Efficacy And Safety Of Intravitreal Bevacizumab In Eyes With Neovascular Glaucoma Undergoing Ahmed Glaucoma Valve Implantation: 2-year Follow-up.

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) in eyes with neovascular glaucoma (NVG) undergoing Ahmed glaucoma valve (AGV) implantation. This was a multicentre, prospective, randomized clinical trial that enrolled 40 patients with uncontrolled neovascular glaucoma that had undergone panretinal photocoagulation and required glaucoma drainage device implantation. Patients were randomized to receive IVB (1.25 mg) or not during Ahmed valve implant surgery. Injections were administered intra-operatively, and 4 and 8 weeks after surgery. After a mean follow-up of 2.25 ± 0.67 years (range 1.5-3 years), both groups showed a significant decrease in IOP (p < 0.05). There was no difference in IOP between groups except at the 18-month interval, when IOP in IVB group was significantly lower (14.57 ± 1.72 mmHg vs. 18.37 ± 1.06 mmHg - p = 0.0002). There was no difference in survival success rates between groups. At 24 months, there was a trend to patients treated with IVB using less antiglaucoma medications than the control group (p = 0.0648). Complete regression of rubeosis iridis was significantly more frequent in the IVB group (80%) than in the control group (25%) (p = 0.0015). Intravitreal bevacizumab may lead to regression of new vessels both in the iris and in the anterior chamber angle in patients with neovascular glaucoma undergoing Ahmed glaucoma valve implantation. There is a trend to slightly lower IOPs and number of medications with IVB use during AGV implantation for neovascular glaucoma.

Avaliação comparativa de formatos de dados georreferenciados para troca de informação entre sistemas de comando e controlo no contexto militar

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia Informática

A119 Koala –helikopterin yötoiminta nyt ja tulevaisuudessa

Viranomaishelikopteritoiminnassa tulee pyrkiä joustavuuteen, luotettavuuteen ja turvalliseen lentotoimintaan. Näiden lisäksi organisaatiolle osoitettuja resursseja tulee kyetä hyödyntä-mään mahdollisimman optimaalisesti. Yksimoottorisen helikopterin yötoimintaa on harjoitet-tu Vartiolentolaivueessa hyvin vähän, ja kalustopäivityksen myötä sen uudelleenkäsittely on suotavaa. Tutkielma käsittelee A119 Koala –helikopterin yötoimintakyvyn kehitysmahdolli-suuksia Vartiolentolaivueen toiminnassa. Tutkimus on laadullinen, eli kvalitatiivinen tutkimus. Tutkimukseen liittyvä kirjallisuus käsi-tellään aineistolähtöisen sisällönanalyysin keinoin. Tutkimuksen lähteenä käytetään paljon erilaisia määräyksiä, asiakirjoja, julkaisuja ja muuta kirjallisuutta, sekä kirjallisuuslähteitä täydennetään asiantuntijahaastatteluin. Tutkija perehtyy myös omatoimisesti tutkimukseen liittyviin seikkoihin seuraamalla Vartiolentolaivueen lentotoimintaa. Tutkimuksen pääpaino on rajavalvontatoimintaan liittyvissä tekijöissä. Koala-helikopterin nykyinen yötoimintakyky on heikko, ja sillä kyetään vain hyvin yksinker-taisiin yölentoihin. Koulutustaso yölentämisen saralla konetyypin ohjaajilla on matala, ja vanhan kaluston mukaiset määräykset ovat edelleen voimassa. Määräykset ovat kuitenkin edelleen aiheellisia, sillä niitä laajentavaa tutkimustyötä ei ole tehty. Yötehtäviä ei kyetä ny-kyisillä valmiuksilla ja määräyspohjalla suorittamaan tehokkaasti. Tutkielman aiheeseen perehtyminen osoitti, että yötoiminnan mahdollistaminen yksimootto-rikalustolla vaatii toiminnan sisällyttämistä operatiiviseen toimintaan, jotta ohjaajille saatai-siin riittävästi kokemusta yötoiminnasta vaativampiin tehtäviin siirtymiseen. Yksinkertaisten yötehtävien, kuten maapartioiden tukitehtävien, lentoturvallisuuden arviointi, lentomenetel-mien laatiminen ja miehistön lisäkoulutus mahdollisimman aikaisessa vaiheessa uraa ovat askeleet kohti yksimoottorikaluston yötoiminnan mahdollistamista.

Parâmetros da marcha, pressões plantares e equilíbrio corporal de diabéticos neuropatas e vasculopatas, com o uso de palmilhas

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Voice disorders in children and its relationship with auditory, acoustic and vocal behavior parameters

Objective: Parameters to distinguish normal from deviant voices in early childhood have not been established. The current study sought to auditorily and acoustically characterize voices of children, and to study the relationship between vocal behavior reported by teachers and the presence of vocal aberrations. Methods: One hundred children between four and 6 years and 11 months, who attended early childhood educational institutions, were included. The sample comprised 50 children with normal voices (NVG) and 50 with deviant voices (DVG) matched by gender and age. All participants were submitted to auditory and acoustic analysis of vocal quality and had their vocal behaviors assessed by teachers through a specific protocol. Results: DVG had a higher incidence of breathiness (p < 0.001) and roughness (p < 0.001), but not vocal strain (p = 0.546), which was similar in both groups. The average F-0 was lower in the DVG and a higher noise component was observed in this group as well. Regarding the protocol used "Aspects Related to Phonotrauma - Children's Protocol", higher means were observed for children from DVG in all analyzed aspects and also on the overall means (DVG = 2.15; NVG = 1.12, p < 0.001). In NVG, a higher incidence of vocal behavior without alterations or with discrete alterations was observed, whereas a higher incidence of moderate, severe or extreme alterations of vocal behavior was observed in DVG. Conclusions: Perceptual assessment of voice, vocal acoustic parameters (F-0, noise and GNE), and aspects related to vocal trauma and vocal behavior differentiated the groups of children with normal voice and deviant voice. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Night Vision Imaging System (NVIS) certification requirements analysis of an Airbus Helicopters H135

The safe operation of nighttime flight missions would be enhanced using Night Vision Imaging Systems (NVIS) equipment. This has been clear to the military since 1970s and to the civil helicopters since 1990s. In these last months, even Italian Emergency Medical Service (EMS) operators require Night Vision Goggles (NVG) devices that therefore amplify the ambient light. In order to fly with this technology, helicopters have to be NVIS-approved. The author have supported a company, to quantify the potentiality of undertaking the certification activity, through a feasibility study. Even before, NVG description and working principles have been done, then specifications analysis about the processes to make a helicopter NVIS-approved has been addressed. The noteworthy difference between military specifications and the civilian ones highlights non-irrevelant lacks in the latter. The activity of NVIS certification could be a good investment because the following targets have been achieved: Reductions of the certification cost, of the operating time and of the number of non-compliance.

Intravitreal bevacizumab (Avastin) in the treatment of neovascular glaucoma

PURPOSE: To describe a case series of neovascular glaucoma (NVG) caused by central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) that was treated with intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB; Avastin). DESIGN: Retrospective interventional case series. METHODS: Six consecutive patients with NVG and a refractory, symptomatic elevation of intraocular pressure (IOP) and pronounced anterior segment congestion received IVB (1.25 mg/0.05 ml). Diode laser cyclophotocoagulation was carried out only if pressure was controlled insufficiently by topical medication. Follow-up examinations occurred at four to 16 weeks. RESULTS: IVB resulted in a marked regression of anterior segment neovascularization and relief of symptoms within 48 hours. IOP decreased substantially in three eyes; in the other three eyes, adjuvant cyclophotocoagulation was necessary. No side effects were observed. Panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) was performed as soon as feasible, five to 12 weeks after IVB treatment. CONCLUSION: IVB leads to a rapid regression of iris and angle neovascularization and should be investigated more thoroughly as an adjunct in the management of NVG.

Long-term outcome of trans-scleral diode laser cyclophotocoagulation in refractory glaucoma

BACKGROUND: Long-term outcome and complications of diode laser cyclophotocoagulation (DCPC) may be important, since eyes, once treated with DCPC, are less likely to be subjected to other types of interventions in the further follow-up. METHODS: Retrospective review of 131 eyes of 127 patients treated from 2000 through 2004. Success was defined as intraocular pressure (IOP) at last visit 6-21 mm Hg; hypotony: IOP NVG) representing the largest subgroup (61%). IOP decreased from 36.9 (10.7) mm Hg pretreatment to 15.3 (10.4) mm Hg at the end of FU. Success was noted in 69.5% (91 eyes), failure (non-response) in 13%. Hypotony occurred in 17.6% eyes, of which 74% had NVG. Hypotony developed after mean 19.3 (11.0) months, range 6 to 36; with 96% of these eyes having received only 1 or 2 treatments; delivered energy did not differ from that in the successful eyes. CONCLUSIONS: DCPC is an efficient treatment for refractory glaucoma. Hypotony, the most common complication, may develop as late as 36 months post-treatment. Diagnostic category and age seem to influence the outcome stronger than laser protocol and delivered energy.

Evaluation einer selbstkonzeptfördernden Intervention im Sportunterricht.

Vor dem Hintergrund, dass es bis anhin nicht gelungen ist, empirische Evidenz für das pädagogische Postulat der Persönlichkeitsentwicklung durch Sport vorzulegen, haben sich im letzten Jahrzehnt diverse Forschungsgruppen der Selbstkonzeptentwicklung im Sport (-unterricht) angenommen (z. B. Neuber, 2007). In zunehmendem Masse werden dabei quasi-experimentelle Interventionsstudien (eine Übersicht findet sich z. B. bei Fox, 2000) durchgeführt, wobei allerdings häufig auf die Evaluation der Implementationsgenauigkeit verzichtet wird. Die vorliegende Studie nimmt sich diesem Defizit an und untersucht im Rahmen der sportpädagogischen Evaluationsforschung sowohl die Implementation als auch die Wirksamkeit einer selbstkonzeptfördernden Intervention im Sportunterricht. Es wird überprüft, ob die Implementation einer individuellen Bezugsnormorientierung (IBNO) von Lehrpersonen zu positiven Veränderungen im sportbezogenen Fähigkeitsselbstkonzept (SFSK) von Schülerinnen und Schülern führt. Die Lehrpersonen von 5. Primarklassen der Versuchsgruppe wurden während der zwanzigwöchigen Intervention (quasi-experimentelle Längsschnittstudie mit Versuchs- und Kontrollgruppe) aufgefordert, den Sportunterricht anhand einer individuellen Bezugsnormorientierung zu gestalten. Die Prüfung der schülerperzipierten IBNO und des SFSK (NSchülerInnen = 203, Alter: MAlter = 12.0, 46.8% weiblich, nVG = 96, nKG = 107) erfolgte mittels zweifaktorieller Varianzanalyse mit Messwiederholung. Zudem wird die Häufigkeit der Nutzung eines individuellen Lernjournals durch die Schülerinnen und Schüler analysiert. Das Lernjournal wurde im Mittel 42.6 mal (SD = 12.2) im Unterricht benutzt. Die schülerperzipierte IBNO und das SFSK der Versuchsgruppe nehmen im Verlauf der Intervention im Vergleich zur Kontrollgruppe zu (sig. Interaktionseffekt; IBNO: F(1,201) = 6.35, p = .012, η2 = .031; SFSK: F(1,201) = 6.44, p = .012, η2 = .031). Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die Intervention umgesetzt wurde und zu den beabsichtigten Wirkungen führte. Dies deutet auf die Möglichkeiten einer IBNO zur Selbstkonzeptförderung im Sportunterricht und auf die Relevanz der Implementationsevaluation zur Erklärung von Programmwirkungen hin.

Passing and no-passing zones: signs, markings, and warrants. Final report.

Federal Highway Administration, Traffic Systems Division, Washington, D.C.

Accident avoidance evaluation of General Motors experimental safety vehicle. Final report.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, D.C.

Light truck characteristics, historical data base. Final report.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Office of Research and Development, Washington, D.C.

Automobile characteristics historical data base. Final report.

Transportation Systems Center, Cambridge, Mass.

Light duty truck characteristics, historical data base. Final report.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Office of Research and Development, Washington, D.C.