Topical prostaglandin analogues and conjunctival inflammation in uveitic glaucoma.

A pilot study to determine whether topical prostaglandin analogues alter the expression of conjunctival inflammatory markers in patients with uveitic glaucoma.Prospective, single-masked case series of 20 patients with uveitis and secondary raised intraocular pressure. Participants were divided into four groups of five patients dependent on their use of topical medication: (1) prostaglandin analogues only, (2) corticosteroids only, (3) both prostaglandin analogues and corticosteroids, (4) no topical medication. Conjunctival cells were harvested by impression cytology and were examined for inflammatory markers (CD3, CD54, HLA-DR, CCR4, CCR5) by flow cytometry. A tear fluid sample was also examined for inflammatory cytokines (IL-12p70, IL-2, IL-10, IL-8, IL-6, IL-4, IL-5, IFN-gamma, IL-1beta, IFN-alpha, IFN-beta) by multiplex bead arrays.All groups demonstrated increased markers of conjunctival inflammation. There was no significant difference in levels of any inflammatory markers between the four groups, suggesting that the use of topical prostaglandin analogues does not increase conjunctival levels of inflammation beyond those already seen in uveitis.The use of topical prostaglandins does not appear to induce conjunctival inflammation over that which is already present in patients with uveitic glaucoma. This supports the use of topical prostaglandin analogues in patients with uveitic glaucoma, indicating that their use is unlikely to adversely affect subsequent glaucoma filtration surgery through the induction of chronic conjunctival inflammation

Smart Asset Management for Electric Utilities: Big Data and Future

This paper discusses about future challenges in terms of big data and new technologies. Utilities have been collecting data in large amounts but they are hardly utilized because they are huge in amount and also there is uncertainty associated with it. Condition monitoring of assets collects large amounts of data during daily operations. The question arises "How to extract information from large chunk of data?" The concept of "rich data and poor information" is being challenged by big data analytics with advent of machine learning techniques. Along with technological advancements like Internet of Things (IoT), big data analytics will play an important role for electric utilities. In this paper, challenges are answered by pathways and guidelines to make the current asset management practices smarter for the future.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figures, Proceedings of 12th World Congress on Engineering Asset Management (WCEAM) 201

Lathe attachment used to machine elliptical cones

Close-tolerance elliptical cones are fabricated by cutting-tool guide assembly used with conventional tracer cartridge on turret lathe accurately produced in two machine operations

Apparatus for machining geometric cones Patent

Rotary spindle lathe attachments for machining geometrical cone

Improved cavity-type absolute total-radiation radiometer

Conical cavity-type absolute radiometer measures the intensity of radiant energy to an accuracy of one to two percent in a vacuum of ten to the minus fifth torr or lower. There is a uniform response over the ultraviolet, visible, and infrared range, and it requires no calibration or comparison with a radiation standard

Model Checking Tap Withdrawal in C. Elegans

We present what we believe to be the first formal verification of a biologically realistic (nonlinear ODE) model of a neural circuit in a multicellular organism: Tap Withdrawal (TW) in \emph{C. Elegans}, the common roundworm. TW is a reflexive behavior exhibited by \emph{C. Elegans} in response to vibrating the surface on which it is moving; the neural circuit underlying this response is the subject of this investigation. Specifically, we perform reachability analysis on the TW circuit model of Wicks et al. (1996), which enables us to estimate key circuit parameters. Underlying our approach is the use of Fan and Mitra's recently developed technique for automatically computing local discrepancy (convergence and divergence rates) of general nonlinear systems. We show that the results we obtain are in agreement with the experimental results of Wicks et al. (1995). As opposed to the fixed parameters found in most biological models, which can only produce the predominant behavior, our techniques characterize ranges of parameters that produce (and do not produce) all three observed behaviors: reversal of movement, acceleration, and lack of response

A Judicial Postscript to the Church-State Debates of 1989: How Porous the Wall, How Civil the State?

This work is a continuation of the debate regarding the Establishment Clause. The focus lies with Justice O’Connor’s concurrence in County of Allegheny v. ACLU and how this opinion harkens back to a concept shared by Jefferson and Madison, that the establishment clause is designed to prevent government favoritism

Conically shaped cavity radiometer with a dual purpose cone winding Patent

Black body radiometer design with temperature sensing and cavity heat source cone windin

How a pilot looks at altitude

Commerical pilot eye scanning data previously collected were reanalyzed to evaluate how pilot used the drum pointer altimeter. The results of these tests showed that the pilots seldom used the drum window apparently because it was difficult to read as indicated by average drum window dwell times of .6 seconds. It is suggested that pilot scanning data be collected for other type of altimeters in order to find those with good scanning characteristics