The ChromaTest, a digital color contrast sensitivity analyzer, for diabetic maculopathy: a pilot study

BACKGROUND: To assess the ability of the Chromatest in investigating diabetic maculopathy. METHOD: Patients with Type 2 diabetes and no concurrent ocular pathology or previous laser photocoagulation were recruited. Visual acuities were assessed followed by colour contrast sensitivity testing of each eye using Chromatest. Dilated fundoscopy with slit lamp biomicroscopy with 78 D lens was then performed to confirm the stage of diabetic retinopathy according to the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study. RESULTS: 150 eyes in 150 patients were recruited into this study. 35 eyes with no previous laser photocoagulation were shown to have clinically significant macular oedema (CSMO) and 115 eyes with untreated non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) on fundus biomicroscopy. Statistical significant difference was found between CSMO and NPDR eyes for protan colour contrast threshold (p = 0.01). Statistical significance was found between CSMO and NPDR eyes for tritan colour contrast threshold (p = 0.0002). Sensitivity and specificity for screening of CSMO using pass-fail criterion for age matched TCCT results achieved 71% (95% confidence interval: 53-85%) and 70% (95% confidence interval: 60-78%), respectively. However, threshold levels were derived using the same data set for both training and testing the effectiveness since this was the first study of NPDR using the Chromatest CONCLUSION: The ChromaTest is a simple, cheap, easy to use, and quick test for colour contrast sensitivity. This study did not achieve results to justify use of the Chromatest for screening, but it reinforced the changes seen in tritan colour vision in diabetic retinopathy

No evidence for loss of short-wavelength sensitive cone photoreceptors in normal ageing of the primate retina

In old world primates including humans, cone photoreceptors are classified according to their maximal sensitivity at either short (S, blue), middle (M, green) or long (L, red) wavelengths. Colour discrimination studies show that the S-cone pathway is selectively affected by age and disease, and psychophysical models implicate their loss. Photoreceptors have high metabolic demand and are susceptible to age or disease-related losses in oxygen and nutrient supply. Hence 30% of rods are lost over life. While comparable losses are not seen in cones, S-cones comprise less than 10% of the cone population, so significant loss would be undetected in total counts. Here we examine young and aged primate retinae stained to distinguish S from M/L-cones. We show there is no age-related cone loss in either cone type and that S-cones are as regularly distributed in old as young primates. We propose that S-cone metabolism is less flexible than in their M/L counterparts, making them more susceptible to deficits in normal cellular function. Hypoxia is a feature of the ageing retina as extracellular debris accumulates between photoreceptors and their blood supply which likely impacts S-cone function. However, that these cells remain in the ageing retina suggests the potential for functional restoration

Intended and Unintended Consequences of Mandatory IFRS Adoption: A Review of Extant Evidence and Suggestions for Future Research

This paper discusses empirical evidence on the economic consequences of mandatory adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in the European Union (EU) and provides suggestions on how future research can add to our understanding of these effects. Based on the explicitly stated objectives of the EU's so-called 'IAS Regulation', we distinguish between intended and unintended consequences of mandatory IFRS adoption. Empirical research on the intended consequences generally fails to document an increase in the comparability or transparency of financial statements. In contrast, there is rich and almost unanimous evidence of positive effects on capital markets and at the macroeconomic level. We argue that certain research design issues are likely to contribute to this apparent mismatch in findings and we suggest areas for future research to address it. The literature investigating unintended consequences of mandatory IFRS adoption is still in its infancy. However, extant empirical evidence and insights from non-IFRS settings suggest that mandatory IFRS adoption has the potential to materially affect contractual outcomes. We conclude that both the intended and the unintended consequences deserve further scrutiny to assess the costs and benefits of mandatory IFRS adoption, which may help provide a basis for evaluating the effectiveness of the IAS Regulation. We provide specific guidance for future research in this field

Julien Malengreau, Essai sur les fondements de la géométrie euclidienne

Verriest G. Julien Malengreau, Essai sur les fondements de la géométrie euclidienne. In: Revue néo-scolastique de philosophie. 41ᵉ année, Deuxième série, n°58, 1938. pp. 320-321

Julien Malengreau, Essai sur les fondements de la géométrie euclidienne

Verriest G. Julien Malengreau, Essai sur les fondements de la géométrie euclidienne. In: Revue néo-scolastique de philosophie. 41ᵉ année, Deuxième série, n°58, 1938. pp. 320-321

Des bases physiologiques de la parole rythmée

Verriest G. Des bases physiologiques de la parole rythmée. In: Revue néo-scolastique. 1ᵉ année, n°1, 1894. pp. 39-52

Des bases physiologiques de la parole rythmée (suite)

Verriest G. Des bases physiologiques de la parole rythmée (suite). In: Revue néo-scolastique. 1ᵉ année, n°2, 1894. pp. 112-139