Exploration of the functional consequences of fixational eye movements in the absence of a fovea.

A recent theory posits that ocular drifts of fixational eye movements serve to reformat the visual input of natural images, so that the power of the input image is equalized across a range of spatial frequencies. This "spectral whitening" effect is postulated to improve the processing of high-spatial-frequency information and requires normal fixational eye movements. Given that people with macular disease exhibit abnormal fixational eye movements, do they also exhibit spectral whitening? To answer this question, we computed the power spectral density of movies of natural images translated in space and time according to the fixational eye movements (thus simulating the retinal input) of a group of observers with long-standing bilateral macular disease. Just as for people with normal vision, the power of the retinal input at low spatial frequencies was lower than that based on the 1/f2 relationship, demonstrating spectral whitening. However, the amount of whitening was much less for observers with macular disease when compared with age-matched controls with normal vision. A mediation analysis showed that the eccentricity of the preferred retinal locus adopted by these observers and the characteristics of ocular drifts are important factors limiting the amount of whitening. Finally, we did not find a normal aging effect on spectral whitening. Although these findings alone cannot form a causal link between macular disease and spectral properties of eye movements, they suggest novel potential means of modifying the characteristics of fixational eye movements, which may in turn improve functional vision for people with macular disease

Motion Information via the Nonfixating Eye Can Drive Optokinetic Nystagmus in Strabismus

Purpose: Strabismic patients can perceptually suppress information from one eye to avoid double vision. However, evidence from prior studies shows that some parts of the visual field of the deviated eye are not suppressed. Our goal here was to investigate whether motion information available only to the deviated eye can be utilized by the oculomotor system to drive eye movements. Methods: Binocular eye movements were acquired in two exotropic monkeys in a dichoptic viewing task in which the fixating eye viewed a stationary spot and the deviated eye viewed a 10° × 10° stationary patch that contained a drifting grating stimulus moving at 10°/s to the right or left for 20 seconds. Spatial location and contrast of the grating were systematically varied in subsequent trials. For each trial, mean slow-phase velocity of the optokinetic nystagmus (OKN) elicited by grating motion was calculated. Results: We found that OKN responses can be elicited by a motion stimulus presented to the foveal region of the deviated eye. Optokinetic nystagmus magnitude varied depending on which eye was viewing the drifting grating and correlated well with fixation preference and fixation stability (indicators of amblyopia). The magnitude of OKN increased for increased relative contrast of the motion stimulus compared to the fixation spot. Conclusions: Our results show that motion information available only to the deviated eye can drive optokinetic eye movements. We conclude that the brain has access to visual information from portions of the deviated eye (including the fovea) in strabismus that it can use to drive eye movements

A study on the differentiation and the development of floral parts in grapes (Vitis vinifera L. var.)

Investigations on differentiation and development of floral parts in Vitis vinifera were conducted in 1967 and 1968 under Ankara conditions. Materials were Hasandede, Kalecik karasi and Papaz karasi varieties, which were grafted on Chasselas X V. berlandieri 41 B M.G. rootstocks. The results obtained can be summarized as follows:The differentiation time of floral parts is different in the three varieties.Not all flowers of one inflorescence have the same stages of development.The differentiation of floral parts initiated with the calyx in cluster primordia. The calyx can be noticed at the beginning of August in Hasandede and Kalecik karasi, at the end of August or the beginning of September in Papaz karasi.The differentiation and development of the sepals (calyx), petals (corolla), stamens and pistil is in the order named. All the essential flower parts were formed within 10-15 days of the appearance of the inflorescence after budburst

Perceptions of the Dilemma – Order versus Freedom at Managing Faculty: A Literature Review

This study aims to examine the perceptions of the middle management (deans and heads of departments) and academicians on the dilemma order versus freedom at faculty management. It discusses how this dilemma is seen at an operational level and how it can be managed at university where both parties -with a managerial role or not- are academicians/academics and have professional expertise. The literature on organizational dilemmas was analyzed to answer the questions “which side of the dilemma is seen dominantly in different organization types?”, “how does examining organizational structures from different perspectives help understand educational organizations?” and “in that way how can dilemmas be managed in educational contexts especially in the academic context?” The major findings include the tendency to one side of the dilemma in different perspectives to organizational structure creates problems in the organizational management. However, balancing the order or freedom dilemma at an operational level improves effectiveness. Balancing dilemmas at faculty management is specifically difficult due to differing perceptions of academicians and the management. It needs the effective usage of other instruments in organizational life. The dynamics of organizational structures and processes in Higher Education (HE) institutions are growing attention due to the growing importance of HE institutions worldwide. Research on how effectively the operating core itself at HE institutions is managed is becoming more important in the field. This study explores the problems in the management of faculty at an operational level based on dilemmas between academicians and the middle management. Keywords: Dilemmas, Faculty management, Middle managemen

Suboptimal eye movements for seeing fine details.

Human eyes are never stable, even during attempts of maintaining gaze on a visual target. Considering transient response characteristics of retinal ganglion cells, a certain amount of motion of the eyes is required to efficiently encode information and to prevent neural adaptation. However, excessive motion of the eyes leads to insufficient exposure to the stimuli, which creates blur and reduces visual acuity. Normal miniature eye movements fall in between these extremes, but it is unclear if they are optimally tuned for seeing fine spatial details. We used a state-of-the-art retinal imaging technique with eye tracking to address this question. We sought to determine the optimal gain (stimulus/eye motion ratio) that corresponds to maximum performance in an orientation-discrimination task performed at the fovea. We found that miniature eye movements are tuned but may not be optimal for seeing fine spatial details

Efficacy, Tolerability, and Acceptability of Iron Hydroxide Polymaltose Complex versus Ferrous Sulfate: A Randomized Trial in Pediatric Patients with Iron Deficiency Anemia

Iron polymaltose complex (IPC) offers similar efficacy with superior tolerability to ferrous sulfate in adults, but randomized trials in children are rare. In a prospective, open-label, 4-month study, 103 children aged >6 months with iron deficiency anemia (IDA) were randomized to IPC once daily or ferrous sulfate twice daily, (both 5 mg iron/kg/day). Mean increases in Hb to months 1 and 4 with IPC were 1.2 ± 0.9 g/dL and 2.3 ± 1.3 g/dL, respectively, (both P = 0.001 versus baseline) and 1.8 ± 1.7 g/dL and 3.0 ± 2.3 g/dL with ferrous sulfate (both P = 0.001 versus baseline) (n.s. between groups). Gastrointestinal adverse events occurred in 26.9% and 50.9% of IPC and ferrous sulfate patients, respectively (P = 0.012). Mean acceptability score at month 4 was superior with IPC versus ferrous sulfate (1.63 ± 0.56 versus 2.14 ± 0.75, P = 0.001). Efficacy was comparable with IPC and ferrous sulfate over a four-month period in children with IDA, but IPC was associated with fewer gastrointestinal adverse events and better treatment acceptability

Brief ampelographic characterization of indigenous grapevine cultivars subjected to clonal selection in Turkey

A unique national clonal selection programme is still being conducted on 24 indigenous table (15 white, 6 black, 3 red), 16 wine (7 white, 9 red) and 4 raisin (2 white seedless, 2 white seeded) grape cultivars in 9 agricultural regions of Turkey. As the results of this programme, 127 candidate clones belonging to 13 cultivars have been selected This paper also includes a brief ampelographic description of the indigenous Turkish grape cultivars subjected to clonal selection, based mainly on fruit characteristics, growth, productivity and ripening periods in their primary locations

Neopterin and Soluble Urokinase Type Plasminogen Activator Receptor as Biomarkers in Dogs with Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome

ΔΕΝ ΔΙΑΤΙΘΕΤΑΙ ΠΕΡΙΛΗΨΗThe systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) is a common cause of mortality in dogs. This study aims to investigate the diagnostic value of markers C-reactive protein (CRP), soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) and neopterin in dogs with SIRS. The materials of the study consist of 30 dogs with SIRS and 15 healthy dogs that show no clinical symptom, 45 dogs in total. CRP, suPAR and neopterin levels of the serum samples were determined by ELISA using commercial kits. In the study, it was found that CRP, suPAR and neopterin levels of dogs with SIRS were significantly higher (P < 0.001, P < 0.01 and P < 0.01, respectively) than those in the healthy group. The cut-off values for the healthy dogs and dogs with SIRS for CRP, suPAR and neopterin were determined to be 11.20 mg/L, 223.68 ng/L and 3.23 nmol/mL, respectively. At these cut-off values, sensitivity levels were determined as high (92.90%) for CRP, moderate (63.30%) for neopterin, and low (53.30%) for suPAR, and high specificities (93.30%) were determined for all. In conclusion, it was determined that CRP showed the best performance for the detection of systemic inflammatory response in dogs and neopterin and suPAR could be used as an alternative to CRP. It was also argued that further studies were necessary in order to determine diagnosis and prognosis of diseases

Geschlechtsspezifische Unterschiede bei intensivstationären Patienten und Patientinnen mit Pneumonie in Hinblick auf die Mortalität

Hintergrund: Der Einfluss des Geschlechts auf Infektionen bei intensivstationären Patienten ist weiterhin Grund für kontroverse Diskussionen. Studien liefern sehr heterogene Ergebnisse insbesondere für die Überlebensrate bei Pneumonien. Verschiedene Autoren fanden einen Geschlechtervorteil für Frauen 1,2,3, andere für das männliche Geschlecht 4,5,6,7, wohingegen andere gar keinen Einfluss auf die Mortalität feststellen konnten 8,9. Ziel dieser Studie war es, den geschlechtsspezifischen Einfluss auf die Mortalität bei Patienten zu evaluieren, die mit einer Pneumonie auf der Intensivstation behandelt wurden. Material und Methoden: Aus einer prospektiven observationalen Studie auf 5 anästhesiologisch geführten Intensivstationen wurden Patienten mit der Diagnose einer nosokomialen oder ambulant erworbenen Pneumonie und einer Behandlungsperiode >36 Stunden auf der Intensivstation ausgewertet. Zielgröße der Studie war die intensivstationäre Mortalität. Für die Studie liegen die Voten der Ethikkommission (EA1/127/07) und des Datenschutzbeauftragten vor. Ergebnisse: Insgesamt 436 intensivstationäre Patienten konnten eingeschlossen werden, davon 166 Frauen (38.1%) und 270 Männer (61.9%). Es bestanden bei den Basischarakteristika signifikante Unterschiede beim SOFA-Score bei Aufnahme, der Immunsuppression, den kardiovaskulären Vorerkrankungen und der Inzidenz von Koinfektionen. Bei den männlichen Patienten wurden signifikant mehr gram-negative Erreger detektiert (45.6% vs. 34.9%, p=0.035). Der tägliche Einsatz von Antibiotika war in der Gruppe der Männer häufiger (p=0.028) und auch der summarisch ermittelte Wert der Kosten (in Euro) der applizierten Antiinfektiva lag in dieser Gruppe höher als bei den Frauen (p=0.003). Die Mortalität auf der Intensivstation lag bei 34 (20.5%) für Frauen und 39 (14.4%) bei Männern (p=0.113). Nach Korrektur von Störgrößen mithilfe einer logistischen Regressionsanalyse ergab sich für das weibliche Geschlecht ein erhöhtes Risiko an einer Pneumonie zu versterben mit einer OR von 1.775 (95% Konfidenzintervall 1.029-3.062, p=0.039). Fazit: Das weibliche Geschlecht ist bei intensivstationären Patienten mit Pneumonie mit einer signifikant erhöhten Mortalität assoziiert. Weder vermochten die derzeit genutzten Scoringsysteme wie der SOFA-Score bei Aufnahme dies hinreichend abzubilden, noch sind aktuelle Behandlungsregime auf geschlechtsspezifische Unterschiede hin angepasst. Es scheint, dass die individuelle medizinische Behandlung an das Geschlecht angepasst werden sollte, was über Jahrhunderte hinweg nicht berücksichtigt worden ist.Background: The influence of gender on infections on ICU is still in controversial discussion with studies providing heterogeneous results, especially for pneumonia. Some studies found an advantage for female gender 1,2,3 where as others found some for male gender 4,5,6,7. Others did not find any association of gender with mortality8,9. Aim of this study was to evaluate gender–related differences in mortality of intensive care unit (ICU) patients with pneumonia. Materials and Methods: A prospective observational clinical trial was performed at the university hospital of Berlin. Inclusion criteria were a diagnosis of pneumonia and a treatment period of >36h on ICU. Finally, 436 mainly postoperative patients were included. Data analysis included adherence to guidelines for community or nosocomial pneumonia. Results: 166 females (38.1%) and 270 males (61.9%) were included. There were significant differences in patient characteristics concerning SOFA on admission, immunosuppression, cardiovascular diseases and incidence of co-infections. In male patients significantly more gram-negative pathogens were observed (45.6% vs. 34.9%, p=0.035). Males also received more antibiotic agents per day (p=0,028) and the daily costs (in Euro) for applied anti-infective drugs were significantly higher in the group of male patients compared to the female patients group (p=0.003). Mortality on ICU was 34 (20.5%) in females and 39 (14.4%) in males (p=0.113). After correcting for differences in patient characteristics using logistic regression analysis female gender showed an increased risk for ICU mortality for patients with pneumonia with an OR of 1.775 (1.029-3.062, p=0.039). Conclusion: Female gender is associated with a higher ICU mortality in patients suffering from pneumonia. Neither scoring systems like SOFA score on admission were able to predict this nor are currently used treatment systems adapted to gender differences. It seems that individual medical treatment needs to be adapted to gender, which was not considered while hundreds of years