BCLA CLEAR - Effect of contact lens materials and designs on the anatomy and physiology of the eye

This paper outlines changes to the ocular surface caused by contact lenses and their degree of clinical significance. Substantial research and development to improve oxygen permeability of rigid and soft contact lenses has meant that in many countries the issues caused by hypoxia to the ocular surface have largely been negated. The ability of contact lenses to change the axial growth characteristics of the globe is being utilised to help reduce the myopia pandemic and several studies and meta-analyses have shown that wearing orthokeratology lenses or soft multifocal contact lenses can reduce axial length growth (and hence myopia).However, effects on blinking, ptosis, the function of Meibomian glands, fluorescein and lissamine green staining of the conjunctiva and cornea, production of lid-parallel conjunctival folds and lid wiper epitheliopathy have received less research attention. Contact lens wear produces a subclinical inflammatory response manifested by increases in the number of dendritiform cells in the conjunctiva, cornea and limbus. Papillary conjunctivitis is also a complication of all types of contact lenses. Changes to wear schedule (daily disposable from overnight wear) or lens materials (hydrogel from SiHy) can reduce papillary conjunctivitis, but the effect of such changes on dendritic cell migration needs further study. These changes may be associated with decreased comfort but confirmatory studies are needed. Contact lenses can affect the sensitivity of the ocular surface to mechanical stimulation, but whether these changes affect comfort requires further investigation.In conclusion, there have been changes to lens materials, design and wear schedules over the past 20+ years that have improved their safety and seen the development of lenses that can reduce the myopia development. However, several changes to the ocular surface still occur and warrant further research effort in order to optimise the lens wearing experience.     

开发商拟建项目建设费用估算谈

房地产开发商做拟建项目建设费用的估算,主要目的之一是为项目的实施筹措资金。估算费用的首要功能就是控制项目建设成本开支。本文结合实际,从估算费用的资料收集、费用计算以及报审批准几个方面做了论证,以期达到一方面为项目的顺利实施、估算金额留有余地;另一方面,估算费用额计算有根有据,不高估冒算的目的。     

Reporting of traceability and food safety data in the culinary herb and spice chains

Reporting of information is crucial to enable backward and forward tracing of food along the chain, which is of main importance in case of non-compliance with legal obligations on food safety. Thus, food business operators in the European Union (EU) must enable tracing of any foodstuff one step forward and one step back. However, flux of information relevant for traceability and food safety can be a challenge in the supply chains of dried culinary herbs and spices.Results of a survey among herb/spice businesses – either located within the EU or exporting dried herbs/spices to the EU – showed the widespread use of electronic systems for recording and processing of traceability/food safety data. However, automated capture of transaction data and automated read-out/processing of reported data were rare. The survey indicates that besides electronic documents, typed paper documents are often exchanged between businesses. For data delivery along the chain, paper documents filled in by hand are still used – even in the EU or upon import to the EU. The document type as well as the forms varied, particularly in case of incoming herbs/spices. The forms used for reporting by the survey participants or by their suppliers covered mostly individual/company-specific forms. Standardised forms provided by herb/spice associations were rarely shared between these businesses. The extent of reporting of traceability data upon import to the EU and within the EU appears to be sufficient. Some additional traceability data that promote product tracing, such as the country of harvest, were frequently reported. Same was true for information on food safety hazards.     

CPR1000反应堆冷却剂泵的安装与管理

对CPR1000反应堆冷却剂泵施工中的典型案例处理和方案改进等方面进行探讨和总结,对后续CPR1000项目主泵施工提出一些建议.     

Integrating Industry Experts into Engineering Education: Case Study

An advanced grade control course is described as a model for industry involvement in special topics educational offerings. Several unique aspects of these courses were the lack of textbooks on the topic, little previously developed course content, and the lack of faculty expertise in the subject area. In light of these challenges the course was successfully implemented by selecting industry experts and coordinating their efforts into a cohesive learning experience. The writers worked with representatives from McAninch Corporation, Ziegler Caterpillar, and other organizations to develop the courses at Iowa State University. Since the courses were the first known offerings of their kind, qualitative interviews were conducted to identify appropriate educational outcomes and objectives necessary to expedite the process of becoming an advanced grade control specialist. These outcomes and objectives can be applied to a variety of educational delivery systems and were helpful in determining suitable course material, topics, and structure.     

American Psychological Association: Annual report, 2008.

Presents the annual reports from the various directorates and offices of the American Psychological Association. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Delivering Best Value in Highways Major Maintenance Schemes: Case Study

The Construction Management Framework (CMF) is a contract established by the Highways Agency in the United Kingdom, where collaborative working is used within a framework setting to deliver the best value in highways major renewals and improvements schemes. This research aims to establish the effectiveness of the CMF in achieving this aim. It aims to define best value as it is understood collectively by the participants in the framework, and evaluate the performance measurement used in terms of its relevance and suitability to deliver the best value. The research also looks at perceptions of the performance of the CMF by those companies included in the framework, and the benefits and disadvantages of using this type of arrangement in highway work. Data collected from the client were compared to that given by the contractors, supply chain, and construction managers of the CMF; results showed a perception by those involved in the framework that construction management is suited to the type of work it is currently used for, and there is potential for similar CMFs to be used elsewhere in the construction industry. However, the research also found that there is a need to improve the performance measures so that value is properly reflected in the goals of the CMF; and the presentation of evidence that demonstrates the benefits that can be gained using this procurement route.     

Similarity and assumed similarity in personality reports of well-acquainted persons.

The authors obtained self- and observer reports of personality from pairs of well-acquainted college students. Consistent with previous findings, results of Study 1 showed strong cross-source agreement for all 6 HEXACO personality factors (rs ≈ .55). In addition, the authors found modest levels of similarity (r ≈ .25) between dyad members' self-reports on each of 2 dimensions, Honesty-Humility and Openness to Experience. For these same 2 factors, dyad members' self-reports were correlated with their observer reports of the other dyad member (r ≈ .40), thus indicating moderately high assumed similarity. In Study 2, Honesty-Humility and Openness to Experience were the 2 personality factors most strongly associated with the 2 major dimensions of personal values, which also showed substantial assumed similarity. In Study 3, assumed similarity was considerably stronger for close friends than for nonfriend acquaintances. Results suggest that assumed similarity for Honesty-Humility and Openness to Experience reflects a tendency to overestimate one's similarity to persons with whom one has a close relationship, but only on those personality characteristics whose relevance to values gives them central importance to one's identity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Perceiving others’ personalities: Examining the dimensionality, assumed similarity to the self, and stability of perceiver effects.

In interpersonal perception, “perceiver effects” are tendencies of perceivers to see other people in a particular way. Two studies of naturalistic interactions examined perceiver effects for personality traits: seeing a typical other as sympathetic or quarrelsome, responsible or careless, and so forth. Several basic questions were addressed. First, are perceiver effects organized as a global evaluative halo, or do perceptions of different traits vary in distinct ways? Second, does assumed similarity (as evidenced by self-perceiver correlations) reflect broad evaluative consistency or trait-specific content? Third, are perceiver effects a manifestation of stable beliefs about the generalized other, or do they form in specific contexts as group-specific stereotypes? Findings indicated that perceiver effects were better described by a differentiated, multidimensional structure with both trait-specific content and a higher order global evaluation factor. Assumed similarity was at least partially attributable to trait-specific content, not just to broad evaluative similarity between self and others. Perceiver effects were correlated with gender and attachment style, but in newly formed groups, they became more stable over time, suggesting that they grew dynamically as group stereotypes. Implications for the interpretation of perceiver effects and for research on personality assessment and psychopathology are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)