Multifocal electroretinogram in children on atropine treatment for myopia.

AIM: To assess retinal function by multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG) in children on atropine eye drops for the treatment of myopia. METHODS: mfERGs were recorded in children receiving atropine eye drops (n = 48) once daily for 2 years and in those receiving placebo eye drops (n = 57) for a similar time. All recordings were performed between the second and third month of cessation of atropine/placebo treatment by a masked investigator. The amplitude and implicit time of the first order kernel (k1) and first slice of the second order kernel (k21) of mfERG responses were used to study the outer and inner retinal function, respectively. RESULTS: There was no significant reduction in k1 response amplitudes of the atropine group compared to that of the placebo group (N1, p = 0.181; P1, p = 0.150). No significant difference in the k1 response implicit times between the groups was found (N1, p = 0.767; P1, p = 0.849). The differences in the k21 amplitudes and implicit times between the groups were not statistically significant (k21 amplitude, p = 0.058; k21 implicit time, p = 0.156). CONCLUSIONS: Daily atropine usage over 2 years for the treatment of myopia has no significant effect on retinal function as demonstrated by recordings of mfERG.

Nonlinear Gaussian expansions of stochastic processes: super-Gaussian effects in coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy.

We propose a new approach to the analysis of stochastic processes (such as fluctuating laser fields) with super-Gaussian statistics: the expansion of stochastic processes in terms of first and higher powers of Gaussian components, which are used like a basis set. This approach is applied to treat the super-Gaussian correlation effects observed in coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering experiments using frequency-doubled pump laser fields. Our results give much better agreement with experimental data than previous theories do.

Meeting psychosocial and developmental needs of children during prolonged intensive care unit hospitalization.

In order to optimize psychosocial and cognitive development and family function of chronically ill patients who are acutely stable in a pediatric intensive care unit, the philosophy of care was changed. Psychosocial development was enhanced by practices that develop trust in caregivers, including change in visiting policies and consistency in caregivers. Cognitive development was enhanced by increasing interaction with the environment outside of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit bed. Family function was maintained by communication and family participation.

A comparison of pneumogram recordings in infants in the hospital and at home.

It is not known how environment affects the ventilatory pattern of infants during sleep. Pneumogram recordings of ventilatory pattern and electrocardiograms are performed both in the hospital and at home. However, it is not known if the data obtained in these two settings are comparable. Therefore, 12-hour overnight PNGs were recorded in the hospital and at home within 10 days on 64 infants in three diagnostic categories: apnea of infancy, apnea of prematurity, and siblings of victims of sudden infant death syndrome. Pneumograms were quantitated for total sleep time (TST in minutes), longest apnea (in seconds), periodic breathing, and the total duration of apneas lasting 6 seconds or longer. TST was longer at home for the total group (p less than 0.001) and for the apnea of infancy group (p less than 0.005). No other differences were found between hospital and home recordings for any parameter. There was no difference in the number of abnormal pneumograms recorded in the hospital and at home. Therefore, hospital and home pneumogram recordings are equally sensitive and accurate.