the mean corneal sensitivity were greatest centrally (14,731 6 6056 mm/mm2 and 0.38 6 0.21 millibars, respectively) and lowest in the nasal mid periphery (7850 6 4947 mm/mm2 and 0.49 6 0.25 millibars, respectively). The mean subbasal nerve tortuosity coefficient was greatest in the temporal mid periphery (27.3 6 6.4) and lowest in the superior mid periphery (19.3 6 14.1). There was no significant difference in mean total subbasal nerve density between age groups. However, corneal sensation (P = 0.001) and subbasal nerve tortuosity (P = 0.004) demonstrated significant differences between age groups. Subbasal nerve density only showed significant correlations with corneal sensitivity threshold in the temporal cornea and with subbasal nerve tortuosity in the inferior and nasal cornea. However, these correlations were weak. Conclusions: This study quantitatively analyzes living human corneal nerve structure and an aspect of nerve function. There is no strong correlation between subbasal nerve density and corneal sensation. This study provides useful baseline data for the normal living human cornea at central and mid-peripheral locations

New Patterns in Global Television : Peripheral Vision

Over recent decades, the flow of television programmes and services between nations has prompted concerns about `Cultural Imperialism', the idea that the powerful metropolitan nations at the centre of the world system are breaking down the integrity and autonomy of the peripheral countries. New Patterns in Global Television challenges that notion by showing that some of the countries outside the traditionally dominant centres have now developed strong television industries of their own, and have been expanding into regional markets, especially - but not exclusively - where linguistic and cultural similarities exist. This book brings together contributions from specialist researchers on the most dynamic of these regions: Latin America, India, the Middle East, Greater China and, in the English-speaking world, Canada and Australia. It provides the first comprehensive overview of the new patterns of flow in international television programme exchange and service provision in the satellite era, patterns unrecognised by the perspective of the prevailing theoretical orthodoxies in international communication research and policy.

Effect of orthokeratology on peripheral aberrations of the eye

Purpose: To investigate the effect of orthokeratology on peripheral aberrations in two myopic volunteers. Methods: The subjects wore reverse geometry orthokeratology lenses overnight and were monitored for 2 weeks of wear. They underwent corneal topography, peripheral refraction (out to ±34° along the horizontal visual field) and peripheral aberration measurements across the 42° × 32° central visual field using a modified Hartmann-Shack aberrometer. Results: Spherical equivalent refraction was corrected for the central 25° of the visual fields beyond which it gradually returned to its preorthokeratology values. There were increases in axial coma, spherical aberration, higher order root mean square aberrations, and total root-mean-squared aberrations (excluding defocus). The rates of change of vertical and horizontal coma across the field changed in sign. Total root mean square aberrations showed a quadratic rate of change across the visual field which was greater subsequent to orthokeratology. Conclusion: Although orthokeratology can correct peripheral relative hypermetropia it induces dramatic increases in higher-order aberrations across the field

The influence of oblique viewing on axial and peripheral refraction for emmetropes and myopes

Refraction may be affected by the forces of lids and extraocular muscles when eye direction and head direction are not aligned (oblique viewing) which might potentially influence past findings on peripheral refraction of the eye. We investigated the effect of oblique viewing on axial and peripheral refraction. In a first experiment, cycloplegic axial refractions were determined when subjects' heads were positioned to look straight-ahead through an open-view autorefractor and when the heads were rotated to the right or left by 30° with compensatory eye rotation (oblique viewing). Subjects were 16 young emmetropes (18–35 years), 22 young myopes (19–36 years) and 15 old emmetropes (45–60 years). In a second experiment, cycloplegic peripheral refraction measurements were taken out to ±34° horizontally from fixation while the subjects rotated their heads to match the peripheral refraction angles (eye in primary position with respect to the head) or the eyes were rotated with respect to the head (oblique viewing). Subjects were 10 emmetropes and 10 myopes. We did not find any significant changes in axial or peripheral refraction upon oblique viewing for any of the subject groups. In general for the range of horizontal angles used, it is not critical whether or not the eye is rotated with respect to the head during axial or peripheral refraction.

Peripheral ocular monochromatic aberrations

Aberrations affect image quality of the eye away from the line of sight as well as along it. High amounts of lower order aberrations are found in the peripheral visual field and higher order aberrations change away from the centre of the visual field. Peripheral resolution is poorer than that in central vision, but peripheral vision is important for movement and detection tasks (for example driving) which are adversely affected by poor peripheral image quality. Any physiological process or intervention that affects axial image quality will affect peripheral image quality as well. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of accommodation, myopia, age, and refractive interventions of orthokeratology, laser in situ keratomileusis and intraocular lens implantation on the peripheral aberrations of the eye. This is the first systematic investigation of peripheral aberrations in a variety of subject groups. Peripheral aberrations can be measured either by rotating a measuring instrument relative to the eye or rotating the eye relative to the instrument. I used the latter as it is much easier to do. To rule out effects of eye rotation on peripheral aberrations, I investigated the effects of eye rotation on axial and peripheral cycloplegic refraction using an open field autorefractor. For axial refraction, the subjects fixated at a target straight ahead, while their heads were rotated by ±30º with a compensatory eye rotation to view the target. For peripheral refraction, the subjects rotated their eyes to fixate on targets out to ±34° along the horizontal visual field, followed by measurements in which they rotated their heads such that the eyes stayed in the primary position relative to the head while fixating at the peripheral targets. Oblique viewing did not affect axial or peripheral refraction. Therefore it is not critical, within the range of viewing angles studied, if axial and peripheral refractions are measured with rotation of the eye relative to the instrument or rotation of the instrument relative to the eye. Peripheral aberrations were measured using a commercial Hartmann-Shack aberrometer. A number of hardware and software changes were made. The 1.4 mm range limiting aperture was replaced by a larger aperture (2.5 mm) to ensure all the light from peripheral parts of the pupil reached the instrument detector even when aberrations were high such as those occur in peripheral vision. The power of the super luminescent diode source was increased to improve detection of spots passing through the peripheral pupil. A beam splitter was placed between the subjects and the aberrometer, through which they viewed an array of targets on a wall or projected on a screen in a 6 row x 7 column matrix of points covering a visual field of 42 x 32. In peripheral vision, the pupil of the eye appears elliptical rather than circular; data were analysed off-line using custom software to determine peripheral aberrations. All analyses in the study were conducted for 5.0 mm pupils. Influence of accommodation on peripheral aberrations was investigated in young emmetropic subjects by presenting fixation targets at 25 cm and 3 m (4.0 D and 0.3 D accommodative demands, respectively). Increase in accommodation did not affect the patterns of any aberrations across the field, but there was overall negative shift in spherical aberration across the visual field of 0.10 ± 0.01m. Subsequent studies were conducted with the targets at a 1.2 m distance. Young emmetropes, young myopes and older emmetropes exhibited similar patterns of astigmatism and coma across the visual field. However, the rate of change of coma across the field was higher in young myopes than young emmetropes and was highest in older emmetropes amongst the three groups. Spherical aberration showed an overall decrease in myopes and increase in older emmetropes across the field, as compared to young emmetropes. Orthokeratology, spherical IOL implantation and LASIK altered peripheral higher order aberrations considerably, especially spherical aberration. Spherical IOL implantation resulted in an overall increase in spherical aberration across the field. Orthokeratology and LASIK reversed the direction of change in coma across the field. Orthokeratology corrected peripheral relative hypermetropia through correcting myopia in the central visual field. Theoretical ray tracing demonstrated that changes in aberrations due to orthokeratology and LASIK can be explained by the induced changes in radius of curvature and asphericity of the cornea. This investigation has shown that peripheral aberrations can be measured with reasonable accuracy with eye rotation relative to the instrument. Peripheral aberrations are affected by accommodation, myopia, age, orthokeratology, spherical intraocular lens implantation and laser in situ keratomileusis. These factors affect the magnitudes and patterns of most aberrations considerably (especially coma and spherical aberration) across the studied visual field. The changes in aberrations across the field may influence peripheral detection and motion perception. However, further research is required to investigate how the changes in aberrations influence peripheral detection and motion perception and consequently peripheral vision task performance.

The Sociology of Cosmopolitanism:Globalization, Identity, Culture and Government

The dream of a cosmopolitical utopia has been around for thousands of years. Yet the promise of being locally situated and at the same time globally connected and mobile has never seemed more possible than it is today. The question remains as to whether it is positive and realistic for us to have multiple loyalties. Can we sustain community and solidarity with our neighbours while we look beyond our nation? And if we can't - or won't – consider distant strangers as part of our own world, are there increasingly dire consequences? This book reconnects classical sociological theory and contemporary ideas on mobility, otherness, material assemblages, consumption and surveillance to render the idea of a global cosmopolitan utopia amenable to sociological investigation. The book takes a realistic approach to the development of cosmopolitical arrangements. It embraces the imaginative impulses the cosmopolitan dream provides, but takes into account the political, ethical and cultural dimensions of such cosmopolitan developments. In revisiting the relevance of classical sociological approaches in the context of contemporary theoretical challenges, the distinctive approach this book takes to understanding cosmopolitanism will be of use to scholars and students alike.

Effects of age on peripheral ocular aberrations

On-axis monochromatic higher-order aberrations increase with age. Few studies have been made of peripheral refraction along the horizontal meridian of older eyes, and none of their off-axis higher-order aberrations. We measured wave aberrations over the central 42°x32° visual field for a 5mm pupil in 10 young and 7 older emmetropes. Patterns of peripheral refraction were similar in the two groups. Coma increased linearly with field angle at a significantly higher rate in older than in young emmetropes (−0.018±0.007 versus −0.006±0.002 µm/deg). Spherical aberration was almost constant over the measured field in both age groups and mean values across the field were significantly higher in older than in young emmetropes (+0.08±0.05 versus +0.02±0.04 µm). Total root-mean-square and higher-order aberrations increased more rapidly with field angle in the older emmetropes. However, the limits to monochromatic peripheral retinal image quality are largely determined by the second-order aberrations, which do not change markedly with age, and under normal conditions the relative importance of the increased higher-order aberrations in older eyes is lessened by the reduction in pupil diameter with age. Therefore it is unlikely that peripheral visual performance deficits observed in normal older individuals are primarily attributable to the increased impact of higher-order aberration.

Peripheral higher order aberrations in emmetropes and myopes

Purpose: Poor image quality in the peripheral field may lead to myopia. Most studies measuring the higher order aberrations in the periphery have been restricted to the horizontal visual field. The purpose of this study was to measure higher order monochromatic aberrations across the central 42º horizontal x 32º vertical visual fields in myopes and emmetropes. ---------- Methods: We recruited 5 young emmetropes with spherical equivalent refractions +0.17 ± 0.45D and 5 young myopes with spherical equivalent refractions -3.9 ± 2.09D. Measurements were taken with a modified COAS-HD Hartmann-Shack aberrometer (Wavefront Sciences Inc). Measurements were taken while the subjects looked at 38 points arranged in a 7 x 6 matrix (excluding four corner points) through a beam splitter held between the instrument and the eye. A combination of the instrument’s software and our own software was used to estimate OSA Zernike coefficients for 5mm pupil diameter at 555nm for each point. The software took into account the elliptical shape of the off-axis pupil. Nasal and superior fields were taken to have positive x and y signs, respectively. ---------- Results: The total higher order RMS (HORMS) was similar on-axis for emmetropes (0.16 ± 0.02 μm) and myopes (0.17 ± 0.02 μm). There was no common pattern for HORMS for emmetropes across the visual field where as 4 out of 5 myopes showed a linear increase in HORMS in all directions away from the minimum. For all subjects, vertical and horizontal comas showed linear changes across the visual field. The mean rate of change of vertical coma across the vertical meridian was significantly lower (p = 0.008) for emmetropes (-0.005 ± 0.002 μm/deg) than for myopes (-0.013 ± 0.004 μm/deg). The mean rate of change of horizontal coma across the horizontal meridian was lower (p = 0.07) for emmetropes (-0.006 ± 0.003 μm/deg) than myopes (-0.011 ± 0.004 μm/deg). ---------- Conclusion: We have found differences in patterns of higher order aberrations across the visual fields of emmetropes and myopes, with myopes showing the greater rates of change of horizontal and vertical coma.