Investigations on the specific effects of blue light on plants began some fifty years ago. In re cent years the growing awareness of blue-light-in duced phenomena in plants, microorganisms, and animals has accelerat ed and expanded this research into an ever-increasing variety of blue light effects in biological systems. In 1977, J .A. Schiff and W .R. Briggs proposed a specific meeting to present and summarize the various blue-light effects and to discuss their mechanisms and possible photoreceptors. In view of the variety of re sponses and the range of organisms affected by blue light the term Blue Light Syndrome seemed to be the only appropriate one for the meeting. With the help of the International Advisory Committee (W.R. Briggs, Stanford; J. Gressel, Rehovot; W. Kowallik, Bielefeld; S. Miyachi, To kyo; W. Rau, Munich, and J.A. Schiff, Waltham), and the very generous financial support provided by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft as well as by the Bundesministerium fur Forschung und Technologie, the Kultusminister des Landes Hessen, and the Philipps-Universitat Marburg, the "International Conference on the Effect of Blue Light in Plants and Microorganisms" was held in July 1979 in the Philipps-Universitat Mar burg."

Four years ago The Blue Light Syndrome was published as the Proceed ings of the 1 st International Conference on the Effect of Blue Light in Plants and Microorganisms. Subsequently the interest in this fascinating and growing field of re search has further increased, as is reflected by numerous publications. Blue light effects cover such a wide spectrum of organisms, responses and methods that communication among scientists with backgrounds in biology, biochemistry, and biophysics is particularly necessary. These facts not only justified, but demanded calling the "Blue Light Family" together again. In spite of many fmancial problems, the second confer ence attracted 113 active members from 19 countries. The 2nd International Conference on The Effect of Blue Light in Plants and Microorganisms was held in July 1984, like the first at the University of Marburg. The organizer could again rely on the help of the International Advisory Committee (W. Briggs, Stanford; M. Furuya, Tokyo; J. Gressel, Rehovot; S. Miyachi, Tokyo; W. Rau, Miinchen; J. Schiff, Waltham; P .-S. Song, Lubbock). The very generous financial as sistance from the DFG and the support of the Philipps-Universitat Mar burg and its Sonderforschungsbereich "Zellenergetik and Zelldifferen zierung" were the prerequisites to organizing the conference. The present book consists of 56 original papers. The partitioning into eight chapters is always a problem. The grouping of different aspects of the papers into these chapters has not always been obvious, so that one or the other contribution could possibly fit in another chapter.

The World Health Organization supports tools and initiatives in Health Impact Assessment to dynamically improve health and well-being across different sectors. Human Impact Assessment (HuIA) is a relatively new concept. It describes an integrated process that encompasses both Health Impact Assessment and Social Impact Assessment and is used to anticipate the effects of programs, projects and decisions on human health and welfare. Sleep occupies approximately one-third of our lives, but its human impact remains largely unrecognized. The prevalence of excessive sleepiness is recognized to be increasing in industrialized societies. Without doubt, sleepiness and fatigue have high costs in terms of both lives lost and socioeconomic impact. For example, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that up to 4% of all fatal crashes are caused by drowsy drivers and that as many as 100,000 deaths per year in the United States may be due to fatigue-related medical errors. Sleepiness and Human Impact Assessment provides a uniquely comprehensive exploration of many different facets of sleepiness in our 24-hour society from the new HuIA point of view. Among the covered issues are the physiology and pathophysiology of sleep, its relationship to daytime alertness, fatigue and drugs, the relevance of sleep-related fatigue in various occupational settings and public safety. This book will be of assistance to physicians, occupational health professionals, ergonomists, researchers and decision-makers as they strive to understand the full significance of sleepiness and to create a culture of accountability in everyday life without sleep-related risks.

Understand and meet your patients’ eyewear needs with the reference that covers every aspect of dispensing ? from basic terminology to frame selection to eyewear fitting, adjusting, and repairing. System for Ophthalmic Dispensing, 4th Edition, provides a step-by-step system for properly fitting and adjusting eyewear, including the nuances of lens selection, making it an ideal resource both for students who are just learning about dispensing and practitioners who want to keep their skills up to date. Thorough discussions of every topic and hundreds of newly revised and enhanced review questions make this a one-stop educational and clinical resource for today’s eyecare professionals. Explains the "how" and "why" behind lens selection to help you better understand and meet the vision needs of those you serve. Includes in-depth discussions of all types of lenses, including multifocal, progressive, absorptive, safety, recreational, aspheric, high index, and lens coatings. Provides updated coverage of the latest dispensing procedures and equipment. Discusses the use of spectacle lenses for the control of myopia. Contains more than 700 high-quality figures demonstrating how to adjust frames, the optics of lenses, and how light travels through lenses. Photos are all taken from the perspective of the person who is adjusting the frame. Features more than 600 interactive review questions along with answers, explanations, and worked problems—all newly revised for this edition.