Mobile app Aston contrast sensitivity test

BACKGROUND: Contrast detection is an important aspect of the assessment of visual function; however, clinical tests evaluate limited spatial frequencies and contrasts. This study validates the accuracy and inter-test repeatability of a swept-frequency near and distance mobile app Aston contrast sensitivity test, which overcomes this limitation compared to traditional charts. METHOD: Twenty subjects wearing their full refractive correction underwent contrast sensitivity testing on the new near application (near app), distance app, CSV-1000 and Pelli-Robson charts with full correction and with vision degraded by 0.8 and 0.2 Bangerter degradation foils. In addition repeated measures using the 0.8 occluding foil were taken. RESULTS: The mobile apps (near more than distance, p = 0.005) recorded a higher contrast sensitivity than printed tests (p < 0.001); however, all charts showed a reduction in measured contrast sensitivity with degradation (p < 0.001) and a similar decrease with increasing spatial frequency (interaction > 0.05). Although the coefficient of repeatability was lowest for the Pelli-Robson charts (0.14 log units), the mobile app charts measured more spatial frequencies, took less time and were more repeatable (near: 0.26 to 0.37 log units; distance: 0.34 to 0.39 log units) than the CSV-1000 (0.30 to 0.93 log units). The duration to complete the CSV-1000 was 124 ± 37 seconds, Pelli-Robson 78 ± 27 seconds, near app 53 ± 15 seconds and distance app 107 ± 36 seconds. CONCLUSIONS: While there were differences between charts in contrast levels measured, the new Aston near and distance apps are valid, repeatable and time-efficient method of assessing contrast sensitivity at multiple spatial frequencies.

Codon-precise, synthetic, antibody fragment libraries built using automated hexamer codon additions and validated through next generation sequencing

We have previously described ProxiMAX, a technology that enables the fabrication of precise, combinatorial gene libraries via codon-by-codon saturation mutagenesis. ProxiMAX was originally performed using manual, enzymatic transfer of codons via blunt-end ligation. Here we present Colibra™: an automated, proprietary version of ProxiMAX used specifically for antibody library generation, in which double-codon hexamers are transferred during the saturation cycling process. The reduction in process complexity, resulting library quality and an unprecedented saturation of up to 24 contiguous codons are described. Utility of the method is demonstrated via fabrication of complementarity determining regions (CDR) in antibody fragment libraries and next generation sequencing (NGS) analysis of their quality and diversity.

Long-term drivers of broadband traffic in next-generation networks

This paper is concerned with long-term (20+ years) forecasting of broadband traffic in next-generation networks. Such long-term approach requires going beyond extrapolations of past traffic data while facing high uncertainty in predicting the future developments and facing the fact that, in 20 years, the current network technologies and architectures will be obsolete. Thus, "order of magnitude" upper bounds of upstream and downstream traffic are deemed to be good enough to facilitate such long-term forecasting. These bounds can be obtained by evaluating the limits of human sighting and assuming that these limits will be achieved by future services or, alternatively, by considering the contents transferred by bandwidth-demanding applications such as those using embedded interactive 3D video streaming. The traffic upper bounds are a good indication of the peak values and, subsequently, also of the future network capacity demands. Furthermore, the main drivers of traffic growth including multimedia as well as non-multimedia applications are identified. New disruptive applications and services are explored that can make good use of the large bandwidth provided by next-generation networks. The results can be used to identify monetization opportunities of future services and to map potential revenues for network operators. © 2014 The Author(s).

APP controls the formation of PI(3,5)P2 vesicles through its binding of the PIKfyve complex

Phosphoinositides are signalling lipids that are crucial for major signalling events as well as established regulators of membrane trafficking. Control of endosomal sorting and endosomal homeostasis requires phosphatidylinositol-3-phosphate (PI(3)P) and phosphatidylinositol-3,5-bisphosphate (PI(3,5)P2), the latter a lipid of low abundance but significant physiological relevance. PI(3,5)P2 is formed by phosphorylation of PI(3)P by the PIKfyve complex which is crucial for maintaining endosomal homeostasis. Interestingly, loss of PIKfyve function results in dramatic neurodegeneration. Despite the significance of PIKfyve, its regulation is still poorly understood. Here we show that the Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP), a central molecule in Alzheimer’s disease, associates with the PIKfyve complex (consisting of Vac14, PIKfyve and Fig4) and that the APP intracellular domain directly binds purified Vac14. We also show that the closely related APP paralogues, APLP1 and 2 associate with the PIKfyve complex. Whether APP family proteins can additionally form direct protein–protein interaction with PIKfyve or Fig4 remains to be explored. We show that APP binding to the PIKfyve complex drives formation of PI(3,5)P2 positive vesicles and that APP gene family members are required for supporting PIKfyve function. Interestingly, the PIKfyve complex is required for APP trafficking, suggesting a feedback loop in which APP, by binding to and stimulating PI(3,5)P2 vesicle formation may control its own trafficking. These data suggest that altered APP processing, as observed in Alzheimer’s disease, may disrupt PI(3,5)P2 metabolism, endosomal sorting and homeostasis with important implications for our understanding of the mechanism of neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease.

Impact of reduced complexity inverse Volterra series transfer function-based nonlinear equalizer in coherent OFDM systems for next-generation core networks

A modern electronic nonlinearity equalizer (NLE) based on inverse Volterra series transfer function (IVSTF) with reduced complexity is applied on coherent optical orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (CO-OFDM) signals for next-generation long- and ultra-long-haul applications. The OFDM inter-subcarrier crosstalk effects are explored thoroughly using the IVSTF-NLE and compared with the case of linear equalization (LE) for transmission distances of up to 7000 km. © 2013 IEEE.

Smartphone-based digital government model:the case of the beyaz masa (white table) app in Turkey

M-Government services are now at the forefront of both user expectations and technology capabilities. Within the current setting, there is growing evidence that interoperability is becoming a key issue towards service sustainability. Thus, the objective of this chapter is to highlight the case of "Beyas Masa" - a Turkish application for infrastructure repair services. This application requires different stakeholders from different cultural background and geographically dispersed regions to work together. The major aim of this chapter to showcase experiences in as far as implementation and adoption of m-Government is concerned in the case of Turkey. The study utilizes the co-creation literature to investigate the factors influencing successful implementation of the Beyas Masa. This study reveals that initiatives are fragmented due to differences in the characteristics of the targeted audience, the marketing strategy, technology supply, distribution, and media utilized to promote its awareness. The chapter posits that in order to have affluent m-Government implementation in Turkey, it is important that many of the standalone applications are integrated to encourage interoperability and that socio-cultural behaviours should be re-shaped to encourage active engagement and interactive government service provisions that unlock the power of ICT.

Designing liposomal adjuvants for the next generation of vaccines

Liposomes not only offer the ability to enhance drug delivery, but can effectively act as vaccine delivery systems and adjuvants. Their flexibility in size, charge, bilayer rigidity and composition allow for targeted antigen delivery via a range of administration routes. In the development of liposomal adjuvants, the type of immune response promoted has been linked to their physico-chemical characteristics, with the size and charge of the liposomal particles impacting on liposome biodistribution, exposure in the lymph nodes and recruitment of the innate immune system. The addition of immunostimulatory agents can further potentiate their immunogenic properties. Here, we outline the attributes that should be considered in the design and manufacture of liposomal adjuvants for the delivery of sub-unit and nucleic acid based vaccines.

Looking back or looking forward in corpus linguistics:what can the last 20 years suggest about the next?

Starting with a description of the software and hardware used for corpus linguistics in the late 1980s to early 1990s, this contribution discusses difficulties faced by the software designer when attempting to allow users to study text. Future human-machine interfaces may develop to be much more sophisticated, and certainly the aspects of text which can be studied will progress beyond plain text without images. Another area which will develop further is the study of patternings involving not just single words but word-relations across large stretches of text.

The amyloid precursor protein (APP) binds the PIKfyve complex and modulates its function

Phosphoinositides are important components of eukaryotic membranes that are required for multiple forms of membrane dynamics. Phosphoinositides are involved in defining membrane identity, mediate cell signalling and control membrane trafficking events. Due to their pivotal role in membrane dynamics, phosphoinositide de-regulation contributes to various human diseases. In this review, we will focus on the newly emerging regulation of the PIKfyve complex, a phosphoinositide kinase that converts the endosomal phosphatidylinositol-3-phosphate [PI(3)P] to phosphatidylinositol-3,5-bisphosphate [PI(3,5)P2)], a low abundance phosphoinositide of outstanding importance for neuronal integrity and function. Loss of PIKfyve function is well known to result in neurodegeneration in both mousemodels and human patients. Our recent work has surprisingly identified the amyloid precursor protein (APP), the central molecule in Alzheimer s disease aetiology, as a novel interaction partner of a subunit of the PIKfyve complex, Vac14. Furthermore, it has been shown that APP modulates PIKfyve function and PI(3,5)P2 dynamics, suggesting that the APP gene family functions as regulator of PI(3,5)P2 metabolism. The recent advances discussed in this review suggest a novel, unexpected, â-amyloid-independent mechanism for neurodegeneration in Alzheimer s disease.

A cell-permeable tool for analysing APP intracellular domain function and manipulation of PIKfyve activity

The mechanisms for regulating PIKfyve complex activity are currently emerging. The PIKfyve complex, consisting of the phosphoinositide kinase PIKfyve (also known as FAB1), VAC14 and FIG4, is required for the production of phosphatidylinositol-3,5-bisphosphate (PI(3,5)P2). PIKfyve function is required for homeostasis of the endo/lysosomal system and is crucially implicated in neuronal function and integrity, as loss of function mutations in the PIKfyve complex lead to neurodegeneration in mouse models and human patients. Our recent work has shown that the intracellular domain of the Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP), a molecule central to the aetiology of Alzheimer's disease binds to VAC14 and enhances PIKfyve function. Here we utilise this recent advance to create an easy-to-use tool for increasing PIKfyve activity in cells. We fused APP's intracellular domain (AICD) to the HIV TAT domain, a cell permeable peptide allowing proteins to penetrate cells. The resultant TAT-AICD fusion protein is cell permeable and triggers an increase of PI(3,5)P2. Using the PI(3,5)P2 specific GFP-ML1Nx2 probe we show that cell-permeable AICD alters PI(3,5)P2 dynamics. TAT-AICD also provides partial protection from pharmacological inhibition of PIKfyve. All three lines of evidence show that the APP intracellular domain activates the PIKfyve complex in cells, a finding that is important for our understanding of the mechanism of neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease.

A longitudinal evaluation of the acceptability and impact of a diet diary app for older adults with age-related macular degeneration

Ongoing advances in technology are increasing the scope for enhancing and supporting older adults’ daily living. The digital divide between older and younger adults raises concerns, however, about the suitability of technological solutions for older adults, especially for those with impairments. Taking older adults with Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) as a case study, we used user-centred and participatory design approaches to develop an assistive mobile app for self-monitoring their intake of food [12,13]. In this paper we report on findings of a longitudinal field evaluation of our app that was conducted to investigate how it was received and adopted by older adults with AMD and its impact on their lives. Demonstrating the benefit of applying inclusive design methods for technology for older adults, our findings reveal how the use of the app raises participants’ awareness and facilitates self-monitoring of diet, encourages positive (diet) behaviour change, and encourages learning.

Comparison of cost- and energy-efficient signal modulations for next generation passive optical networks

Extensive numerical investigations are undertaken to analyze and compare, for the first time, the performance, techno-economy, and power consumption of three-level electrical Duobinary, optical Duobinary, and PAM-4 modulation formats as candidates for high-speed next-generation PONs supporting downstream 40 Gb/s per wavelength signal transmission over standard SMFs in C-band. Optimization of transceiver bandwidths are undertaken to show the feasibility of utilizing low-cost and band-limited components to support next-generation PON transmissions. The effect of electro-absorption modulator chirp is examined for electrical Duobinary and PAM-4. Electrical Duobinary and optical Duobinary are powerefficient schemes for smaller transmission distances of 10 km SMFs and optical Duobinary offers the best receiver sensitivity albeit with a relatively high transceiver cost. PAM-4 shows the best power budget and costefficiency for larger distances of around 20 km, although it consumes more power. Electrical Duobinary shows the best trade-off between performance, cost and power dissipation.

Investigation of PHY, MAC and APP layers for adaptive and cross-layer optimization in IEEE802.11 WLAN

Due to huge popularity of portable terminals based on Wireless LANs and increasing demand for multimedia services from these terminals, the earlier structures and protocols are insufficient to cover the requirements of emerging networks and communications. Most research in this field is tailored to find more efficient ways to optimize the quality of wireless LAN regarding the requirements of multimedia services. Our work is to investigate the effects of modulation modes at the physical layer, retry limits at the MAC layer and packet sizes at the application layer over the quality of media packet transmission. Interrelation among these parameters to extract a cross-layer idea will be discussed as well. We will show how these parameters from different layers jointly contribute to the performance of service delivery by the network. The results obtained could form a basis to suggest independent optimization in each layer (an adaptive approach) or optimization of a set of parameters from different layers (a cross-layer approach). Our simulation model is implemented in the NS-2 simulator. Throughput and delay (latency) of packet transmission are the quantities of our assessments. © 2010 IEEE.

What next for unions in Central and Eastern Europe? Invisibility, departure and the transformation of industrial relations

This article examines union revitalization in Central and Eastern Europe, focusing on two countries: Hungary and Latvia. Trade unions have not only had to cope with a declining membership base, but have also had to respond to austerity programmes and government cuts in public sector employment. We argue that the inability of unions to provide a strong voice for alternative policies to the current neoliberal orthodoxy has been driven by a declining membership base, but also by weakened social dialogue mechanisms, limited industrial representation and an ageing membership profile, exacerbated by net outward migration in recent years. However, we find that unions in Latvia and Hungary have responded differently to these issues.