Reply to letter to the Editor: Expert opinion on best practice guidelines and competency framework for visual screening in children

The aim of this study was to describe experts��� perception of best-practice guidelines and competency framework for visual screening in children. This study uses qualitative data and shows individual/ group conceptualization. The use of evidence from qualitative studies has traditionally been a fundamental source of knowledge in the clinical and social sciences.

Reading performance in children with visual function anomalies

Aims - To compare reading performance in children with and without visual function anomalies and identify the influence of abnormal visual function and other variables in reading ability. Methods - A cross-sectional study was carried in 110 children of school age (6-11 years) with Abnormal Visual Function (AVF) and 562 children with Normal Visual Function (NVF). An orthoptic assessment (visual acuity, ocular alignment, near point of convergence and accommodation, stereopsis and vergences) and autorefraction was carried out. Oral reading was analyzed (list of 34 words). Number of errors, accuracy (percentage of success) and reading speed (words per minute - wpm) were used as reading indicators. Sociodemographic information from parents (n=670) and teachers (n=34) was obtained. Results - Children with AVF had a higher number of errors (AVF=3.00 errors; NVF=1.00 errors; p<0.001), a lower accuracy (AVF=91.18%; NVF=97.06%; p<0.001) and reading speed (AVF=24.71 wpm; NVF=27.39 wpm; p=0.007). Reading speed in the 3rd school grade was not statistically different between the two groups (AVF=31.41 wpm; NVF=32.54 wpm; p=0.113). Children with uncorrected hyperopia (p=0.003) and astigmatism (p=0.019) had worst reading performance. Children in 2nd, 3rd, or 4th grades presented a lower risk of having reading impairment when compared with the 1st grade. Conclusion - Children with AVF had reading impairment in the first school grade. It seems that reading abilities have a wide variation and this disparity lessens in older children. The slow reading characteristics of the children with AVF are similar to dyslexic children, which suggest the need for an eye evaluation before classifying the children as dyslexic.

Guest editorial: OPTIMAX 2013

In 2012 we were awarded an Erasmus Intensive Programme grant to facilitate OPTIMAX 2013, a three week duration residential summer school held within the UK during August 2013. The summer school helped to further develop student radiographer skills in optimising x-radiation dose and image quality. With a major emphasis on visual techniques to determine image quality, lesion visibility, lesion detection performance and physical measures of image quality (eg signal to noise ratio (SNR)) we conducted controlled laboratory experiments on phantoms using Computed Radiography, CT and Full Field Digital Mammography. Mathematical modelling was used for radiation dose estimation. Sixty seven people from 5 European countries participated. This included 49 PhD, MSc and BSc students. Discipline areas included radiography, physics, biomedical science and nuclear medicine.

O ortoptista nos cuidados de sa��de prim��rios: contributo para uma referencia����o de qualidade

Defici��ncia visual �� um problema de sa��de mundial que afeta 285 milh��es de pessoas, 39 milh��es apresentam cegueira e 246 milh��es apresentam baixa vis��o. 65% das pessoas com baixa vis��o e 82% das pessoas cegas das pessoas apresentam mais de 50 anos de idade. Estima-se que cerca de 80% dos casos sejam preven��veis ou trat��veis. 20% da popula����o residente em Portugal �� idosa - mais de dois milh��es de pessoas com 65 anos. 21% de pessoas vivem sozinhas em Portugal, maioria delas idosas, e geralmente no interior do pa��s. 50% dos indiv��duos submetidos a programas de rastreio visual apresentam altera����es revers��veis da fun����o visual, especialmente por n��o terem o erro refrativo corrigido ou por terem cataratas (defici��ncia visual revers��vel). 200.000 pessoas apresentam hipertens��o ocular, das quais 1/3 sofre de glaucoma; 6.000 pessoas apresentam cegueira irrevers��vel por glaucoma (esta doen��a pode ser prevenida atrav��s de assist��ncia oftalmol��gica adequada); 15.000 diab��ticos estar��o em risco de cegar por retinopatia e maculopatia diab��tica (pode ser prevenida ou tratada, atrav��s de fotocoagula����o da retina por laser e/ou por vitrectomia); 35.000 pessoas sofrem de baixa de vis��o: doen��as da retina e da coroideia, nomeadamente DMLI, que afetar�� 5% das pessoas com mais de 55 anos e uma em cada 10 pessoas com mais de 65 anos; estima-se que 45 mil pessoas sofram de DMI: cerca de 30 mil tem tratamento possivel, que poder�� ser determinante para travar a progress��o da doenca para um estadio de defici��ncia visual com consequ��ncias nefastas para a qualidade vida.

Longe da vista, longe do cora����o: o design como �����ncora��� visual e elemento agregador da atividade museol��gica

To become an open to outer space, the "museum" acquired new forms and new expressions. The complexity of museological activity thus leads to new representations that alter the initial image of the museum as a building with objects. Their 'boundaries' are now less sharp, not only in relation to the spatial relationship, but also to its temporal dimension, creating an additional challenge which is the recognition of the museum itself. The design, while transdisciplinary activity, thereby assumes a key role in the communication of the museums in its visual representation and recognition of their action. The present study results from a survey conducted in 2010 to 364 Portuguese museums (from a universe of 849 museums), presenting an analysis to its base elements of visual expression of identity (name, logo, symbol, and color).

Detec����o de sectores cruzados e optimiza����o de cobertura em redes LTE

Trabalho Final de Mestrado para obten����o do grau de Mestre em Engenharia de Electr��nica e Telecomunica����es

Optimiza����o da lista de c��lulas vizinhas em redes LTE

Trabalho Final de Mestrado para obten����o do grau de Mestre em Engenharia de Electr��nica e Telecomunica����es

Avalia����o por fMRI do c��rtex visual, motor e auditivo atrav��s de estimula����o sensoriomotora e sonora em desportistas invisuais e desportistas sem defici��ncia visual

Mestrado em Radia����es Aplicadas ��s Tecnologias da Sa��de - Ramo de especializa����o: Imagem por Resson��ncia Magn��tica

Gest��o da identidade visual corporativa nos meios digitais: o caso RTP

Relat��rio de est��gio apresentado �� Escola Superior de Comunica����o Social como parte dos requisitos para obten����o de grau de mestre em Gest��o Estrat��gica das Rela����es P��blicas.

Estrabismo, acuidade visual e erro refrativo n��o corrigido na crian��a em idade escolar

Preventable visual loss in children is an important public health problem. The critical period of susceptibility to deprivation or abnormal visual experience has been identified since the early 1970s. Preventable visual loss caused by amblyopia (0.3%���4%) and its risk factors such as strabismus (2.1%���4.6%) and uncorrected refractive errors (5%���7.7%) represent an important public health problem. Thus the primary justification for preschool vision screening is the detection of amblyopia or amblyogenic refractive, strabismic, or ocular disease conditions. However in Portugal there has been little investigation regarding prevalence of visual anomalies among school-age children. Data on the prevalence are lacking but are needed for planning vision services. Aims: 1) Determine the prevalence of strabismus; 2) Determine the prevalence of decreased visual acuity; 3) Determine the prevalence of uncorrected refractive error.

Efeito de filtros ��pticos na fun����o visual de espeleologistas

Speleologist���s perform their activity in demanding visual conditions of very low luminance - many visual tasks involve resolution of detail under conditions of low contrast. Work related conditions in a cave as exposure to heat, chemicals, dust and poor lighting conditions could influence the integrity of the visual system and predispose the eye to diseases that eventually affect vision. Poor lighting conditions cause a variety of symptoms of visual discomfort and may increase the risk of accidents. Good visual acuity is crucial for several and has an important role for safety purposes. The aim of this study was to evaluate lighting conditions and optical filters effects on visual performance in speleologists exposed to cave environments.

Effect of technical parameters on dose and image quality in a computed radiography system

The discovery of X-rays was undoubtedly one of the greatest stimulus for improving the efficiency in the provision of healthcare services. The ability to view, non-invasively, inside the human body has greatly facilitated the work of professionals in diagnosis of diseases. The exclusive focus on image quality (IQ), without understanding how they are obtained, affect negatively the efficiency in diagnostic radiology. The equilibrium between the benefits and the risks are often forgotten. It is necessary to adopt optimization strategies to maximize the benefits (image quality) and minimize risk (dose to the patient) in radiological facilities. In radiology, the implementation of optimization strategies involves an understanding of images acquisition process. When a radiographer adopts a certain value of a parameter (tube potential [kVp], tube current-exposure time product [mAs] or additional filtration), it is essential to know its meaning and impact of their variation in dose and image quality. Without this, any optimization strategy will be a failure. Worldwide, data show that use of x-rays has been increasingly frequent. In Cabo Verde, we note an effort by healthcare institutions (e.g. Ministry of Health) in equipping radiological facilities and the recent installation of a telemedicine system requires purchase of new radiological equipment. In addition, the transition from screen-films to digital systems is characterized by a raise in patient exposure. Given that this transition is slower in less developed countries, as is the case of Cabo Verde, the need to adopt optimization strategies becomes increasingly necessary. This study was conducted as an attempt to answer that need. Although this work is about objective evaluation of image quality, and in medical practice the evaluation is usually subjective (visual evaluation of images by radiographer / radiologist), studies reported a correlation between these two types of evaluation (objective and subjective) [5-7] which accredits for conducting such studies. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of exposure parameters (kVp and mAs) when using additional Cooper (Cu) filtration in dose and image quality in a Computed Radiography system.

A influ��ncia do computador na integridade da vis��o binocular

Computer Vision Syndrome (CSV): 1) Conjunto de complica����es desencadeadas com o acto de fixa����o para perto, que s��o experimentadas durante ou ap��s o uso do computador; 2) Dist��rbio caracterizado pelo esfor��o repetitivo de perto traduzindo-se em sintomas oculares e n��o oculares. Pertin��ncia do estudo: os trabalhadores de telecomunica����es desempenham actividades prolongadas de fixa����o para perto, o que pode originar queixas de fadiga visual devido ao stress exercido sob a converg��ncia acomodativa. Objectivos do estudo: 1) Identificar quais os par��metros da vis��o binocular que s��o mais influenciados pelo uso prolongado do computador; 2) Comparar a vis��o binocular em dois grupos de indiv��duos com e sem sintomatologia ocular.

Visual functional analysis in medical imaging

Aims of study: 1) Describe the importance of human visual system on lesion detection in medical imaging perception research; 2) Discuss the relevance of research in medical imaging addressing visual function analysis; 3) Identify visual function tests which could be conducted on observers prior to participation in medical imaging perception research.

A sa��de visual das crian��as de um concelho alentejano: um projecto de interven����o precoce

A vis��o possui um elevado significado no desenvolvimento infantil. A defici��ncia visual acarreta um impacto negativo na crian��a no que respeita �� sua educa����o e integra����o social. No universo populacional existem globalmente cerca de 1 milh��o e 500 mil crian��as cegas e 19 milh��es com algum tipo de defici��ncia visual, abrangendo a faixa et��ria dos 0 aos 14 anos. De acordo com a Direc����o Geral de Sa��de Portuguesa, estima-se a preval��ncia de 1,00 a 2,5% de ambliopia entre as crian��as, em Portugal, constituindo uma das 3 principais causas de hipovis��o monocular. Por isso, a preven����o prim��ria e detec����o precoces s��o cada vez mais importantes na redu����o das taxas de incid��ncia de patologias oculares. A redu����o dos casos evit��veis de defici��ncia visual nas crian��as alentejanas, �� um objectivo importante da Unidade Local de Sa��de do Baixo Alentejo (ULSBA), promovendo ac����es de rastreio visual para o diagn��stico, a referencia����o e o encaminhamento precoces. O Alentejo, regi��o do centro-sul de Portugal, �� a maior regi��o de Portugal, com 31.551 km2 de ��rea e 757.190 habitantes. Moura �� um concelho do Baixo Alentejo, com 958,46 km2 e 15.167 habitantes e 15,83% s��o crian��as dos 0 aos 14 anos. Objectivos do estudo: detectar factores ambliog��nicos e caracterizar o estado visual das crian��as nascidas em 2009 e que frequentam os jardins-de-inf��ncia (JI) p��blicos, do concelho de Moura, num total de 9.