Persistence of large scale coherent structures in a turbulent pipe flow through an improved lattice Boltzmann approach

We simulated a turbulent pipe flow within the Lattice Boltzmann Method using a multiple-relaxation-time collision operator with Maxwell-Boltzmann equilibrium distribution expanded, for the sake of a more accurate description, up to the sixth order in Hermite polynomials. The moderately turbulent flow ($Re_{\tau} \approx 181.3$) is able to reproduce up to the fourth statistical moment with great accuracy, compared with other numerical schemes and with experimental data. A coherent structure identification was performed based on the most energetic streamwise turbulent mode, which revealed a surprising memory effect related to the large scale forcing scheme used to trigger the turbulent state in the pipe. We observe that the existence of large scale motions which are out of the pipe's stationary regime do not affect the detailed single-point statistical features of the flow. Furthermore, the transitions between the coherent structures of different topological modes were analyzed as a stochastic process. We find that for finely resolved data the transitions are effectively Markovian, but for larger decimation time lags, due to topological mode degeneracy, non-Markovian behavior emerges, in agreement with previous experimental studies

Correlation Between The Ibopamine Provocative Test And The Diurnal Tension Curve In Glaucoma Patients

Purpose: To correlate the ibopamine provocative test with the diurnal tension curve (highest intraocular pressure-IOP and range) in glaucoma. Methods: This is a prospective case series including glaucoma patients from the Federal University of Goiás, Glaucoma Service. Two 2% ibopamine eyedrops were instilled into one or both eyes of each patient, 5 minutes apart. Intraocular pressure was checked before and 30 and 45 minutes after the second ibopamine instillation. Thereafter, the diurnal tension curve of each patient was assessed with five independent measurements (atevery 2:30 hours), from 8:00 o'clock AM to 6:00 o'clock PM. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to test the linear relation between the intraocular pressure after the ibopamine instillation with the highest intraocular pressure value and the intraocular pressure range in the diurnal curve. Results: Thirty-one eyes from 22 patients were included. There was a significant correlation between the intraocular pressure 30 and 45 minutes after ibopamine instillation and the highest intraocular pressure assessed in the diurnal curve (r=0.356, p=0.04 and r=0.429, p=0.01, respectively). However, no correlation between IOP after the use of ibopamine and the diurnal intraocular pressure range at 30 (r=0.046, p=0.8) and 45 minutes (r=0.109, p=0.5) was observed. Conclusion: The ibopamine provocative test shows a significant corellation with the highest intraocular pressure in the diurnal tension curve in glaucoma patients. However, no correlation was observed with the intraocular pressure range.694477480Armaly, M.F., Water-drinking test. I. Characteristics of the ocular pressure response and the effect of age (1970) Arch Ophthalmol, 83 (2), pp. 169-175Winder, A.F., Siddiqui, A.A., Donovan, H.C., Ocular hypertension and systemic responses to the water-drinking test (1978) Br J Ophthalmol, 62 (6), pp. 414-419Spaeth, G.L., Effects of topical dexamethasone on intraocular pressure and the water drinking test (1966) Arch Ophthalmol, 76 (6), pp. 772-783Harris, L.S., Galin, M.A., Cycloplegic provocative testing (1969) Arch Ophthalmol, 81 (3), pp. 356-358Marchini, G., Babighian, S., Tosi, R., Perfetti, S., Bonomi, L., Comparative study of the effects of 2% ibopamine, 10% phenylephrine, and 1% tropicamide on the anterior segment (2003) Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci, 44 (1), pp. 281-289McLaren, J.W., Herman, D.C., Brubaker, R.F., Nau, C.B., Wayman, L.L., Ciarniello, M.G., Effect of ibopamine on aqueous humor production in normotensive humans (2003) Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci, 44 (11), pp. 4853-4858Virno, M., Taverniti, L., De Gregorio, F., Sedran, L., Longo, F., Increase in aqueous humor production following D1 receptors activation by means of ibopamine (1996) Int Ophthalmol, 20 (1-3), pp. 141-146Magacho, L., Lima, F.E., Costa, M.L., Fayad, F.A., Guimaraes, N.L., Avila, M.P., Ibopamine provocative test and glaucoma: Consideration of factors that may influence the examination (2004) Curr Eye Res, 28 (3), pp. 189-193De Gregorio, F., Pecori Giraldi, J., Pannarale, L., Saccucci, S., Virno, M., Ibopamine in glaucoma diagnostics: A new pharmacological provocative test (1996) Int Ophthalmol, 20 (1-3), pp. 151-155Brogliatti, B., Boles Carenini, A., Bogetto, C., Vadala, G., Grignolo, F.M., Boles Carenini, B., Ibopamine test in healthy and glaucomautous eyes: Tonometric and pupillographic study (2000) Acta Ophthalmol Scand Suppl, 78 (232), pp. 13-14Lima, F.E., Guimarães, N.L.D., Santos, L.M., Costa, L.P., Ávila, M.P., Ibopamina tópica na propedêutica do glaucoma (2002) Rev Bras Oftalmol, 61 (2), pp. 109-113Kitazawa, Y., Horie, T., Diurnal variation of intraocular pressure in primary open-angle glaucoma (1975) Am J Ophthalmol, 79 (4), pp. 557-566Sacca, S.C., Rolando, M., Marletta, A., Macri, A., Cerqueti, P., Ciurlo, G., Fluctuations of intraocular pressure during the day in open-angle glaucoma, normal-tension glaucoma and normal subjects (1998) Ophthalmologica, 212 (2), pp. 115-119David, R., Zangwill, L., Briscoe, D., Dagan, M., Yagev, R., Yassur, Y., Diurnal intraocular pressure variations: An analysis of 690 diurnal curves (1992) Br J Ophthalmol, 76 (5), pp. 280-283Zeimer, R.C., Wilensky, J.T., Gieser, D.K., Viana, M.A., Association between intraocular pressure peaks and progression of visual field loss (1991) Ophthalmology, 98 (1), pp. 64-69. , Comment in: Ophthalmology. 1991;98(9):1323Asrani, S., Zeimer, R., Wilensky, J., Gieser, D., Vitale, S., Lindenmuth, K., Large diurnal fluctuations in intraocular pressure are an independent risk factor in patients with glaucoma (2000) J Glaucoma, 9 (2), pp. 134-142. , Comment in: J Glaucoma. 2000;9(6):487-8Anderson, D.R., Patella, V.M., (1999) Automated Static Perimetry, , 2nd ed. St. Louis, Missouri: Year Book MosbyThe relationship between control of intraocular pressure and visual field deterioration (2000) Am J Ophthalmol, 130 (4), pp. 429-440. , The AGIS Investigators. The Advanced Glaucoma Intervention Study (AGIS): 7. Comment in: Am J Ophthalmol. 2000;130(4):490-1Armaly, M.F., The visual field defect and ocular pressure level in open angle glaucoma (1969) Invest Ophthalmol, 8 (1), pp. 105-124The effectiveness of intraocular pressure reduction in the treatment of normal-tension glaucoma (1998) Am J Ophthalmol, 126 (4), pp. 498-505. , Collaborative Normal-Tension Glaucoma Study Group. Comment in: Am J Ophthalmol. 1998;126 (4):578-81Am J Ophthalmol. 1999;128(6):776-7Am J Ophthalmol. 1999;127 (5):623-5Am J Ophthalmol. 1999;127(5):625-6Ziai, N., Dolan, J.W., Kacere, R.D., Brubaker, R.F., The effects on aqueous dynamics of PhXA41, a new prostaglandin F2 alpha analogue, after topical application in normal and ocular hypertensive human eyes (1993) Arch Ophthalmol, 111 (10), pp. 1351-135

Management of Hypertension in Chronic Kidney Disease

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an increasingly prevalent condition globally and is strongly associated with incident cardiovascular disease (CVD). Hypertension is both a cause and effect of CKD and affects the vast majority of CKD patients. Control of hypertension is important in those with CKD as it leads to slowing of disease progression as well as reduced CVD risk. Existing guidelines do not offer a consensus on optimal blood pressure (BP) targets. Therefore, an understanding of the evidence used to create these guidelines is vital when considering how best to manage individual patients. Non-pharmacological interventions are useful in reducing BP in CKD but are rarely sufficient to control BP adequately. Patients with CKD and hypertension will often require a combination of antihypertensive medications to achieve target BP. Certain pharmacological therapies provide additional BP-independent renoprotective and/or cardioprotective action and this must be considered when instituting therapy. Managing hypertension in the context of haemodialysis and following kidney transplantation presents further challenges. Novel therapies may enhance treatment in the near future. Importantly, a personalised and evidence-based management plan remains key to achieving BP targets, reducing CVD risk and slowing progression of CKD.</p

Sectoral capabilities and productive structure: An input-output analysis of the key sectors of the Brazilian economy

ABSTRACT: The complex relationship between production structure and economic growth has been the subject of considerable debate among Brazilian economists. This debate became especially relevant after the 2000s, when Brazil experienced a period of growth from the rise of commodity exports, which contrasted with the stagnation observed in the previous two decades. To analyse the capacity of commodity exports to generate long-term economic growth, this paper assesses this sector's performance and its effects on related sectors in the upstream supply chain through input-output tables. These analyses lead to two main conclusions. First, expansion of agricultural and mineral commodities production exhibited little capacity to boost the economy because they have the lowest linkage indices. Second, the analysis of the Brazilian production structure demonstrated that sectors related to manufacturing can stimulate other sectors, such as sophisticated services, because of their high linkage effects on other sectors. This study also demonstrates that a development strategy should take benefit of comparative advantages in order to reach a structural change oriented toward expanding manufacturing

Improvement In Glaucomatous Visual Field Thresholds After Reduction Of Intraocular Pressure: Clinical Vs. Surgical Treatment [melhora Dos Limiares De Sensibilidade Do Campo Visual Após Redução Da Pressão Intra-ocular Em Pacientes Com Glaucoma: Tratamento Cirúrgico Vs. Clínico]

Purpose: To verify the influence of modality of treatment in regions of the glaucomatous visual field after reduction of intraocular pressure (IOP). Methods: Glaucoma patients that had undergone a reduction of IOP of at least 20% in a period of 2 months were retrospectively selected and divided into 2 groups: 1) after trabeculectomy; 2) after clinical treatment. Visual field global indices and thresholds (average, divided according to the severity based on the Pattern Deviation plot) were compared before and after IOP reduction. Results: Thirty-one eyes of 22 patients were selected (15 in group 1, and 16 in group 2). Both groups showed good ability regarding improvement of different regions of the visual field after IOP reduction. Only the percentage of reduction of IOP (52.3±18.9% and 37.8±15.2% for groups 1 and 2, respectively, p=0.02) and the percentage of improvement in the points damaged at p<0.5% (186.0±213.3% and 30.1±35.2% for groups 1 and 2, respectively, p=0.02) were different, but not statistically significant after alpha error correction between groups. Conclusion: The reduction of IOP above 20% may be associated with improvement in regions of the glaucomatous visual field, regardless of treatment modality.6915155Sommer, A., Tielsch, J.M., Katz, J., Quigley, H.A., Gottsch, J.D., Javitt, J., Singh, K., Relationship between intraocular pressure and primary open angle glaucoma among white and black Americans. The Baltimore Eye Survey (1991) Arch Ophthalmol, 109 (8), pp. 1090-1095The relationship between control of intraocular pressure and visual field deterioration (2000) Am J Ophthalmol, 130 (4), pp. 429-440. , The Advanced Glaucoma Intervention Study (AGIS): 7. The AGIS InvestigatorsThe effectiveness of intraocular pressure reduction in the treatment of normal-tension glaucoma (1998) Am J Ophthalmol, 126 (4), pp. 498-505. , Collaborative Normal-Tension Glaucoma Study GroupYamada, N., Tomita, G., Yamamoto, T., Kitazawa, Y., Changes in the nerve fiber layer thickness following a reduction of intraocular pressure after trabeculectomy (2000) J Glaucoma, 9 (5), pp. 371-375Sogano, S., Tomita, G., Kitazawa, Y., Changes in refinal nerve fiber layer thickness after reduction of intraocular pressure in chronic open-angle glaucoma (1993) Ophthalmology, 100 (8), pp. 1253-1258Lesk, M.R., Spaeth, G.L., Azuara-Blanco, A., Araujo, S.V., Katz, L.J., Terebuh, A.K., Reversal of optic disc cupping after glaucoma surgery analyzed with a scanning laser tomograph (1999) Ophthalmology, 106 (5), pp. 1013-1018Pederson, J.E., Herschler, J., Reversal of glaucomatous cupping in adults (1982) Arch Ophthalmol, 100 (3), pp. 426-431Katz, L.J., Spaeth, G.L., Cantor, L.B., Poryzees, E.M., Steinmann, W.C., Reversible optic disk cupping and visual field improvement in adults with glaucoma (1989) Am J Ophthalmol, 107 (5), pp. 485-492Gandolfi, S.A., Improvement of visual field indices after surgical reduction of intraocular pressure (1995) Ophthalmic Surg, 26 (2), pp. 121-126Matsubara, K., Maeda, M., Tomita, G., Kitazawa, Y., The effect of the intraocular pressure reduction on glaucomatous disc changes and visual field defects (1992) Nippon Ganka Gakkai Zasshi, 96 (2), pp. 217-224. , JapaneseYildirim, E., Bilge, A.H., Ilker, S., Improvement of visual field following trabeculectomy for open angle glaucoma (1990) Eye, 4 (PART 1), pp. 103-106Vuori, M.L., Vainio-Jylha, E., Viitanen, T.T., Localized changes in glaucomatous visual fields after trabeculectomy (2001) Acta Ophthalmol Scand, 79 (5), pp. 468-471Salim, S., Paranhos, A., Lima, M., Shields, M.B., Influence of surgical reduction of intraocular pressure on regions of the visual field with different levels of sensitivity (2001) Am J Ophthalmol, 132 (4), pp. 496-500Spaeth, G.L., The effect of change in intraocular pressure on the natural history of glaucoma: Lowering intraocular pressure in glaucoma can result in improvement of visual fields (1985) Trans Ophthalmol Soc U K, 104 (PART 3), pp. 256-264Shaffer, R.N., Primary glaucomas. Gonioscopy, ophthalmoscopy and perimetry (1960) Trans Am Acad Ophthalmol Otolaryngol, 64, pp. 112-127Hodapp, E., Parrish II, R.K., Anderson, D.R., (1993) Clinical Decisions in Glaucoma, , St. Louis: Year BookAnderson, D.R., Patella, V.M., (1999) Automated Static Perimetry, , 2nd ed. St. Louis: MosbyChylack Jr., L.T., Wolfe, J.K., Singer, D.M., Leske, M.C., Bullimore, M.A., Bailey, I.L., The Lens Opacities Classification System III (1993) Arch Ophthalmol, 111 (6), pp. 831-836. , The Longitudinal Study of Cataract Study GroupCross, E.M., Chaffin, W.W., Use of the binomial theorem in interpreting results of multiple tests of significance (1982) Educat Psychol Measure, 42 (1), pp. 25-34Greenidge, K.C., Spaeth, G.L., Traverso, C.E., Change in appearance of the optic disc associated with lowering of intraocular pressure (1985) Ophthalmology, 92 (7), pp. 897-903Tsai, C.S., Shin, D.H., Wan, J.Y., Zeiter, J.H., Visual field global indices in patients with reversal of glaucomatous cupping after intraocular pressure reduction (1991) Ophthalmology, 98 (9), pp. 1412-1419Vesti, E., Johnson, C.A., Chauhan, B.C., Comparison of different methods for detecting glaucomatous visual field progression (2003) Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci, 44 (9), pp. 3873-3879Lichter, P.R., Musch, D.C., Gillespie, B.W., Guire, K.E., Janz, N.K., Wren, P.A., Mills, R.P., CIGTS Study Group. Interim clinical outcomes in the Collaborative Initial Glaucoma Treatment Study comparing initial treatment randomized to medications or surgery (2001) Ophthalmology, 108 (11), pp. 1943-1953Lindenmuth, K.A., Skuta, G.L., Rabbani, R., Musch, D.C., Effects of pupillary constriction on automated perimetry in normal eyes (1989) Ophthalmology, 96 (9), pp. 1298-130

Discrimination between normal and glaucomatous eyes with scanning laser polarimetry and optic disc topography: A preliminary report

PURPOSE. To test the ability of structural parameters (as measured by scanning laser polarimetry (SLP) software 1.0.12 and confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (CSLO) to discriminate between normal and glaucomatous eyes. METHODS. A total of 112 patients with primary open-angle glaucoma and 88 normal individuals were enrolled in the study. All individuals underwent a thorough ophthalmic evaluation, a 24-2 full threshold Humphrey visual field, SLP with the GDx, and CSLO with the TOPSS. Patients with marked cataract or low vision were excluded from the study. Cut-off points were selected and receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves were created for each individual CSLO and SLP parameter. Finally, multivariate discriminant formulas were developed in order to achieve a better sensitivity (Se)/specificity (Sp) ratio for the diagnosis of glaucoma, initially separately for each device, and then combining parameters from CSLO and SLP. RESULTS. The mean deviation for the glaucoma group was -10.63 +/- 7.58 dB. Multivariate discriminant formulas resulted in better sensitivity/specificity ratios than any individual parameter, either for CSLO (Se: 90%; Sp: 81%; accuracy: 86%) or SLP (Se: 87%; Sp: 86%; accuracy: 86%). The multivariate formula combining parameters from both devices resulted in an improvement in the ability to diagnose glaucoma. An area under the ROC curve of 0.97 was obtained, with a sensitivity of 93%, a specificity of 91%, and an accuracy of 92%. CONCLUSIONS. The combination of structural parameters derived from CSLO and SLP in a multivariate discriminant formula may enhance the ability to diagnose glaucoma. Further studies investigating a random population are needed in order to test the validity of this formula.15335335

Demand-led growth decomposition: an empirical investigation of the Brazilian slowdown in the 2010s

Abstract The empirical investigation on countries' long-term growth usually relies on growth accounting methods, which are based on a supply-led approach, where factors accumulation are the main countries' growth constraints. This approach, however, ignores the importance of effective demand in explaining the long-term dynamics. Conversely, Keynesians stress the centrality of effective demand to explain why some countries present high growth rates for prolonged periods and others do not. They account for different views on the determinants of demand growth, such as exports dynamics, income distribution and public investment. The aim of the paper is twofold. Firstly, it extends the SDA method – a method that allows us to identify sources of changes in input–output matrices – to account for endogenous consumption and import-substitution impacts, and, secondly, it applies this method to understand the Brazilian slowdown in the 2010s. Based on a Miyazawa–Leontief framework, it is possible to identify the importance of each of the demand factors in explaining countries' growth, considering both the autonomous sources of demand and their potential to spread through the economy via their multiplier effects. The application of this extension to investigate the Brazilian slowdown in the 2010s shows the importance of natural resource exports, public investment and absorption of domestic demand in different sub-periods. Based on these findings, we discuss the possibility of Brazil to restore its growth potential through specific demand stimulus, such as infrastructure investments.</jats:p