Correlation between reading time and characteristics of eye fixations and progressive lens design.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate reading time and characteristics of fixations at different distances when looking through different areas of progressive power lenses (PPL) with different power distributions by means of eye-tracking technology. METHOD: A wearable eye tracker system (Tobii-Pro Glasses 3) was used to record the pupil position of 28 PPL subjects when reading at near and distance vision while using 3 different PPL designs: a PPL optimized for distance vision (PPL-Distance), a PPL optimized for near vision (PPL-Near) and one of them balanced for a general use (PPL-Balance). Subjects were asked to read out loud a text displayed on a digital screen located at 5.25m and 0.37m when they were looking through the central and peripheral regions of each PPL. Reading time, total duration of fixations, and the number of fixations were analyzed for each reading condition and PPL. Statistical analysis was carried out using Statgraphics Centurion XVII.II Software. RESULTS: The analysis of eye movements at distance-reading vision showed a statistically significant lower reading time (p = 0.004) and lower total duration of fixations (p = 0.01) for PPL-Distance. At near-reading vision, PPL-Near provided statistically significant lower reading time (p<0.001), lower total duration of fixations (p = 0.02), and less fixation count(p<0.001) in comparison with PPL-Balance and PPL-Distance. CONCLUSIONS: Reading time and fixations characteristics are affected by the power distribution of a PPL. A PPL design with a wider distance region provides better distance-reading performance while a PPL with a wider near area performs better at a near-reading task. The power distribution of PPLs influences the user performance at vision-based tasks. Thus, to provide the user with the best visual experience, PPL selection must consider user needs.

Early Detection of Refractive Errors by Photorefraction at School Age.

Early detection and treatment of refractive defects during school age are essential to avoid irreversible future vision loss and potential school problems. Previously, vision screening of preschool children used methods based on subjective visual acuity; however, technologies such as photorefraction have promoted the detection of refractive errors quickly and easily. In this study, 1347 children from 10 schools in Madrid aged 4 to 12 years participated in a program of early detection of visual problems, which consisted of visual screening composed of anamnesis and photorefraction with a PlusOptix A12R. The prevalence of refractive errors was analyzed in terms of spherical equivalent, cylinder and its orientation, and potential cases of development of high myopia or amblyopia. Hyperopia predominates in the early years, but the number of myopic subjects is higher than that of hyperopic subjects from the age of ten onwards. At all ages, the predominant orientation of astigmatism was with-the-rule. On average, 80% of the myopic subjects were uncorrected. Potential high myopia increased with age, from 4 to 21% of the measured population. Potential amblyopia cases decreased across age groups, from 19 to 13.7%. There is a need to raise awareness of the importance of vision screening at school age to address vision problems.

Eye movements as a predictor of preference for progressive power lenses.

The purpose of this study is to determine if there is any correlation between the characteristics of the user's eye movements (EMs) and the preference of the user when wearing different Progressive power lenses (PPLs) distributions. An eye-tracker system with a sample rate of 120Hz and temporal resolution of 8.3ms (Tobii-X3-120) was used to register EMs of 38 PPL users when reading in a computer screen with 2 types of PPLs (PPLsoft and PPL-hard). Number of fixations, complete fixation time, fixation duration mean, saccade duration mean, saccade distance mean, and number of regressions were analyzed for 6 different regions of the computer screen. A statistically significant difference was observed between the characteristics of the user's EMs and the user's PPL subjective preference (p < 0.05*). Subjects that preferred the PPL-hard presented significantly lower complete fixation time, lower fixation duration mean and lower number of regressions than those subjects indicating a preference for the PPL-soft. Results of this study suggest that eye-tracking systems can be used as PPL design recommendation systems according to the user EMs performance.

Emociones y cuidados en el confinamiento hogareño durante la pandemia de covid-19 / Emoções e cuidados em confinamento domiciliar durante a pandemia do covid-19 / Care and emotions in home confinement during the covid-19 pandemic

RESUMEN El artículo problematiza, a través de relatos de prácticas cotidianas de cuidado, emociones que se organizan en torno a las diferentes configuraciones del cuidado infantil en el Área Metropolitana de Buenos Aires (Argentina). De esta forma, se trata de alimentar la mirada de las infancias, maternidades y paternidades urbanas en 'plural', con la meta de poder considerar el amplio repertorio de formas de disponerse, de estar y sentir que atraviesan el arco de experiencias de los arreglos familiares y el cuidado de hijos e hijas. ¿Cómo se reorganizaron los cuidados domésticos durante la pandemia? ¿Qué emociones y 'reglas del sentir' esto puso en evidencia? ¿Cómo impactaron los cambios en las fronteras del 'adentro' y el 'afuera' en las familias y en las subjetividades laborales y personales? Un primer nivel de análisis de la información empírica está estructurada por las formas de habitar (quiénes vivían con quiénes en términos de parentesco, con qué tipos de vivienda, haciendo qué uso del barrio), para presentar sobre ellas las tensiones emocionales, necesidades y estrategias que emergieron en los relatos.

RESUMO O artigo problematiza, por meio de relatos de práticas cotidianas do cuidado, as emoções que organizam-se em torno das diferentes configurações do cuidado das crianças na Área Metropolitana de Buenos Aires, (Argentina). Dessa forma, o artigo pretende contribuir a um olhar das infâncias, das maternidades e das paternidades no plural, com o objetivo de poder contemplar o amplo repertório de modos de experienciar, ser e sentir que perpassam o arco de experiências das dinâmicas familiares e do cuidado das crianças. Como os cuidados domésticos foram reorganizados durante a pandemia? Que emoções e regras do sentir isso trouxe à tona? Como as mudanças nas fronteiras do 'dentro' e 'fora' impactaram as famílias e as subjetividades pessoais e do trabalho? Um primeiro nível de análise da informação empírica é estruturado pelos modos de viver (quem conviveu com quem em termos do parentesco, em que tipo de habitação, qual uso da vizinhança), para apresentar tensões emocionais, necessidades e estratégias que surgiram nos relatos.

ABSTRACT. This article addresses the emotions around different configurations of childcare in the Metropolitan area of Buenos Aires, Argentina, based on narratives about everyday care practices. In doing so, the article aims to contribute to a pluralistic view of childhood and parenthood in order to consider the vast repertoire of dispositions, of being and feeling that are intertwined in family arrangements and childcare. How did the interviewees rearrange domestic care during the pandemic? What emotions and 'emotional norms' does that new situation reveal? How did the changes in the limits of inside and outside affect families and personal and labor subjectivities? A first level empirical data analysis is performed on the modes of inhabiting a home -who lived with whom, in which type of house, and what use they make of the resources in their neighborhood — in order to reflect upon the emotional tensions, needs and strategies that emerged from the narratives.

Dexamethasone treatment for the acute respiratory distress syndrome: a multicentre, randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: There is no proven specific pharmacological treatment for patients with the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The efficacy of corticosteroids in ARDS remains controversial. We aimed to assess the effects of dexamethasone in ARDS, which might change pulmonary and systemic inflammation and result in a decrease in duration of mechanical ventilation and mortality. METHODS: We did a multicentre, randomised controlled trial in a network of 17 intensive care units (ICUs) in teaching hospitals across Spain in patients with established moderate-to-severe ARDS (defined by a ratio of partial pressure of arterial oxygen to the fraction of inspired oxygen of 200 mm Hg or less assessed with a positive end-expiratory pressure of 10 cm H2O or more and FiO2 of 0·5 or more at 24 h after ARDS onset). Patients with brain death, terminal-stage disease, or receiving corticosteroids or immunosuppressive drugs were excluded. Eligible patients were randomly assigned based on balanced treatment assignments with a computerised randomisation allocation sequence using blocks of 10 opaque, sealed envelopes to receive immediate treatment with dexamethasone or continued routine intensive care (control group). Patients in the dexamethasone group received an intravenous dose of 20 mg once daily from day 1 to day 5, which was reduced to 10 mg once daily from day 6 to day 10. Patients in both groups were ventilated with lung-protective mechanical ventilation. Allocation concealment was maintained at all sites during the trial. Primary outcome was the number of ventilator-free days at 28 days, defined as the number of days alive and free from mechanical ventilation from day of randomisation to day 28. Secondary outcome was all-cause mortality 60 days after randomisation. All analyses were done according to the intention-to-treat principle. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01731795. FINDINGS: Between March 28, 2013, and Dec 31, 2018, we enrolled 277 patients and randomly assigned 139 patients to the dexamethasone group and 138 to the control group. The trial was stopped by the data safety monitoring board due to low enrolment rate after enrolling more than 88% (277/314) of the planned sample size. The mean number of ventilator-free days was higher in the dexamethasone group than in the control group (between-group difference 4·8 days [95% CI 2·57 to 7·03]; p<0·0001). At 60 days, 29 (21%) patients in the dexamethasone group and 50 (36%) patients in the control group had died (between-group difference -15·3% [-25·9 to -4·9]; p=0·0047). The proportion of adverse events did not differ significantly between the dexamethasone group and control group. The most common adverse events were hyperglycaemia in the ICU (105 [76%] patients in the dexamethasone group vs 97 [70%] patients in the control group), new infections in the ICU (eg, pneumonia or sepsis; 33 [24%] vs 35 [25%]), and barotrauma (14 [10%] vs 10 [7%]). INTERPRETATION: Early administration of dexamethasone could reduce duration of mechanical ventilation and overall mortality in patients with established moderate-to-severe ARDS. FUNDING: Fundación Mutua Madrileña, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, The European Regional Development's Funds, Asociación Científica Pulmón y Ventilación Mecánica.

Diseñado para bebés. Objetos y prácticas en el primer año de vida / Designed for babies. Objects and practices in the first year / Projetado para bebês. Objetos e práticas no primeiro ano de vida

En este artículo se presentan resultados de investigación sobre la vida cotidiana de bebés en la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. En el mismo se proponen como objetivos (1) rastrear el mundo de prácticas y objetos ligados a la crianza y cuidado de bebés; (2) evaluar la prevalencia del uso de objetos diseñados para bebés por oposición a la elección de objetos de uso general; (3) identificar los sentidos, razones y formas de legitimación de las prácticas y objetos utilizados y (4) analizar efectos no previstos asociados a los mismos. La información utilizada consiste en 14 entrevistas realizadas en hogares con bebés de 7 a 12 meses. Como principales resultados se destacan una presencia amplia de objetos específicos, niveles heterogéneos de adopción de los mismos, fuerte vinculación entre el éxito de los objetos diseñados y su capacidad de habilitar a los padres a realizar actividades en simultáneo al cuidado del bebé.

This article presents research results about the everyday lives of babies in the city of Buenos Aires. Its three main objectives are: (1) to map and describe the practices and objects used in child rearing and caring for babies; (2) to evaluate the pervasiveness of the use of objects designed for babies compared to general-purpose objects; (3) identify the meanings, reasons and forms of legitimization of the practices and objects used; and (4) analyze unexpected effects associated with these objects and practices. The data for the analysis consists of 14 in-depth interviews with mothers of infants aged between 7 and 12 months. The main results from the study include: the identification of a broad presence of objects specifically designed for babies; heterogeneous levels of adoption; strong links between the success of objects specifically designed for babies and their ability to allow parents to simultaneously engage in other activities while caring for their baby.

Este artigo apresenta resultados de uma pesquisa sobre a vida cotidiana de bebês na cidade de Buenos Aires. Os objetivos principais são: (1) mapear e descrever as práticas e os objetos relacionados às crianças e aos cuidados com os bebês; (2) avaliar a prevalência do uso de objetos projetados para bebês ao invés de objetos de uso geral; (3) identificar os principais fatores que estimulam e legitimam a sua utilização e (4) analisar os efeitos não previstos associados a eles. Os dados para a análise consistem em 14 entrevistas em profundidade com mães de crianças cujas idades são entre 7 e 12 meses. Como principais resultados destaca-se uma ampla existência de objetos projetados especificamente para bebês; seus níveis heterogêneos de adoção; forte associação entre o sucesso desses objetos e sua capacidade para habilitar os pais e as mães a realizarem atividades simultaneamente aos cuidados com o bebê.

In vitro surfactant and perfluorocarbon aerosol deposition in a neonatal physical model of the upper conducting airways.

OBJECTIVE: Aerosol delivery holds potential to release surfactant or perfluorocarbon (PFC) to the lungs of neonates with respiratory distress syndrome with minimal airway manipulation. Nevertheless, lung deposition in neonates tends to be very low due to extremely low lung volumes, narrow airways and high respiratory rates. In the present study, the feasibility of enhancing lung deposition by intracorporeal delivery of aerosols was investigated using a physical model of neonatal conducting airways. METHODS: The main characteristics of the surfactant and PFC aerosols produced by a nebulization system, including the distal air pressure and air flow rate, liquid flow rate and mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD), were measured at different driving pressures (4-7 bar). Then, a three-dimensional model of the upper conducting airways of a neonate was manufactured by rapid prototyping and a deposition study was conducted. RESULTS: The nebulization system produced relatively large amounts of aerosol ranging between 0.3±0.0 ml/min for surfactant at a driving pressure of 4 bar, and 2.0±0.1 ml/min for distilled water (H2Od) at 6 bar, with MMADs between 2.61±0.1 µm for PFD at 7 bar and 10.18±0.4 µm for FC-75 at 6 bar. The deposition study showed that for surfactant and H2Od aerosols, the highest percentage of the aerosolized mass (∼65%) was collected beyond the third generation of branching in the airway model. The use of this delivery system in combination with continuous positive airway pressure set at 5 cmH2O only increased total airway pressure by 1.59 cmH2O at the highest driving pressure (7 bar). CONCLUSION: This aerosol generating system has the potential to deliver relatively large amounts of surfactant and PFC beyond the third generation of branching in a neonatal airway model with minimal alteration of pre-set respiratory support.