A pilot study of intralesional ranibizumab on pterygium vascularity, size and recurrence rate

Introduction: Pterygium is a common eye disorder in Malaysia due to the country’s location near to the equator. Recent study has found that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is present in great amount in pterygium epithelium especially in its head compared to normal conjunctiva suggesting that VEGF is involved in the angiogenesis and proliferative fibrovascular growth of pterygium. Thus, anti-VEGF has been proposed as an off-label adjunct to pterygium surgery. Objective: To evaluate the vascularity and size of primary pterygium after intralesional ranibizumab injection and the recurrence rate following sutureless pterygium surgery. Methodology: Patients presenting for primary pterygium excision who fulfilled our inclusion and exclusion criteria were identified. They were then randomised into treatment and control groups. Treatment group was injected with intralesional ranibizumab (0.3 mg/0.03 mL) 1 week prior to surgery. Anterior segment photographs were taken before and 1 week after the injection. Changes in pterygium vascularity (percentage of pterygium area covered by vessels) and size (percentage of cornea area covered by pterygium) were measured using image analysis software, Image J. 1 week after ranibizumab injection, both treatment and control groups underwent pterygium excision and conjunctiva autograft adhesion with fibrin glue. Patients were followed-up for 1 year to monitor for recurrence and complication. Results: 36 patients (18 each group) completed the study. Mean change in pterygium vascularity was 1.48 (4.65)% while pterygium size was 0.28 (2.71) %. Both reductions were not statistically significant (p = 0.195 and 0.672 respectively). Recurrence rate in treatment group was 22.2% (n = 4) while controlled group was 16.7% (n = 3). Recurrence rate between groups was not statistically significant (p > 0.950). Conclusion: Single intralesional injection of ranibizumab (0.3 mg/0.03 mL) did not reduce the pterygium vascularity and size significantly in 1 week time. Pre-operative intralesional ranibizumab did not reduce pterygium recurrence rate

EFFECT OF DIFFERENT TIBIA ANGLES TO LOADING OF KNEE DURING SPLIT SQUAT

The aim of this study was to investigate the difference of knee joint force and moment during split squats of different front tibia angles. Twelve healthy male college students performed six repetitions of four different split squat types with a standard additional load of 25% BW added using a barbell. Using 10 camera 3D motion capture system and a force plate to collect data. The peak force and moment of knee flexion (sagittal plane) were calculated by using self-designed MATLAB programs. One-way ANOVA test was undertaken using SPSS 20.0 statistical software. The analysis results of the study indicated that all kinetic parameters of the four types split squats were achieved high significant differences (p less than .000). A better understanding of different loading in specific joints and correct exercise execution during training will help protecting practitioners from sport injury

Study of market model describing the contrary behaviors of informed and uninformed agents: Being minority and being majority

In this paper we analyze the contrary behaviors of the informed investors and uniformed investors, and then construct a competition model with two groups of agents, namely agents who intend to stay in minority and those who intend to stay in majority. We find two kinds of competitions, inter- and intra-groups. The model shows periodic fluctuation feature. The average distribution of strategies illustrates a prominent central peak which is relevant to the peak-fat-tail character of price change distribution in stock markets. Furthermore, in the modified model the tolerance time parameter makes the agents diversified. Finally, we compare the strategies distribution with the price change distribution in real stock market, and we conclude that contrary behavior rules and tolerance time parameter are indeed valid in the description of market model

Accumulative time-based ranking method to reputation evaluation in information networks

With the rapid development of modern technology, the Web has become an important platform for users to make friends and acquire information. However, since information on the Web is over-abundant, information filtering becomes a key task for online users to obtain relevant suggestions. As most Websites can be ranked according to users' rating and preferences, relevance to queries, and recency, how to extract the most relevant item from the over-abundant information is always a key topic for researchers in various fields. In this paper, we adopt tools used to analyze complex networks to evaluate user reputation and item quality. In our proposed accumulative time-based ranking (ATR) algorithm, we incorporate two behavioral weighting factors which are updated when users select or rate items, to reflect the evolution of user reputation and item quality over time. We showed that our algorithm outperforms state-of-the-art ranking algorithms in terms of precision and robustness on empirical datasets from various online retailers and the citation datasets among research publications

EFFECTS OF PLYOMTRIC TRAIN lNG ON MUSCLE FATIGUE AND MAXIMAL RATE OF FORCE DEVELOPMENT OF LOWER-LIMB

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of ploymetric training on muscle fatigue and maximal rate of force development in volleyball players. Ten college volleyball players volunteered to participate in this study and underwent a 6-week plyometric training. The BTS free EMG and force-plate were used to evaluate the median frequency (MDF) of the rectus femoris (RF), anterior tibialis (AT), lateral gastrocnemius (LG), biceps femoris (BF) and maximum rate of force development (mRFD). The results revealed that the plyometric training significantly improves the MDF of RF and AT and mRFD. This study demonstrated hat by using plyometric training could facilitate the mRFD and postpone muscle fatigue for trained volleyball players

THE ACUTE EFFECT OF WHOLE BODY VIBRATION TRAINING ON AGILITY, SPEED AND POWER IN MALE VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS

The purpose of this study was to examine the acute effect of whole body vibration training on agility, speed and power in male volleyball players. Ten college volleyball players volunteered to participate in this study. The vibration training (VT) consisted of 60% with 28 Hz frequencies and 1Omm amplitudes. Counter movement jump (CMJ), blocking agility test (BAT), agility test (AT) and 10 meters sprinting (1 OMS) were performed at pre-test and post-test (60s rest). The peak force (PF). mean force (MF), maximum rate of force development (mRFD) and relative net impulse (RNI) from the CMJs were computed. A repeated measures ANOVA was applied to obtain the variables. The present study indicated that the WBV significantly improves the MF, mRFD and BAT parameters of CMJ and BAT performances excluding the PF. Speed and agility does not seem to be enhanced by VT

A Multiple Dependent State Repetitive Sampling Plan Based on Performance Index for Lifetime Data with Type II Censoring

In this paper, a multiple dependent state repetitive (MDSR) sampling plan based on the lifetime performance index C-L is proposed for lifetime data with type II censoring when the lifetime of a product follows the exponential distribution or Weibull distribution. The optimal parameters of the proposed plan are determined by minimizing the average sample number while satisfying the producer's risk and consumer's risk at corresponding quality levels. Besides, the performance of the proposed plan is compared with that of the existing lifetime sampling plan in terms of the average sample number and operating characteristic curve. Two illustrative examples are given for the demonstration of the proposed plan.11Ysciescopu

Staggered intercalation of DNA duplexes with base-pair modulation by two distinct drug molecules induces asymmetric backbone twisting and structure polymorphism

The use of multiple drugs simultaneously targeting DNA is a promising strategy in cancer therapy for potentially overcoming single drug resistance. In support of this concept, we report that a combination of actinomycin D (ActD) and echinomycin (Echi), can interact in novel ways with native and mismatched DNA sequences, distinct from the structural effects produced by either drug alone. Changes in the former with GpC and CpG steps separated by a A:G or G:A mismatch or in a native DNA with canonical G:C and C:G base pairs, result in significant asymmetric backbone twists through staggered intercalation and base pair modulations. A wobble or Watson-Crick base pair at the two drug-binding interfaces can result in a single-stranded 'chair-shaped' DNA duplex with a straight helical axis. However, a novel sugar-edged hydrogen bonding geometry in the G:A mismatch leads to a 'curved-shaped' duplex. Two non-canonical G:C Hoogsteen base pairings produce a sharply kinked duplex in different forms and a four-way junction-like superstructure, respectively. Therefore, single base pair modulations on the two drug-binding interfaces could significantly affect global DNA structure. These structures thus provide a rationale for atypical DNA recognition via multiple DNA intercalators and a structural basis for the drugs' potential synergetic use