Long-Term Results after DMEK (Descemet’s Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty)

Ziel der Arbeit: Evaluation der langfristigen Ergebnisse sowie der Komplikationsrate nach Descemet’s Membran Endothelialen Keratoplastik (DMEK) Methoden: Eine cross-sectional, Fall-Serien Studie. Insgesamt wurden 230 Augen von 142 Patienten, die zwischen 2010 und 2014 eine DMEK an der Universitäts-Augenklinik Marburg bekommen haben, untersucht. Die best-korrigierte Sehschärfe (BCVA), die Refraktion, die zentrale Hornhautdicke, das Hornhautvolumen sowie die Endothelialzelldichte wurden als Parameter herangezogen und mit den präoperativen Befunden verglichen. Die Transplantat-Überlebensrate sowie die postoperativen Komplikationen wurden ebenfalls betrachtet. Ergebnisse: Die Nachbeobachtungszeit betrug 47 ± 13.3 Monate. Bei den Patienten die keine anderen okuläre Erkrankungen hatten hat sich die BCVA von 0.60 ± 0.32 logMAR präoperativ auf bis zu 0.10 ± 0.22 logMAR verbessert (201 Augen). 71.1% dieser Patienten hatten eine BCVA von 0.11 logMAR oder besser (≥ 0.8 dezimal), wobei 49.2% dieser Patienten eine volle BCVA von 0.00 logMAR oder besser erreicht haben. Die zentrale Hornhautdicke hat von 675 ± 112µm präoperativ auf 547 ± 52 µm in der letzten Follow-up Untersuchung abgenommen, und das Hornhautvolumen hat von 65.2 ± 8.4 mm2 präoperativ auf 61.9 ± 5.4 mm2 abgenommen. Der Endothelzellverlust lag bei 1392 ± 455 Zellen/mm², was einem durchschnittlichen Verlust von 54.7% der Transplantatzellen entspricht. Die Transplantat-Überlebensrate lag bei 92% mit einer durchschnittlichen Überlebenszeit von 76.6 ± 1.3 Monaten. Schlussfolgerung: DMEK bietet hohe visuelle Ergebnisse und sehr gute klinische Befunde, die mehrere Jahre nach der Operation stabil bleiben können. Durch die hohe Transplantat-Überlebensrate und die niedrige postoperative Komplikationsrate wird DMEK derzeit als erste Wahl zur Behandlung von Endothelzellerkrankungen eingesetzt

Computational dynamics and virtual dragline simulation for extended rope service life

The dragline machinery is one of the largest equipment for stripping overburden materials in surface mining operations. Its effectiveness requires rigorous kinematic and dynamic analyses. Current dragline research studies are limited in computational dynamic modeling because they eliminate important structural components from the front-end assembly. Thus, the derived kinematic, dynamic and stress intensity models fail to capture the true response of the dragline under full operating cycle conditions. This research study advances a new and robust computational dynamic model of the dragline front-end assembly using Kane\u27s method. The model is a 3-DOF dynamic model that describes the spatial kinematics and dynamics of the dragline front-end assembly during digging and swinging. A virtual simulator, for a Marion 7800 dragline, is built and used for analyzing the mass and inertia properties of the front-end components. The models accurately predict the kinematics, dynamics and stress intensity profiles of the front-end assembly. The results showed that the maximum drag force is 1.375 MN, which is within the maximum allowable load of the machine. The maximum cutting resistance of 412.31 KN occurs 5 seconds into digging and the maximum hoist torque of 917. 87 KN occurs 10 seconds into swinging. Stress analyses are carried out on wire ropes using ANSYS Workbench under static and dynamic loading. The FEA results showed that significant stresses develop in the contact areas between the wires, with a maximum von Mises stress equivalent to 7800 MPa. This research study is a pioneering effort toward developing a comprehensive multibody dynamic model of the dragline machinery. The main novelty is incorporating the boom point-sheave, drag-chain and sliding effect of the bucket, excluded from previous research studies, to obtain computationally dynamic efficient models for load predictions --Abstract, page iii

Clinical evaluation of radioactive stents

Restenosis, the major problem after stent implantation, is caused by in-stent neointimal hyperplasia. A number of metbods and techniques have been studied during the last ten years to address tbis issue, but in-stent restenosis has remained at a rate of 15-25% in most of tbe clinical trials. Several experimental and clinical trials showed that brachytherapy, following a balloon angioplasty or stent implantation, reduced restenosis by inhibiting neointimal hype

Models for Estimating Energy and Protein Utilization for Feeds

Data on the proximate nutrient content of feedstuffs , digestibility and energy utilization available from the International Feedstuffs Institute (Utah State University) were used to develop mathematical models for estimating energy and protein utilization of five classes of feedstuffs for various kinds of animals. Classes of feedstuffs were subdivided into more related subclasses. Furthermore, data from all feeds were pooled together then subgrouped into more related subgroups in an attempt to gain high precision in prediction of digestible proximate nutrients and TDN from a single chemical entity by the use of simple regression models (Y = bo + b1x1). Digestible percentages (Y) of crude protein , ether extract, crude fiber and nitrogen free extract were highly correlated with their proximate contents (Xs) of most classes, subclasses and subgroups of feedstuffs for various kinds of animals. However, the use of linear multiple regression equation resulted in more precision in estimating each digestible nutrient (Y) from proximate analysis (Xl ; CP%, Xz ; EE% , x3 ; CF% and X4 ; NFE%) of the different classes of feedstuffs for various kinds of animals. Prediction of digestible proximate nutrients made it possible to calculate Tn~ by the conventional equation: TDN ; DCP% + DCF% + DNFE% + 2.25 x DEE%. And to calculate digestible energy (DE) from the following equation : DE(Mcal/kg); 5.72 (DCP%) + 9.5 (DEE%)+ 4.79 (DCF%) + 4. 03 (NFE%)/100 TDN, DE and ME (Ys) were highly correlated with the digestible proximate nutrients (X1 ; DCP%, x2 ; DEE% , X3 ; DCF% and X4 = DNFE%) and with proximate analysis (upon the use of multiple regression models). However, TDN, DE and ME (Ys) were not predictable with high precision from any one single chemical entity (Xs) in most cases of the different classes of feedstuffs for various kinds of animals. DE (Y) was highly correlated with TDN values (X), and ME (Y) was highly correlated with DE and TDN (Xs) values of t he different classes of feedstuffs for various kinds of animals. The inclusion of physical descriptions (qualitative factors) of feedstuffs along with chemical analysis (quantitative factors) gave promising results predicting TDN content of feedstuffs. MEn and NEP for poultry were highly correlated with proximate analysis of the different classes of feedstuffs. NEP was also estimated with high precision from MEn. However, both MEn and NEP were not highly associated with single chemical entities. The dissertation contains an extensive literature review on systems of evaluating nutritive value, and factors affecting digestibility of feedstuffs. This dissertation also contains numerous equations which predict each digestible nutrient from its proximate content and from proximate analysis; TDN, DE and ME from each proximate nutrient, digestible proximate nutrients and proximate analysis; DE and~~ from TDN; and ME from DE contents of different classes of feedstuffs for various kinds of animals. Moreover, there are complex equations to predict TDN from proximate analysis and their interactions and from proximate analysis plus physical descriptions of feedstuffs for various kinds of animals

Decorative techniques on pottery at Tell Halula (Euphrates valley, Syria) in the 7th millennium cal bc. contribution of an experimental method

La aparición de la cerámica en el Próximo Oriente fue una de las novedades tecnológicas más importantes en el complejo proceso socioeconómico asociado al Neolítico de VII milenio. En el yacimiento de Tell Halula las primeras técnicas utilizadas fueron incisión e impresión, creando una amplia gama de patrones y motivos y estos han sido reproducidos mediante un protocolo experimental.The appearance of ceramics in the Middle East was one of the most important technological developments in the complex socio-economic process associated with the Neolithic in the seventh millennium BC. At the Halula site, the first techniques used were incision and printing, creating a wide range of patterns and motifs and these have been reproduced by an experimental protocol

La métaphore, une figure de l'interculturel dans le discours journalistique

International audienceNowadays, the journalistic writing is a supple exercise that deals with paradoxical aspects: the right and the duty to inform, censorship, freedom of expression and the respect of others… This difficulty becomes more obvious with the increase of world crises and ethnic wars in the ground of international journalism. To express oneself requires caution and effectiveness. Hence, journalists turn to make use of stylistic methods commonly called "rhetorical figures". Our studying concerning the use of metaphor in French speaking Moroccan press articles in comparison to French press associated to the "Arab Spring" topic, highlights the key role of metaphor in the mediation and the cultural negotiation. The diversity of "socio-discursive thoughts" is transformed to a "discursive salience" structuring arguments.La communication interculturelle ou l'interculturalité a pour dessein le respect des différences. Pour ce faire, elle tient compte aussi bien de l'altérité des cultures que des attitudes ou réactions suscitées par la disparité des codes culturels. Néanmoins, la recherche des similitudes, d'universaux communs à l'Homme est incontournable dans la prise en compte de l'altérité. Appliquée à l'analyse du discours, l'approche interculturelle consiste « à mettre en évidence la relativité culturelle des comportements communicatifs observables ». Charaudeau et Maingueneau (2002 : 322). Notre communication s'intéresse à ces comportements discursifs indicateurs de diversité culturelle dans la presse et tente de tenir en compte les paramètres suivants : le temps, l'espace et la société ; cf. Jean Marie Klinkenberg (1996 : 35)

The effect of paste volume and concrete properties on size independent fracture energy

Post peak tensile behavior of concrete, softening, can be described using bi-linear curve. The area under this curve is the fracture energy GF which is necessary for the structural design. RILEM presented a recommendation for calculating GF but unfortunately the obtained value is size dependent. In this paper a large number of experimental Forces – Crack Mouth Opening Displacement (F-CMOD) curves, obtained from three points bending tests, were analyzed through an inverse analysis procedure to obtain the size independent fracture parameters.  The effect of compressive strength, aggregate size, and paste volume on the fracture behavior of concrete were studied and compared with the empirical formulas found in the literature.A new empirical relationship for the prediction of size independent fracture energy of concrete from compressive strength, aggregate size and paste volume was proposed. It is shown that the proposed model can predict the size independent fracture energy with a good accuracy.

La cohésion textuelle et la sur-énonciation par l'oxymore dans le texte journalistique

International audienceNous proposons dans cet article de nous intéresser au fait figural à travers l’exemple de l’oxymore afin d’expliciter son rôle en matière de cohésion textuelle et de rendement argumentatif dans l’expression journalistique. Pour ce faire, nous allons de prime abord mener une analyse sémique d’un article de presse pour étudier le rôle de ladite figure dans la création de la cohésion textuelle. Nous verrons par la suite comment le caractère insolite de l’oxymore sert la disposition du texte en général et renforce le déploiement hiérarchisé de sa force illocutoire. En dernier lieu, nous serons en mesure d’étudier son apport à la création de l’éthos journalistique

Distinct spread of DNA and RNA viruses among mammals amid prominent role of domestic species

AimEmerging infectious diseases arising from pathogen spillover from mammals to humans constitute a substantial health threat. Tracing virus origin and predicting the most likely host species for future spillover events are major objectives in One Health disciplines.We assessed patterns of virus sharing among a large diversity of mammals, including humans and domestic species.LocationGlobal.Time periodCurrent.Major taxa studiedMammals and associated viruses.MethodsWe used network centrality analysis and trait-based Bayesian hierarchical models to explore patterns of virus sharing among mammals. We analysed a global database that compiled the associations between 1,785 virus species and 725 mammalian host species as sourced from automatic screening of meta-data accompanying published nucleotide sequences between 1950 and 2019.ResultsWe show that based on current evidence, domesticated mammals hold the most central positions in networks of known mammal-virus associations. Among entire host-virus networks, Carnivora and Chiroptera hold central positions for mainly sharing RNA viruses, whereas ungulates hold central positions for sharing both RNA and DNA viruses with other host species. We revealed strong evidence that DNA viruses were phylogenetically more host specific than RNA viruses. RNA viruses exhibited low functional host specificity despite an overall tendency to infect phylogenetically related species, signifying high potential to shift across hosts with different ecological niches. The frequencies of sharing viruses among hosts and the proportion of zoonotic viruses in hosts were larger for RNA than for DNA viruses.Main conclusionsAcknowledging the role of domestic species in addition to host and virus traits in patterns of virus sharing is necessary to improve our understanding of virus spread and spillover in times of global change. Understanding multi-host virus-sharing pathways adds focus to curtail disease spread