1,072 research outputs found
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'You've got dry macular degeneration, end of story': a qualitative study into the experience of living with non-neovascular age-related macular degeneration.
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: To investigate the impact of non-neovascular (dry) age-related macular degeneration (AMD) on the person with respect to diagnosis, vision loss and coping strategies.
SUBJECTS/METHODS: Volunteers with dry AMD with a range of disease severity were given an eye examination and asked to describe aspects of their experience with dry AMD in a semi-structured interview. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and subjected to Framework analysis. Overarching themes were pre-defined, whilst subthemes were derived from the data. RESULTS: Twenty-seven participants (81% female), with early (n = 3), intermediate (n = 16) and advanced dry AMD (GA; n = 8) were interviewed. Median (interquartile range) age (years), logMAR binocular visual acuity and Pelli-Robson contrast sensitivity were 76 (71, 80), 0.2 (0.18, 0.40) and 1.65 (1.35, 1.93), respectively. Overarching themes (and subthemes) were: diagnosis (relationship with healthcare professional, psychological impact of diagnosis, and knowledge of AMD, both pre- and post-diagnosis), impact of visual loss (functional and psychological) and coping strategies (help from others and personal strategies). Many participants reported feelings of distress at the time of diagnosis and, particularly noteworthy, several reported a constant fear of their condition worsening.
CONCLUSIONS: Dry AMD, for which there is currently no treatment, can have a significant impact on individuals, even in its early stages, before significant functional vision loss is manifest, as well as in its intermediate and advanced stages. Results from this study offer important insight into the experience of living with dry AMD not previously explored. Moreover, the results have the potential to serve as an educational resource for eyecare professionals
Germination responses of a dry sclerophyll forest soil-stored seedbank to fire related cues
Fire is an integral component of many ecosystems worldwide. Many plant species require fire-related cues, primarily heat and smoke, to trigger germination. Despite the importance of this process, the responses of many Australian species to these cues are unknown. Without this knowledge fire management strategies may be developed that are inappropriate for individual species and vegetation communities. In this study we examined the responses of a dry sclerophyll forest seed bank to heat and smoke germination cues. Analysis was possible for 48 taxa within the soil seedbank with 34 of these showing a response to one or both of the germination cues. 10 species responded to the heat treatment, 11 species responded to the smoke treatment and 13 species responded to both the heat and smoke treatments. Germination cues acted independently for all species considered. Results in this study were consistent with published reports for most species, although some differences were seen at the species and genus level. The study highlights the importance of fire-related cues in enhancing germination of a large proportion of the species occurring in dry sclerophyll forests
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Seeing it differently: self-reported description of vision loss in dry age-related macular degeneration
PURPOSE: A realistic description of visual symptoms associated with dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is important for raising awareness of the condition and educating patients. This study aimed to develop a set of descriptors for dry AMD and examine the realism of images currently and frequently used to show visual symptoms of the condition. METHODS: Volunteers with dry AMD with a range of disease severity were given an eye examination and were asked to describe visual symptoms of their condition in a conversational interview. Participants were also asked to comment on a photograph typically used to portray the visual symptoms of AMD. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed and subjected to content analysis. RESULTS: Twenty-nine participants were interviewed. Median (interquartile range [IQR]) age was 75 (70, 79) years. Median (IQR) binocular visual acuity (VA) and Pelli-Robson contrast sensitivity (CS) was 0.2 (0.18, 0.36) logMAR and 1.65 (1.50, 1.95) log CS respectively. Three, 17 and nine patients had early, intermediate and late (geographic atrophy, GA) AMD, respectively. The most frequently reported descriptor group was blur (n = 13) followed by missing (n = 10) and distortion (n = 7). We chose the most popular image used to portray the visual symptoms of dry AMD based on an internet search and showed this to 21 participants. Sixteen participants (76% [95% confidence interval 53-92%]), including three out of the seven people with geographic atrophy, unequivocally rejected the realism of the image. CONCLUSIONS: People with dry AMD use a wide range of descriptors for their visual experience. Visual symptoms of dry AMD as portrayed by commonly shown images were not the experience of most people in this study
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Determining Optimal Test Parameters for Assessing Dark Adaptation in People With Intermediate Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Purpose: The primary aim was to determine optimal test conditions for evaluating dark adaptation in intermediate age-related macular degeneration (iAMD) in order to minimize test time while maintaining diagnostic sensitivity.
Methods: People with AMD and age-similar controls were recruited (aged >55 years). Rod intercept time (RIT) was assessed after a 76%, 70%, and 65% rhodopsin bleach at 5° eccentricity and 76% and 70% bleach at 12°. Test order was randomized and a 30-minute washout period added between tests. Results were compared between control and iAMD groups and receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves were constructed.
Results: A total of 26 participants with variable grades of macular health attended for two visits. There was a statistically significant difference in average RIT between the control and iAMD groups at 5° (median, IQR controls = 5.8 minutes, 3.8–7.5; iAMD = 20.6 minutes, 11.1–30.0; Mann-Whitney, P = 0.01) and at 12° (mean, controls: 4.54 minutes ± 2.12 SD, iAMD = 7.72 minutes ± 3.37 SD; independent samples t-test, P = 0.03) following a 76% bleach. Area under the ROC curves was 0.83 (confidence interval [CI]: 0.64–1.0) and 0.79 (CI: 0.59–0.99) for these two test conditions, respectively. Five participants (45%) in the iAMD group had RITs >20 minutes for 76% bleach at 5°, but none for any other test condition.
Conclusions: Nearly half of the participants with iAMD produced unacceptably long recovery times (>20 minutes) using a 76% bleach at 5° eccentricity. The 76% bleach at 12° provided almost equivalent separation between AMD and controls but recovery was achieved within 20 minutes
Do preserved foods increase prostate cancer risk?
Preserved foods have been found in some studies to be associated with increased cancer risks. The possible relationship between preserved foods and prostate cancer was investigated in a case–control study in southeast China during 2001–2002 covering 130 histologically confirmed cases and 274 inpatient controls without malignant disease. The total amount of preserved food consumed was positively associated with cancer risk, the adjusted odds ratio being 7.05 (95% CI: 3.12–15.90) for the highest relative to the lowest quartile of intake. In particular, the consumption of pickled vegetables, fermented soy products, salted fish and preserved meats was associated with a significant increase in prostate cancer risk, all with a significant dose–response relationship
Energy spectra of elements with 18 or = Z or = 28 between 10 and 300 GeV/amu
The HEAO-3 Heavy Nuclei Experiment is composed of ionization chambers above and below a plastic Cerenkov counter. The energy dependence of the abundances of elements with atomic number, Z, between 18 and 28 at very high energies where they are rare and thus need the large area x time are measured. The measurements of the Danish-French HEAO-3 experiment (Englemann,, et al., 1983) are extended to higher energies, using the relativistic rise of ionization signal as a measure of energy. Source abundances for Ar and Ca were determined
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Mathematical modelling in measurement and instrumentation
This paper presents a brief outline of the use of mathematical modelling techniques in measurement and instrumentation systems and sub-systems. Following an overview of various models, it illustrates some of the recent advances in mathematical modelling of sensors and instrument transducers. This is illustrated in two case studies describing the use of numerical finite element (FE) modelling techniques for CAD and performance modelling of capacitive sensors and torque motor actuators
Spallation dominated propagation of Heavy Cosmic Rays and the Local Interstellar Medium (LISM)
Measurements of ultra heavy nuclei at GeV/n energies in the galactic cosmic
radiation address the question of the sources (nucleosynthetic s- and
r-processes). As such, the determination of CR source abundances is a promising
way to discriminate between existing nucleosynthesis models. For primary
species (nuclei present and accelerated at sources), it is generally assumed
that the relative propagated abundances, if they are close in mass, are not too
different from their relative source abundances. Besides, the range of the
correction factor associated to propagation has been estimated in weighted slab
models only. Heavy CRs that are detected near Earth were accelerated from
regions that are closer to us than were the light nuclei. Hence, the geometry
of sources in the Solar neighbourhood, and as equally important, the geometry
of gas in the same region, must be taken into account. In this paper, a two
zone diffusion model is used, and as was previously investigated for
radioactive species, we report here on the impact of the local interstellar
medium (LISM) feature (under-dense medium over a scale ~100 pc) on primary and
secondary stable nuclei propagated abundances. Going down to Fe nuclei, the
connection between heavy and light abundances is also inspected. A general
trend is found that decreases the UHCR source abundances relative to the HCR
ones. This could have an impact on the level of r-process required to reproduce
the data.Comment: 12 pages, 9 figures, accepted by A&A. Comparison with truncated
weighted slab and discussion added. Figure 8 modified. New appendix on
truncated weighted slab techniqu
Energy Spectra of Elements with 18 ≤ Z ≤ 28 Between 10 and 300 GeV/amu
The HEAO-3 Heavy Nuclei Experiment (Binns, et al., 1981) is
composed of ionization chambers above and below a plastic Cherenkov counter. We
have measured the energy dependence of the abundances of elements with atomic
number, Z, between 18 and 28 at very high energies where they are rare and thus need
the large area x time of this experiment. We extend the measurements of the Danish French
HEAO-3 experiment (Englemann, et al., 19S3) to higher energies, using the
relativistic rise of ionization signal as a measure of energy, and determine source
abundances for Ar and Ca
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