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In this study, effects of smoking on colour vision with the Farnsworth–Munsell 100 Hue test (FM100h) and achromatic (A), red-green (RG), and blue-yellow (BY) contrast sensitivity functions were evaluated. In total, 50 non-smoker controls and 25 smokers, divided into two groups (group 1, less than 10 cigarettes per day, with 15 patients, and group 2, >10 cigarettes per day, with 10 patients) took part in the experiments. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), FM100h, and A, RG, and BY contrast sensitivity functions were measured. Total and partial RG and BY error scores (TES and PTES) and colour axis index (CA) were used in the analysis. No differences between smoker and non-smoker groups were found in BCVA, CA and A and BY contrast sensitivity, but TES and PTES values and RG contrast sensitivity at 1 cpd were statistically different. Differences between smoker groups were not significant. Error scores in smokers were positively correlated with the number of cigarettes smoked per day, and in BY also with age. Tobacco caused discrimination losses in both chromatic mechanisms but affected the red-green pathway more than the blue-yellow, and therefore, a partial RG score of FM100h test seems to be a good predictor of smoker colour deficiencies.

Este artículo se encuentra disponible en la siguiente URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/10/19/4490 Este artículo de investigación pertenece a la sección "Ophthalmology". We have assessed the spectral transmittance of the different layers of the human cornea in the ultraviolet (UV), visible, and near-infrared (IR) spectral ranges. Seventy-four corneal sample donors were included in the study. Firstly, the corneal transmittance was measured using a spectrophotometer. Then, all samples were fixed for histopathological analysis, which allowed us to measure the thickness of each corneal layer. Finally, the absorption coefficients of the corneal layers were computed by a linear model reproducing total transmittance. The results show that corneal transmission was almost in unity at the visible and IR ranges but not at the UV range, in which the layer with higher transmission is Descemet’s membrane, whereas the stroma showed the lowest transmittance. Regarding the absorption coefficient, the most absorptive tissue was Bowman’s layer, followed by the endothelium. Variations on transmittance due to changes in the stroma, Bowman’s layer, or Descemet layer were simulated, and important transmission increases were found due to stroma and Bowman changes. To conclude, we have developed a method to measure the transmittance and thickness for each corneal layer. All corneal layers absorb UV light to a greater or lesser extent. The absorption coefficient is higher for Bowman’s layer, while the stroma is the layer with the lowest transmittance due to its thickness. Variations in stroma thickness or changes in the corneal tissue of Bowman’s layer or the endothelium layer due to some pathologies or surgeries could affect, to a greater or lesser degree, the total transmission of the cornea. Thus, obtaining accurate absorption coefficients for different layers would help us to predict and compensate these changes.

Radiales del Mediterráneo, RADMED-TRES, SI

SIGNIFICANCE We have analyzed the ultraviolet transmittance of some commercial intraocular lenses (IOLs). The results show differences of wavelength cutoff among them. PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to measure and compare the ultraviolet light transmittance of different IOLs made out of acrylic hydrophobic, hydrophilic, and hydrophilic with hydrophobic surface materials from different manufacturers. METHODS The spectral transmission curves of eight monofocal IOLs with the same dioptric power of +20.0 diopters were measured using a PerkinElmer Lambda 35 ultraviolet/visible spectrometer. Two IOLs of each type were tested three times. The ultraviolet cutoff wavelength at 10% transmission and the mean values were calculated. RESULTS All lenses prevented transmission of ultraviolet C (200 to 280 nm) and B radiation (280 to 315 nm). However, not all IOLs provided the same filtering properties in ultraviolet A (315 to 380 nm). Within the ultraviolet A range, the ultraviolet radiation cutoff wavelength of 10% ranges from approximately 360 to 400 nm. HOYA iSert 250 provided a cutoff wavelength of 398.4 nm; AcrySof SA60AT, 396.2 nm; AcrySof SA60WF, 395.7 nm; CT Asphina 404, 378.34 nm; Tecnis ZCB00, 377.70 nm; CT Lucia 607P, 379 nm; C-Flex 570C, 377 nm; and enVista MX60, 360 nm. CONCLUSIONS Intraocular lenses of different materials and manufacturers have different ultraviolet transmission characteristics. AcrySof (SA60AT and SA60WF) and HOYA iSert 250 provided the highest ultraviolet radiation transmission; the cutoff wavelength of 10% is close to 400 nm. In contrast, enVista IOL showed the lowest ultraviolet radiation cutoff.

Available evidence assessing the impact of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) following gastrectomy is limited.To evaluate the prevalence of SIBO after gastrectomy and its association with malnutrition. To describe the antibiotic treatment required to correct it and if nutritional status improves.A prospective cohort study was performed at the Agencia Sanitaria Costa del Sol (Costa del Sol Health Agency) from 2012 to 2015. A hydrogen-methane breath test with oral glucose overload was performed. Demographic variables and nutritional parameters were collected at baseline and one month after effective treatment of SIBO. The antibiotic regimens and the number of treatment lines used were assessed.Sixty gastrectomy patients were analysed, 58.3% of which were male. A sub-analysis of the curve was performed at 45min to minimise possible false positives, and SIBO was identified in 61.6% of cases. SIBO patients tended to have a lower BMI, although this trend was not statistically significant. After treatment with rifaximin, 94.6% of patients were still positive for SIBO, which fell to 85.7% after metronidazole. The rate of total antibiotic treatment failure was 67.6%. No statistically significant changes were found in nutritional parameters after treatment.SIBO was identified in 61.6% of patients after gastrectomy. No correlation was found with any malnutrition parameter. Rifaximin and metronidazole were found to be largely ineffective in eradicating SIBO. When treatment was effective, the impact on malnutrition was negligible and may have been associated with other factors.

SIGNIFICANCE: Apple devices could be suitable for vision tests, provided that the test has been correctly adapted to the device, after considering the spatial and colorimetric characterization of the screen. PURPOSE: The majority of vision applications has not been developed by vision or colorimetry experts and suffers from conceptual and design errors that may lead average users to an erroneous assessment of their visual capabilities. The reliability of vision tests depends on the accurate generation of the necessary visual stimuli in a particular device. Our aim was to ascertain whether a given color test, designed for a colorimetrically characterized device, might be used in another similar device. METHODS: We evaluated color reproduction errors in three iPad tablets of different models with Retina screens, using their individual color characterization models and the model derived for another device. RESULTS: Our results showed, even with this small sample, the high degree of error caused when disregarding the fact that the colorimetric design valid for a given device may not be correct when displayed in another. CONCLUSIONS: The distortion of the chromatic content may lead to subjects with vision defects to pass as normal or vice versa, compromising diagnosis reliability.

Hematocrit control below 45% is associated with a lower rate of thrombosis in polycythemia vera. In patients receiving hydroxyurea, this target can be achieved with hydroxyurea alone or with the combination of hydroxyurea plus phlebotomies. However, the clinical implications of phlebotomy requirement under hydroxyurea therapy are unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the need for additional phlebotomies during the first five years of hydroxyurea therapy in 533 patients with polycythemia vera. Patients requiring 3 or more phlebotomies per year (n=85, 16%) showed a worse hematocrit control than those requiring 2 or less phlebotomies per year (n=448, 84%). There were no significant differences between the two study groups regarding leukocyte and platelet counts. Patients requiring 3 or more phlebotomies per year received significantly higher doses of hydroxyurea than the remaining patients. A significant higher rate of thrombosis was found in patients treated with hydroxyurea plus 3 or more phlebotomies per year compared to hydroxyurea with 0-2 phlebotomies per year (20.5% vs. 5.3% at 3 years; P

The analysis of farmers’ decision making process in the framework of agricultural policy is particularly complex as they take action within a structure of interacting opportunities, preferences, benefits and social factors which ultimately account for their behavior. This paper will study viticulturists’ behaviour vis-à-vis this scenario. Their decisions in the face of different possible alternatives are analysed using a multinomial logit model and a sample of 74,502 plots in Castilla-La Mancha (Spain). The conclusion is that viticulturists from this region are more prone to maintaining the status quo in their plots due to the current public support security issues, uncertain scenarios and their natural risk aversion.

The juvenile-to-adult transition is a complex and poorly understood process in plant development required to reach reproductive competence. For woody plants, knowledge of this transition is even scantier and no genes have been definitively identified as involved in this transition. To search for genes involved in the juvenile-to-adult transition in olive, we constructed juvenile and adult subtractive cDNA gene libraries and identified genes that were differentially expressed in the juvenile and adult phases. In the analysis of theses libraries, we found 13 differentially expressed genes. One of these genes designated as juvenile to adult transition (JAT) was of special interest because it was highly expressed at the mRNA level in the early developmental phases but repressed in the adult phase. The analysis of mutant trees altered in the juvenile-to-adult transition, as well as a segregating progeny of 31 trees from a “Picual” x “Jabaluna” cross, support the contention that its activity might be required for a non-delayed transition. The study of an Arabidopsis thaliana JAT mutant strain confirmed this hypothesis as it showed a delayed flowering phenotype. JAT is expressed in different parts of the plant, showing an unexpectedly high level of mRNA in the roots. However, the JAT expression level is not determined by the distance to the roots, but rather depends on the developmental stage of the branch meristems. JAT is a widely represented gene in plants that appears to be involved in the control of the juvenile-to-adult transition in olive.

Objective. To analyze the photoprotection and phototransmission that various intraocular lenses (10Ls) provide under the illumination of a xenon (Xe) lamp and white LEDs (light emitting diode). Methods. The spectral transmission curves of six representative 10Ls were measured using a Perkin-Elmer Lambda 35 UV/VIS spectrometer. Various filtering simulations were performed using a Xe lamp and white LEDs. The spectral emissions of these lamps were measured with an ILT-950 spectroradiometer. Results. The 10Ls analyzed primarily show transmission of nearly 100% in the visible spectrum. In the ultraviolet (UV) region, the filters incorporated in the various 10Ls did not filter equally, and some of them let an appreciable amount of UV through. The Xe lamp presented a strong emission of ultraviolet A (UVA), and its emission under 300 nm was not negligible. The white LED did not present an appreciable emission under 380 nm. Conclusions. The cut-off wavelength of most filters is between 380 and 400 nm (Physiol Hydriol60C, IOLTECH Alcon SA6OAT, Alcon IQ SN6OWFI'), so that their UV protection is very effective. Nonetheless, the IOL OPHTEC Oculaicr contains a filter that, when a Xe lamp is used, lets through up to 20% for 350 nm and up to 15% for 300 nm, which at this point is ultraviolet B (UVB). The OPHTEC Artisan IOL has a transmission peak below 300 nm, which must be taken into account under Xe illumination. White LEDs do not emit energy below 380 nm, so no special protection is required in the UV region. (C) 0 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

The RPB1 mutants in the foot region of RNA polymerase II affect the assembly of the complex by altering the correct association of both the Rpb6 and the Rpb4/7 dimer. Assembly defects alter both transcriptional activity as well as the amount of enzyme associated with genes. Here, we show that the global transcriptional analysis of foot mutants reveals the activation of an environmental stress response (ESR), which occurs at a permissive temperature under optimal growth conditions. Our data indicate that the ESR that occurs in foot mutants depends mostly on a global post-transcriptional regulation mechanism which, in turn, depends on Rpb4-mRNA imprinting. Under optimal growth conditions, we propose that Rpb4 serves as a key to globally modulate mRNA stability as well as to coordinate transcription and decay. Overall, our results imply that post-transcriptional regulation plays a major role in controlling the ESR at both the transcription and mRNA decay levels.

In woody plants, the juvenile-to-adult transition occurs when the apical and lateral branches reach a sufficient distance from the roots. In olive trees, there is a minimum distance required between the root and the meristem for flowering to occur. However, the way in which the roots may influence the apical meristem to develop juvenile or adult branches is still unknown; despite that, it is of great relevance for breeders. In addition, as in most fruit trees, olive cultivars are propagated by cuttings, while genetic breeding is performed by seedlings. The roots of both types of plants, cuttings, and seedlings, originate from different tissues, giving rise to differences between the two types of roots. For these reasons, we have studied the gene expression differences between the two types of roots in olive plants by microarray hybridization and found 253 genes differentially expressed, 126 over-expressed in roots of adult cuttings, and 127 in roots of juvenile seedlings. The genes over-expressed in cutting roots showed a similar distribution of genes in metabolic and biosynthetic processes, but juvenile seedling roots showed 20 % of over-expressed genes associated with lipid biosynthesis and metabolism processes, while these processes were absent in the over-expressed genes of adult cutting roots and in general, seedling over-expressed root genes are more diverse and evenly distributed than in cutting roots. In addition, eight root-specific genes have been identified.

In this paper we describe a new method for measuring the intraocular lens (IOL) power using a focimeter, a negative ophthalmic lens and a saline solution (0.9% NaCl). To test this we measured the power of 58 different IOLs and we compared them with the power stated by the manufacturer. Despite the limitations, the results show a good correlation.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of pupil size on image quality of a sectorial multifocal intraocular lens (IOL), the Lentis Mplus (Oculentis GmbH, Berlin, Germany), and the Acri.LISA IOL (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Jena, Germany). METHODS: The authors measured the MTFs of the Lentis Mplus LS-312 IOL and the Acri.LISA 366D IOL with three different sizes of pupil diameters: 3, 4, and 5 mm. The MTF was calculated from the cross-line spread function recorded with the OPAL Vector System (Image Science Ltd., Oxford, UK) by using fast Fourier-transform techniques. RESULTS: In distance focus, the image quality provided by the Lentis Mplus IOL was better than that of the Acri. LISA IOL with all pupil diameters. In near focus, the MTF of the Acri.LISA IOL was better with a 3-mm pupil, but poor with larger pupils. The aberration effect was equal in both IOLs in distance focus, but in near focus and with a 3-mm pupil, the Acri.LISA IOL was less affected by the aberration than the Lentis Mplus IOL. CONCLUSION: The Lentis Mplus IOL provides better distance image quality than the Acri.LISA IOL, whereas the near image quality of the Acri.LISA IOL is better with small-pupil diameter. The sectorial design makes this IOL more suitable for patients with a pupil diameter greater than 3 mm. [ J Refract Surg . 2015;31(4):230–235.]

Plant development is a complex process scarcely studied in woody plants. For a study of the genetic control of the juvenile-to-adult transition in Olea europaea L. and for a determination of the timing of the genetic changes, five seedlings were studied by transcriptomic analysis during the developmental process. Microarray analysis over 33 months of growth showed a general trend toward gene repression. There were 1,034 unigenes at a fourfold change, which decreased over time, and 381 that were induced. The expression profile of putative homologs to Arabidopsis thaliana transition genes as squamosa promoter binding protein-like, short vegetative phase or APETALA 2-like transcription-factor families, and the microarray analysis showed two main patterns of changes over development. Thus, at eightfold change, 49 unigenes were repressed and five induced in a quite constant slope over time, while another group underwent notable changes near a genetic transition point. In fact, 22 unigenes of the latter group had sharp repression and seven a strong induction close to the transition time between 9 and 15 months. Notably, a seedling deficiency in the juvenile-to-adult transition failed to induce the genes that are usually upregulated in the transition of normal seedlings. The genetic changes that control the juvenile-to-adult transition appear to occur when the juvenile olive tree reaches around 45 nodes in size. Finally, at least some of the main components of the Arabidopsis pathway for the genetic control of the development phase transitions were found in olive.

Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVAL) samples partially functionalized with 4-nitrophenyl carbonate groups were obtained by reaction of PVAL with 4-nitrophenyl chloroformate using pyridine as a catalyst. 2-Amino-2-deoxy-D-glucose (glucosamine) was virtually quantitatively bound to PVAL activated with 4-nitrophenyl carbonate groups. Glucosamine-carrying PVAL (PVAL-G) and Concanavalin A (Con A) in phosphate buffer (pH 7,2) at room temperature were proven to interact with each other.

Tese de mestrado, Psicologia (Secção de Psicologia dos Recursos Humanos, do Trabalho e das Organizações), Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Psicologia, 2013 Submitted by Jorge Revez (jrevez@fpie.ul.pt) on 2013-11-11T17:23:52Z No. of bitstreams: 1 ulfpie044678_tm.pdf: 533113 bytes, checksum: 7c53f990ad033fb03a181fc8316c0be8 (MD5) Made available in DSpace on 2013-11-11T17:23:58Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 ulfpie044678_tm.pdf: 533113 bytes, checksum: 7c53f990ad033fb03a181fc8316c0be8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013

Purpose An increase in lens thickness is often described as a linear function of age. However, contradictory opinions exist about whether the lens thickness continues to increase after 50 years of age. Differences in slope exist between this increase in younger and older people, but these findings are inconsistent with the linear behavior of an increase in the lens thickness throughout life. We investigated among different functions, including slope variation, which would be the best to show the relation between lens thickness and age. An available model portraying lens growth could be advantageous in many practical applications. The possibility of differences between sexes in lens thickness growth is also analyzed. Methods We evaluated 102 eyes of patients aged between 15 and 84 years: 41 men, 61 women. The biometric measurements were performed with the aid of the OcuScan® (Alcon, USA). Results Both logarithmic and potential functions provide a good fit for the data (R2 = 0.905 and 0.906, respectively). The results do not show significant differences between men and women in any age range, nor when the data of the whole sample are considered (p = 0.29). Conclusions The best fits for the data are both logarithmic and double logarithmic functions. According to this model, lens growth continues throughout life, but after 50 years, age-related thickness variations are lower than statistical variability. No differences were found between the sexes.

The Mediterranean basin holds the greatest area of horticultural crops grown under plastic in the world. Spain houses almost 50,000 ha of greenhouses and is one of the largest suppliers of European Union markets. Soilless cropping systems constitute an efficient production practice used in greenhouses and lessen the limitations arising from the ban of methyl bromide. Soilless cultivation is associated with the use of expensive technology, which makes farmers consider such adoption carefully. The aim of this work is to statistically identify the factors that significantly influence the timing of adopting soilless cultivation by using duration analysis. The study focuses on Mediterranean greenhouses, specifically horticultural producers in the southeast of Spain. The results suggest that certain individual characteristics as well as aspects of a social nature exert a favorable influence by reducing the delay in adopting soilless cultivation. Furthermore, technical complexity, commercial aspects related to price, and the repercussion of policies regulating methyl bromide use are also discussed in this work.