Is the ‘Visual Fields Easy’ Application a Useful Tool to Identify Visual Field Defects in Patients Who Have Suffered a Stroke?

Aims: To determine the level of agreement between the visual Fields easy application (VFE) for iPad and a standard clinical test for assessing peripheral vision in stroke survivors. Study Design: This was a prospective cross-sectional study comparing the VFE application to the Humphrey Field Analyser (HFA) SITA Fast c30-2 program in identifying and diagnosing visual field defects post-stroke. Place and Duration of Study: The ophthalmic department at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. Data collection was undertaken between January 2016 and August 2016. Methodology: A total of 50 participants with a diagnosis of stroke and a suspected visual problem were recruited to the study. Normative data was collected from 50 participants with no history of stroke or visual loss. Analysis comprised of comparing the extent of the visual field loss detected by both the VFE and HFA, and clinically assessing the results for normality. Results: Bland-Altman analysis demonstrated that with more severe visual field loss, the agreement between both modalities was found to decrease. There was a higher proportion of false negatives with the VFE compared to the HVF. The bias towards detecting more missed test locations with the VFE application compared to the HFA was 6% for the normal participants and 2% for the stroke participants. The limits of agreement between the two modalities were large; 20% and 40% for the normal and stroke participants respectively. The sensitivity of the VFE application to determine an abnormal visual field in comparison to HFA was 88% and specificity was 76% in the stroke cohort based upon a clinical impression of its findings. The majority of stroke participants (88%) found the VFE test more comfortable to perform. Conclusion: As a screening tool, the VFE application is quick and easy to administer, preferred by patients and has good sensitivity and specificity for detecting the presence of an abnormal visual field when compared to HFA. In patients with extensive visual field loss, the VFE may overestimate visual field reduction

Sensory evaluation of environmental impact : wine and oil industries

El objetivo de este trabajo fue probar y poner a punto un método para la valoración del impacto sobre el ambiente, generado por las industrias vitivinícolas y aceiteras. Sus efluentes líquidos se evaluaron sensorialmente durante dos años, en momentos y horarios clave de producción. Se practicaron pruebas de valoración de intensidad -mediante escalas de intervalo- y de ordenamiento, tanto para atributos: olor, color, turbidez y sedimento de efluentes líquidos, como para impactos: visual, olfativo y auditivo. Se caracterizaron las variables en cada tipo de establecimiento y por etapa considerada. Se elaboró una cartilla de color de efluentes líquidos mediante comparación con la escala Munsell. Se obtuvieron perfiles sensoriales de cada punto de muestreo. Las pruebas de ordenamiento (nivel de significancia = 0,05) arrojaron diferencias significativas para las variables y puntos de muestreo en estudio. Las pruebas de comparación múltiple indicaron los puntos de muestreo que debían mantenerse.This work was done in order to prove and to complete a methodology of valuation of the impact produced by wine and oil industries. Sensorial evaluations of liquid effluents and working environment were made at key moments and schedules of production, during two years. It was practiced intensity valuation test by means of interval scales and ordering test for smell, color, turbidity and liquid effuents sediment and visual, olfactory and auditory impacts of environment. The variables were characterized on each type of establishment and by considered stage. A liquid effluents color scale was made by means of comparison with Munsell scale. Sensory profiles of each point of sampling were obtained. Ordering test, for a level of significance of 0,05, giving significant differences for the variables and points of sampling. Multiple comparison test indicated the sampling points that should be maintained.Fil: Cánovas, Laura. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Departamento de Biomatemática y FisicoquímicaFil: Herrera, María C.. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Departamento de Biomatemática y FisicoquímicaFil: Codina, Ramón A.. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias. Departamento de Producción Agropecuari

FIC/FEM formulation with matrix stabilizing terms for incompressible flows at low and high Reynolds numbers

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00466-006-0060-yWe present a general formulation for incompressible fluid flow analysis using the finite element method. The necessary stabilization for dealing with convective effects and the incompressibility condition are introduced via the Finite Calculus method using a matrix form of the stabilization parameters. This allows to model a wide range of fluid flow problems for low and high Reynolds numbers flows without introducing a turbulence model. Examples of application to the analysis of incompressible flows with moderate and large Reynolds numbers are presented.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Un sistema de categorías para el análisis de la interactividad en una i-actividad de resolución de problemas

Presentamos una propuesta de un sistema de categorías diseñado para describir y analizar el proceso de resolución de una i-actividad por parejas de estudiantes, y la influencia de la interactividad en este proceso. Utilizamos una i-actividad basada en un problema de optimización

Un ejemplo de uso del análisis secuencial en la investigación en resolución de problemas en Educación Matemática

En este trabajo presentamos las posibilidades del análisis secuencial y la técnica de coordenadas polares para describir y analizar el proceso de resolución, por parejas, de un problema de optimización mediado por una i-actividad. Iniciamos el trabajo con algunos antecedentes teóricos y la descripción de las técnicas del análisis secuencial y de coordenadas polares. Finalmente ejemplificamos y describimos el potencial de estas técnicas

Diseño de una e-actividad orientada a la resolución de problemas de matemáticas

Proponemos una metodología para el diseño de e-actividades, la cual incluye un diseño inicial, puesta en práctica y revisión de la e-actividad hasta el logro de los objetivos propuestos. En este trabajo utilizamos un problema de optimización para diseñar una e-actividad que pretende trabajar diferentes fases en la resolución de problemas

Multiplicación de especies silvestres mediterráneas para uso ornamental

Peer Reviewe

Observational Constraints on Interstellar Grain Alignment

We present new multicolor photo-polarimetry of stars behind the Southern Coalsack. Analyzed together with multiband polarization data from the literature, probing the Chamaeleon I, Musca, rho Opiuchus, R CrA and Taurus clouds, we show that the wavelength of maximum polarization (lambda_max) is linearly correlated with the radiation environment of the grains. Using Far-Infrared emission data, we show that the large scatter seen in previous studies of lambda_max as a function of A_V is primarily due to line of sight effects causing some A_V measurements to not be a good tracer of the extinction (radiation field strength) seen by the grains being probed. The derived slopes in lambda_max vs. A_V, for the individual clouds, are consistent with a common value, while the zero intercepts scale with the average values of the ratios of total-to-selective extinction (R_V) for the individual clouds. Within each cloud we do not find direct correlations between lambda_max and R_V. The positive slope in consistent with recent developments in theory and indicating alignment driven by the radiation field. The present data cannot conclusively differentiate between direct radiative torques and alignment driven by H_2 formation. However, the small values of lambda_max(A_V=0), seen in several clouds, suggest a role for the latter, at least at the cloud surfaces. The scatter in the lambda_max vs. A_V relation is found to be associated with the characteristics of the embedded Young Stellar Objects (YSO) in the clouds. We propose that this is partially due to locally increased plasma damping of the grain rotation caused by X-rays from the YSOs.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa

Impacts 2 years after a scalable early childhood development intervention to increase psychosocial stimulation in the home: A follow-up of a cluster randomised controlled trial in Colombia

BACKGROUND: Poor early childhood development (ECD) in low- and middle-income countries is a major concern. There are calls to universalise access to ECD interventions through integrating them into existing government services but little evidence on the medium- or long-term effects of such scalable models. We previously showed that a psychosocial stimulation (PS) intervention integrated into a cash transfer programme improved Colombian children's cognition, receptive language, and home stimulation. In this follow-up study, we assessed the medium-term impacts of the intervention, 2 years after it ended, on children's cognition, language, school readiness, executive function, and behaviour. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Study participants were 1,419 children aged 12-24 months at baseline from beneficiary households of the cash transfer programme, living in 96 Colombian towns. The original cluster randomised controlled trial (2009-2011) randomly allocated the towns to control (N = 24, n = 349), PS (N = 24, n = 357), multiple micronutrient (MN) supplementation (N = 24, n = 354), and combined PS and MN (N = 24, n = 359). Interventions lasted 18 months. In this study (26 September 2013 to 11 January 2014), we assessed impacts on cognition, language, school readiness, executive function, and behaviour 2 years after intervention, at ages 4.5-5.5 years. Testers, but not participants, were blinded to treatment allocation. Analysis was on an intent-to-treat basis. We reassessed 88.5% of the children in the original study (n = 1,256). Factor analysis of test scores yielded 2 factors: cognitive (cognition, language, school readiness, executive function) and behavioural. We found no effect of the interventions after 2 years on the cognitive factor (PS: -0.031 SD, 95% CI -0.229-0.167; MN: -0.042 SD, 95% CI -0.249-0.164; PS and MN: -0.111 SD, 95% CI -0.311-0.089), the behavioural factor (PS: 0.013 SD, 95% CI -0.172-0.198; MN: 0.071 SD, 95% CI -0.115-0.258; PS and MN: 0.062 SD, 95% CI -0.115-0.239), or home stimulation. Study limitations include that behavioural development was measured through maternal report and that very small effects may have been missed, despite the large sample size. CONCLUSIONS: We found no evidence that a scalable PS intervention benefited children's development 2 years after it ended. It is possible that the initial effects on child development were too small to be sustained or that the lack of continued impact on home stimulation contributed to fade out. Both are likely related to compromises in implementation when going to scale and suggest one should not extrapolate from medium-term effects of small efficacy trials to scalable interventions. Understanding the salient differences between small efficacy trials and scaled-up versions will be key to making ECD interventions effective tools for policymakers. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN18991160

Photometric Observations of Three High Mass X-Ray Binaries and a Search for Variations Induced by Orbital Motion

We searched for long period variation in V-band, Ic-band and RXTE X-ray light curves of the High Mass X-ray Binaries (HMXBs) LS 1698 / RX J1037.5-5647, HD 110432 / 1H 1249-637 and HD 161103 / RX J1744.7-2713 in an attempt to discover orbitally induced variation. Data were obtained primarily from the ASAS database and were supplemented by shorter term observations made with the 24- and 40-inch ANU telescopes and one of the robotic PROMPT telescopes. Fourier periodograms suggested the existence of long period variation in the V-band light curves of all three HMXBs, however folding the data at those periods did not reveal convincing periodic variation. At this point we cannot rule out the existence of long term V-band variation for these three sources and hints of longer term variation may be seen in the higher precision PROMPT data. Long term V-band observations, on the order of several years, taken at a frequency of at least once per week and with a precision of 0.01 mag, therefore still have a chance of revealing long term variation in these three HMXBs.Comment: Accepted, RAA, May, 201