Glaucoma and cigarette smoking: a review of narrative reviews

Background: Glaucoma is an optic neuropathy associated with visual field changes for which high intra-ocular pressure is a major risk factor. Emerging research indicates that modifiable factors, among which the cigarette smoke, besides IOP may be associated with the presence of glaucoma. Objective: The objective of the study was to perform a review of narrative reviews to examine on the relationship between cigarette smoking and glaucoma. Methods: The results of all narrative reviews in the scientific literature about glaucoma and tobacco smoking were analyzed. A quality assessment was performed according to an easy and convenient tool for the quality assessment of narrative reviews for systematic reviews (International Narrative Systematic assessment) the INSA tool. Literature searches were performed using PubMed. Results: 20 studies about relation between glaucoma and smoke were collected, no restriction language was applied. 15 of these studies have been excluded. We selected among them 5 reviews. With the INSA tool we measured the quality of the 5 selected narrative reviews. Studies that had a highest score with the INSA tool were two: A. Coleman et al. “Risk Factors for Glaucoma Needing More Attention” and R. Salowe et al. “Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma in Individuals of African Descent: A Review of Risk Factors”. Conclusion: The narrative reviews analyzed underline that there is no definitive association between cigarette smoking

On the rectangular mesh and the decomposition of a Green's-function-based quadruple integral into elementary integrals

Computational electromagnetic problems require evaluating the electric and magnetic fields of the physical object under investigation, divided into elementary cells with a mesh. The partial element equivalent circuit (PEEC) method has recently received attention from academic and industry communities because it provides a circuit representation of the electromagnetic problem. The surface formulation, known as S-PEEC, requires computing quadruple integrals for each mesh patch. Several techniques have been developed to simplify the computational complexity of quadruple integrals but limited to triangular meshes as used in well-known methods such as the Method of Moments (MoM). However, in the S-PEEC method, the mesh can be rectangular and orthogonal, and new approaches must be investigated to simplify the quadruple integrals. This work proposes a numerical approach that treats the singularity and reduces the computational complexity of one of the two quadruple integrals used in the S-PEEC method. The accuracy and computational time are tested for representative parallel and orthogonal meshes.ISSN:0955-799

OR calculation for obtaining the index of synergism.

<p>OR calculation for obtaining the index of synergism.</p

Microgravity and the intervertebral disc: The impact of space conditions on the biomechanics of the spine

The environmental conditions to which astronauts and other military pilots are subjected represent a unique example for understanding and studying the biomechanical events that regulate the functioning of the human body. In particular, microgravity has shown a significant impact on various biological systems, such as the cardiovascular system, immune system, endocrine system, and, last but not least, musculoskeletal system. Among the potential risks of flying, low back pain (LBP) has a high incidence among astronauts and military pilots, and it is often associated with intervertebral disc degeneration events. The mechanisms of degeneration determine the loss of structural and functional integrity and are accompanied by the aberrant production of pro-inflammatory mediators that exacerbate the degenerative environment, contributing to the onset of pain. In the present work, the mechanisms of disc degeneration, the conditions of microgravity, and their association have been discussed in order to identify possible molecular mechanisms underlying disc degeneration and the related clinical manifestations in order to develop a model of prevention to maintain health and performance of air- and space-travelers. The focus on microgravity also allows the development of new proofs of concept with potential therapeutic implications

The receiver operating characteristic curve of the Mediterranean diet score.

<p>The receiver operating characteristic curve of the Mediterranean diet score.</p