Visual Quality Parameters Research Articles

Posterior lenticule laser scan influence the ultra-early postoperative visual acuity and quality of SMILE

This is a prospective case-control study investigated the factors influencing ultra-early visual acuity and quality after Small Incision Lenticule Extraction (SMILE) surgery, with a specific focus on the morphology and distribution of “black clefts” observed in posterior lenticule laser scanning images. A total of 174 patients who underwent SMILE surgery were included, and their preoperative ocular clinical parameters, visual quality indicators, and posterior lenticule laser scanning images were analyzed. The morphological features of black clefts were calculated using image processing techniques. Univariate and multivariate logistic analyses were conducted to identify factors impacting ultra-early visual acuity recovery, while correlation analysis was used to explore the association between black cleft morphology and postoperative visual quality. The results showed that although patients experienced significant visual acuity improvement one day after surgery, 26% had poor early recovery. Postoperative visual quality parameters were significantly lower, while the Object Scatter Index (OSI) was higher compared to preoperative values. Patients with poor visual recovery had a higher number of irregular black clefts in their laser scanning images. Logistic regression analysis revealed that intraoperative morphological parameters of black clefts were independent factors influencing early postoperative visual acuity recovery. Additionally, correlation analysis demonstrated a negative correlation between black cleft morphology and postoperative visual quality parameters, and a positive correlation with OSI. In conclusion, the morphology and distribution of black clefts during SMILE surgery significantly affect ultra-early postoperative visual acuity and quality, with increased variability in black cleft area leading to higher OSI, thereby impacting visual quality recovery.

Visual Quality Analysis of Diyarbakır Sur District's Historical Buildings and Surroundings

Historical sites are structures, monuments, or areas that carry the traces of the past and hold significant importance in the collective memory of society. The cultural, historical, and architectural value of historic places is important for visual perception. Visual quality analysis aims to assess the physical condition and appearance of these historic places and to identify their conservation and maintenance needs. This analysis plays an important role in the decisions to be taken for the preservation of the place. The parameters that influence visual quality reflect the preservation and maintenance of the place, the visitor experience, the importance of cultural heritage for conservation, tourism and economy, and social awareness. Visual perception of historic places refers to how people perceive these places and how this perception is associated with the historical, cultural, and architectural features of the place. The visual perception of historic places may vary depending on various factors. The visual perception of historic places is important for their preservation, visitor experience and the continuation of cultural heritage. While a positive visual perception of historic places can make them more valuable and important in society, a negative perception can damage their reputation and make it difficult to preserve them. For this reason, the visual perception of historical places is an important factor that should be taken into account in determining conservation and maintenance strategies and in the promotion of places. In this study, thirty historical places in Diyarbakır Sur District were evaluated by 10 experts according to visual quality parameters. As a result, with the scores obtained in the visual perception of historical places, suggestions were made for the protection of these places, their importance in terms of tourism and the continuation of cultural heritage.

O-274 An Artificial Intelligence (AI) based screening test can reliably predict embryo ploidy

Abstract Study question Can calibrated AI ploidy screening test results provide reliable, biologically-justified estimates of embryo euploidy? Summary answer The AI ploidy screening test, rooted in the embryo’s morphokinetic profile and clinical metadata, provides reliable probabilistic estimates of euploidy. What is known already Published ploidy algorithms typically provide a binary classification of embryo ploidy (aneuploidy/euploidy). Algorithmic outputs are thresholded; a value above/below the threshold indicates a euploid/aneuploid label, respectively, and the confidence in the label prediction is tested. Experience shows, however, that decision-makers have difficulty interpreting how well these algorithm predictions match the true prevalence of euploidy in their clinics, especially when taking into consideration patient age and embryo quality. An AI embryo ploidy screening tool that uses biologically-relevant inputs to provide reliable euploidy probabilities is needed. Study design, size, duration The AI tool was trained on 5,000 time-lapse video sequences, along with associated clinical parameters: biological age at time of retrieval, Day-5 embryo quality, and morphokinetic parameters ranging from time of pronuclear fading to time to blastulation. Probability calibration was applied and its performance was evaluated using a blind test dataset (N = 708 embryos; euploid=352; aneuploid=356) with known prevalences of euploidy, aneuploidy, and live-birth. Mean ± SD patient age: 35.9 ± 5.4 years. Participants/materials, setting, methods The AI ploidy screening tool used known embryo ploidy status as ground-truth labels; biological age and visual quality parameters were incorporated as continuous input features to maintain biological validity. Reliability curve analysis, which plots the observed frequencies of euploidy in the clinical input data (y-axis) against the predicted probability frequencies by the screening test (x-axis), was used to assess model confidence. Odds ratios (OR) confirmed significance between associations. Main results and the role of chance Logistic regression analysis shows that AI scores are robustly associated with euploidy probability (OR = 2.79 [95% CI = 2.04-3.81] at a threshold of 0.5 when comparing euploid likelihood for high-versus-low AI scores). For embryo cohorts in the blind test set containing ≥1 aneuploid and euploid embryos in the test dataset, (N = 57 cohorts), the highest AI ranked embryo was euploid in 64% of the cohorts. Embryos were divided into four predefined brackets according to their scores (1-32, 33-49, 50-66, 67-99) and euploidy rate per bracket was determined: 28%, 44%, 58%, 71%, respectively. There was a linear association between ascending AI scores and percentage of euploid embryos, with the highest level of model confidence achieved at the tail ends of the scalar; embryos with a score above 66 were 2.5X more likely to be euploid than an embryo with a score below 33. Limitations, reasons for caution This analysis used historical time-lapse sequences. Moving forward, we must evaluate prospective AI use for ploidy screening. Genetic status in utero/birth was not evaluated. Wider implications of the findings A novel AI approach for preimplantation embryo screening using clinical metadata and time-lapse videos can improve our ability to non-invasively predict euploid likelihood prior to confirmatory diagnostic preimplantation genetic testing. Trial registration number Not applicable

Effect of low-degree astigmatism on the objective visual quality.

To evaluate the effect of low-degree astigmatism on objective visual quality through the Optical Quality Analysis System (OQAS). This study enrolled 46 participants (aged 23 to 30y, 90 eyes) with normal or corrected-to-normal vision. The cylindrical lenses (0, 0.5, 0.75, 1.0, and 1.25 D) were placed at the axial direction (180°, 45°, 90°, and 135°) in front of the eyes with the best correction to form 16 types of regular low-degree astigmatism. OQAS was used to detect the objective visual quality, recorded as the objective scattering index (OSI), OQAS values at contrasts of 100%, 20%, and 9% predictive visual acuity (OV100%, OV20%, and OV9%), modulation transfer function cut-off (MTFcut-off) and Strehl ratio (SR). The mixed effect linear model was used to compare objective visual quality differences between groups and examine associations between astigmatic magnitude and objective visual quality parameters. Apparent negative relationships between the magnitude of low astigmatism and objective visual quality were observed. The increase of OSI per degree of astigmatism at 180°, 45°, 90°, and 135° axis were 0.38 (95%CI: 0.35, 0.42), 0.50 (95%CI: 0.46, 0.53), 0.49 (95%CI: 0.45, 0.54) and 0.37 (95%CI: 0.34, 0.41), respectively. The decrease of MTFcut-off per degree of astigmatism at 180°, 45°, 90°, and 135° axis were -10.30 (95%CI: -11.43, -9.16), -12.73 (95%CI: -13.62, -11.86), -12.75 (95%CI: -13.79, -11.70), and -9.97 (95%CI: -10.92, -9.03), respectively. At the same astigmatism degree, OSI at 45° and 90° axis were higher than that at 0° and 135° axis, while MTFcut-off were lower. Low astigmatism of only 0.50 D can significantly reduce the objective visual quality.

Comparative visual outcomes of the first versus second eye following small-incision lenticule extraction (SMILE)

BackgroundThis study aimed to compare the visual outcomes of the first operated eyes with those of the second operated eyes following small-incision lenticule extraction (SMILE).MethodsA total of 202 patients (404 eyes) underwent SMILE using the tear film mark centration method for myopia and myopic astigmatism correction. Baseline characteristics, objective optical quality, decentered displacement, induced corneal aberrations, and modulation transfer function (MTF) values were assessed. Linear regression analyzed the relationship between decentration and visual quality parameters, including corneal aberrations and MTF values.ResultsNo significant difference was observed in objective visual quality, efficacy, and safety indexes between the two groups (all P > 0.05). The average decentered displacement for the first and second surgical eyes was 0.278 ± 0.17 mm and 0.315 ± 0.15 mm, respectively (P = 0.002). The horizontal coma in the first surgical eyes were notably lower than in the second (P = 0.000). MTF values at spatial frequencies of 5, 10, 15, and 20 cycles/degree (c/d) were higher in the first surgical eyes compared to the second (all P < 0.05). Linear regression indicated that high-order aberrations (HOAs), root mean square (RMS) coma, spherical aberration, horizontal coma, vertical coma, and eccentric displacement were all linearly correlated. Furthermore, MTF values exhibited a linear relationship with eccentric displacement across these spatial frequencies.ConclusionsThere was no discernible difference in visual acuity, efficacy, or safety between the two operated eyes. Nonetheless, the first operated eyes exhibited reduced decentered displacement and demonstrated superior outcomes in terms of horizontal coma and MTF values compared to the second operated eyes following SMILE. The variations in visual quality parameters were linearly correlated with decentered displacement.

Investigation of Different Ozone Gas Doses Treatments on Broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) Postharvest Quality During Cold Storage

At postharvest, the main factor for the fruit and vegetable quality protection is to apply low storage temperature. Also, by the developing technology, alterative protection techniques start to come into prominence in addition cold storage. In a summary, the purpose of these technologies is to preserve food quality for longer time and to provide increasing of shelf-life of foods. One of the alternatives preserving technologies that has taken importance at recent years is ozone technology. In this study, different dozes of ozone gas effect on the broccoli quality were investigated. 0.05 ppm and 0.3 ppm ozone treatments were applied to samples that were kept in the vegetable compartment at refrigerator. Broccoli samples were evaluated with regards to vitamin C, chlorophyll, weight loss, total viable and mold-yeast count and visual quality parameters. As a result, it was indicated that ozone treatment has positive effects on vitamin C, chlorophyll, weight loss and visual quality during cold storage whereas hardness, total viable and mold-yeast count values do not be affected by ozone application.

The dynamic changes and influencing factors of visual symptoms after small incision lenticule extraction

BackgroundTo investigate the dynamic changes and influencing factors of visual symptoms after small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE).MethodsThis was a prospective observational study. Visual symptoms including glare, haloes, starbursts, hazy vision, fluctuation, blurred vision, double vision and focusing difficulties were evaluated before and 1, 3, 6 months after SMILE using a questionnaire. Generalized linear mixed models were used to assess the effects of preoperative characteristics and objective visual quality parameters on postoperative visual symptoms.Results73 patients/146 eyes were enrolled. Preoperatively, the most common symptoms were glare (55% of eyes), haloes (48%), starbursts (44%) and blurred vision (37%). At 1 month postoperatively, the incidence and extent scores of glare, haloes, hazy vision and fluctuation rose significantly. At 3 months, the incidence and extent scores of glare, haloes and hazy vision restored to baseline. And at 6 months, the extent scores of fluctuation returned to baseline. Other symptoms (e.g., starbursts) did not change before and 1, 3, 6 months after SMILE. Preoperative visual symptoms were associated with postoperative symptoms, as patients with a symptom preoperatively had higher postoperative scores for that symptom. Age was related to postoperative extent of double vision (coefficient = 0.12, P = 0.046). There were no significant associations between postoperative visual symptoms and preoperative SE, scotopic pupil size, angle kappa (with intraoperative adjustment), postoperative HOAs or scattering indexes.ConclusionsThe incidence and extent scores of hazy vision, glare, haloes and fluctuation increased at the first month after SMILE, and recovered to baseline at 3 or 6 months. Preoperative visual symptoms were associated with the postoperative symptoms and should be fully considered before SMILE.

Influence of a Transparent and Edible Coating of Encapsulated Cannabidiol Nanoparticles on the Quality and Shelf Life of Strawberries.

Cannabidiol (CBD) has been shown to have antioxidant and antibacterial effects. The investigation into CBD's potential as an antioxidant and antibacterial agent, meanwhile, is still in its initial stages. The study goals were to prepare encapsulated cannabidiol isolate (eCBDi), evaluate the effect of eCBDi edible active coatings on the physicochemical properties of strawberries, and determine whether CBD and sodium alginate coatings could be used as a postharvest treatment to promote antioxidation and antimicrobial activity and prolong the strawberry shelf life. A well-designed edible coating on the strawberry surface was achieved using eCBDi nanoparticles in combination with a sodium alginate polysaccharide-based solution. Strawberries were examined for their visual appearance and quality parameters. In the results, a significantly delayed deterioration was observed in terms of weight loss, total acidity, pH, microbial activity, and antioxidant activity for coated strawberries compared to the control. This study demonstrates the capability of eCBDi nanoparticles as an efficient active food coating agent.

Single breath-hold CINE imaging with combined simultaneous multislice and region-optimized virtual coils.

To investigate the feasibility of combining simultaneous multislice (SMS) and region-optimized virtual coils (ROVir) for single breath-hold CINE imaging. ROVir is a recent virtual coil approach that allows reduced-field of view (FOV) imaging by localizing the signal from a region-of-interest (ROI) and/or suppressing the signal from unwanted spatial regions. In this work, ROVir is used for reduced-FOV SMS bSSFP CINE imaging, which enables whole heart CINE with a single breath-hold acquisition. Reduced-FOV CINE with either SMS-only or ROVir-only resulted in significant aliasing, with severely reduced image quality when compared to the full FOV reference CINE, while the visual appearance of aliasing was substantially reduced with the proposed SMS+ROVir. The end diastolic volume, end systolic volume, and ejection fraction obtained using the proposed approach were similar to the clinical reference (correlations of 0.92, 0.94, and 0.88, respectively with in each case, and biases of 0.1, 1.6 mL, and , respectively). No statistically significant differences for these parameters were found with a Wilcoxon rank test (p = 0.96, 0.20, and 0.40, respectively). We demonstrated that reduced-FOV CINE imaging with SMS+ROVir enables single breath-hold whole-heart imaging without compromising visual image quality or quantitative cardiac function parameters.

Early Impact of Laser Vision Correction (LVC) on the Stability and Quality of the Retinal Image

This retrospective comparative study analyzes the early postoperative impact of laser vision correction for myopia on the optical quality and stability of functional vision using a double-pass aberrometer. Retinal image quality and visual function stability were assessed preoperatively, one and three months after myopic laser in situ keratomileuses (LASIK) and photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) using double-pass aberrometry (HD Analyzer, Visiometrics S.L, Terrassa, Spain). The parameters analyzed included vision break-up time (VBUT), objective scattering index (OSI), modulation transfer function (MTF), and Strehl ratio (SR). The study included 141 eyes of 141 patients, of whom 89 underwent PRK and 52 underwent LASIK. No statistically significant differences were noted between the two techniques in any analyzed parameters at three months postoperatively. However, a significant drop was observed in all parameters one month after PRK. Only the OSI and VBUT remained significantly altered from baseline at the three months follow-up visit, with an increased OSI by 0.14 +/- 0.36 (p < 0.01) and a shortened VBUT by 0.57 +/- 2.3 s (p < 0.01). No correlation was found between the changes in optical and visual quality parameters and age, ablation depth, or postoperative spherical equivalent. The stability and quality of the retinal images were similar between LASIK and PRK at three months postoperatively. However, significant degradation in all parameters was found one month after PRK.

Short-term Evaluation of Visual Quality, Amplitude of Accommodation, and Stereoacuity Between Patients With Moderate-to-High Myopia Who Underwent ICLV4c Implantation and SMILE.

To compare the visual quality, accommodation, and stereoacuity between patients with a myopia magnitude of -3.00 to -8.50 diopters (D) who underwent ICLV4c (STAAR Surgical) implantation and small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE). The visual quality parameters, amplitude of accommodation (AMP), and stereoacuity were compared between and within the ICLV4c and SMILE groups (40 eyes/group) with a mean spherical equivalent (SE) of -6.14 D. Differences in these parameters before and after surgery were analyzed using SPSS 22.0 software (SPSS, Inc). Modulation transfer function (MTF) cut-off increased significantly by 3.24 cycles/degree (t = -2.111, P = .041) and AMP decreased significantly by 1.66 D (t = 7.519, P < .001) from baseline to 3 months after surgery in the ICLV4c group. However, the MTF cut-off was significantly lower (t = 2.123, P = .037) and the AMP was significantly better (t = -3.605, P = .001) in the SMILE group than in the ICLV4c group at 3 months postoperatively. Other parameters such as Objective Scatter Index, Strehl ratio, and Optical Quality Analysis System (Visiometrics) under different contrast values did not show significant changes (P > .05). Stereoacuity did not improve significantly, except in a patient with anisometropia (2.50 D) in the ICLV4c group. The ICLV4c implantation yielded a better visual quality but worse AMP than did SMILE in patients with a myopia magnitude of -3.00 to -8.50 D in the short term. [J Refract Surg. 2022;38(10):632-640.].

A Fruit Colour Development Index (CDI) to Support Harvest Time Decisions in Peach and Nectarine Orchards

Fruit skin colour is one of the most important visual fruit quality parameters driving consumer preferences. Proximal sensors such as machine vision cameras can be used to detect skin colour in fruit visible in collected images, but their accuracy in variable orchard light conditions remains a practical challenge. This work aimed to derive a new fruit skin colour attribute—namely a Colour Development Index (CDI), ranging from 0 to 1, that intuitively increases as fruit becomes redder—to assess colour development in peach and nectarine fruit skin. CDI measurements were generated from high-resolution images collected on both east and west sides of the canopies of three peach and one nectarine cultivars using the commercial mobile platform Cartographer (Green Atlas). Fruit colour (RGB values) was extracted from the central pixels of detected fruit and converted into a CDI. The repeatability of CDI measurements under different light environments was tested by scanning orchards at different times of the day. The effects of cultivar and canopy side on CDI were also determined. CDI data was related to the index of absorbance difference (IAD)—an index of chlorophyll degradation that was correlated with ethylene emission—and its response to time from harvest was modelled. The CDI was only significantly altered when measurements were taken in the middle of the morning or in the middle of the afternoon, when the presence of the sun in the image caused significant alteration of the image brightness. The CDI was tightly related to IAD, and CDI values plateaued (0.833 ± 0.009) at IAD ≤ 1.20 (climacteric onset) in ‘Majestic Pearl’ nectarine, suggesting that CDI thresholds show potential to be used for harvest time decisions and to support logistics. In order to obtain comparable CDI datasets to study colour development or forecast harvest time, it is recommended to scan peach and nectarine orchards at night, in the early morning, solar noon, or late afternoon. This study found that the CDI can serve as a standardised and objective skin colour index for peaches and nectarines.

Interplay Between Stress and Reproduction: Novel Epigenetic Markers in Response to Shearing Patterns in Australian Merino Sheep (Ovis aries).

In this study, we determined the effect(s) of early shearing on Australian Merino ewes (Ovis aries) and their lambs. To test this research question, we used a suite of field and laboratory methods including GPS collars, wool cortisol, and epigenetic change between ewes and lambs identified using Illumina NovaSeq RRBS. Once shorn ewes (n = 24) were kept on their full fleece throughout the entire gestation period, whereas twice (early) shorn ewes (n = 24) had their wool shorn pre-joining. Top-knot wool sample was taken from ewes during pre-joining, day 50 (mid-gestation), and day 90 (late gestation) for laboratory analysis. Ewes were pregnancy scanned at mid-gestation to determine whether they were early or late parturition (this confirmation is provided by the pregnancy scanner based on fetus size). Top-knot wool sample was also taken from the lambs at weaning for hormone and wool quality testing. Ear tissue was taken from ewes at day 50 (mid-gestation) and from lambs at lamb marking for DNA analysis. Results showed that twice or early shorn ewes grazed 10% higher and maintained stronger body condition than once shorn ewes. Wool cortisol levels were also significantly lower in the early shorn ewes between mid- and late gestation. Lambs bred from twice shorn ewes had on average better visual wool quality parameters in terms of micron, spin finesses, and curvature. For the DNA methylation results, when comparing a group of once sheared with twice sheared ewes, we have discovered one locus (Chr20:50404014) that was significantly differentially methylated [False Discovery Rate (FDR) = 0.005]. This locus is upstream of a protein-coding gene (ENSOARG00000002778.1), which shows similarities to the forkhead box C1 (FOXC1) mRNA using BLAST searches. To further our understanding of the potential interaction between pregnancy status and shearing frequency of the ewes, we performed further differential methylation analysis using a combination of shearing treatment and pregnancy scanning status. The comparisons (1) late pregnancy vs. early pregnancy for ewes with one shearing treatment and (2) late pregnancy vs. early pregnancy for sheep with two shearing treatments were carried out to identify associations between loci and pregnancy duration for sheep with either one or two shearing events. We discovered that 36 gene loci were significantly modulated either between different shearing treatments or late vs. early pregnancy status of ewes. This result suggests that maternal pregnancy and nutritional status during gestation influence DNA methylation. We further investigated DNA methylation in lambs and identified 16 annotated gene loci that showed epigenetic modulation as a result of being born from an early or late stage pregnancy. From the genomics data, we pointed out that ewes go through epigenetic modifications during gestation, and there is a degree of intra-individual variation in the reproductive performance of ewes, which could be due to combination of intrinsic (genetic and physiological) and extrinsic (management and climatic) factors. Collectively, this research provides novel dataset combining physiological, molecular epigenetics, and digital tracking indices that advances our understanding of how Merino ewes respond to shearing frequency, and this information could guide further research on Merino sheep breeding and welfare.

Enhancement of Digital Stereo Vision Images based on Histogram and Gamma Correction Strategy

Image contrast enhancement methods have been a topic of interest in digital image processing for various applications like satellite imaging, recognition, medical imaging, and stereo vision. This paper studies the technique for image enhancement utilizing Adaptive Histogram Equalization and Weighted Gamma Correction to cater radiometric condition and illumination variations of stereo image pairs. In the proposed method, the stereo pair images are segmented together with weighted distribution into sub-histograms supported with Histogram Equalization (HE) mapping or gamma correction and guided filtering. The experimental result shows the experimented techniques outperform compare with the original image in evaluation parameters of visual quality and image enhancement parameters via Entropy, MSE, and PSNR, etc. taken for performance analysis and validation.

Phobos image enhancement using unpaired multi-frame acquisitions from Indian Mars Color Camera

The Mars Color Camera (MCC) of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) captures the elusive moon of Mars, Phobos. MCC instrument is the eye of Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) launched by ISRO on 05th November 2013 from the spaceport of India, Sriharikota. MCC has already provided more than 1000 images of Martian surface features covering different terrains. Recently, MCC has captured Phobos image at successive time instances on 01st July 2020. Multiple unpaired acquisitions of planetary remote sensing images often contain rich information to super resolve the spatial details of these images. This paper describes the techniques developed to enhance the Phobos image from MCC multi-frame acquisitions using image rectification and topographic data. In this regard, the co-registration of MCC frames is a crucial step. To co-register the data at sub-pixel level, we present a method, namely Random Sample Consensus (RANSAC) pruning based Scale Invariant Feature Transform (R-SIFT). The image composite is based on Medoid approach. It is further enhanced by contrast limited adaptive histogram equalization (CLAHE). The location of Phobos is computed using Spacecraft Planet Instrument Camera Matrix Event (SPICE) toolkit. For topographic correction, we rely on the Digital Elevation Model (DEM) of Phobos using publicly available resources. Visual inspection and image quality parameters, such as BRISQUE, RMSE, PSNR, and SSIM are estimated for both enhanced and topographically corrected image for assimilation purpose. After incorporating these techniques, the final Phobos image appears more representative, spatially enhanced, and has normalized radiometry to study its surface features.

Detail Enhanced Feature-Level Medical Image Fusion in Decorrelating Decomposition Domain

Medical image fusion improves clinical interpretation and analysis by combining the complementary information of multimodal images into one that leads to more accurate diagnosis and treatment planning. This article presents a novel feature-level medical image fusion (FMIF) method using a structural gradient-based decomposition, which provides uncorrelated structural and textural components. A feature codebook obtained from multiple low-scale features followed by clustering and choose-max with consistency verification rule is applied to fuse structural components. An optimized pulse-coupled neural network is utilized to fuse texture component using a differential evolution algorithm, which helps to improve the model efficiency and retain the natural response of pixel activity. The fusion performance of the proposed method is explored on a large data set of neurological images. The experimental result demonstrates that the proposed method provides better fusion results and outperforms the state-of-the-art fusion approaches with enhanced visual quality and computational parameters.

Comparison of visual quality after implantation of A1-UV and SN60WF aspheric intraocular lens.

To compare the visual performance of pseudophakic eyes implanted with A1-UV and SN60WF aspheric intraocular lens (IOL), and to investigate the correlations between visual quality parameters and pupil size. This prospective comparative study included 105 eyes of 90 patients with age-related cataract who underwent uneventful phacoemulsification. The subjects were divided into two groups according to the implanted IOL type. Three months postoperatively, visual acuity and contrast sensitivity were measured, wave-front aberrations were assessed using a KR-1W aberrometer (Topcon), and objective optical quality parameters were performed using an optical quality analysis system-OQAS II (Visiometrics). Independent sample t-test and Spearman correlation analysis were used for data analysis. There were no significant differences found in visual acuity, contrast sensitivity and visual quality parameters between the two groups (P>0.05). The measured intraocular spherical aberration (SA) in A1-UV IOL eyes of -0.19±0.05 µm was close to the designed SA value of -0.20 µm. The modulation transfer function cutoff, Strehl ratio and OQAS values were negatively correlated with pupil size in both groups (P<0.01). The subjective and objective visual quality in pseudophakic eyes with A1-UV and SN60WF IOLs are comparable. For aspheric IOL eyes, visual quality decreases with increasing pupil size.

Accuracy in estimating visual quality parameters of mango fruits as moving object using image processing

Mango fruit grading in Indonesia is still done manually with low capacity and less accurate results. A conveyor mechanism with a camera as an evaluation tool can be used to increase the capacity and accuracy of grading. However, the image quality captured by the camera decreases with a moving object. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of estimating mango quality parameters by image processing using images captured by a camera at different conveyor speeds. The results of the RGB color analysis of mango images captured from a moving conveyor at three different speeds were compared with the results of the same still images. The average error of the color analysis for low, medium, and high speeds were; red color index 3.56%, 4.76%, and 6.27%, green color index 2.39%, 3.66%, and 3.95%, while blue color was not considered due to its inferior compared to the red and green colors. For HSI color model, the results were; hue values 2.13%, 3.35%, and 3.56 %, saturation values 8.98%, 12.15% and 15.26%, intensity values 15.48%, 23.89% and 17.84%. Meanwhile, the estimated error rates for the projected area for low, medium, and high conveyor speeds were 2.34%, 2.83%, and 4.78 %.

Using GIS-based multicriteria decision support system for planning road networks with visual quality constraints: a case study of protected areas in Ankara, Turkey.

Protected areas are important zones due to their natural and cultural assets and their biodiversity preservation functions. Ecotourism activities in these areas have gained great importance for visitors in recent decades. Road networks established in protected areas have ecotourism-related functions, such as providing visitors with continuous access to/within these areas and offering visual richness to visitors while cruising on the roads. Road network planning that prioritizes visual quality is one of the scientific issues discussed today regarding the sustainable management of protected areas. This study focuses on planning new road networks that prioritize visual quality in protected areas and determining the optimum route that maximizes the visual quality experience of visitors. The study area was selected from the protected areas between the Kızılcahamam and Çamlıdere Districts of Ankara, Turkey, and their surroundings. In the model application, a road network was planned using the multicriteria decision support system (MDSS) method by considering visual quality parameters. In this stage, the road network that prioritized visual quality during spring and autumn seasons was investigated. Hence, weighted linear combination (WLC) was used as a geographic information system (GIS)-based MDSS method. Then, the GIS-based network analysis method was used to determine the optimum route that provided access to the scenic viewpoints (existing and proposed viewpoints) in the study area and maximized the visual quality during both seasons. In the new road network planned by considering the visual quality parameters, the total road length was calculated as 121.21km for the spring and 129.47km for the autumn. The lengths of the optimum routes that allowed visitors to reach the scenic viewpoints and ensured the maximum visual quality were 30.91km and 30.70km on the new road network for the spring and autumn seasons, respectively. This study introduced a new methodology that utilized GIS-based decision support systems to plan a road network that prioritized visual quality and determined the optimum route with the maximum visual quality. It is anticipated that this methodology can be used for sustainable management and effective planning of protected areas to reach and protect resources with high visual quality.

Importance of Multifocal Intraocular Lenses in The Elderly Population

Background: Vision rehabilitation in elderly populations. Objective: We aimed to evaluate potential factors affecting the visual quality and other parameters in the selection of appropriate intraocular lenses in cataract surgery for patients with senile cataract. In addition, we evaluated the type of intraocular lenses optimal for cataract surgeries in elderly patients and attempted to analyze the significance of visual rehabilitation without glasses to improve the quality-of-life of elderly patients who are unable to use glasses. Method: We retrospectively investigated the records of 49 eyes from 49 patients who underwent cataract surgery for senile cataract during 2014–2015. Preoperative and postoperative pupil sizes were measured using The Oasis brand of pupillometer, and changes in the pupil size were statistically analyzed. Distribution of variables was analyzed using the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test. The Wilcoxon test was used for repeated measurements. Study data was analyzed using the SPSS 22.0 program. Results: Of all patients, 32 were males and 17 were females (age, 48–81 years). A significant decrease in the pupil size was postoperatively noted (p < 0.05). The mean preoperative pupil size decreased to 4.1 ± 0.9 mm from 4.9 ± 1.0 mm during the first postoperative month. Conclusion: Cataract is usually related to aging. Multifocal intraocular lenses (MIOLs) are not or only slightly affected by the pupil size and enable the elderly to meet their daily needs without depending on glasses and, thus, improve their quality-of-life after cataract surgery. Thus, we recommend MIOLs that function independent of pupil size as appropriate for cataract surgeries in elderly patients.