The validity of use of two artist-rendered and two photographic sets of grading scales (grading 'systems') designed for gauging the severity of contact lens-related ocular pathology was assessed in terms of precision and reliability. Thirteen observers each graded 30 images--by interpolation or extrapolation to the nearest 0.1 increment--of each of the three contact lens complications (corneal staining, conjunctival redness and papillary conjunctivitis) that were common to all four grading systems. This entire procedure was repeated approximately two weeks later, yielding a total data base comprising of 9360 individual grading estimates. Analysis of variance revealed statistically significant differences in both precision and reliability between systems, observers and conditions (p < 0.03 for system reliability; p = 0.0001 for all other combinations). The artist-rendered systems generally afforded lower grading estimates and better grading reliability than the photographic systems. Corneal staining could be graded less reliably than conjunctival redness and papillary conjunctivitis. Grading reliability was generally unaffected by the severity of the condition being assessed. Notwithstanding the above differences, all four grading systems are validated for clinical use and practitioners can initially expect to use these systems with average 95% confidence limits of +/- 1.2 grading scale units (observer range +/- 0.7 to +/- 2.5 grading scale units). In view of the significant between-system differences revealed in this study, it is advisable to consistently use the same grading system. It may be possible to reduce between-observer differences by applying personalised correction factors to normalise grading estimates.

Purpose To determine whether the more rapid cooling of the tear film in dry eyes is related to other tear film parameters, a battery of tear physiology tests was performed on dry eye patients and control subjects.

No abstract

Summary 0[ We tested a set of hypotheses to predict egg!laying behaviour in Aedes triseriatus in the _eld in Massachusetts[ These hypotheses re~ect three main themes] females avoid competitive or predatory threats to their larvae^females judge larvae or eggs as cues to future permanence or productivity within a treehole^and females are either opportunistic ovipositors\ or hedge their bets by scattering their eggs in multiple habitats[ We predicted that mosquitoes might vary in their response depending on whether their o}spring will hatch immediately or enter diapause and hatch the next year[ 1[ We stocked arti_cial treeholes with larvae at four densities ranging from 9 to 89 larvae per habitat for four trials in 0881 and eight trials in 0883[ In 0881\ we added predatory Anopheles barberi larvae to half the replicates of each density level[ In 0883\ we tested for an interaction between egg and larval density by stocking additional traps with eggs in batches of 9\ 19 and 199\ and larvae in densities as in the previous trials[ 2[ The population revealed a signi_cant interaction between time of year and larval density[ More eggs accumulated in traps stocked with fewer larvae "9 or 04# early in the season\ but females showed a slight positive response to higher densities "34 or 89# later on\ after their o}spring were all likely to enter diapause[ These results suggest that potential ambiguities of larval cues\ with indications of habitat permanence as well as adversity of future competition\ are resolved by females[ Females did not respond di}erentially to the predatory Anopheles barberi larvae[ 3[ The estimated batch size obtained in oviposition traps did not di}er from the fecundity of _eld!caught females allowed to oviposit under con_nement in laboratory vials\ suggesting that bet!hedging by scattering of eggs among multiple habitats did not occur[ 4[ An unexpected result\ a positive response to higher egg densities\ is discussed in light of studies on other insects[ This result con~icts with our predictions based on females choosing less competitive environments for their larvae and also con~icts with previously published accounts of avoidance of eggs in this species[ Preference for habitats with conspeci_c eggs might be explained if eggs re~ect habitat stability or if larvae gain an advantage from being in an aggregation[ Neither hypothesis is resolved by the present study[

The validity of use of two artist-rendered and two photographic sets of grading scales (grading 'systems') designed for gauging the severity of contact lens-related ocular pathology was assessed in terms of precision and reliability. Thirteen observers each graded 30 images--by interpolation or extrapolation to the nearest 0.1 increment--of each of the three contact lens complications (corneal staining, conjunctival redness and papillary conjunctivitis) that were common to all four grading systems. This entire procedure was repeated approximately two weeks later, yielding a total data base comprising of 9360 individual grading estimates. Analysis of variance revealed statistically significant differences in both precision and reliability between systems, observers and conditions (p < 0.03 for system reliability; p = 0.0001 for all other combinations). The artist-rendered systems generally afforded lower grading estimates and better grading reliability than the photographic systems. Corneal staining could be graded less reliably than conjunctival redness and papillary conjunctivitis. Grading reliability was generally unaffected by the severity of the condition being assessed. Notwithstanding the above differences, all four grading systems are validated for clinical use and practitioners can initially expect to use these systems with average 95% confidence limits of +/- 1.2 grading scale units (observer range +/- 0.7 to +/- 2.5 grading scale units). In view of the significant between-system differences revealed in this study, it is advisable to consistently use the same grading system. It may be possible to reduce between-observer differences by applying personalised correction factors to normalise grading estimates.