1,720,997 research outputs found
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Get PDFThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
In vivo thermographic analysis of the corneal surface in keratoconic patients undergoing riboflavin-UV-A accelerated cross-linking
No full textPurpose: To assess corneal thermal profile during combined riboflavin and accelerated UV corneal collagen cross-linking (A-CXL) using in vivo surface thermographic analysis. Methods: In this open-label, nonrandomized, prospective pilot study, 28 eyes of 28 patients were included. The study was conduced at the Department of Surgery and Translational Medicine, University of Florence, Italy, in collaboration with the Ophthalmic Operative Unit of Siena University, Italy. All patients underwent high-fluence A-CXL in pulsed light and continuous light UV-A exposure at 30 and 18 mW/cm2. Patients were divided into 4 groups: 7 for continuous light A-CXL, 7 for pulsed light A-CXL at 30 mW/cm2 with 7.2 J energy, 7 for continuous light A-CXL, and 7 for pulsed light A-CXL at 18 mW/cm2 with 5.4 J energy. Corneal surface temperature measurements were recorded using an infrared FLIR thermocamera (FLIR 320A; FLIR Systems). Corneal temperature values were detected in the surface area exposed to UV-A light irradiation, selecting it in the acquired thermographic image. The maximum temperature value detected in the area studied was recorded and considered for comparative analysis. Results: Infrared thermocamera measurements of the corneal surface during A-CXL treatments showed an average temperature of 31.5°C during the entire procedure in all groups and UV-A powers (30 mW/cm2 at 7.2 J/cm2 and 18 mW/cm2 at 5.4 J/cm2) and light exposure modality remained under the threshold of collagen thermal injury. Conclusions: Accelerated corneal collagen cross-linking did not cause thermal rise over the threshold of thermal injury to the corneal surface, demonstrating a safe thermal profile both at 30 mW/cm2 with 7.2 J and 18 mW/cm2 with 5.4 J energy dose. Copyright © 2015 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved
Modern approach to the treatment of dry eye, a complex multifactorial disease: a P.I.C.A.S.S.O. board review
Get PDFDry eye disease (DED) is a growing public health concern affecting quality of life and visual function, with a significant socio-economic impact. It is characterised by the loss of homoeostasis, resulting in tear film instability, hyperosmolarity and inflammation of the ocular surface. If the innate immune response is unable to cope with internal bodily or environmental adverse conditions, the persistent, self-maintaining vicious circle of inflammation leads to the chronic form of the disease. Treatment of DED should be aimed at the restoration of the homoeostasis of the ocular surface system. A proper diagnostic approach is fundamental to define the relevance and importance of each of the DED main pathogenic factors, namely tear film instability, epithelial damage and inflammation. Consideration also needs to be given concerning two other pathogenic elements: lid margin changes and nerve damage. All the factors that maintain the vicious circle of DED in the patient's clinical presentation have to be considered and possibly treated simultaneously. The treatment should be long-lasting and personalised since it has to be adapted to the different clinical conditions observed along the course of the disease. Since DED treatment is frequently unable to provide fast and complete relief from symptoms, empathy with patients and willingness to explain to them the natural history of the disease are mandatory to improve patients' compliance. Furthermore, patients should be instructed about the possible need to increase the frequency and/or change the type of treatment according to the fluctuation of symptoms, following a preplanned rescue regimen
Working-Age Cataract Patients: Visual Results, Reading Performance, and Quality of Life with Three Diffractive Multifocal Intraocular Lenses
Get PDFAbstract PURPOSE: To compare the visual outcomes, reading performance, and quality of life (QoL) of working-age cataractous patients bilaterally implanted with 3 different diffractive multifocal intraocular lenses (MIOLs). DESIGN: Two-center, randomized, prospective, double-masked study. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty-three consecutive patients (126 eyes) seen at Ophthalmology Section, Palermo and Florence University, Italy, randomized to receive the ReSTOR SN6AD3 (Alcon Laboratories, Inc, Irvine, CA) (20 patients, group A), ReSTOR SN6AD1 (Alcon Laboratories, Inc) (21 patients, group B), or TECNIS ZMA00 (Abbott Medical Optics, Santa Ana, CA) (22 patients, group C) MIOL. INTERVENTION: Phacoemulsification. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: One-year follow-up differences among the 3 MIOL groups in visual acuity, reading performance by MNREAD (Minnesota Laboratory for Low-Vision Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN) reading acuity (RA), critical print size (CPS), and maximum reading speed (MRS) under mesopic and photopic conditions. SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Photopic and mesopic contrast sensitivity (CS) by Pelli-Robson test and patient satisfaction by National Eye Institute Refractive Error Quality of Life Instrument-42 (NEI RQL-42) questionnaire. RESULTS: Mean photopic uncorrected near visual acuity (UNVA), distance-corrected near visual acuity (DCNVA), and corrected near visual acuity (CNVA) did not differ among groups, with a preferred reading distance greater in group B (P< 0.0005). Photopic distance-corrected intermediate visual acuity (DCIVA) was best in group B (P = 0.001) and better in group C than in group A. Mesopic UNVA and DCNVA were worse in groups A and B compared with group C (P< 0.0005 in both cases), with better DCNVA in group B than in group A (P = 0.031). Mesopic uncorrected intermediate visual acuity (UIVA) and DCIVA were worst in group A, with better results in group C (P< 0.0005 and P = 0.001, respectively). Mesopic MNREAD RA was better in group C (P = 0.02), and mesopic MRS was higher in groups B and C than in group A (P = 0.002). The QoL scores by the NEI RQL-42 test exhibited no differences among groups in 9 over 13 scales. "Near vision" (P = 0.005), "symptoms" (P = 0.001), and "satisfaction with correction" scale scores (P = 0.030) were lowest in group A, and "appearance" scale score was lowest in group B (P = 0.045). CONCLUSIONS: Newer-generation aspheric diffractive MIOLs, especially low-add hybrid apodized or full diffractive, are highly suited for working-age cataractous patients in terms of visual outcomes, reading performance, and QoL. Intrinsic optical differences, such as optimization for computer or dim-light working, or night driving, could be useful tools to customize the IOL in each single case
Variations on the Author
Get PDF“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Get PDFWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
Keratoconus progression in patients with allergy and elevated surface matrix metalloproteinase 9 Point-of-Care Test
No full textPURPOSE: To assess keratoconus (KC) progression in patients with allergies who also tested positive to surface matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) point-of-care test. METHODS: Prospective comparative study including 100 stage I-II keratoconic patients, mean age 16.7±4.6 years. All patients underwent an anamnestic questionnaire for concomitant allergic diseases and were screened with the MMP-9 point-of-care test. Patients were divided into two groups: patients KC with allergies (KC AL) and patients KC without allergies (KC NAL). Severity of allergy was established by papillary subtarsal response grade and KC progression assessed by Scheimpflug corneal tomography, corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) measurement in a 12-month follow-up. RESULTS: The KC AL group included 52 patients and the KC NAL group 48. In the KC AL group, 42/52 of patients (81%) were positive to MMP-9 point-of-care test versus two positive patients in the KC NAL group (4%). The KC AL group data showed a statistically significant decrease of average CDVA, from 0.155±0.11 to 0.301±0.2 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (P<0.005) at 12 months; Kmax value increased significantly, from 50.2 D±2.7 to 55.2 D±1.9 on average. The KC NAL group revealed a slight KC progression without statistically significant changes. Pearson correlation test showed a high correlation between Kmax worsening and severity of PSR in the KC AL group. CONCLUSIONS: The study demonstrated a statistically significant progression of KC in patients with concomitant allergies, positive to MMP-9 point-of-care test versus negative. A high correlation between severity of allergy and KC progression was documented
18β-Glycyrrhetic Acid Inhibits Immune Activation Triggered by HMGB1, a Pro-inflammatory Protein Found in the Tear Fluid during Conjunctivitis and Blepharitis.
No full textDiffractive multifocal intraocular lenses: reading performance and quality of life evaluation
No full textABSTRACT
Purpose: To evaluate the reading performance and changes in quality of life after cataract surgery with multifocal diffractive (IOLs) implantation
Setting: Section of Ophthalmology - Department of Experimental Biomedicine and Clinical Neuroscience, University of Palermo, Italy; Eye Clinic - Department of Preclinical and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Florence, Italy.
Methods: 160 Consecutive eyes of cataract patients were divided into two groups. One group (20 patients, 40 eyes) received aspheric monofocal IOLs (Acrysof SN60WF). One group (60 patients, 120 eyes) was implanted with a diffractive aspheric multifocal IOL produced by different manufacturers: 20 patients with Acrysof RESTORE SN6AD3 -with a +4 sph addiction, 20 patients with Acrysof RESTORE SN6AD1 with a +3 sph addiction, and 20 patients with AMO Tecnis ZMA00 with a +4 sph addiction. Visual acuity and constrast sensitivity outcomes were evaluate after a 6 months follow up. Additionally reading performance (MN Read chart and REX test chart), a 42 item quality of life questionnaire (National Eye Institute Refractive Quality of Life questionnaire, NEI RQL-42) and a similar 14 items questionnaire (VF14) were determined.
Results: Significant improvement after surgery in uncorrected (for MIOLs) and corrected distance and near visual acuity (for standar monofocal IOLs) was observed in both groups (p<0.05). The mean reading acuity with correction in the monofocal group was better than the multifocal groups without correction. In the latter, under mesopic light conditions, the Tecnis ZMA00 reached better performances in terms of reading ability and contrast sensitivity than the two Acrysof MIOLs. The quality of life index related to uncorrected reading ability significantly improved n the MIOLs group compared to standard IOLs. The NEI-RLQ 42 and the VF-14 questionnaires results indicated a better quality of life with multifocal IOLs.
Conclusions: Overall satisfaction and spectacle independance were comparable in all MIOLs groups The improved reading performance in MIOLs groups had a positive effect on the patients quality of life postoperatively. MN Read chart and REX Test chart are useful tools to evaluate the near visual performance with multifocal IOLs and correlate with a better quality of life postoperatively
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