The benefit of combining standard automated perimetry and multifocal visual evoked potential hemifield intersector analysis in suspecious glaucomatous visual field defects

Several analysis protocols have been tested to identify early visual field losses in glaucoma patients using the mfVEP technique, some were successful in detection of field defects, which were comparable to the standard SAP visual field assessment, and others were not very informative and needed more adjustment and research work. In this study we implemented a novel analysis approach and evaluated its validity and whether it could be used effectively for early detection of visual field defects in glaucoma. The purpose of this study is to examine the benefit of adding mfVEP hemifield Intersector analysis protocol to the standard HFA test when there is suspicious glaucomatous visual field loss. 3 groups were tested in this study; normal controls (38 eyes), glaucoma patients (36 eyes) and glaucoma suspect patients (38 eyes). All subjects had a two standard Humphrey visual field HFA test 24-2, optical coherence tomography of the optic nerve head, and a single mfVEP test undertaken in one session. Analysis of the mfVEP results was done using the new analysis protocol; the Hemifield Sector Analysis HSA protocol. The retinal nerve fibre (RNFL) thickness was recorded to identify subjects with suspicious RNFL loss. The hemifield Intersector analysis of mfVEP results showed that signal to noise ratio (SNR) difference between superior and inferior hemifields was statistically significant between the 3 groups (ANOVA p<0.001 with a 95% CI). The difference between superior and inferior hemispheres in all subjects were all statistically significant in the glaucoma patient group 11/11 sectors (t-test p<0.001), partially significant 5/11 in glaucoma suspect group (t-test p<0.01) and no statistical difference between most sectors in normal group (only 1/11 was significant) (t-test p<0.9). Sensitivity and specificity of the HSA protocol in detecting glaucoma was 97% and 86% respectively, while for glaucoma suspect were 89% and 79%. The use of SAP and mfVEP results in subjects with suspicious glaucomatous visual field defects, identified by low RNFL thickness, is beneficial in confirming early visual field defects. The new HSA protocol used in the mfVEP testing can be used to detect glaucomatous visual field defects in both glaucoma and glaucoma suspect patient. Using this protocol in addition to SAP analysis can provide information about focal visual field differences across the horizontal midline, and confirm suspicious field defects. Sensitivity and specificity of the mfVEP test showed very promising results and correlated with other anatomical changes in glaucoma field loss. The Intersector analysis protocol can detect early field changes not detected by standard HFA test.

Practical and cost-effective high-fidelity optical carrier dissemination using coherent communication techniques

We report a unidirectional frequency dissemination scheme for high-fidelity optical carriers deployable over telecommunication networks. For the first time, a 10 Gb/s Binary Phase Shift Keying (BPSK) signal from an ultra-narrow linewidth laser was transmitted through a field-installed optical fibre with round-trip length of 124 km between Cork City and town of Clonakilty, without inline optical amplification. At the receiver, using coherent communication techniques and optical injection-locking the carrier was recovered with noise suppression. The beat signal between the original carrier at the transmitter and recovered carrier at the receiver shows a linewidth of 2.8 kHz. Long term stability measurements revealed fractional instabilities (True Allan deviation) of 3.3 × 10-14 for 1 s averaging time, prior to phase noise cancellation.

Changing corporations: The role of HRDM

An exploration of how current HRDM managers can stimulate change in order to motivate social justice.

An analysis of the impact of the Islamic revolution in Iran on Iranian women

This study compares the status of women under the secular government of the Pahlavi Dynasty with the Islamic Republic of Iran. It relies on Hisham Sharabi's theory of neopatriarchal society and Fatima Mernissi's psychological analysis of the dynamics of gender relations in Islam. Both the Pahlavi dynasty and the Islamic regime promoted a perception of women's rights which were conducive to the ideologies of secularism and Islamism. Both regimes, however, worked within the framework of a patriarchal society by instituting policies that were misogynous in nature. This study found that the majority of Iran's female population was not greatly affected by the overthrow of the Pahlavi dynasty and the subsequent implementation of the Islamic regime. The basis of this argument lies in the fact that despite the contrasting ideologies of both governments, where women's issues are concerned, the patriarchal social structure remained virtually intact.

Análise da distribuição do volume pulmonar total e compartimental de crianças com peso normal e obesidade em diferentes posturas

Introdução: A obesidade infantil apresenta incidência crescente e as possíveis comorbidades, como alteração da função respiratória, estão cada vez mais presente nessa faixa etária. O tecido adiposo impõe carga ao sistema respiratório o que leva a um padrão restritivo. Essa condição sofre alterações com as mudanças posturais, onde a gravidade influencia o padrão respiratório de acordo com o posicionamento adotado. Objetivo: Avaliar a distribuição dos volumes total e regional e o movimento tóracoabdominal de crianças e adolescentes que estão acima do peso nas posturas supino e sentado. Métodos: Cinqüenta e duas crianças/adolescentes (8-12 anos) divididas em três grupos: Grupo Obeso (GO=22); Grupo Sobrepeso (GSP=9); Grupo Controle (GC=21) foram avaliadas quanto às medidas antropométricas, teste de função pulmonar, exame das pressões respiratórias máxima e a pletismografia optoeletrônica em duas posturas, supino e sentado, durante a respiração tranquila. Resultados: As crianças que estão obesas apresentaram maiores valores em relação ao GSP e GC das seguintes variáveis espirométricas: volume expiratório forçado no primeiro segundo (VEF1) (p<0.05) e capacidade vital forçada (CVF) (p<0.01). No exame de manovacuometria o GO apresentou um aumento na pressão inspiratória máxima (PImáx) (p<0.01) em comparação com os outros grupos. Quanto à distribuição do volume corrente, o GO possui uma maior contribuição do compartimento abdominal (AB) na postura supina (p<0.05) em relação ao GC e GSP, enquanto que na postura sentada os grupos não diferiram em relação à distribuição dos volumes. O GO apresentou maior assincronia na postura supina (p<0.05) e maior velocidade de encurtamento (p<0.05) em relação os outros grupos. Conclusão: A obesidade em crianças/adolescentes não provoca prejuízos na função pulmonar, incrementa a força muscular inspiratória, aumenta a participação do compartimento AB e a assincronia no MTA na postura em supino, conclui-se que a postura supina associada à obesidade provoca aumento da sobrecarga do diafragma, desfavorecendo o desempenho do sistema respiratório.

Fatores pré-abate que influenciam na qualidade da carne de frangos griller

The consumption of a product is directly linked to its quality, and are required to comply with quality standard regulations. In chicken "griller" which comes from industrial strains, selected for best growth performance, shot with up to 35 days old and weighing 1,400kg, they have not been reported in the literature a number of quality aspects This study aimed determine the muscle transformation time in the flesh in chickens "griller" incidence of meat defects, "PSE" (pale, soft and exdudative) and "DFD" (dark, firm and dry) and their correlation between different window times slaughter (total time between beginning of the fasting and the time of slaughter) and pH curve, four different times post mortem. The base data for the study was composed of information of 208 chickens, collected between August and September 2014, in a slaughterhouse slaughtering chickens in the middle region of Triangulo Mineiro and Alto Paranaíba. We used the Minitab 17.1.0 program for the development of descriptive statistical analysis and Pareto charts. The Pearson correlation was used to evaluate the linear relationship between two variables and Excel 2013, Microsoft Office®, to produce tables and graphs. The analysis consisted of 11 chickens cities and the distance to the poultry slaughterhouse ranged from 24.5 km to 123 km. It was observed that the pH curve decays gradually until time 5horas after slaughter, and its increase was 24, indicating the transformation of the muscle meat. The incidence of regular meat was 39.9%, "DFD" 30.3% and "PSE" 29.8%. For "DFD" meat, it was observed that factors: low ambient temperature, longer transportation and fast window and mileage at dirt road, contributed to its occurrence (p <0.05). For "PSE" meat, it was observed that lower body weight factors, longer transport favored frequency (p <0.05) of the meat defect. There was no significant correlation in variance analysis between distance, waiting time at rest shed and humidity related to meat defects (p> 0.05). This high incidence of defects meat may be due to pre-slaughter stress factors.

Tectonique moléculaire : introduction de la géométrie trigonale et de la chiralité

Thèse numérisée par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.