Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography study of macular structure as prognostic and determining factor for macular hole surgery outcome

Purpose: To evaluate postoperative spectral-domain optical coherence tomography findings after macular hole surgery. Methods: Retrospective, interventional, nonrandomized study. Overall, 164 eyes of 157 patients diagnosed with macular hole were operated on by vitrectomy and internal limiting membrane peeling. Preoperative and postoperative best-corrected visual acuity and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography images were obtained. Two groups were considered on the basis of the postoperative integrity of the back reflection line from the ellipsoid portion of the photoreceptor inner segment: group A (disruption of ellipsoid portion of the inner segment line, 60 eyes) and group B (restoration of ellipsoid portion of the inner segment line, 104 eyes). Results: Logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution best-corrected visual acuity improved significantly after the surgery of macular hole from a mean preoperative value of 0.79 ± 0.37 (range, 0.15–2.00) to a mean postoperative value of 0.35 ± 0.31 (range, 0.00–1.30) at the last follow-up visit (P < 0.01). Best-corrected visual acuity improved significantly in the 2 groups analyzed (all P < 0.01). A larger improvement was found in group B than in group A (P < 0.01). Conclusion: Ellipsoid portion of the inner segment line reconstruction seems to be a good prognostic factor for visual rehabilitation after macular hole surgery.

Saint Mathew Law and Bonini Paradox in Textual Theory of Complex Models

The mathematical models of the complex reality are texts belonging to a certain literature that is written in a semi-formal language, denominated L(MT) by the authors whose laws linguistic mathematics have been previously defined. This text possesses linguistic entropy that is the reflection of the physical entropy of the processes of real world that said text describes. Through the temperature of information defined by Mandelbrot, the authors begin a text-reality thermodynamic theory that drives to the existence of information attractors, or highly structured point, settling down a heterogeneity of the space text, the same one that of ontologic space, completing the well-known law of Saint Mathew, of the General Theory of Systems and formulated by Margalef saying: “To the one that has more he will be given, and to the one that doesn't have he will even be removed it little that it possesses.

Long time remodeling during retinal degeneration evaluated by optical coherence tomography, immunocytochemistry and fundus autofluorescence

Purpose: To characterize the relationship between fundus autofluorescence (FAF), Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) over the course of chronic retinal degeneration in the P23H rat. Methods: Homozygous albino P23H rats, Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats as controls and pigmented Long Evans (LE) rats were used. A Spectralis HRA OCT system was used for scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (SLO) imaging OCT and angiography. To determine FAF, fluorescence was excited using diode laser at 488 nm. A fast retina map OCT was performed using the optic nerve as a landmark. IHC was performed to correlate with the findings of OCT and FAF changes. Results: During the course of retinal degeneration, the FAF pattern evolved from some spotting at 2 months old to a mosaic of hyperfluorescent dots in rats 6 months and older. Retinal thicknesses progressively diminished over the course of the disease. At later stages of degeneration, OCT documented changes in the retinal layers, however, IHC better identified the cell loss and remodeling changes. Angiography revealed attenuation of the retinal vascular plexus with time. Conclusion: We provide for the first time a detailed long-term analysis of the course of retinal degeneration in P23H rats using a combination of SLO and OCT imaging, angiography, FAF and IHC. Although, the application of noninvasive methods enables longitudinal studies and will decrease the number of animals needed for a study, IHC is still an essential tool to identify retinal changes at the cellular level.

A semantic framework for textual data enrichment

In this work we present a semantic framework suitable of being used as support tool for recommender systems. Our purpose is to use the semantic information provided by a set of integrated resources to enrich texts by conducting different NLP tasks: WSD, domain classification, semantic similarities and sentiment analysis. After obtaining the textual semantic enrichment we would be able to recommend similar content or even to rate texts according to different dimensions. First of all, we describe the main characteristics of the semantic integrated resources with an exhaustive evaluation. Next, we demonstrate the usefulness of our resource in different NLP tasks and campaigns. Moreover, we present a combination of different NLP approaches that provide enough knowledge for being used as support tool for recommender systems. Finally, we illustrate a case of study with information related to movies and TV series to demonstrate that our framework works properly.

Complexidade textual e progressão escolar em dois registos : um estudo de correlação baseado em um corpus quasi-longitudinal

Tese de doutoramento, Linguística (Linguística Educacional), Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Letras, 2016

Ensino da escrita : estratégias de planificação textual

Relatório de Estágio para a obtenção do grau de Mestre em Educação Pré-escolar e em Ensino do 1º Ciclo do Ensino Básico

Whole of Government Approach for Institutional and Policy Coherence

The comprehensive structure of cooperation at domestic level reflects on bilateral, regional and global level.

Strengthening the Migration-Development Nexus through Improved Policy and Institutional Coherence

The complexity of migration issues is clearly reflected by states diverging national migration policy interests that exists within one state. In line with the Swiss Report on International Cooperation on Migration of the Swiss Federal Council , this complexity requires close coordination and cooperation between the governmental institutions and all offices. Only through a close and coherent cooperation between all governmental actors involved in migration issues the migration-development nexus can be strength. The present paper will suggest how intergovernmental cooperation can lead to better policy coherence in migration by interlinking all actors involved.

SPECTRAL DOMAIN-OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY IMAGE CONTRAST AND BACKGROUND COLOR SETTINGS INFLUENCE IDENTIFICATION OF RETINAL STRUCTURES.

PURPOSE To evaluate image contrast and color setting on assessment of retinal structures and morphology in spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. METHODS Two hundred and forty-eight Spectralis spectral-domain optical coherence tomography B-scans of 62 patients were analyzed by 4 readers. B-scans were extracted in 4 settings: W + N = white background with black image at normal contrast 9; W + H = white background with black image at maximum contrast 16; B + N = black background with white image at normal contrast 12; B + H = black background with white image at maximum contrast 16. Readers analyzed the images to identify morphologic features. Interreader correlation was calculated. Differences between Fleiss-kappa correlation coefficients were examined using bootstrap method. Any setting with significantly higher correlation coefficient was deemed superior for evaluating specific features. RESULTS Correlation coefficients differed among settings. No single setting was superior for all respective spectral-domain optical coherence tomography parameters (P = 0.3773). Some variables showed no differences among settings. Hard exudates and subretinal fluid were best seen with B + H (κ = 0.46, P = 0.0237 and κ = 0.78, P = 0.002). Microaneurysms were best seen with W + N (κ = 0.56, P = 0.025). Vitreomacular interface, enhanced transmission signal, and epiretinal membrane were best identified using all color/contrast settings together (κ = 0.44, P = 0.042, κ = 0.57, P = 0.01, and κ = 0.62, P ≤ 0.0001). CONCLUSION Contrast and background affect the evaluation of retinal structures on spectral-domain optical coherence tomography images. No single setting was superior for all features, though certain changes were best seen with specific settings.

Farm Security Administration, historical section : a guide to textual records in the Library of Congress /

Mode of access: Internet.

The ten nequdoth of the Torah; or, The meaning and purpose of the extraordinary points of the Pentateuch (Massoretic text) A contribution to the history of textual criticism among the ancient Jews,

Biography: p. iii.