Intraocular pressure variation in pregnancy: a prospective study

Background: To detect Intra Ocular Pressure (IOP) in each trimester of pregnancy and evaluate difference in measurement of intraocular pressure in each trimester of pregnancy.Methods: 100 healthy pregnant women within age group ranging from 21 to 35 years were included in the study. Intra ocular pressures (Goldmann-Applanation Tonometer) were calculated at 3 time periods: First trimester, Second trimester, Third trimester. Informed consent was taken from all patients. Patients had no systemic or ocular co-morbidities. All of the patients underwent comprehensive ophthalmologic examinations, including Refraction, Intraocular pressure (IOP), Anterior segment and Fundus examination.Results: The mean age was 25 years in the study group.  The mean IOP in the second trimester of pregnancy was measured to be reduced than first trimester by 9.33% &20.33% by third trimester in right eye & decrease of 14.2% in second trimester and 28.84% in third trimester left eye. The results are statistically significant confirmed by ANOVA.Conclusions: Changes during pregnancy causes variation in IOP which is observed in pregnant women resulting from increased water retention during pregnancy. Monitoring of IOP during pregnancy is also important in management of glaucoma patients and their medication. Most of the changes are reversible and resolved in the postpartum period or after cessation of breastfeeding. Awareness of the changes during pregnancy and routine screening during antenatal period should be improvised

Predicting Travel Behavior on Managed Lanes – A Behavioral Economics Approach

On a freeway with managed lanes (MLs), travelers have an opportunity to choose between paying a toll and traveling on the generally faster MLs or traveling for free on the adjacent general-purpose lanes (GPLs). Traditional toll pricing models assume that all travelers are making a choice between these two lanes when they travel, mostly based on travel time savings versus toll tradeoff. However, recent research has shown that many travelers are not making that choice. In addition, many of these travelers who are making that choice appear to be making an irrational choice with respect to existing economic principles. This research focused on predicting this behavior of travelers. The first step of this process was to classify them as choosers (people who choose between MLs and GPLs) and non-choosers (people who always use MLs or GPLs). Using data from a behavioral economics-based traffic experiment and a sophisticated travel survey, machine leaning techniques were used to develop models that could predict choosers and non-choosers and the variables those were best in that prediction. The experiment involved subjects repeatedly choosing between two roads for hundred rounds (periods). Subjects who took more time to complete a section of the survey and to verify their answers were more likely to be choosers. Direct responders during the traffic experiment were also more likely to be choosers. Certain socio-demographic factors, trip related factors and individual differences also had an impact in this prediction based on the study group analyzed. The impact of an informational nudge in choosing behavior was evaluated based on a treatment-control analysis. During the second half of the experiment, some subjects were given information about the travel time of the road they did not choose in the previous period. Direct responders and non-choosers were more likely to choose more with the nudge

Intraocular pressure variation in pregnancy: a prospective study

Background: To detect Intra Ocular Pressure (IOP) in each trimester of pregnancy and evaluate difference in measurement of intraocular pressure in each trimester of pregnancy.Methods: 100 healthy pregnant women within age group ranging from 21 to 35 years were included in the study. Intra ocular pressures (Goldmann-Applanation Tonometer) were calculated at 3 time periods: First trimester, Second trimester, Third trimester. Informed consent was taken from all patients. Patients had no systemic or ocular co-morbidities. All of the patients underwent comprehensive ophthalmologic examinations, including Refraction, Intraocular pressure (IOP), Anterior segment and Fundus examination.Results: The mean age was 25 years in the study group.  The mean IOP in the second trimester of pregnancy was measured to be reduced than first trimester by 9.33% &20.33% by third trimester in right eye & decrease of 14.2% in second trimester and 28.84% in third trimester left eye. The results are statistically significant confirmed by ANOVA.Conclusions: Changes during pregnancy causes variation in IOP which is observed in pregnant women resulting from increased water retention during pregnancy. Monitoring of IOP during pregnancy is also important in management of glaucoma patients and their medication. Most of the changes are reversible and resolved in the postpartum period or after cessation of breastfeeding. Awareness of the changes during pregnancy and routine screening during antenatal period should be improvised