Evaluation of Binocular Vision Therapy Efficacy by 3D Video-Oculography Measurement of Binocular Alignment and Motility

Objective: To evaluate two cases of intermittent exotropia (IX(T)) treated by vision therapy the efficacy of the treatment by complementing the clinical examination with a 3-D video-oculography to register and to evidence the potential applicability of this technology for such purpose. Methods: We report the binocular alignment changes occurring after vision therapy in a woman of 36 years with an IX(T) of 25 prism diopters (Δ) at far and 18 Δ at near and a child of 10 years with 8 Δ of IX(T) in primary position associated to 6 Δ of left eye hypotropia. Both patients presented good visual acuity with correction in both eyes. Instability of ocular deviation was evident by VOG analysis, revealing also the presence of vertical and torsional components. Binocular vision therapy was prescribed and performed including different types of vergence, accommodation, and consciousness of diplopia training. Results: After therapy, excellent ranges of fusional vergence and a “to-the-nose” near point of convergence were obtained. The 3-D VOG examination (Sensoro Motoric Instruments, Teltow, Germany) confirmed the compensation of the deviation with a high level of stability of binocular alignment. Significant improvement could be observed after therapy in the vertical and torsional components that were found to become more stable. Patients were very satisfied with the outcome obtained by vision therapy. Conclusion: 3D-VOG is a useful technique for providing an objective register of the compensation of the ocular deviation and the stability of the binocular alignment achieved after vision therapy in cases of IX(T), providing a detailed analysis of vertical and torsional improvements.

Boston, Massachusetts Region LIDAR First Return Elevation Data, 2002

LIDAR (LIght Detection And Ranging) first return elevation data of the Boston, Massachusetts region from MassGIS at 1-meter resolution. This LIDAR data was captured in Spring 2002. LIDAR first return data (which shows the highest ground features, e.g. tree canopy, buildings etc.) can be used to produce a digital terrain model of the Earth's surface. This dataset consists of 74 First Return DEM tiles. The tiles are 4km by 4km areas corresponding with the MassGIS orthoimage index. This data set was collected using 3Di's Digital Airborne Topographic Imaging System II (DATIS II). The area of coverage corresponds to the following MassGIS orthophoto quads covering the Boston region (MassGIS orthophoto quad ID: 229890, 229894, 229898, 229902, 233886, 233890, 233894, 233898, 233902, 233906, 233910, 237890, 237894, 237898, 237902, 237906, 237910, 241890, 241894, 241898, 241902, 245898, 245902). The geographic extent of this dataset is the same as that of the MassGIS dataset: Boston, Massachusetts Region 1:5,000 Color Ortho Imagery (1/2-meter Resolution), 2001 and was used to produce the MassGIS dataset: Boston, Massachusetts, 2-Dimensional Building Footprints with Roof Height Data (from LIDAR data), 2002 [see cross references].

Boston, Massachusetts, 2-Dimensional Building Footprints with Height Data (from LIDAR data), 2002

This dataset consists of 2D footprints of the buildings in the metropolitan Boston area, based on tiles in the orthoimage index (orthophoto quad ID: 229890, 229894, 229898, 229902, 233886, 233890, 233894, 233898, 233902, 237890, 237894, 237898, 237902, 241890, 241894, 241898, 241902, 245898, 245902). This data set was collected using 3Di's Digital Airborne Topographic Imaging System II (DATIS II). Roof height and footprint elevation attributes (derived from 1-meter resolution LIDAR (LIght Detection And Ranging) data) are included as part of each building feature. This data can be combined with other datasets to create 3D representations of buildings and the surrounding environment.

Construção tridimensional de atlas dos núcleos anteriores do tálamo a partir de cortes de um bloco de encéfalo

Tese de mestrado integrado em Engenharia Biomédica e Biofísica, apresentada à Universidade de Lisboa, através da Faculdade de Ciências, 2016

Horizontal and Vertical Interdependence in the Multinational Subsidiary Networks. ACES Working Paper No. 7, July 2008

Existing theoretical studies have predicted that a multinational firm's location choices are interdependent across countries. Little has, however, been done to test the hypothesis at individual subsidiary level. This paper uses a detailed French multinational subsidiary dataset and estimates how a firm's decision to invest in a foreign country is not only conditional on the characteristics of that country but also the firm's existing subsidiary network Using a structural spatial econometric model, the paper finds evidence of both horizontal and vertical interdependence in multinationals' location decisions. The results indicate that while multinational firms have little incentive to duplicate their production in countries with low bilateral trade costs, they are motivated to build a vertical subsidiary network in these countries ~ especially when the countries have complementary comparative advantages.

Pro-American non-alignment. Sweden and Finland develop closer military co-operation with the United States. OSW COMMENTARY NUMBER 205/31.03.2016

Russia’s increasingly aggressive policy and its enhanced military activity in the Nordic-Baltic region has led to revaluations in Sweden’s and Finland’s security and defence policies and a rethinking of the formats of their military co-operation. While remaining outside NATO, the two states have been developing closer bilateral defence co-operation and working more closely with the United States, while at the same time developing co-operation with NATO. Sweden and Finland perceive the United States as the guarantor of regional and European security. From their point of view, the United States is currently the country that has both the necessary military capabilities and the political will to react in the event of a conflict between Russia and NATO in the Nordic-Baltic region, in which both countries would inevitably become involved despite their non-aligned status. For Sweden and Finland, intensified co-operation with the United States offers an alternative to NATO membership, which is currently out of the question for domestic political reasons. Meanwhile, the US has also become increasingly aware of the strategic importance of the two states, which, for the purposes of contingency planning, are in fact an extension of NATO’s north-eastern flank.

Adaptation of yeasts to fructose rich environments: a role for horizontal gene transfer of a fructose transporter

Abstract of the poster presented 33rd Small Meeting on Yeast Transport and Energetics, 21-24 July 2015, Lisbon, Portugal.

Beyond a logic of effectiveness: Horizontal coordination, democratic legitimacy and accountability

Horizontal coordination, where actors join together to accomplish a common task, has been applauded for its output legitimacy. However, such processes often face challenges due to opposition from local actors who raise concerns about democratic legitimacy and accountability. Moving beyond a logic of effectiveness, we aim to show how and why other forms of legitimacy such as input and throughput dimensions also affect horizontal coordination, in addition to output criteria. Beyond the assumed positive relationship between coordination and effectiveness, we additionally expect horizontal coordination to be (a) impeded by local actors' fear of losing democratic legitimacy; and (b) fostered by accountability in terms of the steering capacity of the state. A comparative case study analysis of water supply structures at the regional level in Switzerland shows, in contrast to our expectation, that effectiveness has mixed impacts on horizontal coordination. Rather than being solely a positive factor for horizontal coordination, certain output criteria such as financial redistribution are found to be a key hindrance. We also find that democratic legitimacy may, indeed, impede horizontal coordination whereas increased accountability positively affects such coordination.

Addressing climate change under preferential trade agreements: Towards alignment of carbon standards under the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership

With its wide coverage of economic spheres and the variety of trade and investment measures currently under negotiation, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership opens windows of opportunity for advancing action on climate change. We examine possible avenues and international trade law implications for an alignment of carbon-related standards between the EU and the US. We compare EU and US carbon emissions standards for cars and argue that negotiators should strive for a mutual recognition of their equivalence for a transitional period, while pursuing the goal of full harmonization at the level of the highest standards of two parties at some date in the future. This could be a way to balance between economic and environmental interests and harness economic incentives for the benefit of climate.