Quantifying Color Vision Changes Associated With Cataracts Using Cone Contrast Thresholds.

Purpose: To evaluate effects of age and simulated and real cataractous changes on color vision as measured by the high-definition cone contrast test (CCT).

Methods: Twenty-four healthy volunteers from two cohort studies performed CCT using best-corrected visual acuity, filters, mydriasis, and pinhole correction. Retrospective cross-sectional study of patients seen in eye clinics evaluated the relationship between age and color vision, and age and lens status in 355 eyes.

A two-step method for identifying photopigment opsin and gene sequences underlying human color vision phenotypes.

Purpose: To present a detailed, reliable long range-PCR and sequencing (LR-PCR-Seq) procedure to identify human opsin gene sequences for variations in the long wavelength-sensitive (), medium wavelength-sensitive (), short wavelength-sensitive (), and rhodopsin () genes.

Methods: Color vision was assessed for nine subjects using the Farnsworth-Munsell 100 hue test, Ishihara pseudoisochromatic plates, and the Rabin cone-contrast threshold procedure (ColorDX, Konan Medical). The color vision phenotypes were normal trichromacy (n = 3), potential tetrachromacy (n = 3), dichromacy (n = 2), and unexplained low color vision (n = 1).

Quantitative approach for defining basic color terms and color category best exemplars.

A new method is presented that identifies basic color terms (BCTs) from color-naming data. A function is defined that measures how well a term is understood by a communicating population. BCTs are then separated from other color terms by a threshold value applied to this function.

Overcoming clinical inertia in the management of postoperative patients with diabetes.

Objective: To assess the impact of an intervention designed to increase basal-bolus insulin therapy administration in postoperative patients with diabetes mellitus.

Methods: Educational sessions and direct support for surgical services were provided by a nurse practitioner (NP). Outcome data from the intervention were compared to data from a historical (control) period.

A quantitative theory of human color choices.

The system for colorimetry adopted by the Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage (CIE) in 1931, along with its subsequent improvements, represents a family of light mixture models that has served well for many decades for stimulus specification and reproduction when highly controlled color standards are important. Still, with regard to color appearance many perceptual and cognitive factors are known to contribute to color similarity, and, in general, to all cognitive judgments of color. Using experimentally obtained odd-one-out triad similarity judgments from 52 observers, we demonstrate that CIE-based models can explain a good portion (but not all) of the color similarity data.

An outpatient-based clinical program for diabetes prevention: an update.

Objective: To update outcomes of the Diet-Exercise-Activity-Lifestyle (DEAL) program, a clinic-based diabetes prevention intervention.

Methods: Changes in weight, fasting blood glucose, and 2-hour glucose after a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test were evaluated in patients who enrolled in the DEAL program between January 2007 and August 2009.

Results: The 221 qualified participants had a mean age of 62 years, weight of 87.

Diabetes in the desert: what do patients know about the heat?

Background: This study aims to identify self-management strategies used by patients with diabetes in hot weather, examine knowledge of safe temperatures and exposure times, and evaluate comprehension of weather data.

Methods: Patients attending an endocrinology clinic in southwestern United States were surveyed.

Results: One hundred fifty-two surveys completed from November 30 to December 31, 2009 were analyzed.

Understanding and improving management of inpatient diabetes mellitus: the Mayo Clinic Arizona experience.

We present an overview of strategies our institution has taken to understand the state of its inpatient diabetes management. We first describe how we utilized information systems to assess inpatient glycemic control and insulin management in noncritically ill patients and discuss our findings regarding mean bedside glucose levels, the prevalence and frequency hypoglycemic and hyperglycemic events, the patterns of insulin therapy, and evidence of inpatient clinical inertia. We also review the development of a survey to determine practitioner attitudes and beliefs about inpatient diabetes.

An outpatient-based clinical program for type 2 diabetes prevention.

Objective: To review first-year results of a clinic-based type 2 diabetes prevention program.

Methods: From January through December 2007, patients with a diagnosis of prediabetes participated in the Diet-Exercise-Activity-Lifestyle program for instruction in lifestyle changes. Physical therapy assessments were retrospectively reviewed to search for symptoms or findings of physical impairments.

Evolutionary models of color categorization. II. Realistic observer models and population heterogeneity.

The evolution of color categorization is investigated using computer simulations of agent population categorization games. Various realistic observer types are implemented based on Farnsworth-Munsell 100 Hue Test human performance data from normal and anomalous trichromats, dichromats, and humans with four retinal photopigments. Results show that (i) a small percentage of realistically modeled deficient agents greatly affects the shared categorization solutions of the entire population in terms of color category boundary locations; (ii) for realistically modeled populations, dichromats have the strongest influence on the color categorization; their characteristic forms of color confusion affect (i.

Evolutionary models of color categorization. I. Population categorization systems based on normal and dichromat observers.

The evolution of color categorization is investigated using artificial agent population categorization games, by modeling observer types using Farnsworth-Munsell 100 Hue Test performance to capture human processing constraints on color categorization. Homogeneous populations of both normal and dichromat agents are separately examined. Both types of populations produce near-optimal categorization solutions.

Perceptions of resident physicians about management of inpatient hyperglycemia in an urban hospital.

Background: Information regarding practitioner beliefs about inpatient diabetes care is limited.

Objective: To assess resident physician attitudes about inpatient hyperglycemia and determine perceived barriers to optimal glycemic control in an urban hospital setting.

Design: A previously developed questionnaire was modified and administered.

Population heterogeneity and color stimulus heterogeneity in agent-based color categorization.

Investigating the interactions between universal and culturally specific influences on color categorization across individuals and cultures has proven to be a challenge for human color categorization and naming research. The present article simulates the evolution of color lexicons to evaluate the role of two realistic constraints found in the human phenomenon: (i) heterogeneous observer populations and (ii) heterogeneous color stimuli. Such constraints, idealized and implemented as agent categorization and communication games, produce interesting and unexpected consequences for stable categorization solutions evolved and shared by agent populations.

Beliefs about hospital diabetes and perceived barriers to glucose management among inpatient midlevel practitioners.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore attitudes among inpatient midlevel practitioners about hospital hyperglycemia and to identify perceived barriers to care.

Methods: A questionnaire previously applied to resident physicians was administered to midlevel providers (physician assistants and nurse practitioners) to determine their beliefs about the importance of inpatient glucose control, their perceptions about what glucose ranges were desirable, and the problems they encountered when trying to manage hyperglycemia in the hospital. Barriers to care reported in this study were also combined with responses from the prior resident survey.

Management of inpatient hyperglycemia: assessing perceptions and barriers to care among resident physicians.

Objective: To develop insight into resident physician attitudes about inpatient hyperglycemia and determine perceived barriers to optimal management.

Methods: As part of a planned educational program, a questionnaire was designed and administered to determine the opinions of residents about the importance of inpatient glucose control, their perceptions about what glucose ranges were desirable, and the problems they encountered when trying to manage hyperglycemia in hospitalized patients.

Results: Of 70 resident physicians from various services, 52 completed the survey (mean age, 31 years; 48% men; 37% in first year of residency training).

Color coding information: assessing alternative coding systems using independent brightness and hue dimensions.

Can independent dimensions of brightness and hue be used in a combined digital information code? This issue was addressed by developing 2 color-coding systems and testing them on informed and naive participants in signal beam detection and classification experiments for simulated sonar displays. Each coding system's results showed both groups efficiently used encoded information that varied simultaneously along the 2 dimensions of brightness and hue. Findings support the proposed procedures for developing color information codes and the validity of such information codes across different populations.