76 research outputs found
Enforcement styles among environmental protection officials in China
No full text2002-2003 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalVersion of RecordPublishedPublisher permissio
Mitomycin C in highly myopic eyes - Author reply
No full textOphthalmology. 2005 Feb;112(2):208-18; discussion 219.
Mitomycin C modulation of corneal wound healing after photorefractive keratectomy in highly myopic eyes.
Gambato C, Ghirlando A, Moretto E, Busato F, Midena E.
SourceRefractive Surgery Service and Antimetabolite Therapy Research Unit, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
Abstract
PURPOSE: To evaluate the role of topical mitomycin C in corneal wound healing (CWH) after photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) in highly myopic eyes.
DESIGN: Prospective, double-masked, randomized clinical trial.
PARTICIPANTS: Seventy-two eyes of 36 patients affected by high (>7 diopters) myopia.
METHODS: In each patient, one eye was randomly assigned to PRK with intraoperative topical 0.02% mitomycin C application, and the fellow eye was treated with a placebo. Postoperatively, mitomycin C-treated eyes received artificial tears (3 times daily, tapered in 3 months), whereas the fellow eye was treated with fluorometholone sodium 2% and artificial tears (3 times daily, tapered in 3 months).
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), contrast sensitivity, manifest refraction, and biomicroscopy. Contrast sensitivity was determined using the Pelli-Robson chart. Corneal confocal microscopy documented CWH.
RESULTS: Mean follow-up was 18 months (range, 12-36). No side effects or toxic effects were documented. At 12-month follow-up examination, UCVAs (logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution) were 0.4+/-0.48 and 0.5+/-0.53 (P = .03) in mitomycin C-treated eyes and corticosteroid-treated eyes, respectively. At 1 year, corneal haze developed in 20% of corticosteroid-treated eyes, versus 0% of mitomycin C-treated eyes. At 12, 24, and 36 months, corneal confocal microscopy showed activated keratocytes and extracellular matrix significantly more evident in untreated eyes (Ps = 0.004, 0.024, and 0.046, respectively).
CONCLUSION: Topical intraoperative application of 0.02% mitomycin C can reduce haze formation in highly myopic eyes undergoing PRK.
Comment in
Ophthalmology. 2006 Feb;113(2):357; author reply 357-8
Pneumatic Manifold Design
No full textIn the high-tech industry the call for higher precision and higher accuracy will never vanish. One of the aspects that influences precision and accuracy is transportation. To transport an object contact is needed. Stigmatically thinking, contact means having a mechanical connection between the transporter and the object to transport. However, if mechanical contact with the object is to be avoided, other means of transportation can be used. By avoiding mechanical contact certain benefits arise. For example contamination or surface damage (due to friction at the contact points) can be reduced by avoiding mechanical contact. The use of a device that can transport objects without contact is the basis for the thesis. The considered device uses an air bearing to carry and to position the object. This device is called the Contactless Wafer Handler (CWH). This contactless wafer handler is connected to an air supply system that generates the forces needed for carrying and actuation. To be able to support the object the air should be spread evenly across the object's surface. Also, the actuation function of the bearing requires the air flow to be controllable. This distribution of air is done by the supply manifold. A part of the CWH that consists of a labyrinth of channels, with inlets at the perimeter of the manifold and multiple outlets across the surface of the manifold. In this thesis the influence of the geometry of this supply manifold on the performance of the CWH is examined. The term performance is defined as the CWH's ability to accurately position the carried object. This performance is limited by numerous factors, one of which is the dynamics of the air in the manifold. The dynamic behavior is investigated in order to design manifolds that show optimal dynamic properties. The term optimal will be defined in this thesis. In order to obtain the optimal supply manifold the air dynamics are investigated. Using a setup consisting of a pneumatic valve and multiple air pressure sensors, models that can predict air dynamics are verified. Furthermore potentially interesting pseudo manifold geometries are analyzed. The pneumatic valve's actuation principle is piezo-electric and the valve is of the nozzle-flapper type. The pressure sensors measure strain in a membrane that deflects due to a pressure difference. The pneumatic valve and the pressure sensors used are of the same make as the ones used in the CWH. In this thesis it is shown that interesting geometries do exist and that their dynamics can be predicted with modeling. It is found that certain geometries can influence dynamics and that these influenced dynamics can benefit the performance of the CWH.MSDPMEMechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineerin
Collectionwise Hausdorff versus collectionwise normal with respect to compact sets
No full textAbstractCollectionwise normal (CWN) and collectionwise Hausdorff (CWH) spaces have played an increasingly important role in topology since the introduction of these concepts by R.H. Bing in 1951 [3]. It has remained an open and frequently raised question as to whether CWH T3-spaces are CWN with respect to compact sets. Recently, a counterexample requiring the existence of measurable cardinals and having little additional topological structure was constructed by W.G. Fleissner and the author. In this paper, the author gives a simple example in ZFC of a CWH, first countable, perfect T3-space that is not CWN with respect to compact, metrizable sets, and, under Martin's Axiom, such an example that is also a Moore space. In addition, the author considers the analogous question for strongly collectionwise Hausdorff (SCWH) T3-spaces and characterizes the existence of SCWH T3-spaces that are not CWN with respect to compact sets in set-theoretic and box product formulations. The constructions utilized throughout the paper are of a general nature and several apparently new set-theoretic techniques for interchanging ‘points’ and ‘sets’ are introduced
Strategy Misguided: The Weak Links Between Vehicular Emissions, Public Health, and Urban Emission Control Measures in Guangzhou'
No full textMoney, Professional Ideals Or Public Interest? A Cross-legal System Analysis Of Career Orientations Of Future Lawyers
No full textThis paper explores the interaction between career orientation of future lawyers and their values in three different legal systems. It chose Hong Kong, Beijing and Taipei to represent three different legal systems, namely, common law, socialist law and civil law. Although these three cities belong to the Greater China Region and inhabited mostly by Chinese, they belong to three different legal traditions. The paper attempts to show how the interaction of career orientations and values of future lawyers is related to the nature of legal systems to which they belong. This paper evaluates how the values interact with the career orientations of future lawyers in three different Chinese societies. This paper also presents and discuss the findings of a questionnaire survey conducted among law students in the three legal systems
The Influence of environmental knowledge and values on managerial behaviours on behalf of the environment : an empirical examination of managers in China
No full textThis study explores linkages between what Chinese managers generally know about environmental issues, how strongly they value environmental protection, and different types of behaviours/actions they may take within their organizations on behalf of the environment. From a sample of 305 managers in Guangzhou and Beijing, it was found that both environmental knowledge and values are more predictive of more personal managerial behaviours, such as keeping informed of relevant company issues and working within the system to minimize environmental impacts, than more overt behaviours. Moreover, for these more personal actions, environmental knowledge and values were found to have both main and interactive effects. By comparison, it was found that both environmental values and knowledge had additive effects on managerial tendencies to initiate new programs within their domain of responsibility. Only environmental values was found to have a modest influence environmental advocacy.Department of Management and Marketin
Cardiovascular Outcomes in Trials of New Antidiabetic Drug Classes
No full textType 2 diabetes is among the most prevalent chronic diseases worldwide and the prevention of associated cardiovascular complications is an important treatment goal. Sodium–glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors are second-line options after metformin, while cardiovascular outcome trials have been conducted to establish the cardiovascular safety of these antidiabetic drug classes. SGLT2 inhibitors have been shown to have the best overall mortality, renal and cardiovascular outcomes. Reduction in hospitalisation for heart failure is particularly consistent. GLP-1 receptor agonists have also showed some benefits, especially in stroke prevention. DPP-4 inhibitors showed neutral effects on cardiovascular outcomes, but may increase the incidence of heart failure. Favourable outcomes observed in trials of SGLT2 inhibitors mean that these should be the preferred second-line option. DPP-4 inhibitors are useful for patients with diabetes at low cardiovascular risk.published_or_final_versio
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