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Fluorescence-guided surgery (FGS) is an emerging technique for tissue visualization during surgical procedures. Structures of interest are labeled with exogenous probes whose fluorescent emissions are acquired and viewed in real-time with optical imaging systems. This study investigated rare-earth-doped albumin-encapsulated nanocomposites (REANCs) as short-wave infrared emitting contrast agents for FGS. Experiments were conducted using an animal model of 4T1 breast cancer. The signal-to-background ratio (SBR) obtained with REANCs was compared to values obtained using indocyanine green (ICG), a near-infrared dye used in clinical practice. Prior to resection, the SBR for tumors following intratumoral administration of REANCs was significantly higher than for tumors injected with ICG. Following FGS, evaluation of fluorescence intensity levels in excised tumors and at the surgical bed demonstrated higher contrast between tissues at these sites with REANC contrast than ICG. REANCs also demonstrated excellent photostability over 2 hours of continuous illumination, as well as the ability to perform FGS under ambient lighting, establishing these nanocomposites as a promising contrast agent for FGS applications.

Colorimetric assays typically offer a rapid and convenient method to assess analytes that span healthcare monitoring to water quality testing. However, such tests can only provide qualitative results when employed in resource-limited settings or require bulky and expensive equipment such as lab spectrophotometers to allow quantitative measurements. In this paper, we report on the use of a handheld colorimeter to quantitatively determine the concentration of analytes in a manner that is independent of ambient lighting or initial sample color. The method combines the response of the sensor with first-principles modeling that better describes the nature of the assay compared to linear-in-parameters regression modeling that is typically performed in other studies. This method was successfully demonstrated using a number of colorimetric assays: (1) determination of solution pH using a universal indicator, (2) quantification of the DNase presence using a DNA-gold nanoparticle assay, and (3) quantification of the concentration of the antibiotic tetracycline using a cell-based assay.

Although reduced ambient lighting (“dim” light) can cause myopia in emmetropizing chicks, it does not necessarily lead to myopic changes in emmetropizing rhesus monkeys. Because myopia is rarely spontaneous, a question remained whether dim light would hasten the progression of visually induced myopia. To determine the effects of dim light on the development of and recovery from form-deprivation myopia (FDM), seven 3-week-old infant rhesus monkeys were reared under dim light (mean ± SD = 55 ± 9 lx) with monocular diffuser spectacles until ~154 days of age, then maintained in dim light with unrestricted vision until ~337 days of age to allow for recovery. Refractive errors, corneal powers, ocular axial dimensions and sub-foveal choroidal thicknesses were measured longitudinally and compared to those obtained from form-deprived monkeys reared under typical laboratory lighting (504 ± 168 lx). Five of the seven subjects developed FDMs that were similar to those observed among their normal-light-reared counterparts. The average degree of form-deprivation-induced myopic anisometropia did not differ significantly between dim-light subjects (−3.88 ± 3.26D) and normal-light subjects (−4.45 ± 3.75D). However, three of the five dim-light subjects that developed obvious FDM failed to exhibit any signs of recovery and the two monkeys that were isometropic at the end of the treatment period manifest abnormal refractive errors during the recovery period. All refractive changes were associated with alterations in vitreous chamber elongation rates. It appears that dim light is not a strong myopiagenic stimulus by itself, but it can impair the optical regulation of refractive development in primates.

Background and study aims Adenoma detection rate (ADR) appears to decrease as the number of consecutive hours performing procedures increases, and eye strain may be a contributing factor. Ambient light may improve symptoms of eye strain, but its effects have yet to be explored in the field of gastroenterology. We aim to determine if using ambient lighting during screening colonoscopy will maintain ADRs and improve eye strain symptoms compared with low lighting. Methods At a single center, retrospective data were collected on colonoscopies performed under low lighting and compared to prospective data collected on colonoscopies with ambient lighting. Eye fatigue surveys were completed by gastroenterologists. Satisfaction surveys were completed by physicians and staff. Results Of 498 low light and 611 ambient light cases, 172 and 220 adenomas were detected, respectively (P = 0.611). Under low lighting, the ADR decreased 5.6 % from first to last case of the day (P = 0.2658). With ambient lighting, the ADR increased by 2.80 % (P = 0.5445). The difference in the overall change in ADR between first and last cases with ambient light versus low light was statistically significant (8.40 % total unit change, P = 0.01). The average eye strain scores were 8.12 with low light, and 5.63 with ambient light (P = 0.3341). Conclusions Performing screening colonoscopies with ambient light may improve the differential change in ADR that occurs from the beginning to the end of the day. This improvement in ADR may be related to improvement in operator fatigue. The effect of ambient light on eye strain is unclear. Further investigation is warranted on the impact of ambient light on symptoms of eye strain and ADR.

Introduction and Aim: The most common practice for marking the radiation field borders in conventional radiotherapy is with marker pens. In the hot and humid environment in India these markings rapidly fade and require remarking. In some cases, they require re-simulation and re-planning. Mehndi has been used in India for ceremonial marking on skin for long. Here we seek to evaluate the same for radiotherapy. Materials and Methods: Eighty-two patients with no history of hyper-sensitivity to mehendi were scheduled to be analyzed on per protocol treatment basis, with 41 in each arm. Subjects were randomized by lottery method till the target number in one of the arms is reached. Since one subject in each arm had not received the per protocol management due to default, two more subjects were included and randomized. The minimum duration of treatment was 5 weeks. Markings were done either with mehndi cones (Arm A) or conventionally used Skin marking pens. They were repeated as per requirements. The number of application and gap between them were recorded. The data was later analyzed with SPSS v23 for frequencies, independent sample T test, including Mann-Whitney test. The analysis was per protocol. Results: No incidence of hypersensitivity to mehendi occurred.The mean and median number of applications was significantly less in the Mehndi arm compared to control arm (median being 2 in mehndi arm compared to 4 in Pen arm). The median gap between applications and each application was also significantly lower in the Mehndi arm (11.5 days vs 7.25 days). There was no significant difference with visualization. The comfort level of the technologists, consultants and patients were better with Mehndi than with pen arm on Likert scale. Conclusion: Mehndi is more durable than the pen marking it is equally visible for health care professionals and more comfortable to patients. The skin tone of our patients did not pose any challenge in visualization during set up either in ambient lighting or with lasers.

Observational evidence suggests that better ambient lighting leads people to feel safer when spending time outdoors in their community. We subject this finding to greater scrutiny and elaborate on the extent to which improvements in street lighting affect routine activities during nighttime hours. We report evidence from a survey experiment that examines individuals’ perceptions of safety under two different intensities of nighttime ambient lighting. Brighter street lighting leads individuals to feel safer and over half of survey respondents are willing to pay an additional $400 per year in taxes in order to finance a hypothetical program which would replace dim yellow street lights with brighter LED lights. However, poor lighting does not change people’s willingness to spend time outdoors or to engage in behaviors which mitigate risk. Results suggest that street lighting is a means through which policymakers can both control crime and improve community well-being. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1057/s41284-021-00296-0.

Deep Learning has been utilized in computer vision for object detection for almost a decade. Real-time object detection for robotic inspection and harvesting has gained interest during this time as a possible technique for high-quality machine assistance during agriculture applications.We utilize RGB and thermal images of chili peppers in an environment of various amounts of debris, pepper overlapping, and ambient lighting, train this dataset, and compare object detection methods. Results are presented from the real-time and less than real-time object detection models. Two advanced deep learning algorithms, Mask-Regional Convolutional Neural Networks (Mask-RCNN) and You Only Look Once version 3 (YOLOv3)are compared in terms of object detection accuracy and computational costs. When utilizing the YOLOv3 architecture, an overall training mean average precision (mAP) value of 1.0 is achieved. Most testing images from this model score within a range from 97 to 100% confidence levels in natural environment. It is shown that the YOLOv3 algorithm has superior capabilities to the Mask-RCNN with over 10 times the computational speed on the chili dataset. However, some of the RGB test images resulted in low classification scores when heavy debris is present in the image. A significant improvement in the real-time classification scores was observed when the thermal images were used, especially with heavy debris present. We found and report improved prediction scores with a thermal imagery dataset where YOLOv3 struggled on the RGB images. It was shown that mapping temperature differences between the pepper and plant/debris can provide significant features for object detection in real-time and can help improve accuracy of predictions with heavy debris, variant ambient lighting, and overlapping of peppers. In addition, successful thermal imaging for real-time robotic harvesting could allow the harvesting period to become more efficient and open up harvesting opportunity in low light situations.

Dynamic accommodation under natural viewings, such as driving, could be affected by the lighting condition. This study aimed to investigate the accommodation rock after the visual display unit (VDU) activity with and without ambient lighting. It was measured in cycle minute (cpm) with Hart Chart before and after each lighting condition's VDU activity. The VDU activity involved a one-hour visual task in 30 young adults. There was significant different [c2(3) = 23.42, p

Objectives\ud \ud The purpose of this systematic review was to establish the current status of recommended monitor specifications and viewing conditions in mammography for image acquisition and reporting rooms. A literature search was completed between August 2018 and March 2019 using ScienceDirect, PubMed, Web of Science and MEDLINE databases. An additional manual search was performed to identify relevant guidelines to support the review. Only articles and guidelines written in English were included.\ud \ud Key findings\ud \ud Results were selected according to the following criteria; articles detailing (i) monitor specification and, (ii) viewing conditions in mammography acquisition and reporting rooms. Twenty-one studies met the inclusion criteria. Six papers described monitor specifications, five described viewing conditions and ten guideline documents were identified from the UK, Europe and the US. Common outcomes were that monitors with 3 or 5 MP resolution seemed to be preferred and at the same time higher illumination levels (>15 lux) were found to decrease the luminance of the monitors and negatively impact the assessment of image quality. Contrary to this, the majority of guideline documents recommended illumination levels above 20 Lux. Finally, there is a lack of guidance for viewing conditions in acquisition rooms.\ud \ud Conclusion\ud \ud This review did not reveal any strong evidence for the proposed room illumination levels in acquisition rooms. In reference to monitors specifications, there is preference for using higher resolution displays (3 and 5 MP) but again, the evidence is not strong. Moreover, variance exists in the guidelines and that promotes inconsistency in mammography departments.\ud \ud Implications for practice\ud \ud This review highlights the lack of standardised guidelines and the need for further research on the viewing conditions and monitor specifications for the acquisition rooms in mammography.

Invariant spatial context can guide attention and facilitate visual search, an effect referred to as “contextual cueing.” Most previous studies on contextual cueing were conducted under conditions of photopic vision and high search item to background luminance contrast, leaving open the question whether the learning and/or retrieval of context cues depends on luminance contrast and ambient lighting. Given this, we conducted three experiments (each contains two subexperiments) to compare contextual cueing under different combinations of luminance contrast (high/low) and ambient lighting (photopic/mesopic). With high-contrast displays, we found robust contextual cueing in both photopic and mesopic environments, but the acquired contextual cueing could not be transferred when the display contrast changed from high to low in the photopic environment. By contrast, with low-contrast displays, contextual facilitation manifested only in mesopic vision, and the acquired cues remained effective following a switch to high-contrast displays. This pattern suggests that, with low display contrast, contextual cueing benefited from a more global search mode, aided by the activation of the peripheral rod system in mesopic vision, but was impeded by a more local, fovea-centered search mode in photopic vision.

Statement of problem Digital scans have increasingly become an alternative to conventional impressions. Although previous studies have analyzed the accuracy of the available intraoral scanners (IOSs), the effect of the light scanning conditions on the accuracy of those IOS systems remains unclear. Purpose The purpose of this in vitro study was to measure the impact of lighting conditions on the accuracy (trueness and precision) of different IOSs. Material and methods A typodont was digitized by using an extraoral scanner (L2i; Imetric) to obtain a reference standard tessellation language (STL) file. Three IOSs were evaluated—iTero Element, CEREC Omnicam, and TRIOS 3—with 4 lighting conditions—chair light 10 000 lux, room light 1003 lux, natural light 500 lux, and no light 0 lux. Ten digital scans per group were recorded. The STL file was used as a reference to measure the discrepancy between the digitized typodont and digital scans by using the MeshLab software program. The Kruskal-Wallis, 1-way ANOVA, and pairwise comparison were used to analyze the data. Results Significant differences for trueness and precision mean values were observed across different IOSs tested with the same lighting conditions and across different lighting conditions for a given IOS. In all groups, precision mean values were higher than their trueness values, indicating low relative precision. Conclusions Ambient lighting conditions influenced the accuracy (trueness and precision) of the IOSs tested. The recommended lighting conditions depend on the IOS selected. For iTero Element, chair and room light conditions resulted in better accuracy mean values. For CEREC Omnicam, zero light resulted in better accuracy, and for TRIOS 3, room light resulted in better accuracy.

Basic cognitive research can help to explain our response to wine, and the myriad factors that affect it. Wine is a complex, culture-laden, multisensory stimulus, and our perception/experience of its properties is influenced by everything from the packaging in which it is presented through the glassware in which it is served and evaluated. A growing body of experiential wine research now demonstrates that a number of contextual factors, including everything from the colour of the ambient lighting through to background music can exert a profound, and in some cases predictable, influence over the tasting experience. Sonic seasoning - that is, the matching of music or soundscapes with specific wines in order to accentuate or draw attention to certain qualities/attributes in the wine, such as sweetness, length, or body, also represents a rapidly growing area of empirical study. While such multisensory, experiential wine research undoubtedly has a number of practical applications, it also provides insights concerning multisensory perception that are relevant to basic scientists. Furthermore, the findings of the wine research are also often relevant to those marketers interested in understanding how the consumers’ perception of any other food or beverage product can potentially be modified.

Most autonomous driving solutions require some method of localization within their environment. Typically, onboard sensors are used to localize the vehicle precisely in a previously recorded map. However, these solutions are sensitive to ambient lighting conditions such as darkness and inclement weather. Additionally, the maps can become outdated in a rapidly changing environment and require continuous updating. While LiDAR systems don't require visible light, they are sensitive to weather such as fog or snow, which can interfere with localization. In this letter, we utilize a Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) to obtain precise vehicle localization. By mapping and localizing using features beneath the ground, we obtain features that are both stable over time, and maintain their appearance during changing ambient weather and lighting conditions. We incorporate this solution into a full-scale autonomous vehicle and evaluate the performance on over 17 km of testing data in a variety of challenging weather conditions. We find that this novel sensing modality is capable of providing precise localization for autonomous navigation without using cameras or LiDAR sensors.

The rapid growth of the global economy and urbanization have resulted in major worldwide issues such as greenhouse gas emission, air pollution and the energy crisis. Artificial ambient light is one of the greatest inventions in human history, but it is also one of the primary energy consumption constituents and a focus of the global grand energy challenge. Therefore, low cost and low energy consumption lighting technology is in high demand. In this review, we will summarise and discuss one of the emerging lighting technologies – white electroluminescence light-emitting diodes enabled by hybrid colloidal quantum dots (WQLEDs), which have attracted intense attention because of promising potential in both flat-panel backlighting and solid-state lighting. WQLEDs have unique high luminescence efficiency, broad colour tunability and solution processability. Over the past few decades, the development of colloidal quantum dot synthesis, material engineering and device architecture has highlighted the tremendous improvements in WQLED formation. As WQLED efficiencies approach those of molecular organic LEDs, we identify the critical scientific and technological challenges and provide an outlook for ongoing strategies to overcome these challenges.

Visible light communication (VLC) systems incorporate ambient lighting and wireless data transmission, and the experienced channel in indoor VLC is a major topic that should be examined for reliable communication. In this study, it is realized that multiple transmitters in classical alignment are the forceful factors for channel characteristics. In the frequency band, fluctuations with sudden drops are observed, where the fluctuation shape is related to the source layout and receiver location. These varying frequency-selective channels need solutions, especially for mobile users, because sustained channel estimation and equalization are necessary as the receiver changes its location. It is proven that using light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with highly directional beams as sources or using a detector with a narrow field of view (FOV) in the receiver may help partially alleviate the problem; the frequency selectivity of the channel reduces in some regions of the room. For flat fading channel characteristics all over the room, LEDs should be aligned in hexagonal cellular structure, and detector FOV should be arranged according to the cell dimension outcomes.

In Level 3 automated vehicles, drivers must take back control when prompted by a Take Over Request (TOR). However, there is currently no consensus on the safest way to achieve this. Research has shown that participants interact faster with an avatar when this “glows” in synchrony with participant physiology (heartbeat). We hypothesized that a similar form of synchronization might allow drivers to react faster to a TOR. Using a driving simulator, we studied driver responses to a TOR when permanently visible ambient lighting was synchronized with participants’ breathing. Experimental participants responded to the TOR faster than controls. There were no significant effects on self-reported trust or physiological arousal, and none of the participants reported that they were aware of the manipulation. These findings suggest that new ways of keeping the driver unconsciously “connected” to the vehicle could facilitate faster, and potentially safer, transfers of control.

Consumer High Dynamic Range (HDR) displays are appearing on the market. Capable of generating a peak luminance of up to 2,000 nits, the improved dynamic range they provide can only be perceived when viewed in a dark environment. In this paper, we present a display architecture that is capable of generating a peak luminance of 10,000 nits. We demonstrate, with a subjective evaluation, that the increased peak luminance is required to perceive a high dynamic range in bright ambient environments. Furthermore, we show that by fitting a surface through the data, we can predict the dynamic range that can be perceived from the luminance and illuminance with low error. We can also invert the prediction to estimate the required peak luminance for a particular combination of dynamic range and ambient lighting.

Near work, accommodative inaccuracy and ambient lighting conditions have all been implicated in the development of myopia. However, differences in accommodative responses with age and refractive error under different visual conditions remain unclear. This study explores differences in accommodative ability and refractive error with exposure to differing ambient illumination and visual demands in Malay schoolchildren and adults.Sixty young adults (21-25 years) and 60 schoolchildren (8-12 years) were recruited. Accommodative lag and accommodative fluctuations at far (6 m) and near (25 cm) were measured using the Grand Seiko WAM-5500 open-field autorefractor. The effects of mesopic room illumination on accommodation were also investigated.Repeated-measures ANOVA indicated that accommodative lag at far and near differed significantly between schoolchildren and young adults [F(1.219, 35.354) = 11.857, p 0.05]. Post hoc tests using the Bonferroni correction showed that at near, there was a greater lag in schoolchildren (0.486 ± 0.181 D) than young adults (0.259 ± 0.209 D, p 0.05). Repeated-measures ANOVA also revealed that accommodative lag at near demands differed statistically between the non-myopic and myopic groups in young adults and schoolchildren [F(3.107, 31.431) = 12.187, p 0.05]. Post hoc tests with Bonferroni correction showed that accommodative lag at near was significantly greater in myopic schoolchildren (0.655 ± 0.198 D) than in non-myopic schoolchildren (0.202 ± 0.141 D, p 0.05) and myopic young adults (0.316 ± 0.172 D, p 0.05), but no significant difference was found between myopic young adults (0.316 ± 0.172 D) and non-myopic young adults (0.242 ± 0.126 D, p 0.05). Accommodative lag and fluctuations were greater under mesopic room conditions for all ages [all p 0.05].Greater accommodative lag was found in myopes than in emmetropes, in schoolchildren than in adults, and under mesopic conditions than under photopic conditions. Accommodative fluctuations were greatest in myopes and in mesopic conditions. These results suggest that differences exist in the amount of blur experienced by myopes and non-myopes at different ages and under different lighting conditions.

PURPOSE: To improve and validate the smartphone-based leukocoria detection application so that non-ophthalmologists could make use of the smartphone for early detection of Retinoblastoma (RB) in young children without anesthesia and pharmacological dilatation of the pupil. METHODS: Two apps, MDEyeCare and CRADLE, developed for red reflex based leukocoria detection were used in iPhone 6s. MDEyeCare methodology was modified with respect to ambient lighting, the distance between camera and eye and different gazes for better performance. We analyzed totally 34 eyes of 23 RB patients and four normal children. Each of the RB patients was confirmed with clinical examination and radiological investigations. RESULTS: Modification in the methodology of MDEyeCare app could detect the leukocoria in early stages of RB (50% of Group B, 83% of Group C). In late stages (Group D and E), 100% of tumors were detected. The CRADLE app failed to provide adequate leukocoria detection except four late stage RB eyes. Among the 14 normal eyes (6 from unilateral RB and eight from normal children), pseudo-leukocoria was observed in three eyes only at lateral gaze even with MDEyeCare app. CONCLUSION: Improved methodology in smartphone-based app enhanced the detection of RB and this may translate into better outcome after treatment with respect to vision salvage.

In this paper, we investigate the given ambient lighting conditions in today's schools. On the example of Oulu University Teacher Training School, the classroom quality in terms of the available amount of ambient lighting is analysed. In particular, attention is paid to the available illuminance of the pupils' desks. Commonly, light is produced artificially by light sources installed on the classroom's ceiling and obtained from the outside through windows. However, due to the use of digital blackboards, window blinds are often closed and lights are often switched off, thereby, reducing the available light in the classroom significantly. Furthermore, our results reveal that each pupil's desk receives a different light intensity. It is worth noting that low levels of ambient lighting can result into a degradation of learning performances and, therefore, requiring pupils more time solve different types of activities assigned by the teacher.

Introduction Monitor specification and viewing conditions are important factors affecting image assessment in mammography. This survey evaluates the different viewing conditions and monitor specifications that exist in acquisition and reporting rooms in UK breast screening units. Methods Static (n = 10) and mobile (n = 2) breast screening units were evaluated in North West England. Room illumination levels were measured in 3 locations for each room using a calibrated Lux meter and the specification of 122 monitors recorded. Room layout, wall colour, location and number of doors, windows and light sources were recorded. Results In reporting rooms, 90/91 of monitors had similar technical specifications and were compliant to guidelines. The ambient light levels ranged from 10 to 25.8 lux. The mean illuminance was 12.32 ± 4.6 lux. In acquisition rooms, great variances appeared in monitor specification and ambient light levels. The majority of monitors (24/34) had 3 megapixel (MB) optimum resolution but the ambient light level ranged from 10 to 1020 lux. The mean illuminance was 105.3 ± 178.8 lux. The mobile units were consistent with each other and compliant with guidelines. Conclusion A lack of consistency and great variances appeared in terms of ambient light levels and monitor specifications in the image acquisition rooms. However, there was excellent consistency among the illumination measurements and the monitors’ technical specifications in the reporting rooms. Implications for practice This research demonstrates, for the first time, the need for further research and specialised guidelines for acquisition rooms.

Although reduced ambient lighting (~50 lx) does not increase the degree of form-deprivation myopia (FDM) in chickens or infant monkeys, it does reduce the probability that monkeys will recover from FDM and that the normal age-dependent reduction in hyperopia will occur in monkeys reared with unrestricted vision. These findings suggest that low ambient lighting levels affect the regulatory mechanism responsible for emmetropization. To study this issue, infant rhesus monkeys (age ~ 24 days) were reared under dim light (55 ± 9 lx) with monocular −3D (dim-light lens-induced myopia, DL-LIM, n = 8) or +3D spectacle lenses (dim-light lens-induced hyperopia, DL-LIH, n = 7) until approximately 150 days of age. Refractive errors, ocular parameters and sub-foveal choroidal thickness were measured periodically and compared with normal-light-reared, lens-control monkeys (NL-LIM, n = 16; NL-LIH, n = 7). Dim light rearing significantly attenuated the degree of compensatory anisometropias in both the DL-LIM (-0.63 ± 0.77D vs. −2.11 ± 1.10D in NL-LIM) and DL-LIH treatment groups (-0.18 ± 1.93D vs. +1.71 ± 0.39D in NL-LIH). These effects came about because the treated and fellow control eyes had a lower probability of responding appropriately to the eye’s effective refractive state. Vision-induced interocular differences in choroidal thickness were only observed in monkeys that exhibited compensating refractive changes, suggesting that failures in detecting the relative magnitude of optical errors underlay the abnormal refractive responses. Our findings suggest that low ambient lighting levels reduce the efficacy of the vision-dependent mechanisms that regulate refractive development.

Perfect alignment in chosen beam sectors at both transmit- and receive-nodes is required for beamforming in mmWave bands. Current 802.11ad WiFi and emerging 5G cellular standards spend up to several milliseconds exploring different sector combinations to identify the beam pair with the highest SNR. In this paper, we propose a machine learning (ML) approach with two sequential convolutional neural networks (CNN) that uses out-of-band information, in the form of camera images, to (i) rapidly identify the locations of the transmitter and receiver nodes, and then (ii) return the optimal beam pair. We experimentally validate this intriguing concept for indoor settings using the NI 60GHz mmwave transceiver. Our results reveal that our ML approach reduces beamforming related exploration time by 93% under different ambient lighting conditions, with an error of less than 1% compared to the time-intensive deterministic method defined by the current standards.

Atmospheric factors within a retail environment provide efficient and effective methods for influencing customer behavior. Drawing on the concept of sensory compensation, this research investigates how ambient lighting influences taste perceptions. Three studies demonstrate that dim lighting enhances taste perceptions. The results of Studies 1a and 1b provide support that low lighting positively influences consumers' perceived taste of single taste dimension foods (e.g., sweet). Study 2 shows the number of taste dimensions (e.g., sweet vs. sweet and salty) stimulated serves as a boundary condition, attenuating the significant effect of dim lighting on taste perceptions.

The magnitude of nocturnal melatonin suppression depends upon the spectrum, amount, and duration of light exposure. The functional relationship between melatonin suppression and the light spectrum and amount have been previously described. Only one duration-dependent parameter was needed to extend this functional relationship to predict nocturnal melatonin suppression during the early biological night from a variety of published studies. Those predictions suggest that ambient lighting commonly found in North American homes will not suppress melatonin for durations up to 3 h, whereas extended use of self-luminous displays in the home prior to sleep can.

Background Conventional approaches to improve the quality of clinical patient imaging studies focus predominantly on updating or replacing imaging equipment; however, it is often not considered that patients can also highly influence the diagnostic quality of clinical imaging studies. Patient-specific artifacts can limit the diagnostic image quality, especially when patients are uncomfortable, anxious, or agitated. Imaging facility or environmental conditions can also influence the patient’s comfort and willingness to participate in diagnostic imaging studies, especially when performed in visually unesthetic, anxiety-inducing, and technology-intensive imaging centers. When given the opportunity to change a single aspect of the environmental or imaging facility experience, patients feel much more in control of the otherwise unfamiliar and uncomfortable setting. Incorporating commercial, easily adaptable, ambient lighting products within clinical imaging environments allows patients to individually customize their environment for a more personalized and comfortable experience. Objective The aim of this pilot study was to use a customizable colored light-emitting diode (LED) lighting system within a clinical imaging environment and demonstrate the feasibility and initial findings of enabling healthy subjects to customize the ambient lighting and color. Improving the patient experience within clinical imaging environments with patient-preferred ambient lighting and color may improve overall patient comfort, compliance, and participation in the imaging study and indirectly contribute to improving diagnostic image quality. Methods We installed consumer-based internet protocol addressable LED lights using the ZigBee standard in different imaging rooms within a clinical imaging environment. We recruited healthy volunteers (n=35) to generate pilot data in order to develop a subsequent clinical trial. The visual perception assessment procedure utilized questionnaires with preprogrammed light/color settings and further assessed how subjects preferred ambient light and color within a clinical imaging setting. Results Technical implementation using programmable LED lights was performed without any hardware or electrical modifications to the existing clinical imaging environment. Subject testing revealed substantial variabilities in color perception; however, clear trends in subject color preference were noted. In terms of the color hue of the imaging environment, 43% (15/35) found blue and 31% (11/35) found yellow to be the most relaxing. Conversely, 69% (24/35) found red, 17% (6/35) found yellow, and 11% (4/35) found green to be the least relaxing. Conclusions With the majority of subjects indicating that colored lighting within a clinical imaging environment would contribute to an improved patient experience, we predict that enabling patients to customize environmental factors like lighting and color to individual preferences will improve patient comfort and patient satisfaction. Improved patient comfort in clinical imaging environments may also help to minimize patient-specific imaging artifacts that can otherwise limit diagnostic image quality. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03456895; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03456895

Studies in chickens suggest low intensity ambient lighting causes myopia. The purpose of this experiment was to examine the effects of low intensity ambient lighting (dim light) on normal refractive development in macaque monkeys. Seven infant rhesus monkeys were reared under dim light (room illumination level: ~55 lx) from 24 to ~310 days of age with otherwise unrestricted vision. Refractive error, corneal power, ocular axial dimensions, and choroidal thickness were measured in anesthetized animals at the onset of the experiment and periodically throughout the dim-light-rearing period, and were compared with those of normal-light-reared monkeys. We found that dim light did not produce myopia; instead, dim-light monkeys were hyperopic relative to normal-light monkeys (median refractive errors at ~155 days, OD: +3.13 D vs. +2.31 D; OS: +3.31D vs. +2.44 D; at ~310 days, OD: +2.75D vs. +1.78D, OS: +3.00D vs. +1.75D). In addition, dim-light rearing caused sustained thickening in the choroid, but it did not alter corneal power development, nor did it change the axial nature of the refractive errors. These results showed that, for rhesus monkeys and possibly other primates, low ambient lighting by itself is not necessarily myopiagenic, but might compromise the efficiency of emmetropization.

Alexandrites are remarkable and rare gemstones. They display an extraordinary colour change according to the ambient lighting, from emerald green in daylight to ruby red in incandescent light from tungsten lamps or candles. While this colour change has been correctly attributed to chromium impurities and their absorption band in the yellow region of the visible light spectrum, no adequate explanation of the mechanism has been given. Here, the alexandrite effect is fully explained by considering the von Kries model of the human colour constancy mechanism. This implies that our colour constancy mechanism is real (objective) and primarily attuned to correct for the colour temperature of black-body illuminants.

This project aimed to evaluate the effects of ambient lighting during practice and performance of simulated helicopter escape sequences. Participants were randomized to one of the following groups to practice a standard helicopter underwater escape sequence: Light (with room lights on), Dark (with room lights off), or Graduated (in the light for the first half and then in the dark for the second half of the trials). Following practice, participants had a minimum of 30 min break, followed by retention testing in the dark and then in the light. Dependent measures included accuracy and movement time. Results indicated that participants performed more accurately during the dark retention trial than during the light retention trial. This could be due to increased arousal elicited by performance in the dark or, alternatively, may suggest that performance of helicopter escape sequences is not visually mediated. Based on findings, it appears that training in the light is suitable for potential performance in the dark.

Objectives The aim of this study was to assess the influence of different viewing conditions (combinations of computer display, horizontal viewing angle, and ambient lighting) on the detection of approximal caries lesions on digital radiographic images. Study Design Forty posterior teeth were mounted in a plaster block and radiographed by using a CMOS sensor-based system. Three oral radiologists assessed the radiographic images under different conditions of computer display (iMac 5K 27”, Barco MDRC-2124, and Dell P2314H), horizontal viewing angles (90 degrees, 67.5 degrees, and 45 degrees), and ambient lighting (low, medium, and high) and were asked to detect the presence of approximal caries lesions, which were confirmed by means of micro–computed tomography (micro-CT), using a 5-point scale. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, sensitivity, and specificity were calculated and compared by analysis of variance testing (α = 0.05). Intra- and interobserver agreements were assessed with the Kappa test. Results Computer display, horizontal viewing angle, and ambient lighting did not significantly influence the diagnosis of approximal caries lesions. In general, moderate values of accuracy, low sensitivity, and high specificity were found for all viewing conditions. Conclusions The viewing conditions assessed in this study did not influence the detection of approximal caries lesions on digital radiographic images. Dental practitioners are encouraged to find their most comfortable viewing condition for this diagnostic task.

Die digitale Abformung mit Intraoralscannern basiert auf lichtoptischen Aufnahmeprinzipien. Ziel dieser Studie ist es daher, den Einfluss unterschiedlicher Lichtverhältnisse auf die Genauigkeit von Teil- und Ganzkieferscans, sowie die erforderliche Scanzeit in vitro zu untersuchen. Material und Methodik: Eine Referenzstruktur mit Standardgeometrien wurde an den vestibulären Zahnflächen von 17, 14, 24 und 27 eines 3D-gedruckten Oberkiefermodells befestigt. Sechs Intraoralscanner wurden in die Studie einbezogen: Trios 3 (TRI), Omnicam (OC), iTero (ITE), Carestream 3600 (CS), Emerald (EME) und Aadva (AAD). Die Versuchsreihen bestanden aus n= 17 Scans für vier Beleuchtungstärken (100 lx, 500 lx, 1.000 lx, 5.000 lx) pro Scanner und somit 408 Intraoralscans insgesamt. Zur Simulation dieser Lichteinstellungen wurde eine Versuchsbox mit stufenlos einstellbarer Beleuchtungsstärke konzipiert. Die Bestimmung des Goldstandards erfolgte mittels Koordinatenmessgerät. Die Testdatensätze wurden mit der Software Geomagic Control X ausgewertet. 3-Ebenen-Schnittpunkte wurden anhand der Standardgeometrien konstruiert, um mittels Punkt-zu-Punkt-Messung vier Strecken zu evaluieren: posteriore Zahnbogenbreite (PZB), anteriore Zahnbogenbreite (AZB), Abstand 14–17 (1.QU), Abstand 24–27 (2.QU). Zur statistischen Analyse wurden Levene Tests (Präzision) und one-way ANOVA mit post hoc Tukey-HSD Tests und Games-Howell Tests (Richtigkeit) durchgeführt. Die Scanzeit wurde deskriptiv erfasst. Ergebnisse: Die Genauigkeit von Teilbogenscans (1.QU, 2.QU) wird bei den Scannern OC, EME und AAD signifikant durch die Umgebungsbeleuchtung beeinflusst. Die geringsten Abweichungen erreichten die Scanner TRI, OC, ITE und CS. EME und AAD zeigten größere Abweichungen. Die Genauigkeit von Ganzkieferscans (PZB, AZB) wird bei allen sechs Scannern signifikant durch die Umgebungsbeleuchtung beeinflusst. TRI und OC zeigten die geringsten Abweichungen, gefolgt von ITE und CS. EME und AAD führten zu größeren Differenzen. In Abhängigkeit von der Beleuchtungsstärke wiesen TRI, OC, ITE, AAD bei von 100–500 lx und der CS bei 5.000 lx die kleinsten Abweichungen auf. Die Beleuchtungsstärke zeigte auf den EME einen heterogenen Einfluss. Die Scanzeit verlängerte sich bei allen Scannern mit Ausnahme des ITE bei höheren Beleuchtungsstärken. Schlussfolgerung: Die Umgebungsbeleuchtung beeinflusst die Genauigkeit und aktive Scanzeit von Int-raoralscannern. Dieser Einfluss ist geräteabhängig unterschiedlich. Die durch die Umgebungsbeleuchtung hervorgerufenen Abweichungen sind bei Teilbogenscans klinisch vernachlässigbar, bei Ganzkieferscans sollte die Wahl der Beleuchtungsstärke an das individuelle Optimum des jeweiligen Scanners angepasst werden. Beleuchtungsstärken von 100–500 lx führen überwiegend zu kürzeren Scanzeiten., Intraoral scanners are based on light-optical imaging techniques. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the influence of different ambient lighting conditions on the accuracy of partial and full arch scans as well as the required scanning time in vitro. Material and methods: A reference structure with standard geometries was attached to the vestibular tooth surfaces of 17, 14, 24 and 27 of a 3D-printed maxillary model. Six intraoral scanners were included in the study: Trios 3 (TRI), Omnicam (OC), iTero (ITE), Carestream 3600 (CS), Emerald (EME) and Aadva (AAD). The test series consisted of four illuminances (100 lx, 500 lx, 1,000 lx, 5,000 lx) with n = 17 scans each per scanner, resulting in 408 intraoral scans. For the simulation of these light conditions a test box with adjustable illuminance was designed. The gold standard was determined by means of a coordinate measuring machine. The test data sets were evaluated with the Geomagic Control X software. 3-plane intersections were constructed to perform point-to-point meas-urements for four distances: posterior arch width (PZB), anterior arch width (AZB), dis-tance 14–17 (1.QU), distance 24–27 (2.QU). For statistical analysis Levene tests (pre-cision) and one-way ANOVA with post hoc Tukey-HSD tests and Games-Howell tests (trueness) were performed. The scanning time was recorded descriptively. Results: The accuracy of partial arch scans (1.QU, 2.QU) is significantly influenced by the am-bient lighting for the scanners OC, EME and AAD. The least deviations were achieved by TRI, OC, ITE and CS. EME and AAD revealed greater deviations. The accuracy of full arch scans (PZB, AZB) is significantly influenced by the ambient lighting in all six scanners. TRI and OC demonstrated the most accurate scans, followed by ITE and CS. EME and AAD caused greater differences. Depending on the illuminance, TRI, OC, ITE, AAD showed the smallest deviations at 100–500 lx and the CS at 5,000 lx. Illuminance showed a heterogeneous influence on EME. Scanning time increased for all scanners except ITE at higher illuminance levels above 500 lx. Conclusion: Ambient lighting influences the accuracy and scan time of IOS. This influence is different depending on the device. The deviations caused by ambient lighting are clinically negligible for partial arch scans. For full arch scans, the illuminance should be adjusted to the individual optimum of the respective scanner. Illuminance levels of 100–500 lx mainly lead to shorter scanning times.

The article of record as published may be found at http://doi.org/10.1177/1541931218621151 Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 2018 Annual Meeting The study assesses the agreement between the 3-minute version of the Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT) with an interstimulus interval (ISI) of 2 to 10 seconds and the validated 3-minute laptop-based PVT (ISI=1-4 seconds). The experiment utilized a randomized, within-subject, repeated-measures design with three factors (PVT device type, the backlight feature of the wrist-worn device, ambient lighting). Results show the differences in reaction times (RT) between devices are incrementally associated with the magnitude of the RTs. These differences tend to be in opposing directions when the backlight feature in the wrist-worn device is on. That is, RTs in the wrist-worn device tend to be faster compared to the laptop for (on average) faster individuals, whereas (on average) slower individuals tend to do better in the laptop compared to the wrist-worn device. The proportional bias introduced by the wrist-worn device compared to the laptop makes it difficult to translate individual RTs between different devices. The proportional bias, however, may work in favor for detecting differences between slow and fast RTs. Advanced Medical Development Program

Background: There are no published studies that report on fentanyl and ketamine compatibility in dextrose 5% solution as commonly practiced in hospital settings. Methods: This study assessed the compatibility of fentanyl and ketamine after their reconstitution in dextrose 5% under ambient temperature and humidity conditions in a hospital setting. Each sample of fentanyl and ketamine was prepared in triplicate by adding dextrose 5% to a prefilled syringe until final concentrations of 9.8 μg mL-1 for fentanyl and 192 μg mL-1 for ketamine were achieved. The solutions were stored in syringes at an ambient temperature ranging 26–28°C either under a mixture of daylight and ambient lighting. A sample was taken from the syringes at the following times: 0, 8, 24, 72, 120, and 168 hours. The samples from each solution were checked for physical changes, pH and their concentration assessed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Results: The solutions were clear and no physical changes were seen. The pH of fentanyl and ketamine decreased dramatically after 72 hours. The concentrations of fentanyl remained 90–110% only for 24 hours, while ketamine remained 90–110% for 168 hours. Conclusion: Solutions of fentanyl and ketamine in dextrose 5% may be used in prefilled syringes only up to 24 hours and 72 hours after reconstitution, respectively.

This paper proposes the optimal white point settings of consumer televisions observed in different viewing conditions. The ratings from visual experiments were modeled with a bivariate Gaussian distribution to predict the optimal white points. Under dark surround conditions, where there is no effect of lighting chromaticity, the averaged optimal white point was located at a correlated color temperature of 7346 K and a Duv of −0.0015. The optimal white point was shifted toward a higher color temperature compared to the current standards. The results also indicated that current white point settings of major television manufacturers are too bluish. Neither televisions that meet the current standards nor televisions in the market would appear as true white under the viewing conditions employed in this paper. Moreover, the optimal white point depended largely on viewing conditions. Image content and ambient lighting conditions were observed to be important factors that influence the perception of the white point. The research therefore proposed to automatically change the white point of the display based on the image content and the real-time measurements of the surrounding ambient light falling on the screen. Ultimately, this paper might be of interest to the industry as a basis for future deliberations on target white points for consumer televisions designed to provide a better color appearance.