Some afterthoughts about eclipse blindness.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to J J Vos.
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If laser pointers are powerful enough (> 5 mW), they can cause ocular damage. Most laser pointers in use, however, have low power, viz. 1 mW. In the peer-reviewed scientific literature worldwide not a single case of eye damage due to laser pointers is described. A review among Dutch ophthalmologists up to June 1998 revealed no cases of permanent damage caused by laser pointers. In view of the widespread use of laser pointers, the risk of retinal damage must be minimal, even with the types now banned. Laser pointers of 1 mW emitting light red or green light have sufficient visibility on projection screens. It is advisable to prohibit the sale of more powerful pointers to prevent excesses.
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PURPOSE: To determine whether the Stiles-Crawford effect remains stable after subjects have aged 30 years. METHODS: The relative luminous efficiency as a function of pupil position (Stiles-Crawford effect) was determined for the same seven subjects on the same apparatus in the 1960s and in 1995. The pupil opening was traversed nine times, at 20 degrees azimuth intervals. Data were fit with a revolution paraboloid yielding a peak position (x0, y0) and a peakedness (rho). RESULTS: Two of seven subjects showed a significant, but small, decrease in rho, and the other five showed, no change. No clear outcome in x0, y0 changes could be reported because of differences in pupil dilation then and now. CONCLUSIONS: Although exceptions are found on the stability of the Stiles-Crawford effect with age, the authors can still conclude that it is stable.
The quality of near vision depends on distance visual acuity, accommodation capability and near vision correction, and cannot therefore be expressed in acuity values. Most near vision tests do not recognize this, and the lack in standardization should be mainly attributed to this fundamental shortcoming. A new test, the Priegel test, with a basically different conceptual basis is introduced. Its characteristics are discussed and a comparison with existing near vision tests is made. Consequences for legal testing are drawn.
Two patients are described who had unilateral otitis media with effusion (OME) as the first and only symptom of a parapharyngeal tumour. The first patient, a 77-year-old woman, was operated 14 months after the onset of the OME. A polymorphous adenocarcinoma was resected from the left parapharyngeal space. In the second patient, a 59-year-old man, the diagnosis was established 7 months after the first symptom. A pleomorphic adenoma was removed surgically from the right parapharyngeal space. In case of a persistent unilateral OME in an adult, a parapharyngeal tumour should be considered as one of the possible causes.
1. Many poultry houses are illuminated by fluorescent lamps which produce discontinuous illumination with a frequency of either 100 or 120 Hz. 2. This study investigated whether domestic fowls perceive this discontinuity as flicker by training two Leghorn hens to choose between a continuous and a discontinuous light, all other variables being identical. 3. The light-stimulus was either monochromatic with 100% sinusoidal modulation or a fluorescent lamp whose modulation frequency could be electrically adjusted. 4. Each (correct) choice for the discontinuous light was followed by a 5 Hz higher frequency, whereas an incorrect choice was followed by a 10 Hz lower frequency. 5. On the basis of this principle the animals themselves established the highest perceivable frequency of the discontinuous light, called the Critical Fusion Frequency (CFF), that they could discriminate from continuous light. 6. These frequencies typically depend on the stimulus intensity increasing with increasing intensities, until a maximum value is reached. 7. Two factors limited the magnitudes of the CFF's that were recorded: the maximum stimulus intensities produced and variability in the chicken's response ("behavioural noise"). In spite of these constraints 105 Hz was established as the maximum CFF. 8. On the basis of extrapolation it is concluded that the direct light from fluorescent lamps driven by 50 Hz alternating current is seen by the chicken as flickering. 9. The results justify large-scale comparison of behaviour and production in poultry houses that are illuminated either by low-frequency or by high-frequency fluorescent lamps.
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New action spectra are derived for the foveal cones on the basis of three assumptions: (1) the Stiles-Burch (1959) colorimetric data are better than CIE 1931; (2) the long wavelength flanks of the dichromatic luminosity functions offer better anchorage than the confusion loci; and (3) the relative mutual heights per receptor can be derived from the Bezold-Brücke effect. Since these assumptions do not include photometric data, we could at the end ask how L lambda, M lambda and S lambda combine to V lambda. The best answer appeared to be V lambda = 0.68 L lambda + 0.34 M lambda -0.02 S lambda, reflecting both relative receptor population densities and a negative input of the S-system to luminance.
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In persons with AIDS or at risk from AIDS, autoantibodies against platelets and granulocytes were frequently detected. Platelet-bound immunoglobulins were demonstrated by immunofluorescence in all 16 patients with AIDS, in five out of seven patients with AIDS-related complex/persistent generalized lymphadenopathy (ARC/PGL) and even in seven of 10 healthy sexually active homosexual men. Granulocyte-bound immunoglobulins were found by immunofluorescence in 12 of the 16 AIDS patients, five of the seven patients with ARC/PGL and two of the 10 symptomless men. Red cell bound immunoglobulins were not detected. All patients with AIDS and ARC/PGL and three of the symptomless men were seropositive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The platelet- and granulocyte-bound immunoglobulins could be eluted in 93% and 67% of the cases, respectively. This indicates that specific autoantibodies, rather than circulating immune complexes, which were frequently increased, accounted for the findings. There was no relation between the serological findings and the platelet and granulocyte counts. We conclude that autoantibodies against platelets and granulocytes are common in patients with AIDS and those at risk.
A radioimmunoassay (RIA) for the detection of platelets and platelet fragments was developed. A sandwich of two monoclonal antibodies directed against the platelet-specific glycoprotein complex IIb-IIIa (GP IIb-IIIa) was used in this assay. A discontinuous 7.5-20% (v/v) albumin gradient was applied to separate platelets and their fragments of various sizes. In platelet suspensions fractionated in this way, we observed that particles smaller than normal platelets still carried the GP IIb-IIIa antigens. This procedure enabled us to detect platelet-derived particles in platelet-rich plasma from thrombocytopenic patients.
Monitoring of contaminating platelets, granulocytes, and lymphocytes in leukocyte-poor red blood cell concentrates is usually done by counting in an electronic particle counter. Sensitivity and specificity of this technique are compromised by the contamination of the preparations with other cell types and particles thereof. In this report we studied platelet contamination in filtered red blood cell concentrates by use of a radioimmunoassay for detection of the platelet glycoprotein complex IIb-IIIa. Our results indicate that platelets and/or fragments thereof, not detectable for particle counters, are present in blood cell concentrates. This finding might have important implications for the preparation of pure red blood cell concentrates to avoid unwanted immunization after transfusion.
Several variables that may affect accurate measurement of platelet-associated IgG (PA-IgG) were studied using a radioimmunoassay of the consumption type. The amount of PA-IgG of washed, unfixed normal donor platelets was 1.0 +/- 0.9 fg IgG/platelet (mean +/- 2 SD). Upon storage of washed platelets in a buffer containing EDTA, the amount decreased significantly to 0.2 +/- 0.2 fg IgG/platelet. Simultaneously, an increase in modal platelet volume was observed. Similar results were obtained when platelets were fixed with paraformaldehyde (PFA). We postulate that this decrease in PA-IgG is caused by the release of plasma IgG entrapped by the surface-connected canicular system of the platelet, when the platelets swell during storage in EDTA or fixation with PFA. This presence of varying amounts of entrapped plasma IgG may cause the wide discrepancies in PA-IgG found in normal donor platelets as well as platelets from ITP patients by other investigators. A good quantification of platelet-bound alloantibodies was possible with our assay when platelets were routinely fixed to diminish the amount of nonspecific PA-IgG. This was demonstrated with different anti-Zwa (= anti-PlA1), anti-Baka and anti-HLA sera. We also observed that fragments of platelets as well as fragments of cells of other types can cause aspecifically increased Pa-IgG values and can thus interfere with the proper measurement of platelet-bound antibodies in all kinds of immunoassays in general.
The results obtained in the analysis of 130 thrombocytopenic patients with a radioimmunoassay (RIA) for platelet-associated IgG (PA-IgG) and the platelet suspension immunofluorescence test (PIFT) were compared. The RIA was positive in 33 of 41 (82.9%) patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenia (ITP) and in 51 of 79 (64.4%) patients with secondary thrombocytopenia (STP). The PIFT was positive in 37 of the 41 (90.2%) ITP patients and in 57 of the 79 (72.2%) STP patients. Sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of ITP of both tests were comparable: 82.9 and 40.9% for the PA-IgG(RIA) and 90.2 and 36.7% for the PIFT. A significant positive correlation was observed between the mean amount of PA-IgG measured and the height of PIFT scores with anti-IgG. Of 38 discrepancies between PA-IgG(RIA) and PIFT with anti-IgG, 15 were due to borderline results, 17 were associated with abnormal platelet-size distribution and 20 were associated with occurrence of IgM antibodies. These results suggest influences of platelet fragments and/or aggregates on accurate measurement of PA-IgG. Both fragments and aggregates escape from accurate platelet counting, while their contribution to the total IgG content remains. Therefore, a falsely elevated PA-IgG (RIA) may be measured.
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Unique hues do not nicely coincide with hues that are invariant with intensity. This is at variance with theories that relate both to the zero crossings of opponent mechanisms. It is shown that, in the Walraven theory of the Bezold-Brücke effect which is based, both on diminishing return receptor characteristics and on zero crossings, the latter assumption is superfluous. That means that the Bezold-Brücke effect can be explained completely in terms of receptor behaviour and that unique and invariant hues have no direct theoretical coupling.
The sensitivity and specificity of the platelet immunofluorescence test for the diagnosis of idiopathic thrombocytopenia (ITP) was studied in a series of 255 patients. Patients' platelets were tested directly. Diethyl-ether eluates of these platelets and patients' sera were tested indirectly with normal donor platelets. When all three tests were considered, positive results were obtained for 92.0% of the ITP patients with a platelet count of less than 150 X 10(9)/l and for 98.4% of the patients with a count of less than 100 X 10(9)/l. However, for many patients rather weak test results were obtained, with a score of 1/2-1 in 59.8% of the patients. Most patients (94.1%) with a positive direct test had a positive indirect test on the eluate. Thus, platelet-bound antibodies but not platelet-bound immune complexes were present in most, if not all, patients. Positive immunofluorescence tests were obtained for many patients with a diagnosis other than ITP. This resulted in a low specificity of the test for the diagnosis of ITP, evidently because autoimmune thrombocytopenia occurred together with many other diseases and also because antibodies against platelet cryptantigens (expressed by the action of EDTA or by platelet fixation) were present in many patients.