4,534 research outputs found
Is reduction in the risk of vision loss the only benefit of photodynamic therapy in predominantly classic subfoveal choroidal neovascularization?
Nicola G Ghazi, rian P Conway, James S Tiedeman, Steven J YoonUniversity of Virginia Health System, Department of Ophthalmology, Charlottesville, VA, USAPurpose: To emphasize the effect of photodynamic therapy (PDT) on the size and progression of the neovascular lesion (NL) and evolution of the disciform scar (DS) in predominantly classic subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (SFCNV).Methods: A retrospective study of 62 eyes treated with PDT for SFCNV was performed. The greatest linear dimension (GLD) before and at last follow-up after treatment and the size of the DS post-PDT were analyzed. A subgroup of patients with DS in their fellow eye at presentation without prior PDT was also studied. The size of the scar in these eyes was compared to that following PDT.Results: After an average follow-up at 9 months, the size of the NL was stabilized or reduced in 64% of the study eyes with absence of fluorescein leakage in 45%. Only 3 eyes (5%) developed DS. At presentation, 14 patients already had DS in their fellow eye, the size of which was significantly larger than that post-PDT (p = 0.044). It was also significantly larger than that of the potential scar in the study eyes of the same subgroup of patients (p = 0.002) and of the rest of the patients (p = 0.0001).Conclusion: This study demonstrates a beneficial effect for PDT on the size of the NL and DS in SFCNV, which might be of great significance, particularly when PDT fails to prevent severe vision loss.Keywords: age-related macular degeneration, choroidal neovascularization, classic choroidal neovascularization, disciform scarring, fluorescein angiography, photodynamic therap
Treatment and control of bovine hypodermosis with ivermectin long-acting injection (IVOMEC® GOLD)
Background: The studies reported here were conducted to assess the efficacy of ivermectin long-acting injection (IVM LAI; IVOMEC® GOLD, Merial; 3.15 % w/v ivermectin) for the treatment and control of natural infestations of cattle by Hypoderma bovis and Hypoderma lineatum, which are the most economically important oestrid flies of cattle in the northern hemisphere. Methods: Cattle selected from herds with a history of Hypoderma infestation were grouped into blocks of three (Italy, 33 cattle; Germany, 30 cattle) or two (USA, 16 cattle) animals each, on the basis of positivity at the pre-treatment anti-Hypoderma antibody titres. Within each block, animals were randomly allocated to one of the following treatment regimens: saline (control); IVM LAI, administered at the predicted time of occurrence of first-instar larvae (Italy, Germany, USA); IVM LAI, administered at the predicted time of occurrence of second- and/or third-instar larvae (Italy, Germany). All treatments were administered by subcutaneous injection in correspondence of the area anterior to the shoulder at 1 ml/50 kg body weight, which corresponds to 630 mcg IVM/kg for IVM LAI. Results: No Hypoderma larvae emerged from animals treated with IVM LAI, whereas live H. lineatum (Italy) or H. bovis (Germany, USA) larvae were collected from saline-treated animals (P < 0.01). No adverse reactions to treatments were in any of the animals enrolled in the study. Conclusions: The results from this study demonstrate that ivermectin in a long-acting formulation is 100 % efficacious in the treatment of cattle naturally infested by H. bovis and H. lineatum larvae at all stages of development. IVM LAI can, therefore, be used as 'prophylactic' treatment for Hypoderma spp. infestations in absence of external evidence of their presence and thus prior to skin and carcass damage, and as 'therapeutic' treatment, when warbles are already present
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Expression of Heterologous OsDHAR Gene Improves Glutathione (GSH)-Dependent Antioxidant System and Maintenance of Cellular Redox Status in Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942.
An excess of reactive oxygen species (ROS) can cause severe oxidative damage to cellular components in photosynthetic cells. Antioxidant systems, such as the glutathione (GSH) pools, regulate redox status in cells to guard against such damage. Dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR, EC 1.8.5.1) catalyzes the glutathione-dependent reduction of oxidized ascorbate (dehydroascorbate) and contains a redox active site and glutathione binding-site. The DHAR gene is important in biological and abiotic stress responses involving reduction of the oxidative damage caused by ROS. In this study, transgenic Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 (TA) was constructed by cloning the Oryza sativa L. japonica DHAR (OsDHAR) gene controlled by an isopropyl β-D-1-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG)-inducible promoter (Ptrc) into the cyanobacterium to study the functional activities of OsDHAR under oxidative stress caused by hydrogen peroxide exposure. OsDHAR expression increased the growth of S. elongatus PCC 7942 under oxidative stress by reducing the levels of hydroperoxides and malondialdehyde (MDA) and mitigating the loss of chlorophyll. DHAR and glutathione S-transferase activity were higher than in the wild-type S. elongatus PCC 7942 (WT). Additionally, overexpression of OsDHAR in S. elongatus PCC 7942 greatly increased the glutathione (GSH)/glutathione disulfide (GSSG) ratio in the presence or absence of hydrogen peroxide. These results strongly suggest that DHAR attenuates deleterious oxidative effects via the glutathione (GSH)-dependent antioxidant system in cyanobacterial cells. The expression of heterologous OsDHAR in S. elongatus PCC 7942 protected cells from oxidative damage through a GSH-dependent antioxidant system via GSH-dependent reactions at the redox active site and GSH binding site residues during oxidative stress
Elastic cross sections for electron collisions with molecules relevant to plasma processing
Absolute electron-impact cross sections for molecular targets, including their radicals, are important in developing plasma reactors and testing various plasma processing gases. Low-energy electron collision data for these gases are sparse and only the limited cross section data are available. In this report, elastic cross sections for electron-polyatomic molecule collisions are compiled and reviewed for 17 molecules relevant to plasma processing. Elastic cross sections are essential for the absolute scale conversion of inelastic cross sections, as well as for testing computational methods. Data are collected and reviewed for elastic differential, integral, and momentum transfer cross sections and, for each molecule, the recommended values of the cross section are presented. The literature has been surveyed through early 2010
Measured supersonic flame properties - Heat-release patterns, pressure losses, thermal choking limits
Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/76611/1/AIAA-24093-582.pd
Mixed-Methods Evaluation of Real-Time Safety Reporting by Hospitalized Patients and Their Care Partners:The MySafeCare Application
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the amount and content of data patients and carepartners reported using a real-time electronic safety tool compared to other reporting mechanisms, and understand their perspectives on safety concerns and reporting in the hospital. METHODS: Mixed-methods study including 20 month pre- and post-implementation trial evaluating MySafeCare, a web-based application which allows hospitalized patients/carepartners to report safety concerns in real-time. Comparison of MySafeCare submission rates for three hospital units (oncology acute care; vascular intermediate care; medical intensive care) to submissions rates of Patient Family Relations (PFR) Department, a hospital service to address patient/family concerns. Triangulation of quantitative data with thematic analysis of safety concern submissions and patient/carepartner interviews to understand submission content and perspectives on safety reporting. RESULTS: Thirty-two MySafeCare submissions were received with an average rate of 1.7 submissions per 1,000 patient-days and a range of 0.3 to 4.8 submissions per 1,000 patient-days across all units, indicating notable variation between units. MySafeCare submission rates were significantly higher than PFR submission rates during the post-intervention period on the vascular unit (4.3 [95% CI 2.8 – 6.5] versus 1.5 [95% CI 0.7 – 3.1], Poisson) (P=0.01). Overall trends indicated a decrease in PFR submissions after MySafeCare implementation. Triangulated data indicated patients preferred to report anonymously and did not want concerns submitted directly to their care team. CONCLUSIONS: MySafeCare evaluation confirmed the potential value of providing an electronic, anonymous reporting tool in the hospital to capture safety concerns in real-time. Such applications should be tested further as part of patient safety programs
Colour-colour diagrams and extragalactic globular cluster ages. Systematic uncertainties using the (V-K)-(V-I) diagram
(abridged) We investigate biases in cluster ages and [Fe/H] estimated from
the (V-K)-(V-I) diagram, arising from inconsistent Horizontal Branch
morphology, metal mixture, treatment of core convection between observed
clusters and the theoretical colour grid employed for age and metallicity
determinations. We also study the role played by statistical fluctuations of
the observed colours, caused by the low total mass of typical globulars.
Horizontal Branch morphology is potentially the largest source of uncertainty.
A single-age system harbouring a large fraction of clusters with an HB
morphology systematically bluer than the one accounted for in the theoretical
colour grid, can simulate a bimodal population with an age difference as large
as 8 Gyr. When only the redder clusters are considered, this uncertainty is
almost negligible, unless there is an extreme mass loss along the Red Giant
Branch phase. The metal mixture affects mainly the redder clusters; the effect
of colour fluctuations becomes negligible for the redder clusters, or when the
integrated Mv is brighter than -8.5 mag. The treatment of core convection is
relevant for ages below ~4 Gyr. The retrieved [Fe/H] distributions are overall
only mildly affected. Colour fluctuations and convective core extension have
the largest effect. When 1sigma photometric errors reach 0.10 mag, all biases
found in our analysis are erased, and bimodal age populations with age
differences of up to ~8 Gyr go undetected. The use of both (U-I)-(V-K) and
(V-I)-(V-K) diagrams may help disclosing the presence of blue HB stars
unaccounted for in the theoretical colour calibration.Comment: 20 pages, including 26 figures. A&A in pres
FAST discovery of a fast neutral hydrogen outflow
In this letter, we report the discovery of a fast neutral hydrogen outflow in
SDSS J145239.38+062738.0, a merging radio galaxy containing an optical type I
active galactic nuclei (AGN). This discovery was made through observations
conducted by the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST)
using redshifted 21-cm absorption. The outflow exhibits a blueshifted velocity
likely up to with respect to the systemic velocity
of the host galaxy with an absorption strength of corresponding to an optical depth of 0.002 at . The mass outflow rate ranges between and , implying an energy outflow rate ranging between
and , assuming 100 K
1000 K. Plausible drivers of the outflow include the star bursts,
the AGN radiation, and the radio jet, the last of which is considered the most
likely culprit according to the kinematics. By analysing the properties of the
outflow, the AGN, and the jet, we find that if the HI outflow is driven by the
AGN radiation, the AGN radiation seems not powerful enough to provide negative
feedback whereas the radio jet shows the potential to provide negative
feedback. Our observations contribute another example of a fast outflow
detected in neutral hydrogen, as well as demonstrate the capability of FAST in
detecting such outflows.Comment: Accepted by ApJ
Short-Term Impact of Bracing in Multi-Level Posterior Lumbar Spinal Fusion
Background: Clinical practice in postoperative bracing after posterior lumbar spine fusion (PLF) is inconsistent between providers. This paper attempts to assess the effect of bracing on short-term outcomes related to safety, quality of care, and direct costs.
Methods: Retrospective cohort analysis of consecutive patients undergoing multilevel PLF with or without bracing (2013-2017) was undertaken (n = 980). Patient demographics and comorbidities were analyzed. Outcomes assessed included length of stay (LOS), discharge disposition, quality-adjusted life years (QALY), surgical-site infection (SSI), total cost, readmission within 30 days, and emergency department (ED) evaluation within 30 days.
Results: Amongst the study population, 936 were braced and 44 were not braced. There was no difference between the braced and unbraced cohorts regarding LOS (P = .106), discharge disposition (P = .898), 30-day readmission (P = .434), and 30-day ED evaluation (P = 1.000). There was also no difference in total cost (P = .230) or QALY gain (P = .740). The results indicate a significantly lower likelihood of SSI in the braced population (1.50% versus 6.82%, odds ratio = 0.208, 95% confidence interval = 0.057-0.751, P = .037). There was no difference in relevant comorbidities (P = .259-1.000), although the braced cohort was older than the unbraced cohort (63 versus 56 y, P = .003).
Conclusion: Bracing following multilevel posterior lumbar fixation does not alter short-term postoperative course or reduce the risk for early adverse events. Cost analysis show no difference in direct costs between the 2 treatment approaches. Short-term data suggest that removal of bracing from the postoperative regimen for PLF will not result in increased adverse outcomes
Single-inclusive production of large-pT charged particles in hadronic collisions at TeV energies and perturbative QCD predictions
The single inclusive spectrum of charged particles with transverse momenta
pT=3-150 GeV/c measured at midrapidity by the CDF experiment in
proton-antiproton (p-pbar) collisions at sqrt(s)=1.96 TeV is compared to
next-to-leading order (NLO) perturbative QCD calculations using the most recent
parametrizations of the parton distributions and parton-to-hadron fragmentation
functions. Above pT~20 GeV/c, there is a very sizeable disagreement of the
Tevatron data compared to the NLO predictions and to xT-scaling expectations,
suggesting a problem in the experimental data. We also present the predictions
for the pT-differential charged hadron spectra and the associated theoretical
uncertainties for proton-proton (p-p) collisions at LHC energies
(sqrt(s)=0.9-14 TeV). Two procedures to estimate the charged hadron spectra at
LHC heavy-ion collision energies (sqrt(s)=2.76,5.5 TeV) from p-p measurements
are suggested.Comment: 23 pages, 9 figures. A few text additions. Accepted for publication
in JHE
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