Higher order aberrations in amblyopic children and their role in refractory amblyopia / Aberrações de alta ordem em crianças com ambliopia e seu papel na ambliopia refratária

Objective: Some studies have hypothesized that an unfavourable higher order aberrometric profile could act as an amblyogenic mechanism and may be responsible for some amblyopic cases that are refractory to conventional treatment or cases of “idiopathic” amblyopia. This study compared the aberrometric profile in amblyopic children to that of children with normal visual development and compared the aberrometric profile in corrected amblyopic eyes and refractory amblyopic eyes with that of healthy eyes. Methods: Cross-sectional study with three groups of children – the CA group (22 eyes of 11 children with unilateral corrected amblyopia), the RA group (24 eyes of 13 children with unilateral refractory amblyopia) and the C group (28 eyes of 14 children with normal visual development). Higher order aberrations were evaluated using an OPD-Scan III (NIDEK). Comparisons of the aberrometric profile were made between these groups as well as between the amblyopic and healthy eyes within the CA and RA groups. Results: Higher order aberrations with greater impact in visual quality were not significantly higher in the CA and RA groups when compared with the C group. Moreover, there were no statistically significant differences in the higher order aberrometric profile between the amblyopic and healthy eyes within the CA and RA groups. Conclusions: Contrary to lower order aberrations (e.g., myopia, hyperopia, primary astigmatism), higher order aberrations do not seem to be involved in the etiopathogenesis of amblyopia. Therefore, these are likely not the cause of most cases of refractory amblyopia. .

Objetivo: Alguns estudos levantaram a hipótese de que um perfil aberrométrico de alta ordem desfavorável poderia ser um fator ambliogênico, responsável por certos casos de ambliopia “idiopática” ou refratária ao tratamento convencional. Este trabalho tem como objetivos: 1) comparar o perfil aberrométrico de crianças amblíopes com o de crianças com desenvolvimento visual normal; 2) comparar a aberrometria de olhos amblíopes tratados com sucesso/curados e olhos amblíopes refratários ao tratamento convencional com a aberrometria de olhos saudáveis. Métodos: Estudo transversal com três grupos de crianças: grupo CA (22 olhos de 11 crianças com ambliopia unilateral curada), grupo RA (24 olhos de 13 crianças com ambliopia unilateral refratária) e grupo C (28 olhos de 14 crianças com desenvolvimento visual normal). Avaliou-se a aberrometria ocular total utilizando o OPD Scan-III (NIDEK). Comparou-se o perfil aberrométrico dos três grupos de estudo bem como dentro dos grupos CA e RA, o olho amblíope com o saudável. Resultados: As aberrações de alta ordem com maior impacto na qualidade visual não foram significativamente superiores nos grupos CA e RA, comparativamente ao grupo C. Por outro lado, não se encontraram diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre o perfil aberrométrico de alta ordem dos olhos amblíopes e dos olhos sãos dentro dos grupos CA e RA. Conclusão: Contrariamente às aberrações de baixa ordem (miopia, hipermetropia, astigmatismo primário), as de alta ordem não parecem relacionar-se com a etiopatogênese da ambliopia. É também pouco provável que estas sejam a causa da maioria dos casos de ambliopia refratária. .

Computer program for distance learning of pesticide application technology

Distance learning presents great potential for mitigating field problems on pesticide application technology. Thus, due to the lack of teaching material about pesticide spraying technology in the Portuguese language and the increasing availability of distance learning, this study developed and evaluated a computer program for distance learning about the theory of pesticide spraying technology using the tools of information technology. The modules comprising the course, named Pulverizar, were: (1) Basic concepts, (2) Factors that affect application, (3) Equipments, (4) Spraying nozzles, (5) Sprayer calibration, (6) Aerial application, (7) Chemigation, (8) Physical-chemical properties, (9) Formulations, (10) Adjuvants, (11) Water quality, and (12) Adequate use of pesticides. The program was made available to the public on July 1st, 2008, hosted at the web site www.pulverizar.iciag.ufu.br, and was simple, robust and practical on the complementation of traditional teaching for the education of professionals in Agricultural Sciences. Mastering pesticide spraying technology by people involved in agricultural production can be facilitated by the program Pulverizar, which was well accepted in its initial evaluation.

O ensino à distância apresenta grande potencial para minorar os problemas ocorridos no campo na área de tecnologia de aplicação de agroquímicos. Dessa forma, diante da escassez de material instrucional na área de tecnologia de aplicação de agroquímicos em Português e do crescimento elevado da educação à distância, o objetivo deste trabalho foi desenvolver e avaliar um programa computacional para o ensino à distância da parte teórica de tecnologia de aplicação de agroquímicos, utilizando as ferramentas de tecnologia da informação. Os módulos que compuseram o curso, intitulado Pulverizar, foram: (1) Conceitos básicos, (2) Fatores que afetam a aplicação, (3) Equipamentos, (4) Pontas de pulverização, (5) Calibração de pulverizadores, (6) Aplicação aérea, (7) Quimigação, (8) Propriedades físico-químicas, (9) Formulações, (10) Adjuvantes, (11) Qualidade da água e (12) Uso adequado de agroquímicos. O programa desenvolvido foi disponibilizado ao público no dia 1 de julho de 2008, hospedado no sítio www.pulverizar.iciag.ufu.br, mostrando-se simples, robusto e prático no complemento ao ensino tradicional para a formação de profissionais da área de Ciências Agrárias. O domínio da tecnologia de aplicação de agroquímicos por parte das pessoas envolvidas na produção agrícola pode ser incrementado por meio do programa Pulverizar, que teve boa aceitação em seu processo de avaliação inicial.

Estimated costs of treatment of benign prostate hyperplasia in Brazil

INTRODUCTION: The treatment of benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) presents 2 options: medical or surgical, and there are doubts about what is the best treatment since 80 percent of patients who undergo surgery become asymptomatic and 10 to 40 percent of those under medical regimen undergo surgery within a 5 years period. It is difficult to assess the actual costs of treating BPH in Brazil due to several factors, among them regional particularities and the scarcity of current statistical data. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Recently, in the Ribeirão Preto area, São Paulo, Brazil, the IPSS (International Prostatic Symptoms Score) and quality of life were verified in 934 volunteers. It was determined the percentage of individuals with ages ranging from 40 to 79 years with moderate symptoms (score 8-19) and with severe symptoms (score 20-35), values for which are indicated medical and surgical treatment, respectively, according to the Brazilian Society of Urology consensus on BPH. Data on Brazilian population in that age range were obtained from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics referent to the year of 2000. It was determined the number of patients, according to the criteria above, subjected to either one of the treatments mentioned. Surgical costs of prostate transurethral resection were researched according to Unified Health System - SUS tables (US$ 173) and of Brazilian Medical Society - AMB with a mean cost in 3 hospitals of US$ 933. Drug costs were calculated by the annual mean price (US$ 355) of 4 alpha-blockers (tamsulosin, alfuzosin, doxazosin and terazosin). RESULTS: The estimated population for medical treatment was 5,397,321 individuals, with a cost corresponding to US$ 1,916,489,055.00. The estimated population for surgical treatment was 2,040,299 men, what would represent a cost of US$ 353,291,204.00 based on the SUS table and of US$ 1,904,279,066.00 based on AMB with hospital expenses included. CONCLUSION: All theses facts induce us to predict that the treatment of BPH in a not-so-far future can become a public health problem for Brazilian society, since the current estimate would be, approximately, costs around 2.26 - 3.83 billion dollars, added by the yearly increase in the risk population (24.99 percent) for the group under medical treatment and over the non-operated amount of the surgical group.