5,095 research outputs found
Estimating the Risk of Developing Glaucoma
The issue of risk assessment in glaucoma has received increasing attention in the past few years since the publication of results from the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study. Predictive models have been developed in order to estimate the risk that patients with ocular hypertension will develop glaucoma if left untreated. The purpose of this article is to review issues on the development and validation of predictive models to estimate risk of glaucoma development. Current models are reviewed and details about their development and validation are provided
Structural Change Can Be Detected in Advanced-Glaucoma Eyes.
PurposeTo compare spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) standard structural measures and a new three-dimensional (3D) volume optic nerve head (ONH) change detection method for detecting change over time in severely advanced-glaucoma (open-angle glaucoma [OAG]) patients.MethodsThirty-five eyes of 35 patients with very advanced glaucoma (defined as a visual field mean deviation < -21 dB) and 46 eyes of 30 healthy subjects to estimate aging changes were included. Circumpapillary retinal fiber layer thickness (cpRNFL), minimum rim width (MRW), and macular retinal ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) thicknesses were measured using the San Diego Automated Layer Segmentation Algorithm (SALSA). Progression was defined as structural loss faster than 95th percentile of healthy eyes. Three-dimensional volume ONH change was estimated using the Bayesian-kernel detection scheme (BKDS), which does not require extensive retinal layer segmentation.ResultsThe number of progressing glaucoma eyes identified was highest for 3D volume BKDS (13, 37%), followed by GCPIL (11, 31%), cpRNFL (4, 11%), and MRW (2, 6%). In advanced-OAG eyes, only the mean rate of GCIPL change reached statistical significance, -0.18 μm/y (P = 0.02); the mean rates of cpRNFL and MRW change were not statistically different from zero. In healthy eyes, the mean rates of cpRNFL, MRW, and GCIPL change were significantly different from zero. (all P < 0.001).ConclusionsGanglion cell-inner plexiform layer and 3D volume BKDS show promise for identifying change in severely advanced glaucoma. These results suggest that structural change can be detected in very advanced disease. Longer follow-up is needed to determine whether changes identified are false positives or true progression
Consistent deformations of [p,p]-type gauge field theories
Using BRST-cohomological techniques, we analyze the consistent deformations
of theories describing free tensor gauge fields whose symmetries are
represented by Young tableaux made of two columns of equal length p, p>1. Under
the assumptions of locality and Poincare invariance, we find that there is no
consistent deformation of these theories that non-trivially modifies the gauge
algebra and/or the gauge transformations. Adding the requirement that the
deformation contains no more than two derivatives, the only possible
deformation is a cosmological-constant-like term.Comment: 17 pages, details of a proof added, accepted for publication in JHE
Caracterização morfológica comparativa de Jatropha curcas L., Jatropha mollissima (Pohl.)Baill. e Jatropha gossypiifolia L.
Caracterização de genótipos de pinhão manso do banco ativo de germoplasma da embrapa algodão.
Predictors of Poststroke Depression: a Retrospective Study in a Rehabilitation Unit
INTRODUÇÃO/OBJECTIVOS: O Acidente Vascular Cerebral (AVC) pode limitar de forma
importante a funcionalidade. As complicações psiquiátricas têm sido identificadas como factores determinantes na reabilitação pós-AVC, sendo a Depressão a complicação psiquiátrica mais frequente e a que está associada a pior prognóstico. Subsiste ainda incerteza quanto à sua etiologia e factores de risco. Na revisão sistemática mais recente, reconhecem-se como factores
preditivos a gravidade do AVC, o grau de incapacidade do doente e o défice cognitivo. Questões metodológicas impediram a determinação de outros factores. Assim, urge definir novos factores que facilitem um diagnóstico atempado, que possa diminuir os efeitos negativos sobre o processo de reabilitação.
Objectivos: determinação da incidência da Depressão de novo pós-AVC (DPA) e o estudo
das variáveis descritas na literatura como possÃveis factores preditivos de DPA: sexo, idade, tipo de AVC, lateralidade, território vascular e presença de afasia. Foi definido como endpoint secundário o estudo do tipo de afasia.
MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Estudo longitudinal retrospectivo, envolvendo todos os doentes
admitidos no internamento de um Serviço de MFR com o diagnóstico de AVC de novo, entre
1-1-2009 e 31-12-2009. Foram colhidos elementos demográficos e clÃnicos dos processos clÃnicos, num total de 74 doentes. Critérios de exclusão: ‘AVC prévio’, ‘Doença psiquiátrica com perturbação do humor prévia’ e ‘Medicação antidepressiva à data do AVC’. Para o tratamento estatÃstico usou-se o SPSS 11.5.
RESULTADOS: A incidência da DPA observada foi de 44,6%. Dos possÃveis factores preditivos testados, apenas a presença de afasia apresentou uma relação estatisticamente significativa com a depressão (p=0.02). Não se encontrou relação com o tipo de afasia. Os restantes factores
preditivos testados não mostraram correlação estatÃstica significativa. Parece existir uma relação entre o sexo masculino e a DPA (p=0.07), que não atingiu significância no tamanho da amostra conseguido (n).
CONCLUSÕES: Este estudo estabelece a afasia como factor preditivo da DPA. A elevada incidência de DPA nesta população particular concorda com os estudos existentes, sendo necessário outro tipo de estudo que permita justificar o valor encontrado. São necessários mais estudos não só para aumentar o conhecimento dos factores de risco para a DPA, como para melhorar
os resultados dos programas de reabilitação
An invariant approach to dynamical fuzzy spaces with a three-index variable
A dynamical fuzzy space might be described by a three-index variable
C_{ab}^c, which determines the algebraic relations f_a f_b =C_{ab}^c f_c among
the functions f_a on the fuzzy space. A fuzzy analogue of the general
coordinate transformation would be given by the general linear transformation
on f_a. I study equations for the three-index variable invariant under the
general linear transformation, and show that the solutions can be generally
constructed from the invariant tensors of Lie groups. As specific examples, I
study SO(3) symmetric solutions, and discuss the construction of a scalar field
theory on a fuzzy two-sphere within this framework.Comment: Typos corrected, 12 pages, 8 figures, LaTeX, JHEP clas
One-loop unitarity of scalar field theories on Poincare invariant commutative nonassociative spacetimes
We study scalar field theories on Poincare invariant commutative
nonassociative spacetimes. We compute the one-loop self-energy diagrams in the
ordinary path integral quantization scheme with Feynman's prescription, and
find that the Cutkosky rule is satisfied. This property is in contrast with
that of noncommutative field theory, since it is known that noncommutative
field theory with space/time noncommutativity violates unitarity in the above
standard scheme, and the quantization procedure will necessarily become
complicated to obtain a sensible Poincare invariant noncommutative field
theory. We point out a peculiar feature of the non-locality in our
nonassociative field theories, which may explain the property of the unitarity
distinct from noncommutative field theories. Thus commutative nonassociative
field theories seem to contain physically interesting field theories on
deformed spacetimes.Comment: 25 pages, 9 figures ; appendix and references adde
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